Happy New Year

from

Clif, Lisa, Emily and Laura!

GoFightWin! in 2011!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today Lisa spoke at a friend's church about bone marrow donation... Here's what she said: 

Back in September my mother was diagnosed with leukemia. We found out in October that a bone marrow transplant was the only way her leukemia could be cured. The doctors told us that before the transplant can take place she must first find a donor. She had a good chance of finding a match, according to the doctors, because she has three siblings. So when the results came back that none of her siblings were matches, needless to say, we were all very shocked. We now had to keep faith that someone in the National Bone Marrow Registry—a complete stranger—would save our mom’s life.

My family has been very blessed. A ten out of ten match—a perfect match—was found not even a month later. Her transplant is scheduled for the end of January, and we are all praying that everything will go over smoothly.

 A bone marrow transplant is a serious, life-changing procedure. In most cases it is the patient’s only chance of survival. We don’t know who our donor is, and actually due to regulation won’t find out the identity until a year after the transplant. But my mother would not have this chance of curing her leukemia—of survival—of living more of her life, if it was not for her donor. We do not know the results of the transplant yet. But right now we are putting our faith in the donor, putting our faith in the doctors, and putting our faith in Christ that the transplant will be a success.

Although we have found our donor, many people out there are still looking for their's. What your church is doing today could potentially save a life. On behalf of my mother and our family we are honored to be a part of a community that is taking this active role in saving lives. Thank you for inviting me here today and for all your prayers and concern for my mother. My mom wanted to be here today, but unfortunately cannot be in large groups of people  in preparation for her transplant. But I know her heart’s here. Thank you again. 

************************************************************************

Later tonight, they had some guests drop by:



Merry Christmas!!

♥

Laura has received the pre-evaluation schedule for the transplant.

On January 3rd, she goes to Emory and they'll do all kinds of tests: physical, lab work, a CT of her chest/sinus, lumbar puncture, and a bone marrow biopsy. (That's all in ONE DAY.) Then on Tuesday, January 4th, she'll have an echocardiogram and then an EKG and then at the end of the day she'll have a pulmonary function test.

It sounds like a lot. It IS a lot.

And, then, (I think I'm right, but Laura can correct me in the comments) if all of that looks good, she'll have four days of intensive chemo which will be followed by the transplant.

The truth is that the after-effects of the transplant can be VERY unpleasant. I don't fully understand it, but there is a period of adjustment where the donor marrow kind of rebels against her body.

Please pray with me that Laura's body will welcome the new marrow with open arms. Pray that the donor marrow will feel like it has arrived at home. Pray that the transition will be smooth and with as little discomfort as possible...I would love it (TRULY LOVE IT) if this transplant was miraculously uneventful and pleasant. (I believe in asking for what you want.)

Please pray that Laura will be at peace over the next few weeks and that the Christmas season will be full of joy and fun things.

Thank you all for supporting Laura and the rest of her family. There is no way you can ever know how much it means to us.

Wishing you a very happy Christmas and wishing all of us an amazingly wonderful 2011!!

GoFightWin!!!!!!!!!

Laura's WBC was .5 today. It's low, but it's supposed to be low. So, she has to continue to wear the mask, stay away from crowds and stay away from anybody who might have the slightest hint of illness.

She won't be able to participate in any of the festivities happening tomorrow in Leesburg... And, it's gonna be a BIG day in Leesburg!  She's gonna have to miss Breakfast with Santa, the big parade with Buster Posey (MLB's Rookie of the Year) as grand marshall, the street vendors, the Dog Gone Good Christmas dog show (new this year), and the Holly Follies tomorrow night. 

Maybe Emily can take some pictures.

Monday she'll begin a 5 day cycle of Decitabine -- a type of chemo. Then we'll wait to hear from Emory to find out when she'll go in to have CAT scans, MUGA's, and other tests before the actual transplant. Before the transplant she'll have three days of intense chemo to actually bottom-out her white blood count. She needs to be as close to 0 as possible.

Then it's transplant time.

Please pray for Laura as her body gets ready for the transplant. Pray for the donor that his/her bone marrow will be ready to move to its new home. Pray for a smooth transition for that marrow. We've heard that the donor marrow has a hard time adjusting to it's new environment. Please pray that this will be as easy on Laura as possible. And, please pray that the WHOLE transplant will be a success!

Also, pray for all of Laura's family -- that the children and siblings and other loved ones will know how to be helpful and can be the exact kind of support that Laura needs.

