Thursday, January 31, 2013

2 more days!!

2 more days... 2 more days... 
2 more days!!!

YUP.  We are officially at the end of this!  Tonight she takes a Dex and a Mecaptoperine.  Tomorrow morning a Dex and finally tomorrow night a Dex and a Mecaptoperine.  

And THAT IS IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She really is not feeling very good, but as always she is a trouper.  We removed the two super sticky large bandages yesterday.  She is struggling with back pain from the infusion and from the biopsy site.  Emotionally she is doing the swing back and forth between ok and sad and scared frequently, but she is always better at school.

When she arrived at school on Wednesday all her classmates ran up to her and gave her a big group hug.  MAN I wish I had my camera.  That really made her day!!


Summer/Fall 2013:



We decided to make our annual trip to Europe extra special for the girls this year since they deserved it!  So that included EuroDisney and british speaking Disney Princesses!  


Here they are in a private meeting with Aurora.  Oh la la la...



MJ was still having trouble with her feet and leg neropathy so we rented a stroller each day.  This day Daddy was the stroller.


Waterslide park!  My little dare devil went again and again and again and again...


And seriously now, what is a trip to France without eclairs??




Taking pictures of Mr. Eiffel.


Picnic in a grassy patch near Mr. Eiffel.  Daddy is always sooooo funny.


There was a lot of family silliness this trip.  It was wonderful! :)  This day we arrived in our little french town in a torrential down pour.  They didn't seem to mind though.



Checking out the canal we would be floating and sleeping on.


MJ helping Phia wring out her clothes after falling into the canal.




We rented a boat and went along a canal in Burgundy for a week.



Toodling about off the boat.



In the french Loire Valley the dips and curves and roundabouts were taken VERY quickly by  Daddy.  The girls loved it.  Mommy got nauseous.  "Use some of my Zofran, Mommy!"  
MJs solution.



This castle had costumes for the girls to wear during our visit.


While with family we made a trip to the Oncology Department at the Zurich Children's Hospital.  They are always so accommodating and helpful.  Madelyn goes for accessing, port flush, a CBC and an examination with an Oncologist.


Waiting in the Oncology Lobby.


Heading to the cafeteria after her appointment.  They had a savory and sweet pie bar.  Peter was in heaven.


First Day of School!  First Grade!  Phia "my backpack is sooooo heavy!"  It has her sweatshirt in it.

 

She loves her new school Mt Erie Elementary.

 

Waking up from the Sleepy Room is always hard.





Infusion time.


Finally starting to wake up 


Her constant drawing continued.  Her favorite subject is, of course, horses.


Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Radio Program for MJ during parade!!


SO... lots of news today I guess :)

Peter has arranged for our local radio station, the wonderful KWHL 1340 The Whale, to record a special show for Madelyn. It will be broadcast during the parade on Monday Feb 4th between 3:45 and 4pm. They will dedicate "Firework" by Katy Perry to her – her theme song - and record any special messages for her!   If anyone wants to record a message CALL the radio station at 360-293-3141. You can do this any day before 1:30pm and ask to record a message for Madelyn. It will then be broadcast during her show on Monday.

LOVE TO YOU ALL!!!


3 more days!!

3 more days... 3 more days... 
3 more days!!

In March 2012 Madelyn had her Make A Wish Trip. This trip was by far one of our most special... ever.  The people at Make A Wish really know how to make a couple of little girls REALLY happy.


Our trip began with a pizza party at Village Pizza in Anacortes.  All of Madelyn's best buds were there to "send us off."



When the girls boarded the airplane they were ushered to the front of the line.  An announcement was made - both in the terminal and by the pilot on the plane - which were finished by a large round of applause by the other passengers.  ... Mama did a lot of happy crying that day.


The very moment she was on a horse for the first time.
















Victory!!

I have to make this quick this morning... but wanted you all to know!!!!!!!!!  We heard late Monday night the results of Madelyn's bone marrow aspirate.  Needless to say, there were instant tears when I heard "both the morphology (regular test under microscope) and the MRD (the more sensative test) came back negative for leukemia."

It really was her last port accessing, last biopsy, last spinal tap and last infusion.  Now we just have three days of oral chemo to go!

More soon!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

4 more days!

4 more days... 4 more days... 
4 more days!!

Winter 2012:


We went to Hawaii with a whole gaggle of people.  We went to the island of Oahu so that we would be close to a Children's hospital in case she had a fever.  Uncle David and his friend Denny, Auntie Shelly and Grandma Terry and Grandpa Jim.  We ALL had so much fun!







surfing lessons!


Both girls loved the sand and ocean.


Back in Seattle and planning fun things around our visits to Children's.





My little explorers deciding where to go at the Woodland Park Zoo.



... and ... waiting... again...


Waking up again from the Sleeping Room.


Takes her about 45 minutes to recover... then MJ is back!



Fun din-din out before driving home!



The Seattle Troll.