Rough Night

The hair fell out - she is so upset she didn't want to come out of her room last night. It really breaks my heart that she is so upset. I want to make her feel better but there isn't much I can
do - not even the scarves and hats we got are helping much. She feels like she looks horrible (she doesn't) but mom's opinion doesn't matter much when you look in the mirror and see
a bald (but beautiful girl) looking back at you. I've got 101 phone calls and applications to fill out and I think the ACS class is going to move up the priority list. Pray she will still go to the Support group on Thursday. Just when we were feeling better and got good news, she feels like the wind got knocked out of her again!
Blessings all!

BABY PILE!

This morning when i went out to feed I peeked in the baby hut and look what I found - Some of them I can't tell where they end and another baby begins. This was the shot I got this morning - OH my they are soooooo cute! Despite the cold and wind they were all out running around, well, springing around!!!! I love looking out my back window seeing all those babies playing! I think I may make sure I breed my does pretty close together from now on - or at least two of them at a time so we can have playmates - This is so much fun!!!!

Blessed Day.

Yesterday was awesome. It took a while but we finally came home.

Dr. Mathew told Alyssa to "walk with your head up and back strait - you're in remission now"

Those were the sweetest words this mother could hear going thru this ordeal. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. She really did take this round better than the first round and she appears stronger than when she was released last time. Seeing her smile (lots of big smiles) made me want to shout for joy. Aly still has to go thru one more round of Chemo but it appears we are off the hook for radiation (Halleluja!) but seeing this big, bright glaring light at the end of the tunnel makes it a little easier to take (for mom anyway - I'm sure it's not so easy for her).

This week we still have to take the Prednisone and she has the follow up Vincristine on Friday. That is the one that made her hurt so bad with back and jaw pain last time. But again, knowing she is clear of active cancer right now makes it seems just a little easier to take knowing the end is truly in sight. I know - because of my mom's breast cancer - you never really rest easy and every year you let out a big sigh of relief when they give you the all clear after your annual checkups. I know for her it will never truly be over as she will live with the knowlege in the back of her mind for the rest of her life that it could come back. Thank you P&P J for the precious lamb and Angel pin. Thank you JT, LS, LA and N & E for the yummy meals you provided for my family this weekend. I got some of the leftovers and everything was fantastic and yummy!!!

Also to LB for the gift card for Aly and to C,D,A &J for the gift for Aly. Sure brightened her homecoming to see how loved and supported she is. GOD is sooooo goood and we are so under HIS mercy and grace!

Please pray for K still - I found out he's been in for the past 3 weeks, he's not gotten to go home.

also for another young man going thru cancer, C, who apparently has been at this for 7 years. It does truly bring me to my knees Thanking God for how little we've had to endure compared to some of these other precious kids. You know folks keep asking me what they can do - WE are so taken care of but these other kids and families have to endure SO MUCH- here's a few ideas that you all can do for others and us: Donate money to Children's Cancer Fun of NM 112 14th St. SW ALBQ, NM 87102 - These folks provide vouchers for food, gas, and other needs for families who are spending a lot of time at the hospital. Also give blood - though we haven't needed a transfusion yet (we are praying HARD we don't) they need blood for these kiddos and lots of others who need transfusions - I think how selfish I am not donating blood when I know I am free of diseases and other issues - my blood could mean a big difference for one of these kids. I am going to start donating blood as soon as I can. IF you already do - Kudos to you!!!!! You are awesome!

Chemo Update - We are going home!!!

Hope this isn't another false alarm but Dr. Mathew just came in and said he thinks he can write the ticket out of here today - Alyssa looks great and has NO nausea and vomiting. He wanted her to eat something and keep it down (she did have two slices of pizza and two fruit cups last night and kept it down) so she just ate a fruit cup to see if she can hang. He doesn't want to send her home and then her get sick and have to come back. We don't want that either so we will see if she can keep down the food so we can GO HOME!!! Guess I best consider packing and getting ready just in case. Maybe I can make a trip to the car to dump non essentials. It has been a much easier treatment than the last one - they said that does happen. Most people do better after the first treatment. Dr. Mathew said he couldn't feel anything in her neck either. PRAISE GOD!!!!!!!!! she actually looks good compared to where she was last time at this point in the treatment protocol. Our next check in date is April 17. We have clinic this coming Friday where she gets the 2nd Vincristine dose and has to be on Prednisone, GCSF, and Bactrim for the next week or so plus lots of blood draws etc. Alyssa wants to come back on Thursday night for the Teen support group so hopefully we can do that.
Thank you to everyone who has been bringing food to my family and taking care of us thru this
what a nice thing to be able to be at the hospital and not have to worry about my family at home - that they are well taken care of!
Please pray that she will not get sick once we get home and that this time around it will be a bit easier to take. We seem to be getting into a routine and figuring this all out (once we've got it down- we might be done!!! - But that's a praise report!!!!!) Also continue to pray for K and his family. They are still here and I know he's recovering from his lung surgery.
Blessings,
Deanna

What a GREAT Day!!!!

Today started off a bit on the rough side, as I posted earlier she was sick and very exhausted from the treatment last night. She slept most of the day and my mom relieved me so I could go to the goat show for a while. Storm didn't do well in the first show - no big surprise - he was his big ol' stinky, hairy self. We shaved off enough to where you could actually see how nice looking he was and he took Sr. Grand Champion and Reserve Champion Buck in the 2nd show under Judge Gary Whitehead. SO excited! To make matters even better I got back to the hospital to a wide awake, smily and even a tad perky daughter!!!! She is still tired but she's doing much better this time around than she did last time. Certainly was the cherry on top of the Sundae!!!
BIG SMILES!!!
Thank you all for all of your prayers, we are definitely getting positive answers and are being held up in HIS strength! Peace is flowing over us
Thank you to whoever brought dinner to my family (sorry my brain is fuzzy from lack of sleep last night and I know I was told but can't remember) To KF for taking my stinky little guy to the
show and to SH for showing him in the first show. To all the folks who donated stuff to the fundraiser at the show and to all those who participated! What a huge blessing it all was and to be there to enjoy everyone's company!

Chemo Round 2

Well, last night was just plain rough. Despite the correct doses of Anti Nausea medications, she was sick anyway. She was up on and off vomiting from 3 am on - She couldn't go to sleep until around 12pm - needless to say there wasn't much sleeping going on between rounds and her getting up sick etc. Despite giving up coffee, I'm needing some this morning!!!! My mom is going to come relieve me in just a bit and I'm going over to the goat show. I will have to take a change of clothes just in case I need to show my buck or something (Alyssa won't let me back in here smelling like that!!!!) It will be nice to go see everyone and everything going on! I miss my goat and knit groups.
Please pray that Alyssa is able to hold up better this go round so they let her out tomorrow.
She feels pretty icky right now but has gotten some sleep this morning (unlike me - once the sun is up - so am I). Also keep K in your prayers. He is here this go round also. I ran into his Grandfather in the nutrition room late last night - K had just gotten out of his lung surgery.
Uphold him and his grandparents as they go thru this also!
Thank you to BRH for the yummy soup and tortillas for dinner last night and JT for feeding my family at home. Again we are abundantly blessed and well taken care of in the midst of this thing. makes going thru it a lot easier