I am praying for an exciting, long, pleasant and happy adventure for Laura when this particular chapter of her life is over. She deserves a lot of happy!

Thank you again, DONOR, for your gift to Laura and to all of us who love her.

December 1st is a day to remember.

Today is the anniversary of Rosa Parks staying in her seat.



It's also the first day of Hanukkah....



And!!

 It's the day they found a donor for Laura!!!

Her donor is a 10 out of 10 match!
(Didn't I ask y'all to pray for a perfect match?!)

Thank you, Mr. or Ms. Donor, for your gift to our family.
Love,
Everyone who loves Laura.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Laura spent the day in Atlanta and had Thanksgiving dinner at our cousin, Rene's house...

Afterwards, she, Clif and Emily hung out at Mary's house with Mary's family.

They had a good day.

Though I was happy to spend Thanksgiving with Harv, the girls and my in-laws, I would've loved to have been a part of that photo!

Thankful for so many things!

Love y'all!

GFW!!!!

Watch carefully! You'll see some people you know!


GoFightWin!

We are all GIVING THANKS for all of you.

"Do not be terrified, do not be afraid...The Lord Your God, who is going before you, will fight for you." (Deut. 1:29ff)

"He will take up your cause. He will remove your spirit of fear and replace it with a spirit of courage and peace. Look forward to your future with confidence. He has gone before us, He stands behind us, and He is with us...all at once." --Kristin Armstrong



Get a few tissues!
Today's post is a speech written and given by Eve Ensler on Tuesday, October 26 at The Women's Conference in Long Beach, CA.

