Chemo Begins!

Chemo Begins

So everything went well this last week and Isabelle started to acclimate to her power port.  She was still walking around like the Hunchback of Notre Dame through Friday as she was so hesitant to move that area of her upper body….bless her little heart!  She was still very concerned about the “numbing cream” that would have to be placed at the port site but she finally mustered the courage to let mom put on the numbing crème prior to going for chemo.  She is so brave and so amazing!  So we got to Children’s Hospital South Campus at about 9am ready to start this process and put this chemo session in the books!  One less chemo session that she has to go through and one closer to being done!  When we got there all of the infusion rooms were occupied except for one….that’s crazy that many kiddos are fighting cancer and the will to survive!  It’s sad and it makes your heart ache that these kids have to go through this at such a young age!  Well we settled in for a long day and figured it would take about 4-5 hours to complete blood/lab work, flushing the lines, giving fluids, and administering both of the chemo agents.  Belle kept herself busy with her math books, Princess Diaries 2, and going to the bathroom 5 or 6 times.  She was a little moody but I completely get it….I can imagine a million other places to be that that point in time!  Overall she handled it very well and she didn’t feel the poke for the port at all!  We ended up finishing up and heading home around 2pm.  We got her home and prepared for a lax weekend.  Nick and Brooke Kelsey brought us dinner which was wonderful and the kids hung out and watched Minions.  You could tell that Isabelle wasn’t 100% but she was hanging tough.  I think that things really started to hit her on Saturday afternoon into Sunday night.  She was really tired yesterday and she fell asleep at 6pm.  We hoped that she would be inclined to go to school today but the lack of eating and a mild headaches really didn’t position well for her to go to school all day long.  We will try again tomorrow!  We figured that these two chemo day Fridays would be like this following treatment…..a little harder to bounce back!  We hope that next weekend is much better for her only having to get the Vinblastine. 

She also went back to school on Thursday of last week for a the day so she as super pumped about that and being able to se her friends...enough said there!

I did want to let everyone know that the GoFundMe account is going great and we are strongly considering cannabis oil to aid Belle in her battle against her brain cancer.  A dear friend shared an amazing story (http://www.naturalnews.com/046994_cannabis_cancerous_tumors_miracle_baby.html) in which a child's brain tumor was completely healed and eliminated by utilizing cannabis oil with concentrated CBD and low THC ingredients.  We live in a state that has these alternative treatments available so we will explore this option to compliment her chemotherapy treatment.  The cost from what we have been told can range from $800-$1000 per month so we feel that is well worth the try.  There are a lot of articles out there that share the same claims that these properties in the cannabis oil “Charlotte’s Web” has the capacity to significantly reduce most side effects from chemo and kill cancer cells more specifically those in gliomas (brain tumors).  So needless to say the generous donations by so many will help us cover our $3500 fiscal year deductible (July-June) which we will have to cover again starting gain in July since her treatment will carry through December and a 12-month supply of the cannabis oil treatment.  We are very optimistic about Belle beating this cancer and never looking back.  If we get great results heck we may just have to add Sarah to the treatment….can’t hurt!  I guess we will just have a bunch of cannabis oil peeps in the McAllister household! LOL….I guess we have to consider all options rather than just focusing on synthetic toxins which can have long-lasting side effects.


Other than that Belle is doing pretty good overall and we are hoping that she starts feeling a lot better soon!  We understand this is par for the course when getting chemo and we will do everything we can to make her feel as good as she can!

I was also able to get her to go out of the house to go to Red Robin....yum!  She so funny and you can see her grandma "TuTu" photo bombing in the back!  She finally said on Thursday that it was time to get out of the house for a little bit!

I did want to share the information about the fundraiser that is taking place for Isabelle and the whole McAllister’s on Saturday, February 27^th at Backcountry CrossFit!  Now I know not everyone out there reading this blog is a CrossFitter or some crazy fit muscle head but that’s ok….we would love to see everyone out there and come join in supporting Isabelle as there will also be a Pot Luck following the WOD’s.  It’s going to be a great day and great opportunity to show your love and support for Belle and that she has a ton of people cheering her on to beat this cancer!  I do want to personally thank a couple of special people for making this happen…..First a huge and special thank you to Ashley & Steve Hartle (owners of BCCF) for allowing this event to take place at their wonderful CF box and just being so thoughtful and caring during our time of need….I also want to thank Nick & Brooke Kelsey for their help in organizing this event, I have had the privilege of Nick being one a my oldest and dear friend since I was 16 years old….his friendship and support means so much to me…..he is a lifelong friend and his friendship means the world to me…(that’s enough of the mushy gooey stuff for my “bromance” as my wife refers to it J)…..and of course Brooke, she’s amazing and Sarah and I are so grateful for her kindness and support.  I also want to thank Jenn Baker for helping create the fundraiser flier…she did an awesome job and she’s also a great cook (the Baker's rock)!  Not sure what her being a great cook has anything to do with it but I did want to compliment her on her cooking skills!  But seriously I want to thank these people for taking time out of their busy days to make the McAllister a priority….its means a lot!

All the support we are receiving from all over the place means a lot and it helps us get through the day!  I recently found out from a former dental resident of mine that is volunteering her time in Madagascar to help those in need and she informed me that there are prayer circles from Madagascar for Isabelle…I’m truly amazed about all of this and how much my little is loved and supported from all over the place.  I have had many friends tell me that there are prayer groups all parts of the country that are praying for Belle….God’s presence is real and whatever his plan is…we are trusting in him!