Hospital - Round 2

It's been quite a day! We got to the hospital around 9am and checked into the Oncology Clinic
They accessed her port and drew blood for some numbers (yes, they were high enough) and then went down to Nuc. Medicine for her PET/CT scan. Then back up to Oncology. We had a leaking tube on her port access so she had a messed up shirt. that was a bit insane. We had to have her port re accessed and of course it had to be cleaned etc. to make sure she doesn't get an infection in the line etc. UGH!!!! We got her checked into the PSCUnit for treatment after we went to Subway for lunch (at 2 pm) Poor kid was STARVING because she had to go in fasting.
The PET/CT scan came back GREAT!!!! Big time answered prayer there - they said the tumors looked like little pockets of dead cells. WAHOOO!!!!! We are soo excited. God is so good to us and we are just rejoicing like crazy. Tomorrow is the goat show - I will go for a little while to see everyone and to hopefully watch my Storm (buck) win!!!! Highly doubtful since he's an unshaved mess - hopefully the judge can look past his stinky nasy hairy self and see the beautiful buck he is underneath. We had a winter's last Hurrah! It got COLD and windy nasty (of course -hello, we had babies born -had to get cold and nasty, that's the way it works.

Also - Thank you SR for your second doe purchase - Z6 now CBF CS SG Ammi is now the herdmate to CBF TD SG Pepper.

MORE babies!

CBF Ent's Twinkle Lil' Star and Piddlin Acres H Calm the Storm are pleased to announce the birth of their twin doelings! One is black and white with blue eyes and

the other one is dark chocolate with a small white streak. Beautiful Girlies!!!! Way to go Twinks and Storm.

SURPRISE!!!!!

This is Z7 the little Chocolate and white buck that was born this morning to CBF Ent's Whistling Dixie and Piddlin Acres H Calm the Storm. Boy did we have a surprise this morning when we got out to the goat pen!!!!

This is itty bitty Z8 the runt and last born. she is a chocolate buckskin with very little white on her - except on her head.

This is Z6 the Flashy chocolate buckskin doeling

here are the triplets together so you can see how small Z8 is. She is ADORABLE!!!!! The buck is also very calm and laid back (not used to that in a boy AT ALL!!!!

Dixie was so funny this morning she had a dazed look on her face like she wasn't really sure what just happened to her. She did clean them up and everyone nursed well this morning - no problems. The weather is a little cold but everyone is hiding in the hut with the heat lamp on. WE are just waiting for Twinkle to have hers - I wouldn't be at all surprised if today was the day for her as well - she has dropped, is swollen and her ligaments are about gone. Her udder is gorgeous for a FF. So is Dixie though her her teats are a little smaller than I'd like - We'll see in a few weeks when we begin milking.

Deep Breath

Today we get ready to go back in for Treatment set 2. The biggest thing is that her blood counts be above 750 today - they were 704 on Monday. she has been having so much fun with her best friend and they are leaving today so I know that this will be hard. But we have stuff that will keep our minds off of heavy hearts. Just gotta get it all done in time.
Tomorrow is the PET/CT scan at 10am. We are supposed to check in at clinic after the PET/CT and then off to the PSCU to prepare for treatment. I hope we are prepared this time a little better. We bought drinks and some snack food that should be fine for her tender tummy.
I still have to go get Sprite. Then we have to pack bags (but need to finish laundry first!!!) .
The other kids will go to Grandma's. This weekend at the goat show is also the Fundraiser -
They are having a Silent Auction - if anyone wants to go - it is at the Livestock Pavilion at Expo NM. You can enter in thru gate 6 turn right immediately and the white building strait in front is the Pavilion (there is parking behind the building) Follow the sounds of goats hollering!!!!
It is not to late to donate if you want to the silent Auction - as far as I know Linda, Sandy, Heather and Donna are still taking donations.
Prayer Requests - I have several today- that the blood counts today are high enough for her to begin treatment tomorrow. (over 750) and that the CT/PET scan shows an 80+% in tumor reduction and no active cells so she doesn't have to do radiation or more chemo. Please pray for a friend of mine - I can give no details but just lift her and her family up and that God's peace and strength will just be upon them for the difficulties they are facing. For another friend who had to file bankruptcy due to the housing market insanity- for their peace and God's provision for them to get back on their feet. That the medications would work for Alyssa and that this Chemo won't be as hard as the last one was.
Praise Reports - her spirits have been high from her getting so spend 3 wonderful days with our friends. It really has been a boost for her.
Thank yous - To everyone who is praying for her to get thru this treatment, for those who are fasting for her tomorrow at Saturday during her treatments - Your devotion and support are soooooo appreciated! To my goat buddies who are putting on this fundraiser for us. Thank you all so much. SR for giving our little Pepper a home! The J Family for just coming and holding us up these past few days - for your distraction and shoulder to cry on. REALLY needed that!!!

Bliss

Here is little buck on the tail end of a jump. He's so active I think he's going to be dubbed Daredevil while he's here. My daughter is HORRIFIED that I am calling him Z3.

Here is Daredevil greeting the much bigger Gerados (aka Monster Muffin) the Boer/Alpine cross thru the fence. Though he's only 3 weeks older you can see that he's HUGE in comparison - LOL - this doesn't faze Daredevil one bit!!!

This is the cute and sweet little Broken Chamoisee - her nickname right now is Koko short for the Japanese name my daughter would love to call her if we get to keep her which isn't promising right this minute.

And last but not least - CBF TD SG Pepper. Long handle for such a little rascal. She's too busy trying not to fall over from a leap! Pepper appears to be sold to the Ruiz's of Fence Lake, NM. They are now waiting (on pins and needles with us) for the other two does to give birth so they can pick out their second doeling who will also be named after a spice.

Their herd will be the Spice Girls. Thanks guys for buying little Pepper and giving her a good home!!!! Pepper and her new herdmate will be shown by the Ruiz' at the Quad show May 2, 3.
I am hoping to learn how to put videos on YouTube and then post them here someday if I can.

Bliss - Another peaceful, uneventful day - not to say that nothing happened to day - just nothing real exciting = which is real nice. The kids played all day and so did the moms. T and I made Nuno felted scarves and we took the kids on a picnic at the park and played hard. Then the adults went out to eat while the kids had Taco/movie night. AAAAAH, it was blissful.

Living Day by Day

I think I'm learning to be a more flexible person thru this experience. Yesterday the girls wanted to go to the mall badly. So - we were preparing to go as soon as the home nurse drew blood. Well, we go no blood return from the port which means there is some sort of clot or sheath forming around the port (this is the body's normal response to a foreign object being in body).
Since they were able to flush the port they knew that the port didn't have to be replaces (RELIEF!!!!) so we had to go in to get a clot busting drug called TPA put in the port. This whole experience lasted around 2 hours - FINALLY the girls got to go to the mall. We didn't get to go everywhere in the mall but we still made it. And the mom's with 4 other kids to chase after in the mall made it too. I thought there was a possibility we'd come home to more babies but no more babies. I haven't gone and checked this morning but we really could have more any day now.
We sure are having fun with the 5 we have.
Prayer Requests - Please pray we don't have to go TPA again on Thursday - that will make a total of 3 trips to the hospital this week. the copays are racking up and it's a huge drain of time and energy - she gets so down when we have to go in.
Praise Reports - Alyis having so much fun with our friends here it really is taking her mind of this craziness - her BFF went with us to the appt and it made it a bit easier. They won't be here Thursday .
Thank you - to Dr. Walls office and Arrow Animal Clinic for the wonderful cards to brighten the day.