**************************************

The Gift of Cancer

It happens like this
The doctor walks towards me
His face is ashen
He says we have found something
It does not look good
There is a trap door in the seat of the waiting room
And I am falling
And as I fall I hear
The echo of him saying
Cat scan
As big as a mango
We can't be sure
This falling goes on for days
Even though I appear to be walking
And giving speeches and riding on airplanes
I am falling
As the new doctor at the new hospital
says it
says CANCER
As I wait to hear where it's coming from
And where it's gone
As I get pricked and probed and punctured
I am falling
As they first say it is not in my liver
And then later they can't be sure
Falling
Until they drug me and wheel me off
For nine hours
And when I wake up
I am in a new country
Nothing is familiar
Because the possibility of not dying
Is gone
Because I am now living in the land of the sick
Turns out my being a vegetarian-sober-nonsmoker-activist has not protected me at all
The surgeon tells me he has done 1,000 operations and he has never seen anything like it
Then he uses the word fistula
And uterus
First thing I think of course is
Congo
I knew from the first time I went to Panzi hospital in Bukavu
I stood in the place that felt like an open barn
In the place where 200 women sat on benches
Their wounded heads
Their canes
Their sweat
The strong smell of pee and shit from their fistulae
From the holes their rapist pierced into their bodies, tearing them apart
I knew from that first moment
When I looked into their faces
And saw the crimes of this century burning in their eyes
500,000 raped women
500,000 vaginas violated
500,000 bodies massacred
500,000 wombs destroyed
I had no way to protect myself
From the hugeness of the atrocity
From the insanity of this disgrace
It rolled over me like a tsunami of pain and took me
Took me took me
I have never come back
And I never will
And I knew those women now owned me
Have me
There is no other place I could ever be
No other fight that is not this fight
It's in your uterus
The tumor of rape
That is wild across the world
The tumor of rape
That exchanges women's bodies for the price of a cell phone
Or gold or diamonds
Or anything that can be extracted and stolen from their land
The tumor of rape that began growing in me when I was only five and now has matured into something the size of a mango
That's what the doctor said
Which of course is the fruit of the Congo
The most delicious in the world
The women of Congo are in my body
First gift I realize -- I am not alone
I have imagined what it feels like to lose your uterus or your ovaries
And inside the emptiness of my missing womb
There is space
There is a hunger
To just be still
Cancer stopped me
From running
Striving
Trying to prove my worth
It stopped me
From apologizing for the truth
It made me stay in one place
For 6 months
It brought me back my sister
It allowed me to commune with my friends
It forced me to take in love
And be cared for, which made me human
It took away the privilege of the well
And made me a patient
It taught me a new kind of pain
And now I see even more clearly the sick, the poor, the raped and the oppressed and I know we are family
And the majority
And that what divides us is illusion
Created by our refusal to feel
Maintained and manipulated by those in power
And I know I almost died and that it was only a couple of inches
And a few months that kept me here
And I now live with death as my companion
And sometimes she scares me and sometimes
she comforts me
But mainly she inspires me to be braver
And I no longer have any desire to be invincible
Because it isn't possible
Or accurate
I am vulnerable and porous
And outraged and crazy-happy and alive
And I know what care is
And what it isn't
How someone can stick you with a needle
And never see you
Or they can stick you and take the time so it doesn't hurt
And I fell in love with nurses
And I know that everything is ass-backwards
That we idolize people who steal our money and own everything, rather than those who get paid very little
To serve
And I know that chemo can be a metaphor
As well as a physical treatment
And that the poison is not meant for me
But the cancer
The perpetrators
The rapists
And it's okay to imagine them dead, mutilated and destroyed
Because we need an outlet for our rage
I know that after I was battered for years by my father and raped by him I held his badness, as if it were my own
And that the surgery finally removed it
And the chemo burned it off
And I know that no one will ever again
Convince me I am bad
Nor will I tolerate being undermined
And undone
I know that the abscess that grew around my wound
After the operation
The 16 ounces of puss
Became the contaminated Gulf of Mexico
And the catheters they shoved into me without proper medication made me scream the way the earth cries out from the drilling
I know that everything is connected
And the scar that runs the length of my torso is the markings of an earthquake
And I am there with the 3 million
Who are living in the streets of Port au Prince
And the fire that burns in me on day 3 through 6 of treatment is the fire that is burning the forests of so much of the world
Cancer made it clear
That time is short
And we must decide
If we devote ourselves to wrestling power inside the crumbling walls of patriarchy
or
If we are ready and brave enough to build the new world
And after searching for so many years to figure out what we are doing here
I finally get that we are being alive
Alive
Alive
And there must be time to linger
And time to enjoy
And time to remember
And time for nothing
And everything is precious
The Indian sari curtains glittering in late summer sun
The man petting his ugly dog in the park
The morning fog
The coconut popsicle
And I know that avoiding suffering is impossible
Stop defending against what is being done
Stop pretending you don't see the ragged man with his arm outstretched
Or hearing the cries of the earth being slaughtered
Or rationalizing the immoral war being fought in your name
Or finding ways to let famous rapists off the hook
Stop spending 900 billion dollars on unjust wars
While 30 million Americans are unemployed
Or justifying one genocide by another
Or burying your own story because you think you can't bear how much it hurts
Dying is the only way of being born
My cancer is blessedly gone now
My hair is growing back
I have a scar
A warrior track that runs down
My 57-year-old body
Each time I look at it I am reminded that I was opened up in order to remove the darkness
I was laid bare in order to be free of the pain
I surrendered in order to find my power
Each time I see my scar
I am reminded that I was lucky
That I had insurance
That I could afford the most extraordinary and loving surgeons and doctors
That I was surrounded by an embarrassment of love and friends and family who bought me soup and presents
And rubbed my feet and made me eggs at 6 in the morning when I was ready to throw up
I am reminded that I mattered
And because of that I recovered
I know that every single person deserves this attention
Every single person
And so my scar has become a permanent tattoo
Calling for inclusion and joy
I know that what truly kept me alive is the women of Congo
Whenever I grew despondent
Or sorry for myself
I would think of the women and girls
Who still dance after 6 million
Of their brothers and sisters have perished from the earth
Who still dance even after the international power elite has forsaken them for 13 years
Who dance now knowing that V-Day's City of Joy will open February 4th
And they will have their place, their fields
Their village to turn their pain to power
And become leaders in their world
How blessed I am to be forever linked with their destiny
I could not die
Simply until they were safe and free and running things
I bow to the women of Congo and thank them for saving my life



Some days are harder than others...
Today, Laura is tired...and that goes along with lower white blood cell counts, I suppose.
And, today she's tired of being sick -- Who wouldn't be?

Please pray that she'll get some rest and that her spirits will be lifted. And, please continue to pray that a donor will be found quickly. (I STILL wish it had been one of us... Now, I'm hoping it's someone who is just like us -- only better! )

Thanks for loving Laura and for your support for her and the rest of her family.

Laura went in yesterday for labs... She'll do that every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until the transplant.

Her numbers had dropped considerably so she had the choice of staying to get 2 units of blood right then or going back today. She chose to stay -- which made for a long day.

Dr. Tongol gave her the go-ahead to have Thanksgiving with the family if her numbers go up.

The best news of the day for her was that he gave her permission to eat grapefruit, oranges, avocados, bananas, and peeled apples!!

