Missed Another Chemo

Ashley didn't get her chemo today. Her ANC counts were too low. They were only 525, which is lower than last week's counts. The doctor believes that they were low because she is probably fighting a cold. Megan (her sister) had a mild cold over the weekend. So . . . we are praying that her ANC counts are high enough next week to get chemo and that she doesn't come down with a cold, infection, or other illness.

Ashley has continued to have a lot of energy!!! We were actually pretty surprised that her counts were as low as they were today, because she seems fine. She still loves to go outside and swing, play nonstop with her brother or sister, dance, sing, and talk your ear off. She tells us every once in a while that "when my tummy gets better, I'm going to go eat in a restaurant!!!" or "when I'm better, I'm going to play in the yard all day!" It's amazing the simple or normal things you miss when you go through this kind of treatment, that most of us take for granted.

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family or friends. We are touched when we think about how many people all over the U.S. are praying for our little girl. Thank you for keeping up with our journey and praying for us. God is so good. We know that He cares so much for Ashley, and we have seen, time and time again, how He has given us wisdom when we've needed it and how He has completely protected Ashley from illnesses that she has been around. We have experienced God as our Comforter, Healer, and Father.

Keep prayin'!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Today was a good day! Megan is out of school this week, so she was able to come to clinic with Ashley for the first time ever. Ashley was very proud to show her around and tell her what the nurses needed to do next. It was fun (even though Ashley had to get her second flu shot.)

Ashley's ANC (neutrophil count) was 720 today, which is pretty low. We are praying that her counts get up enough for next week's chemo (AMD) to happen. They have to be above 1000. Her hemoglobin was back up again this week, so that was great.

She continues to feel great and full of energy. We praise God for another week of protection from colds and other sicknesses.

We hope you have a great Thanksgiving and that you remember God is the giver of hope and peace even during the most challenging times.

Surprising Counts

Ashley has had another great week. She had handled her chemo very well last Wednesday. She experienced some mild nausea and only had a lack of appetite for about 2 days. We are so grateful that God, once again, protected her from illness this week. Tad had a cold from Thursday through Monday and Ashley never caught it.

At clinic today, her counts were surprisingly fine. The ANC was 1007 (for Ashley, these counts are good after having just received a very strong chemo last week.) Her hemoglobin was a little bit low, but they gave her a dose of medication that should help that.

As you can see from the picture, Ashley continues to stay active doing ballet (at home). I think that we are all getting used to "living in a bubble" (that's what it sometimes feels like) and enjoying time together. It's kind of nice not having to rush to get anywhere. But, we look forward to the completion of treatment!

We know that all of your prayers are being heard by God, and that He is answering prayers and doing so much for us.

Keep praying!!

Yeah! She Got Chemo!

Isn't it kind of strange how excited we get when Ashley is able to get her chemo? We are so happy to say that her ANC (infection fighters) were 1020, which means her counts were high enough for DOX-O and VCR (chemo). Only 4 more heavy chemos left (over a period of 12 weeks.) We are still living day to day, but the number 4 sure sounds good!

Ashley is feeling good right now, but please continue praying for her in the days to come. We are praying that God protects her heart from the DOX-O treatment she received today and that she continues to have minimal side effects (no tummy aches).

We are amazed at how healthy our family has been and we know that it is God who has been protecting our household from illness.

Psalm 33:20-22 We put our hope in the Lord.
He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.

Thanks for keeping up on how Ashley is doing. Thanks for your prayers.

Having Fun!!!

We've had another great week!
Tad's mom came to stay with us for the week, so we got a lot done and had a great time. Tad's family from San Jose also came to visit this last the weekend. It was fun to see them again.

As you can see from the picture, Ashley
got to dress up and go trick-or-treating
last night. She loved it.

We had clinic today and Ashley's counts were higher than we expected. Her ANC (infection fighters) were 1100. This is great considering she had chemo last week. PRAISE GOD for protecting Ashley from sickness. Her doctor told us that if her counts are high enough next Wednesday, Nov.8, she will receive DOX-O and VCR (chemo). DOX-O is the strongest chemo that she gets, so pray that her counts are up to get it and that the side effects again will be minimal. She did great after last week's chemo (AMD). Her lack of appetite and slight nausea were the only side effects. The DOX-O that she will receive next week is notorious for causing stomach upset and vomiting as well as lowering her counts. So we ask God to do another miracle in our little Ashley. We know that He is able. He is the Great Comforter and the Great Physician. We thank God for keeping our entire family healthy this week.

We are thankful for all of you who are praying for Ashley and our family.