Beauty from Ashes.

AS most of you know my day yesterday started out yuck (Ashes) but it certainly improved. I called the Dr. and he said the exposure was so minimal in his eyes that we didn't even need to come in (unless of course we see a strange rash - blisters) But he doubts that she was even actually exposed. PHEW!!!! After church (which was awesome we hadn't been in a while and it was soooo nice to see everyone!) my inlaws came down to visit - Alyssa was so happy to see her cousins (again - it's been at least 3 weeks). I went to my SWNDGC show planning meeting and got home around 5:45 to our friends from Texas whom we are so incredibly glad are here!!!! and 3 baby goats. This is Z4 - a doeling who looks like her older half sister Twinkle Lil Star (this one has a white spot on her belly and a frosted muzzle.)

This is Z3 - the little bucking who looks more like his mom than the other two. He is a chocolate Chamoisee - I will band and sell him as a pet.

This is Z5 - the last doeling and so pretty - Did not expect this color/pattern at all (Dad is black with a white band )

Here is the whole crew inspecting the baby hut with heat lamp - it is cold and windy here right now - should have known Joie would kid the minute the weather turned UGLY!!!! I stuck the other 2 mommas in waiting in a fenced off area of the kidding pen as Dixie was looking a little off last night - I wouldn't be a bit surprised if we had another set of babies VERY SOON!!!! She lost her mucus plug last night.

For everyone who called and commented - Thank you - Aly said I was blowing things out of proportion but seriously - who can blame a mom for not wanting to inflict more pain and stuff on her child who has already been thru so much - feelings are what they are - I had them - maybe I just needed a good cry!!!! So my day started out with a few ashes and were blown away by the beauty of a bunch of HUGS from our heavenly Father!

Prayer Requests - For our friends who are going thru cancer treatments themselves - LORD uphold them thru the treatments and the good days and the bad days - what a blessing to be able to see them and know that you are just strengthening them in their walk thru this disease.

Also for M&M B who lost their Grandmother to Lung Cancer this past week - Give them strength and your words to comfort their family this week during the funeral.

Praise Reports - The Joyce's got here safe and sound after a 10 hour drive (T only had 4 1/2 hours of sleep the night before so we are glad they are here and safe!!!) Their being here sure has put the biggest smile on Aly's face - just the "medicine" she needs. And of course the babies.

Thank Yous - I have to thank profusely the W family for blessing us yesterday - BEYOND MEASURE. You guys are so incredibly sweet for your gift and I am humbled!!!! Also Thank you to the SWNDGC - seeing you all yesterday and being a part of this group is truly a blessing.

YOU all made me cry with your generosity and caring! Aly appreciates it so much!!!

Time for more Tears

Yesterday I took a meal to someone and the caretaker had shingles. I was exposed before I knew. and the worst part of it all was I FORGOT this was a risk. I woke up at 3 am feeling that
forboding but couldn't figure out why, then it hit me like a ton of bricks - I unknowingly put Alyssa at risk. Sure it was unintentional but could still be serious (Thank our dear LORD her counts are higher ) so I have to call the clinic first thing this am to see what we need to do.
I just sobbed last night. I know it is my responsibility to protect her and I put her in harms way and it feels just HORRID. I realize how very vulnerable she is and how incredibly easy it is to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. When I was crying it woke Aaron up and she was awake (says she is soooo excited about her friends coming in that she couldn't sleep) and she came in.
She is so easy going - like it was no big deal = TOO ME it is a big deal. She will probably have to go in for another shot today or tomorrow to cover her. I still feel horrible over this. But she said to me - MOM, you just can't help but be nice - it's OK. I guess I'm doing as well or being as brave as I'd like everyone to believe. I just feel so helpless to keep her safe - I want us to live as normal a life as we can and when she's feeling so good and looking so healthy I see how easy it is to make mistakes that could be serious - no amount of handwashing, sanitizing, cleaning, can make you 100% safe. I talked to my mom once about her going thru Chemo and about folks "making you an invalid" I don't want to do that to my daughter - when she's feeling good and her counts are good I do want her to try to live as normal as possible!!!!! At the same time I see the desire to keep her safe from all harm, to not let her suffer any more than she has to in order to get her cured and back to normal. IT is a hard balance to strike and it hit me like a ton of bricks last night. I think I am feeling sad on top of it because she's loosing her hair and I know what that means to her and there's nothing I can do to stop it(short of supergluing her hair to her head which she said is unacceptable) and that she is already showing signs of being apprehensive about going back into treatment this coming Friday (can't we just ignore that friday is coming and live for the moment!!!!) and I can't tell her "naw, Honey, we can just skip it!" SKIPPING it is NOT optional but it is so hard to see your daughter going thru something that makes her that sick and that much in pain - to sign on the dotted line and OKAY this for her when you want to keep her from being sick and being in so much pain. I am not sure what is worse: the trepidation of not knowing what will happen or having the knowlege and expectation of the past treatment. *sigh*. Thanks for letting me pour my heart out, I'm still brushing away tears as I write this - my heart is being ripped out of my chest but I try to be strong at home for her and the rest of my family. I am just feeling so bad right now I have to get it out somewhere.
Prayer Requests = that God would protect her from shingles and that we can get right in for the shot if need be. Also for a young man M who is going thru Leukemia - technically he is cancer free according to his APS Liason who is a friend of mine but he's gone thru some pretty major treatments including full body radiation and a bone marrow transplant. Pray for his family and him. He is still suffering vomiting and nausea from the treatments despite them ending months ago and also for those who work with him. I know my friend is awesome and that he's gettng what he needs in school etc despite having to work thru this!!!
Praise Reports - the Joyce's come to town today and our babies are due soon - I moved the 3 due does to the front kidding pen and it looks like the storm will be here right on time!!!! Since my goats always seem to kid when there is inclement weather - it's perfect.

What a Beautiful Day!

Today I had spring fever BAD - I got no homeschooling done with the kids but we had fun. Here are all the scarves I dyed.

Here is the bracelet I made Alyssa - the green swarovski bicones are for Lymphoma and the pink are for all our friends and family members who have survived breast cancer (they look nice together!!!!) I added a silver ribbon, and a few other charms for her. The clasp is a heart for how much I LOVE my precious daughter.

While I was outside taking pics of the drying scarves I couldn't help but take photos of the pretty blooms outside.

I think spring is here!!!!

Here is the silk scarf that is Alyssa's new headscarf. It is so pretty tied on her but she won't let me take a picture - so this will have to do.

All in all it was a beautiful day even though I didn't get much done!!!!