He doesn't want her to walk around the block anymore, but did say that as long as she feels up to it, she can ride her bike (inside on the Cyclops --- see previous post.)

Emily has been faithfully fulfilling her role as Nurse Ratchett...and sometimes has help from Mary Celeste, whose other position is that of cooking delicious food. (Mary went down to hang with them last weekend.)

We continue to pray for the perfect donor to show up soon.

"I am so thankful for so much!," Laura said.

You gotta love her attitude!

The other day, Laura's friend, Anita, stopped by with a card full of signatures and a gift so she can continue to exercise during treatment.


It's called a Cyclops and she can set her bike in it and ride, ride, ride!


Her friends from the 'Y' and others who wanted to be a part of the excitement contributed....

"I love these people!," she said when she sent me the photos...

Thanks to all of you who are helping Laura make the most of an unpleasant situation. What a perfect gift!

Please continue to pray for the perfect donor..."Perfect" to me would include someone whose marrow won't cause trouble after the transplant. Pray that her body and the new marrow get along well and that the donor is found soon.

Well, the results came back from the testing and none of the Hall children are winners... So, now, Emory will look for a donor from the national database and find a match. The results of that probably won't be known for 3 weeks to a month. It seems that Dr. Langston has found some potential donors from the national database, but they'll need to be tested further to be sure.

So, we wait a little while longer.

Please pray that the perfect donor will be found and that the transplant will go very smoothly...and that the donated bone marrow will make a quick and pleasant transition to its new home.

Please also pray for peaceful weeks leading up to that time.

For those of you who might be interested (not just for Laura, but for whoever), here's the link to the National Bone Marrow Registry. (I'm still hoping to be the winner of the Laura Hall Kitchens Bone Marrow Donation Contest.)

http://www.marrow.org/

In other news, Lisa left this morning to head back to New York. Emily will be in Georgia until December 5th.

Laura and Emily are hanging out in Atlanta, eating chili cheese fries (blech!) and enjoying their time together. (By the way, Laura's the chili cheese fry girl, not Em.)

They'll head back to Leesburg tomorrow and Laura will receive the first of 10 rounds of chemo -- or until a bone marrow match is found - on an out-patient basis. As soon as they have a donor, the next phase will begin.

I just want to say that I love my family. So thankful for all the blessings in spite of a few difficulties.

Have a happy Saturday.

Ain't Nuthin' Simple!

Laura had an appointment at Emory this morning. They received TONS of information.

Here's what I know:

• She will start a totally different kind of chemo on Monday in Albany. That chemo will be for 10 days, once a month until they find a bone marrow donor. I'm not sure if it will be in-patient or out-patient.
• She will need to be in the best possible physical and emotional condition in order to receive the bone marrow. Same is true of the donor.
• This bone marrow transplant is the only way to get rid of the leukemia.
• The donor will need to be at Emory for the transplant and the transplant will take place right after the donation has been made.
• The doctor is very optimistic that they will find a donor.
• A week before the transplant, Laura will receive an intense round of chemo -- which will kill all of her immune system. She will remain in the hospital for 2-3 weeks after the transplant has taken place so that they can monitor her closely.
• Evidently, the period after the transplant can be very unpleasant as the bone marrows get used to each other. The donor marrow is the trouble-maker. (If I'm lucky enough to be the donor, I'm gonna have a "good talkin' to" to my marrow so that it will behave!)
• After the transplant and the 2-3 week period in the hospital, she will probably stay in Atlanta at our house for the month or so afterwards.
• She will be closely monitored for 2-3 years, but that doesn't mean she can't start livin' her regular life!
• Here's something interesting! The (doctor) son of Laura's friend, Ann Pritchard, will be sitting in with her doctor (Dr. Amelia Langston)... just kind of keeping in touch with what's goin' on with her.
• Dr. Langston compared this huge undertaking to mountain climbing... When you start out on your journey, the mountain looks so monstrous and it may seem impossible. But, the way you climb a mountain is one step at a time. And, that's how we're all gonna get through this journey, too.

This afternoon, Laura and the girls are going to go to the mountains with Mrs. Cannon for a few days. See some leaves. Eat some apples. Rest. ♥

Thanks for your continued prayers.

For those of you who might be having trouble posting a comment, please see October 13th entry for help.

An update from Lisa...