MORE prayer Requests

Hi,
For those of you who read this often please keep my cousin's Mother in Law in your prayers today. She is going in for her first Chemo treatment today for Breast cancer. She also doesn't seem to have the family support we do aside from her own hubby and my cousin and her hubby/family. But she's a tough lady and I know with prayer and God's hand she will make it thru. It just makes me ache because we know first hand what she's going thru now and I wish I too could be there to help her out but she lives in another State!!! I pray God grows a support system for her that way He has for us. He is good and merciful and know she will be fine thru this tough time. Also pray for another dear friend's stepdad who is being released from the hospital tomorrow. He has been in for nearly 3 weeks (maybe longer) and also doesn't have a lot of family around for him so we want to keep him in prayer too!!!

Also, I heard a rumor that we have more family members with red streaks in their hair -I hope we get a picture of that too!!!! Thanks guys for showing your support for Alyssa is a VERY big way!!!! I know not everyone wants to color their hair with bright red streaks!!!

Sometimes you take the good with the bad

We've had 3 of the most awesome days in a row. Alyssa is feeling pretty good overall (no nausea, no bone pain, no headaches etc.) and her blood counts are up again so she is more or less back to living a normal life.....but just when you think you have a handle on things - WHAM! Surprise - another side effect bites you in the UM derrier!!!! She is beginning to notice a small amount of hair loss - again the reality of living with this disease is staring her right in the face. Granted - not much of the hair on her head is gone but she said she noticed "more hair than normal on her shirt today" and she noticed she hasn't had to Shave as much as normal. She now knows that we might be staring hair loss in the face. IT is not pretty. (I still say she's beautiful - hair or no hair but still I know from everyone I've talked to who has been thru it - this is the hardest part, even if you aren't a very vain person!!!!) It's just so OBVIOUS that you have cancer when you loose all your hair.
On the upside she felt good enough to attend her last Starbase La Luz Academy Science class on base today and it was a glorious spring day to be out and about. She also went with her friends the Sedillos to a book store and Target - she got to have fun and that was worth it all!
Now countdown to the Joyce's visit is first and formost in her mind!
Prayer Requests - They said it was possible that her hair could just thin - pray this would be the case but if it is not - just for the wisdom to make it as easy as possible on her (like her siblings NOT teasing her) . Also that the Lord would guard the Joyce's health so that they can come for the visit which would just make Alyssa's day!!!!
Praise Reports - For all the many blessings we've received - WE haven't had to ask for anything - God is just putting in folks hearts and things are being taken care of - it makes it so much easier to know we don't need to worry - we just need to go before HIM with our needs and He is such a loving God who pours out His grace and mercy on us.
Thank you's - to all the folks who send cards daily - they keep our spirits high!!!! Also to the P Family for the gas money - what a blessing!!!! We Thank God for that blessing as well as all of your prayers.

A GREAT day

Today is just one big praise report!!!! Today started out with me getting a walk, getting all my chores done more or less before we started school and the home nurse came to draw blood.
The nurse got there and we got it the first try (accessing the port is obviously NOT an exact science!). We sat down and got everyone's school more or less done. I say less because we have so much catch up with Alyssa that indeed it will be a while before we can say we are there.
Then we got the rest of chores done, and the nurse called with blood results - the counts are going back up - HAPPY DANCE !!!! For many reasons - 1) this means that she is done with the shots (GCSF) after tonight, 2) Alyssa gets to go to town with her buddies the Sedillos and 3) our friends the Joyces get to come visit this coming week and Alyssa will get to see her cousins after 3 weeks of not seeing them! WAHOO!!!!!!!!!! I haven't seen such big smiles plastered on Alyssa's face for so long - that alone was cause for celebration! Oh, and on a minor note - I fit into size 16 jeans - a personal accomplishment
Prayer Requests - I know this may seem a bit lame to some folks but those who know me well will understand - Please pray that the Nigie babies are born healthy BEFORE the 27th. I don't want to miss my babies but i also want them to be healthy so it is a balance. All three girls look great and are going to do fine I'm sure! On the other side of it all, Of course if they need to be born on their due dates that is fine as I have the most awesome neighbors willing to pinch hit for me.
I forgot some more thank you's - Thank you KC and LM for the cute Jammies for Alyssa - she will look smashing her next hospital visit. SO cute. Thank you to the T family for the lovely card today. Also H &B for bringing us goat grain when i forgot to get the right grain after buying the wrong stuff. My goats thank you too!

Ups and Downs

Yesterday was another rough one. On top of our (they said 5-10 minutes!) so called short visit to the Dr., Alyssa had a rough reaction to the treatment. First we went to ABQ with Dad and had our appt at around 10:00am. We showed up and ended up waiting around 20 - 40 minutes just to be seen. Met a new Oncology Dr. - Dr. McKinnel (spelling?) and talked to him about a lot of issues etc. We finally made it up to the Infusion suite - It was cool!!!! They have snacks for the kids and individual TVs for each station (they can play XBox orPlaystation or watch movies of their choice) It is decorated Star Wars and has big picture windows looking out. When they came over to try to access her port (no this is not a thinly veiled reference to some Star Wars thing) they informed me I was supposed to have applied the Emla - ( this was our first time and no one told me I was supposed to do it!!!!) So we ended up waiting ANOTHER 4o minutes waiting for the Emla to work. Then, they finally got her port accessed, and it took WHOLE 10 minutes to do the treatment. SO, it took a whole 3 hours and 40 minutes for a 10 minute treatment. HMMMM.

We went to Grandma's and about an hour later she started hurting(in Alyssa's words this was disabling agony NOT just cramps or something!!!) Thank you Joyce's for the meal you had at our house because we would've eaten around 10pm with the way things were going if I had had to cook. She is doing better today thankfully.

PRAYER request - The little guy in the infusion chair next to us was another heart rending experience. I do not know what kind of cancer he has but it is not what Alyssa has. He is 3 years old and looks like he is about 18 mo. He has a double port thru his belly button and he was about as cute as they come. For a little fellow he took the whole thing pretty well. MOM was a trooper - she just cuddled with him - they were there probably for WAY longer than us (they'd already watched Shark's Tale when we got there and were popping on Cars and were settling in for a nap when we left. I am constantly reminded that God has really had mercy on us thru this ordeal and that we are blessed beyond measure. Please pray for little E and his family!!!!!

Thank yous - I think I am not only WAY behind but forgetting several folks - I am going to try to catch up here: Thank you J&J M for the check today - what a huge blessing that was It will really help out for all the copays etc. Also D&D for the money you sent Alyssa - I'm not sure what she's saving for but she's squirreling the money away for something special. Thank you T family for the books you gave Alyssa - she's read them both now and I just finished the Kathy Reichs book. Thank you TG for the fiber fix - can't wait to create! Thank you so much Aunt J for rescuing me yesterday - I would NOT have made it thru the whole day yesterday at the hospital with all three kids (Do you think I would learn my lesson by now - this happens everytime I go into UNMH!) Thank you B Family for the YUMMY looking dinner you brought tonight and AGAIN - thanks to all of you who keep us in your prayers and lifted up to HIM for strength and wisdom! Oh, and Aunt N. for the information today - we are going to look into it!!!!

Update.

Yesterday - thankfully - was a much more uneventful day in that it took the nurse one try and we had her blood drawn (yippee!) and her blood counts are starting to drop so we move into the "hang out at home and try NOT to let her around any illnesses. She didn't have to take any pills either so we are done with that until next week. Just had to give the GCSF shot and then today we go into the clinic for a Shot of Vincristine (another Chemo drug that is given 8 days after the first administration)
Again we are being well taken care of - we get to come home to some yummy chicken, mashed potatoes, fruit salad, corn and cookies from the J Family (Thank you so much!!!!) She's been getting a card every day (Thank you Aunt N for the cards) in the mail which is such a bright spot.
We are really struggling to get school in for her with all the wierd side effects - she feels ick (not nauseous or anything really bad - just ick) most of the time. She does school when she can but sometimes she just can't. I don't know how kids who go to Public School deal with this. Yesterday her stomach hurt most of the day and she's had headaches on and off. The GCSF makes her bones a bit achy (I think she's getting an inkling of how us oldsters feel on a daily basis - LOL!)
A dear friend from the goat world stopped by yesterday (she is a Breast Cancer Survivor!) and her best advice to us was "one day at a time" I am so glad that she came and Alyssa and her got to swap "war stories" - They both agree the Barium stuff you take for CT scans is the worst stuff invented by man!!!! I laughed when she said she picks banana flavor because she's afraid that
she will loose her taste for ice cream if she picks vanilla!!!!! God is so good to put these dear folks in our lives with all the rest so that Alyssa can see and hear that folks make it thru this and live to tell but they don't sugar coat the experience! God is so good to give us so many friends who are survivors!!!!
Prayer Requests - That Alyssa and the family are able to go thru the low blood count days protected from illnesses and that her counts don't drop real low - we hope with the GCSF they won't. Also pray for the T Family and the M family. The T family still struggle with the after affects of cancer (Lymphedema and having to sell all her dearly beloved animals) and the M Family's Sister in law had an aneurism/strokes recently and they are trying to make sure she's taken care of!!!!
Praise Reports - Today is the last treatment of this round, WE look forward to a few weeks of peace before we hit round 2.
Thank you - Aunt N for the lovely card and all your thought and care, the J Family for the lovely meal for tonight after our hospital visit. Also to TM for the gift -I can't thank you enough.
The T Family for all the encouragement, advice and friendship. Lisa from Laughing Orca Ranch for all the fun and encouraging comments on our blog - you are awesome girl!
You guys are all awesome and thank you so much for just being our friends, praying for Alyssa ad our family during this time and for just being there for us and loving us so much!!!!

More CUTE photos.

So, this is still my goat blog so I had to post some NEW photos of the new additions here at CBF. Here is Theyara (still don't think I'm spelling this right but oh well) with her one floppy ear and her one strait ear. I think she has the cutest face and sweet, sweet personality.

Here is big boy (Gerados, Onix, Charizard) WE still don't really have a name for him - I call him Onix because that is the only one I really like but my son calls him the other two names interchangeably.

Power NAP time - big brother is using little sister as a pillow! They are so cute when they sleep

Aaaah -Belly up to the MILK BAR after a nice long nap!!!!!

Narnia is such a good mommy = after the babies ate yesterday morning I put her up on the milk stand and without even trying got a whole quart. This doe is a milk machine!!!!! And man o man is her milk good - it is slightly sweet and not a bit goatie. *sigh* Miss Priss may have some competition.

A Good Day - Overall

I think we are finally finding a balanced place. Even though my house is still a disaster zone, and there is a pile of laundry and I'm NOT really sure what I'm fixing for dinner (it is almost 5pm)

I am actually feeling like I am getting somewhere. We homeschooled and are getting caught up again. (WELL - not with Alyssa but with the other two) I kind of am hitting the stride with the meds and shots for Alyssa and she IS eating. Things aren't feeling so overwhelming now either.

We went to 4H last night which Alyssa wasn't 100% happy about but she stuck it out anyway.

I still need to work in a little walk or something for her too but we still haven't quite gotten that done. I want her to go back to working with her dogs soon too!!!! But we will make little strides and be happy with what we get. I think she is experiencing a lot of feelings and doesn't know what to do with those sometimes but at least she's getting them out and not bottling.

Also she is having several of the kind of funky side effects to some of the meds (Sore jaw and the crankies from the Prednisone, Some of her tastes are off - she said she could not really taste the pickle she ate earlier etc.) Thankfully though, the nausea is gone and she's eating.

Prayer Request - Please pray that she will be more willing to go back to living her life instead of letting this cancer get the best of her and that she will TRY to use the arm that is near the port site - she doesn't want to use it as it hurts but I feel she needs to exercise it if she wants it to feel better!!!! Also that the headaches would subside so she can do her schoolwork with a clearer head. It is very difficult for her to do it all now.



Praise - I am back to walking everyday I can get out there. Boy does that make me feel better.



Thank you - Goldsmith's for the two frozen meals - can't wait to need to eat them! Also our neighbor's B&G Thomsen for blessing us with the next copay for the Neupogen - that was HUGE!!!!!!!!

To Aunt D, Pam E, Georgie K, Hopfaufs, and everyone who has sent cards and little gifts to Alyssa to brighten her days. She just feels so loved and I love seeing the smile on her face (you know they are rare gems with teens anyway and they seem to have been rarer still with this illness so we love seeing them!!!!!

Settling back in

Boy is it nice to be home. WE are trying to settle back in here at home which isn't easy - life doesn't take a break just because you are gone - laundry is still piling up while you are trying to unpack from the week at the hospital. And of course there is all the regularly scheduled life things - like Karate and 4H. I still am not 100%unpacked and we sat down and worked on getting some school done - didn't finish and Alyssa didn't do hardly anything - I think she's trying to play the "I can't do school - I have cancer" card which the Dr., nurses and social workers all said would happen. They said make her go back to normal as soon as possible. Guess what she'll be doing today. Our schedule was thrown off some by the blood draw (first time with the home health nurse). The first nurse came and had trouble accessing her port for the blood draw (tried twice - OUCH!) Then she called her supervisor who had to drive out from ABQ - we waited about 40 minutes for her. She tried twice and finally had success the second time. Boy am I glad I don't have to do that - though I probably could - if was aweful just watching Aly's face thru it all.
So after a full day - I took the younger two to Karate and got home and cooked dinner (after one week off you'd think I'd be spoiled but it kind of felt good to do it again) and when Aaron got home we had two meals - haha - we were generously given a meal from Aaron's work - Pot roast and veggies - so we had a feast!!!!
Trying to remember to give her meds when she is supposed to have them is a bit on the challenging side since my brain is still not functioning normally from all of this. But we are managing - Poor kid - while I was giving the Neupogen shot she just looked at me and said I'm SICK of all of this. Aaron is trying to get her to see the positive side of this and mommy is trying not to give in to "the face" you know - puppy dog eyes and quivering chin.
Prayer Requst - For the W Family and the C Family who are also going thru cancer - the husband has Leukemia in one Family and the wife in the other. Just pray for God's strength to be poured out on these families. And His peace to be on them as they walk thru this trial as families!!!! That we can get back to more or less normal soon.
Praise - Despite the drama getting the blood - her blood counts came back normal and high (which they said was from the Neupogen so it wasn't surprising - they said the counts will drop)
Thank you to the H family at Aaron's work for the yummy meal, the Joyce's for the awesome card which brought the biggest smile to Aly's face yesterday and for the two super nice nurses for finally getting the blood so we don't have to drive into the clinic twice this week!!!!!