(Buford Cheering Station during the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure)

The good news is that all her counts are great! Her WBC is 3.3 and her temp is normal. This is a good indication that her body is tough and knows how to handle chemo. :)

The bad news is that the first round of chemo (Induction) didn't get all the leukemic cells which means she did not go into remission like they hoped. Because the Induction did not work, instead of Consolidation (which they were going to do--that was going to be the five rounds of chemo over the next 18 weeks), they are now going to do a Bone Marrow Transplant.

She has an appointment with Emory tomorrow to discuss the process, meet with her insurance agency, talk with a social worker, and meet the doctor. Tomorrow we will also learn what kind of new chemo they will use before the transplant. The likely scenario is that sometime next week she will start her second round of chemo (which will be a different kind of chemo than the first) and once they find her bone marrow match they will immediatley start the transplant. However, she will have a second round of chemo regardless of how quickly they find her match.

Right now we need to pray for a match and for as little discomfort as possible.

Below are two articles I've found helpful to understanding the process. The first is an article from the NY Times from 2008. I've found it to be pretty informative without going into so much detail that I can't understand a thing. The second is very informative and includes a lot of details.

http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/surgery/bone-marrow-transplant/overview.html

http://cumc.columbia.edu/dept/medicine/bonemarrow/bmtinfo.html

While I still have access to a computer...

...here's the latest:

• Laura gets to go home for the weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (but she'll need to go back on Monday) The rules are that she must wear her mask and a hat and she can't have visitors.
• She'll have five more rounds of chemo (which I think is called the consolidation phase) and each time she receives the chemo, she'll have to be in the hospital. As long as things go well, she can go home in between rounds.

I'm going in just a little while to Emory to have my blood drawn to see if I'm a bone marrow match. Mary has already done that and Robert will do it also. We're hoping that she won't have to have a transplant, but we're also hoping that if she does, one of us will be a match for her.

And, then later today, Clif and I will head to Lake Lanier so I can practice carrying the "My Sister" flag for the 3-Day. After that, hopefully a good night's sleep and then it's a whole lotta walkin' for us over the next few days!!

Thankful for the many blessings of this day. GoFightWin!!!

Trying to update on my phone so I don't know how it'll look...

Laura's WBC was 1.3(!) this morning. She also had a bone marrow biopsy...

Looks like she'll have 6 more treatments over the next 18 weeks. Not sure exactly how that looks re: time in the hospital, but all treatments will be in-patient.

I'm waiting for my plane to leave Seattle. Am hoping I'm ready to walk on Friday.

Love y'all!

Very quick update:

Laura was hoping that her WBC would be a 1 today, but it was 1.2!!

Other good news:

Emily has arrived and the three of them are having fun hangin' out. And, even more good news: Clif arrives tomorrow for a quick trip before he goes to Atlanta to walk with me in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. If you're in Atlanta, we would love to see you along the route if you're able to make it out.

Here are the cheering stations....

Friday, October 22
8:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
89 Main St.
Buford, GA 30518

12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Suwanee Station
Station Center Blvd.
Suwanee, GA 30024

Saturday, October 23
9:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Oreck Vacuums Store and Plaza
5005 Peachtree Pkwy.
Norcross, GA 30092

11:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Duluth Monarch School
3057 Main St.
Duluth, GA 30096

Sunday, October 24
7:45 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Lowes
4950 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
Chamblee, GA 30341

10:45 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Atlantic Station - along 17th St.
171 17th St.
Atlanta, GA 30363

And closing ceremonies will be at Turner Field at 5:30 p.m.

I hop on a plane way before the crack of dawn and head to Atlanta tomorrow. It will be difficult for me to post much while I'm away from my computer, but tune in next week for updates.

Love you all!!

GoFightWin!, WBC!!

Tobi being a spokesmodel for that lovely DVD player

Yesterday, Tobi surprised Laura and Lisa with a DVD player! "Dallas" looks and sounds better on a real tv. ☺ What a nice thing for Tobi to do!

Laura and Lisa are pretty much just sitting around talking, watching old episodes of Dallas, and reading. Laura continues to walk laps around the floor twice daily-in the morning after breakfast and then after supper.

Emily arrives today so there will be even MORE fun for the three of them!

Medically speaking: Her WBC (white blood count) is still low but she's hopeful that things are looking up. Day before yesterday her count was .6. Yesterday and today it's been .8. Although it seems she's a long way from the desired goal of 3, she's been told that once the cells start rebuilding, they multiply fast. GoFightWin!, white blood cells!!

We all continue to be touched by the support and prayers of so many. Thank you all.

For those of you who might be having trouble posting a comment, please see October 13th entry for help.