Finally Home!!!

WE got a call this morning - Dr. Winter will be in for rounds in 1 hour and he's planning on releasing Alyssa - WE flew up there - Super Grandma stayed with Aly for the night again and
it is so nice to A) see Aly smile B) Hear her voice C) Have her HOME!!!!!!
What a great day. She says she is feeling much better and is eating a little bit and drinking her smoothie. (Doing Big Time Happy Dances) .

Now I just have to remember when to give her all her meds and make sure we are on time for all her appts.
Our precious neighbors Bob and Geri are providing dinner (PIZZA) and we are just planning on
staying home and having a quiet family day today.
Thank you all for your prayers - they worked.
PS - Please continue prayer for that baby I talked about yesterday - we do not know what he has but his family isn't around a lot and I am gathering he's been there since he was born!!!!!!!
Poor little baby. We all were ready to volunteer to hold him while we were there.
I met a young man there from Alyssa's teen group (I'll call him K) please keep K in prayer he has a Cancer in his bones and is in for treatments too (been there all week also) and he is going in next month for surgery on his lungs. I gather he is being raised by elderly grandparents.
Lift him up to our dear LORD too - he's a sweetie - he came by to see how Aly's treatments went and when she got to go home. What a doll!

Better Now

After a long day the nurses used the anti- nausea drugs to bring Alyssa to a place where she is more comfortable and Yes - even chipper!!!!! Grandma is back at the hospital tonight with her
sweetie -pie. Grandma found something that Alyssa would actually eat - a croissant. YIPPEE!
I ran to the pharmacy which ended up taking an hour to pick up the last few things we had prescribed and need before she comes home. I do believe that she is feeling good enough to
not have to stay any longer than tonight. She said she's ready!!!!!! WE are praying Dr. Winter thinks so too! About Dr. Winter - he's got a reputation - not a bad one! He's the Dr. that wears bowties (Do they still make them?????) anyway, he came in today sans the bowtie and said he doesn't wear them on weekends! He's so cute (for a mature man/Dr.) And what a nice guy - he really cares about his patients. I am glad he's Alyssa's primary Dr. - NOT that any of the other Dr.s would have been less that awesome - I am absolutely sure they would be.
I took a two hour nap with Suzy and we have enough food to feed an army so I'm going to take a shower and do a little bit of the chores I need to do and then RELAX tonight.

Prayer Request - the kiddo in the room next to us is in severe pain - He/she cries a lot and you can tell they just hurt all the time. Of course the nurses try to make him/her feel as comfortable as possible but still - my heart just breaks for this one. Please pray that God would calm the pain of this little one. Also down the hall that we go thru to come and go there is a little baby who has been there at least as long as we have. I see the exhaustion of the parents - please pray for this baby as well and for the parents to be given the strength to carry on. I know this is hard on them and I just wish I could go give them a hug.
Praise - your prayers were heard - God really brought Alyssa around today and is making Grandma and mom happy with her progress so I know she'll get to come home tomorrow.
She even looked GREAT before I left the hospital around 2:30pm. I cried happy tears on the way home

False Alarm.

Well, we aren't coming home today. even though she drank the requisite cup of Sprite AND a pear slice, she started feeling icky again and Dr. Winter said he wasn't comfortable sending her home looking like she did. He said he couldn't be the one who set us up for failure so he ordered another day of bed rest and fluids. He seems to think she will be spunky enough for being sprung tomorrow. I will certainly be glad for that and so will she - surprisingly she didn't argue with him though she of course wants to leave. I know she is resting comfortably right now - Thank you for calling Connie.
We've had a few tests of character lately -= the big ones being dealing with our health plan and the pharmacy. I was in tears when we left yesterday without the GCSF because the Health plan denied. Aaron called Customer Care and finally got it taken care of - for those of you who don't know GCSF helps the bone marrow make lots of blood cells so that she can produce what she needs to fight infections and this cancer. While he was there he was supposed to pick up 3 other prescriptions (1 Chemo, 1 to fight infection in her port just in case and a pepcid for side effects - they didn't have them ready despite them being called in HOURS earlier. ) AAAARGH.
We are trying to switch to a different pharamacy. Please pray that i don't blow a gasket over this stuff. Wouldn't be a very good witness but it is so frustrating to deal with the Health plan over all of this. The wording on their letters okaying her treatments etc. are HORRID - makes me want to scream as they seem so flippant about it all - AS IF they would be so casual with their own family members? NO - I'm sure they would be Johnny on the spot with their approvals if it were their children!!!!!! Like someone said yesterday - wonder what legal loophole that is supposed to create. Thankfully we have a team of Dr.s and Nurses on our side who want nothing more than this child to be cured and moving into the Survivor phase - they want to not see Alyssa anymore after the 3rd round of Chemo except for yearly checkups where they get to say - YOU are still in remission girl - see you next year and we can begin ticking off those years like my mom does!!!!!!

GOING HOME?

Well, Dr. Winter just came in and asked if Alyssa wanted to go home and gave her a goal to achieve. IF she can drink and keep down a whole glass of sprite in the next hour without the IV she gets to leave. WaHOOOOOOOO!!!!
Whoever reads this start praying for strength for her to do this - she really wants to .
Sorry this is so short but I'm going to start packing up the sleigh in anticipation of leaving.
Hugs to EVERYONE!

Hard D

Today was probably the hardest day so far. They started the Chemo drugs late last night and she was whammied today. She has been nauseous all day and they administered a drug to help the nausea which makes her sleep - because she sleeps all the time she is on IV drip.
It is so hard to see my happy, vibrant, slightly feisty 14 year old so "puny". I am praying hard that she will just perk up and say okay - I'm fine now - lets go home. Well, so far no - and they will administer two chemo drugs (3 last night) tonight - I feel like the air got knocked out of me watching her.
Thank you all for your prayers, scripture, and support.
Thanks Pam and Evelyn, Boyds and Traegers for visiting and bringing Alyssa alittle treat.
Thank you Boyd's and Sedillos for dinner. Thank you Jo and BJ & Family for the cards and well wishes, Also Thank you Aunt Nita for the cards. Thank you Lori for watering my chickens when I forgot!!!!!
Thank you Grandma for sitting with Alyssa last night and letting us go home and rest.
Thank you Melissa, Kim, Lauren and Ric T. for visiting with me and offering help or whatever we need - HUGS to you all.

Alyssa's Update

Yesterday Dr. Winter came in and gave us the whole run down on all of the meds/chemo she will be getting to kick this cancer. He is taking the least traumatic path for her and they are going to watch her close. Last night she started the Chemo and she was pretty dang scared. I can't say I blame her. She knows this is necessary but the side effects - if she gets them - are fairly daunting to anyone but I can't imagine for a 14 year old. She wanted us to take her home. I so wish I could have. I would have LOVED to. But I'd also LOVE to see my happy, healthy, fiesty teenager back. All the wonderful care, support and spoiling she's been receiving can't replace what she'd love to be doing - leading a normal life. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about it. She met with the teen group last night and the Chemo sort of took center stage so I didn't get to hear much about it. I'm sure I will find out today. I am hoping to keep it a sort of quiet day with very little visitors etc. IF she is going to have the side effects the Dr. said it would be today.
I'm still hoping they are minimal but you never know. IF she tolerates the drugs ok she gets to come home Sat which is better than Dr. Winter's original reply when asked - He said EARLY next week ! Yuck.
Prayer requests - please pray for Nik who is really having a tough time with the upheaval of his life. I never really realized how much he likes routine and "our normal life" . He is very stressed out and cranky from all this. Last night we just came home and hung for a little while with the babies which was great and then we came in, did a few things and went to bed. We all needed the rest badly and I think the late nights and early mornings of running to ABQ are getting to the kids.
Praise reports - Thank you LORD for Grandma offering to stay with Alyssa last night so mom, dad and kids could have some time. Grandma is a 30 year cancer survivor. She's been thru this and can probably understand what Alyssa is going thru better than any of us. She is awesome and has been a great companion to Alyssa and I thru this as well as just being there as a sounding board and of course her experience has made her uniquely equipped to help us all cope. She has good sound advice for surviving this intact - all of us!!!!!
Again Thank you Val for the AWESOME Boston Market Dinner you sent to us last night. It was all good and we ate ourselves silly and had some to share. Our refrige is full of leftover too so we know that Aaron has something to take to work for lunch also!
I am sure I'm forgetting someone or something - your kindness has not gone unnoticed, my brain is a little fuzzy at time from stress and lack of sleep so I don't always get folks who deserve Thanks recognized. But we do appreciate all you all have done!!!!!

CBF Nigerians First Babies of 2009

Here is Narnis cleaning off the little girl slightly after birth. She is such a good mommy. She had a bit of trouble trying to push out that giant boy = He's HUGE.
He's the one laying there to the left that is mostly white. He looks just like a Boer to me. If I didn't know better I'd say he was full but I'm sure a Boer breeder would know right away

Here is the little doe - she's a hoot - she has one floppy ear like the Boer and one "erect" ear like her momma the Alpine - she also has brown on her rear - like she got a pair of pants on!!!

Close up of the doe's face - she's so cute. Alyssa named her Theaerah (I do not come up with these names and I probably spelled it WRONG!)

Here is little boy - He's big and hungry all the time and boy is he strong. I was feeling him and his shoulders and chest are HUGE. I think he'll make a nice first time meat goat for Nik - yes, Nik named him but darn, I can't remember and he's asleep.

TREATMENT PLAN

We finished meeting with the Peds Oncology Dr. a bit ago and he mapped out her treatment plan. Since her lymphoma is localized, she doesn't have those "B" symptoms, and she doesn't have any in her Bone Marrow they are going to put her on an AV-PC Regimen which is fairly "easy" as treatments go - IT has lower doses of the 4 drugs and she may not have to have radiation therapy afterall. For those of you who like to read up the drugs are Doxorubincin, Vincristine, Prednisone, and Cyclophosphamide. She gets two doses (1 X 2 days in a row) of two of the drugs plus one day of a third, 7 days of prednisone orally, and on day eight a second dose of Vincristine. She will have 3 rounds with a PET/CT scan after round 1. IF she responds rapidly with the drugs they will put her thru the rapid responders protocol and she could be done after 3 rounds with no radiation. IF she's slower to respond she may have to do a few more rounds and a round of low dose localized radiation. We of course are praying for Rapid Response. The rounds will go every 21 days. She will start this afternoon. NO idea what time yet. Grandma is staying the night with Alyssa so Mom, Dad, Nik and Sue will go home for some rest and a little baby bonding time with the new herd additions - yes - I will post pics!!!!!
Praises - thank you again for the outpouring of generosity of everyone - meals have been outstanding and we have been well fed. Thank you R , and Nagy's for the yummy food last night saved us from eating hospital food, Thank the LORD for my mom and mother in law for filling in for us so we can get some rest and some "homefront" stuff done and Thank you for the visitors who brighten our spirits, The Sedillo Family for just taking control and making everything run smoothly, and my precious neighbor for playing goatie midwife and safely delivering the twins.
We'd be in trouble without all of you!!!!
Also - Thank you Val and Donna for all the information etc. you've collected for us!!!!
Prayer Request -That Alyssa's Chemo side effects will be mild so she can go home this weekend. She's more than ready to get back to life and not be stuck in the hospital anymore!Also pray for J - a sweet Christian lady who would love more than anything to be a wife and mother in HIS timing. She has been here for us and we just feel very close to her already. Also, that Alyssa; will feel up to the teen group tonight and get some much needed support - a place to talk to other kids about what shes experiencing.

PRAISE REPORT!!!!!!

Today was a great day - I can't post pics from here but I wanted to let everyone know that
our bone marrow biopsy came back NEGATIVE - Wahoo!!!!!!! She is at Stage 2 A....which means that she is fairly localized and has no 'bad" side symptoms such as night sweats, weight loss etc. and no cancer inthe bone marrow.
Narnia the goat gave birth to two babies around 1pm today - My neighbor heard a funny noise in our barn and came to check and then did her amazing goat midwifery. The first baby - boy is HUGE and was kind of stuck and the second is a beautiful little girl. I can't wait until I can post the pics. they are beautiful little Alpine/Boer crosses and they look more Boer that Alpine.
I can honestly say that today has been the best day of all this so far. We are so happy her bone marrow tests came back so good and all the Dr.s were throwing a party downstairs when they came back!!!!!
We also found out that the Lymphoma color is LIME GREEN (like breast cancer is pink) which is one of Alyssa's FAVORITE colors. YIPEE!!
LOTS to praise LORD about today.
Also, we were told that a young girl (my cousins' niece) has her whole class at Hope praying for Alyssa also - Thank you!!!!!
I'd say that this cancer doesn't stand a chance - That is worth some serious praise.
Prayer requests - Tomorrow we meet with Dr. Winter on the Cancer Treatment Plan and then she will start her treatment tomorrow as well so we are asking that the Chemo doesn't knock her down too much so she can go home earlier rather than later - She'd sure like to get home this weekend and see the babies. (So would mom) and she is really missing her dog.
We would reallly like to make it home BEFORE when they are saying - early next week.
UGH.
thank you LA, Dianne, and Rebecca for the food you sent us - we really appreciate it.

Update PM

Here is the first hat I made with the yarn from the Knit Nite Posse - Thanks Girls - it's a lovely hat. I will talk to the hospital folks about donating hats tomorrow.

This is the Uber cool waiting room in the Peds Surgery area. It also has a great view IF you don't look down (if you look down - it's the parking lot!)

Here is the view from Alyssa's room - LOVELY view of the Sandia - If I wasn't in such a hurry to get home to my other two kids today I would have gotten some lovely sunset photos - Another day!

Alyssa's suite - with a bed for mom or dad and the walls match her hair - REALLY!!! And we didn't even plan it that way - the kid's hair was a hit with the hospital staff too - they all thought is was great that we did a family hair dye to show our support of Alyssa.

This is the hall guardian - a super cute dinosaur with wings and poetry all over it. He's so cute. One of these days I'll get a photo with Alyssa and the other two kids.....