This morning Laura looked out her window and she saw her friend, Beth, and Beth's staff holding up a sign for her. ♥

She has received more platelets today -- which we are very grateful for!! A relative of a friend of hers was unable to have open heart surgery this morning due to a lack of donated blood. We're not sure if it's a regional, state or national problem, but we are so thankful that she has received what she has needed. If you're able to give -- blood and/or platelets -- please consider it. It's needed for more people than just Laura.

Lisa has gone to Atlanta for an audition. (Break a leg, little Lisa!) Emily arrives on Sunday. (Woo hoo!)

Keep the prayers comin'! She's made it through 3 weeks at the hospital... Just 3 more to go before she breaks outta there! GoFightWin!

For those of you who might be having trouble posting a comment, please see October 13th entry for help.

Just thought I'd repost these lyrics... Love you, Laura!

♪ ♫ Who can turn the world on with her smile? ♪ ♫
♪ ♫ Who can take a nothing day, and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile? ♪ ♫
♪ ♫ Well it's you girl, and you should know it ♪ ♫
♪ ♫ With each glance and every little movement you show it ♪ ♫
♪ ♫ Love is all around, no need to waste it ♪ ♫
♪ ♫ You can have a town, why don't you take it ♪ ♫
♪ ♫ You're gonna make it after all ♪ ♫
♪ ♫ You're gonna make it after all ♪ ♫

In case you're having trouble...

...here are some simple instructions to leave a comment for Laura...

1. After reading the blog entry, click on "Comments" at the bottom of the blog post.


2. Enter your comment in the "Leave Your Comment" box.


3. Verify the funny looking word in the box below it. (That is there so we won't get lots of spam from computerized programs.)


4. Click either "Google acct. ID" or "open ID" (I THINK there are options to create a Google acct. if you don't already have one. *****Remember to save your Google ID and password so you'll have it everytime you need it.)*****


5. Click "Publish Your Comment."

Ta-daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

(Laura and her CNA, Cerissa...oh! and Mr. Pumpkin, too! ☺)

Today, Laura was hooked up to the IV all day with 3 different antibiotics and 2 units of blood.

She says the best part of her day was when Lisa went to get the clippers and Cerissa, her CNA, cut off her hair.

She's been having headaches and Lisa asked Dr. Tongol about it. He ordered a CT scan right about dinner time and thankfully, it came back negative. He wanted to make sure she wasn't having bleeding on the brain.

Other good news: Dr. Tongol now says she can walk around 2 times a day... Yea!

"I continue to be thankful for my family, friends, and the strangers that give blood and platelets everyday for people like me," says Laura.

She's also thankful that Lisa is there. "Lisa is great!"

♥

Photos from this past weekend.

Yesterday on Dr. Tongol's morning visit, he told Laura that she couldn't leave her room. That didn't sit too well with her. It was rough on her all day long. In fact, she thought she might 'lose it.'

And, on top of that, she had some mouth sores. One was caused by the chemo and the other was caused by her biting her cheek in her sleep. (ow!)

It was a difficult day to stay positive and pleasant.

And, then! Dr. Tongol came back to visit in the afternoon. She told him just how crazy she was going without being able to leave her room. He said, "I know. Well, just go out once a day instead."

Whew! That was a big help -- mentally and physically.

Please pray for her mouth to heal and for her to have a good day today -- all the way around.

Mary made lots of posters to decorate Laura's room. This is one of them... Pretty cute, huh?

All of last week Laura felt pretty good -- mostly stir-crazy and a little bit tired. Today, however, I think she's been more tired and it turns out she has a fever of 101.5 -- which is higher than it should be. (One of the goals for her is to not have a fever above 101 degrees). I was told yesterday that the effects of chemo don't kick in until about the 10th day -- which is what we're approaching.

Please pray that she'll do well this week and not feel too bad from the effects.

Thankfully, the family has been able to be there and overlap a little. Robert and Mary came on Friday and we were all able to be together for Friday night. Lisa will be with her until the 30th and Emily will be with her until December. And, I'm so thankful that I was able to be there for a little while. All of the love that Laura and our family is receiving is so appreciated. I'm not sure we can ever let y'all know how much it means to us.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

Just in case you thought Laura wasn't a fighter.

Lisa's here!

(The PATIENT is the one kneeling on the floor!)

Lisa arrived yesterday afternoon and it's been great having her here... It's fun to add another person to the mix.

Mostly, we've just been hangin' out. Last night we watched the very first episode of "Dallas" -- which hooked Lisa. ☺ Today, we had to watch another episode right SMACK kadab (!) in the middle of the day! We're just livin' it up!

Tonight Mrs. Cannon is fixin' dinner for all of us -- Laura's is being delivered to her room and Lisa and I will eat at Mrs. Cannon's. (Thanks, Mrs. Cannnon!)

Laura continues to look good and feel preeeetttty good. Today she had a chest x-ray and a sinus x-ray because she's been coughing. Praying that it's nothing big.

Still can't get over how good she looks and acts.

Please pray for the other families on the cancer floor. There are many people there who are going through all kinds of stuff... Hoping they feel loved and that they'll be healed.

Thank you for your prayers and support for Laura and all of her family.

We love you all.

Dr. Jani came by...

Dr. Jani came by this morning to see Laura.

He had just come from a meeting with Dr. Tongol (and other doctors, I'm sure) and he wanted to let Laura know how glad he was with the final results of the bone marrow biopsy.

While he was there, he explained some of the science of cancer. He also talked about how much he likes Laura.

He said that she is the "kindest, ....(insert other adjectives that I can't remember), most positive patient I have. I wish all of my patients were like Laura. I mean that. I'm not just saying that because she's sitting right here."

Ms. Dye came over later and I was telling her about Dr. Jani's comment and she said "She lives that way. It wasn't something she had to learn."

(I like both of those people!)

In other news, Dr. Tongol told Laura that she has bottomed out...which I think means her counts are as low as they get. Now, I'm no doctor, but if this is "bottomed out" then I'm feeling pretty good about how she's handling all of this.

In my opinion, she looks great. She's been feeling a little lethargic, but her spirits are good and she's still walking around a few times a day and eating.

And Dr. Jani's words were "she looks very good."

So there, you stinky cancer cells!! Laura's gonna win! Nana nana boo boo!

Good news!

Late this afternoon, as Laura and I were doing laps around the floor, we noticed Dr. Tongol entering Laura's room. When we got down there, he had wide eyes and an excited air about him. He ushered us into her room to share the report he had in his hands: the bone marrow biopsy results.

Originally, there was some suspicion that the leukemia she has now was caused from the chemotherapy she received as part of her breast cancer treatment. Today, Dr. Tongol told us it was NOT caused by the chemo... Which, though it doesn't sound so great, is good news afterall.

Turns out, that Laura has Acute Myeloid Leukemia with T(8;21) which "is usually associated with a good response to chemotherapy and a high complete remission rate." And, THAT is good news!!

As I understand it, this particular type of leukemia is easier to keep in remission. (That's what I'M talkin' 'bout!)

And, so, we thank Dr. Jani for finding the leukemia so fast. And, we thank Dr. Tongol for all he's doing to make this disease go away. And, we thank the nurses and all of the hospital staff for taking such good care of her.

And, we thank God for the good news of today.

Amen.

(Nurse Carolyn, Dr. Tongol, and Miss GFW, herself!)

Check this card out...

This morning, Laura was sitting in the chair reading her book when the on-call doctor came in to check on her. He asked, "Where's the patient?" Laura said, "You're lookin' at the patient." "I thought you were a family member," he replied "and that you'd be bald." Laura said, "Well, in a few weeks, I'll look just like you."

We took that as a good sign. ☺ I've been thinkin' she looks pretty good and to hear the doctor say that he thought that, too, was encouraging.

Mostly, we've been just sittin' around, but I'm so glad I am able to be here. (Thanks, family and friends, for makin' it possible.)

She's had a few visitors today and a few phone calls. It means so much to her that people show their love in such thoughtful ways.

(Hey Sandra! ☺ )

No photos today...

Laura and I just hung out today. I read to her from Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris. We took a short nap. We ate lunch together and watched cooking shows. Mrs. Cannon came by and visited. Laura did laps around the floor. I brought in a pizza for dinner and then we watched another episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

But the big news is that today was the last day of this round of chemo!! Woooooooooooooooo hooooooooooooooo!

I think Laura has been amazing in her attitude. She's not having much fun, though, just sittin' around. That's not her style.

Anybody have any suggestions for fun things to do while you sit around in the hospital? Jokes? Games? Exercise suggestions?

Please pray for her as she faces next week which might not be so great. They say that the effects of the chemo will kick in then. I'm hoping it won't be too bad.

Thanks for all you've done.

Sleep tight everyone.

This afternoon Laura's preacher, Mike Lyons, and Mrs. Cannon came to visit Laura. They brought a fun little (really, big) surprise.