Praise - Thank you LORD for the awesome Dr.s, Nurses and staff in the surgical unit and in PSCU. When we went to surgery we saw Dr. Martin and Dr. Ingle who both made a point to come say HI to Alyssa - she sure felt special!!!!!Thank you for all the great food provided, visits from friends (T&A from church) bearing goodies and my other two kids being in a safe place today so mom didn't need to worry!!!!!

Prayer Requests: A new friend, CC is heavy on my heart. She is also battling cancer (Leukemia) yet she has the most awesome outlook and is just an incredible saint - Please pray for her and her precious family as they walk thru this trial too - she still (not even knowing us!) has made a point to let us know she's praying for us, is willing to be there if we need ANYTHING!!!! What a dear lady she is - I can't wait to meet her. Please also pray for the kiddos on the ward. There are some kids going thru some serious stuff there and my heart really aches for them and their families - this cancer is no respecter of gender, ethnicity, age, income level, religion - it's an equal opportunity aggressor and I pray that these dear families are given peace amidst the storm.

Thank you all for all of your care and concern and for your emails and calls - they mean so much to us!!!!

Alyssa made it thru surgery fine but very tired. She is resting comfy at the hospital with Grandma and Dad is going to spend the night with her. WE had a lovely dinner courtesy of Diane from Aaron's work (THANK YOU!) and LA who made us beans and gluten free brownies.

The kids did great with Lori and got most of their school work done (THANK YOU!)

She now has her port and her Bone Marrow Biopsy. According to Dr. Winter, she may be thru the worst of it now....WE HOPE!!!!

Tuesday Update - AM

We are sitting her waiting to go into surgery - we are 3rd on the docket. Dr. Lemon just came in and met us and said that it would be about an hour. My family said they were blessed with a VERY YUMMY meal by the Allen Family - the kids said especially the Rice Krispy Treats.
Alyssa was given a LOVELY gift basket from Marshall and Melissa that really made her night - I will try to get pics to post later of everything now that I have my camara!!! I felt a little out of sorts without it. Though Aly has requested no pics of her to be posted so if you want pics send me a private email and I will attach pics to send. She got a nice card from Sonny and Dick Traeger and their son who works here as a Physical Therapist (LISA - where is your PT at????)
came by last night.
Praise Reports: Alyssa's PCP Dr. Steward came by this morning to see her and let her know if she needed anything she was here for her - we only met her once and she remembered Alyssa. These Dr.s must have incredible memories. Dr. Rana/Dr. Lemon who are the surgeons this am are VERY nice. And we got one of the better rooms this time - with a real bed for whoever stays with her instead of a very uncomfortable chair to "sleep" in. The Laptop has been awesome for both of us - she has watched movies, emailed her cousins and let me use it to update blog and email friends!
Prayer Requests: Prayer for God's guiding hand over the surgery and they she recovers quickly, Also please pray for Nik and Suzy who are really feeling the stress of the situation - we know they are in good hands today (Thank you LA for taking care of them) and everyday.

Goat Update: Still no babies - Narnia is probably waiting until the middle of the night tonight
so I still don't get sleep - DARN goat!

Back in the Hospital and Z is for Zero!

Well, We are back in the hospital again for those of you wanting updates. This morning early we went to UNMH for a pulmonary function test - she did good. Then we went to my mom's for
homeschooling. When we finished we took off to run a few errands and then back to the hospital to check in for the week???(we hope) Tomorrow is our Port implant and Bone Marrow Biopsy scheduled for 10:25 am and of course she can't eat after midnight. After that it is back to waiting and then when the results come in they will administer her first chemo treatment watch her to see how she does and then they will release her - we are praying for the weekend but no promises from the Dr.

When I get my camara up here I'll try to post some photos of the hospital etc.,

Z is for Zero -Remember inthe beginning I said I was doing the Blog Alphabet Challenge to fill in time till the babies come? Well, the doe was supposed to be due March 1. ZERO -no babies. Today - still no babies. Well, I am done with the blog challenge I made it and Unfortunatley I was hoping for the last post to be about babies etc. but nope. So, I decided that I will do the challenge on my Fiber blog - IF you are interested, I will try to post as often as i can - I won't guarentee thru this little adventure we are having I will be regular - so check Fiber Phanatic to learn all about different aspects of Fiber thru a Blog Alphabet Challenge - my link is to the right
Thank you all for sticking with me thru this and for being here to check on Alyssa - I will post baby pics as soon as Narnia has them!!!!
B

YOU Glow girl!

One of Aly's requests for this little adventure was red hair. So my friend LS came over yesterday afternoon and we had a hair dying day. Yep - Cherry Red was the color of choice and now we are all (except my DH) sporting some sort of red highlights! LOL.

MOM too!!!

And Suzy and Nik too!!!!

Rinsing the dye out and getting conditioned. She also got her laptop but my camara batteries died and I was unable to find the charger and replacement batteries until late last night so I'll have to post that one later. Thank you J&S for the awesome laptop for Alyssa. She is actually not giving us too hard of a time about going in today since she can stay in touch with the world and have some fun while she's at the hospital this week. Also wanted to thank the M family for their delicious meal last night - YUMMY!!!! It was a big hit around her and we almost had to squirrel some away from the kids so dad would have a lunch today!!!!!

Off to the hospital this morning for the Pulmonary Function Test - she has to blow in a tube that measures her output an then we check back into the PSCUnit later today.

For those of you Goat folks wondering - the Doe who was due yesterday = she still hasn't kidded.

She standing out by the hay barn waiting to be fed. Go Figure. She's going to wait until no one is home. Thankfully we have the best goat midwife (our neighbor the Ob-Gyn nurse who is retired) in the world keeping an eye on her.

Thank You's

I have a few Thank you's to write but was so tired I couldn't remember to add them. I want to say Thank you to Pam H for the Lasagne's, salad, oranges and books. Thank you to Lori A for the delicious soup and the beautiful music box - need to get a picture and post it! Wow. Thank you J & S for buying Aly a laptop so she can have entertainment, contact with friends and family and that we never have to go thru 2 days of not being able to contact some of our dear friends again!!!!! And that we don't have to rely on the hospital to maybe or maybe not provide us with the computer access anymore!!!! Thank you to Linda and Tara for coordination meals and other necessaries for us. Thank you to all who offered child and animal care, to clean our house or do our laundry, prayer, and support. Thank you to Deb and Les for making Aly a quilt (what a blessing and labor of love) Thank you to my Fiber Posse for keeping me in yarn for making hats to donate for the kids/adults going thru chemo. Thank you to everyone for your advice - we are not in a good space for clear thinking sometimes and you all who have given us advice and shared tips for making this easier are awesome. Thank you to everyone who is praying and has sent us encouraging stories, scripture verses etc. we feel so loved and at peace right now.
Today is our last day of freedom for the next week. I think we are hoping to find a laptop today for Aly to take to the hospital (both places down here were out of the ones in our price range)
I've had a few people tell me they feel bad that they could only help a little bit - NO WAY - every little bit has served to hold us up in the process and we appreciate EVERYTHING - the meals, the prayers, the gifts, the hugs, the encouraging stories, EVERYTHING - no one has played too small a part in this!!!!!