Last Sunday at church, Mike had everyone turn around to the balcony and they all had their picture made to let Laura know that they love her.

Look at me and Julie showing you just how huge this poster is...

In other news, she received the last bag of chemo for this week. Wooo hooo!!

By tomorrow night, she will have perservered through seven straight days of that. The doctor's words to her today were "You're a tough lady!" (We already knew that...She continues to show us all.) She'll have three more weeks in the hospital and then will receive another round of chemo just like this one. And, then... they'll check her bone marrow to see how things are going. (Pray that she won't have to receive more chemo.)

I can't get over how good she looks and how cheerful she is. Don't get me wrong. If she had her way, she'd be ridin' her bike and goin' out to eat with me and her friends. (I'd like that, too.)

But, she's a good patient. So, instead of that, we decided to have a "party." (A "party" is what we had on Friday nights as children. Our mother would make onion dip and we'd eat Fritos and dip and drink Coke while we watched tv.) I brought my computer (thanks, to Judy's brother and his employees my computer was fixed today, too!) and we watched two episodes of the Mary Tyler Moore Show while eating Fritos and dip and drinking Coke. We had a good time.

♪ ♫ Who can turn the world on with her smile? ♪ ♫

♪ ♫ Who can take a nothing day, and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile? ♪ ♫

♪ ♫ Well it's you girl, and you should know it ♪ ♫

♪ ♫ With each glance and every little movement you show it ♪ ♫

♪ ♫ Love is all around, no need to waste it ♪ ♫

♪ ♫ You can have a town, why don't you take it ♪ ♫

♪ ♫ You're gonna make it after all ♪ ♫

♪ ♫ You're gonna make it after all ♪ ♫

Quick update

Laura continues to look good and is in pretty good spirits. She's been eating well and even takes a couple of walks a day around the floor.

Tomorrow is the last day of the first round of chemo. !! She and I are going to celebrate with a "party" -- which includes Fritos, Coke and dip while watching Mary Tyler Moore DVD's.

Please pray that she'll handle next week with minimal discomfort as the chemo kicks in.

Thanks for all you have done and are doing for her. ♥

Lots of love comin' in...

People love Laura. And, they love her in many ways.

The cards she's received have been so sweet. Here's one we thought we'd share with you.

Judy Powell drove all the way to Atlanta to bring me down here. (Thank you, Judy!!)

(crane we saw on the drive from Atlanta)

Mrs. Cannon and Ms. Dye fixed an amazing southern dinner. Judy delivered some to Laura in the hospital and Mrs. Cannon saved some for me to eat tonight. OH YUMMY. So much delicious food. I'm going to sleep well after filling up with all that good stuff.

I felt pretty upbeat when I left the hospital tonight and then I saw the most amazing sunset... And, the first word to pop into my head when I saw it was "HOPE."

Thank you all for loving Laura.

A glimpse into Laura's day

Don't have much to report today, but Laura sent me these photos to share...

She's always got a surprise when her meal comes. :-)


I don't think she's gonna have to serve... I think they'll let her off.

Yesterday's goals.... Check the bottom of the board. GFW!

A quote for us all...

Lisa left this comment from an earlier post. I like what it says...and it IS, in fact, just like Laura.

"I found this quote by Martha Washington in an email my mom sent me a while back. I think it pretty much fits her. 'I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.'" ♥

Just a quick update....

Chemo began yesterday. It's my understanding that she'll have the chemo for 7 days in a row. Then a 3 week "break" (while other things are being checked and monitored) and then I think there will be 3 more rounds of that.

Mary Celeste has been with Laura since Thursday (thank you, Mary!). I'm going to arrive in Albany on Wednesday and will be able to stay for about a week and a half. Lisa will come while I'm there and be able to stay until the end of October. Emily will come mid-October and will be able to stay until December! Robert and Clif are making plans to come soon. Thankfully, we all overlap a little.

Some very special news: Laura and I were planning to walk in the Atlanta 3-Day together. Her plans have changed, but I'm still gonna walk. I didn't really want to do it without her, but she encouraged me to do it. And, THEN! I received an e-mail from the 3-Day people inviting me to carry the "My Sister" flag at opening and closing ceremonies. It seems that I have to do the walk. ☺ I feel fortunate to carry the flag in Laura's honor and represent all people who have a sister in the fight.

Please continue to pray and please stay in touch with Laura -- either comment here, on facebook, e-mails, cards, letters.... Shower her with love. It means a lot.