Thank you as always for all the love, support, and prayers….God bless all of you!  We will continue to fight this battle and support Belle and just take one day at a time!  We will keep you posted about updates, further chemo, treatments, the cannabis oil and the BCCF fundraiser.  Of course as always if anyone out there has additional information about the benefits of cannabis oil relative to killing cancer please do share…knowledge is power!

Thank you so very,

Mac

Port placed and ready to start kicking cancer's ass yet again...lets rock it Belle!

Port Surgery Complete

 

(Belle in her 50's outfit for school a couple of months ago)

 



Today was a big day in beginning the battle against Belle's brain tumor....placement of this port is very important!  This amazing piece of technology that seems so simple helps so very much in the process of delivering chemo by accessing the bloodstream via the largest artery that goes into your heart.  Learning from Sarah's experience and having to deliver the chemo agents via an IV each time is difficult and painful.  The chemo and having to get intravenous sticks every time for chemo causes bruising and on some of the occasions seemed to burn her veins.  I do not want by baby girl to have to experience the same situation.  So this port will allow the doctors to take blood (when necessary), administer contrast for her MRIs, and obviously deliver the chemo agents.  So even though its another surgery to go through, its well worth it in the long run!  Belle was very anxious and scared after we told her that she would have to go through surgery again to get this device placed in her chest.  I can only imagine what was going through this 7 year olds mind regarding this "thing" that is about to be placed in her for the duration of her treatment.  She had a ton of questions and you could tell she was nervous and scared about the surgery. 

 

We thought it would be best to meet someone who had a port and to see that everything is ok when you have a port placed in your body.  We have a wonderful neighbor whose sister is going through her own breast cancer journey herself (by the way she's rocking her battle against cancer as well and is a strong woman) and thought that she would come over to talk to Belle so we reached out to her and she was more than happy to come talk to Belle and show her the bump where her port is located.  She came over and talked to Belle.....Isabelle had plenty of questions and ultimately did feel her port in her chest even though she was apprehensive to do so at first.  I think that did help alleviate some of Isabelle's concerns over this device that will be placed in her body.  Her biggest concern throughout the process seemed to be the fact that she would have to put numbing cream on her skin where the port is located about an hour before going in for chemo...bless her little heart she was scared that would hurt!  I can see how some of this would be so very foreign and misunderstood when you're seven years old.....I just want to help her not worry about such difficult things and protect her....I try and remind her to just to be a kid and let mommy and daddy worry about this stuff!  But I tell you what she's so smart and she does get most of this stuff!  I have to remind myself this is hard and scary on her as well....I'm sure she often worries about her future and her life!  I know that last night she was scared about surgery.  To be honest I was scared too and worried for my daughter...I can tell you that the last couple days have been difficult for me and I have struggled to stay positive.  Depression and sadness can sneak up on you when your at your lowest....well let me reassure you that Sarah didn't let that happen for long...I wish I could say that I was strong enough to pull myself out of my slumber on my own but that was not the case!  Yet again my wife provides the strength our family needs and says "Mac take a happy pill and get your s*^t together" (as kindly put as she can)...God bless that woman and her unfailing and never ending strength!  See I present like the strong one but to be all to honest this family's strength and ability to forge ahead starts with her...I'm sure most of you aren't surprised by this at all...so moving on lets just keep pretending that I'm really the strong one (wink wink)!!

 

So onto surgery...we got to Children's Hospital South Campus (thank goodness we didn't have to go to the main location) at 7:45am which was good since she didn't have to go all day without eating....we got to meet all the nurses, surgeon and anesthesiologist prior to surgery (everyone there is wonderful and so good with kiddos by the way.....that helps alleviate some of the stress).  Belle got to pick the smelly stuff for her N2O mask...she went with bumble gum although I though she should have went with watermelon.  This time we were able to join her in the surgical operatory as she went to sleep which very much helped calm her concerns.  We did have to get fully dressed up for the occasion in a full hazmat suit and blue mesh cap.....all I needed was a weapon and I was ready for a zombie apocalypse!  Imagine Baymax from Big Hero 6...I should have taken a picture of Sarah and I...Isabelle thought we looked funny!  She did great going to sleep and was calm....they said the procedure would take about 45 minutes...maybe an hour if everything goes well.  We went the family waiting room after leaving the surgical operatory at about 9:40am (thank you Julie for bringing food from Kneaders Bakery)and I didn't anticipate hearing for the surgeon for at least an hour to 90 minutes.....well the door opens at 10:07am and the surgeon entered and said "everything went perfectly"....freaking music to my ears!  Praise the Lord....Belle did great.....enough said!  Minimal general anesthesia and just a small incision...recovery only took about 30 minutes and we were on our way home...amazing!  We had to stop and get something to eat on the way....thank you McDonald's for your all day breakfast menu! :)

 

We spend the rest of today relaxing and watching television.  She is in very good spirits and seeming to want to eat every hour...that's a good thing other than eating us out of house and home!  She was adamant about changing into a dress once she was comfortable and confident about moving her arm just enough to get that dress over her arm (she loves her dresses and constantly changing throughout the day).  I can tell you that she still is very hesitant to move it all when she is laying on the couch or up and walking.  Our hope is that she is well rested and ready to go back to school by Wednesday...one more day of having to hang out with dad all day! 

 

So moving forward....Belle has progressed very well in her motors skills and walking on her own!  She still has some moments of balance control issues (vary rarely) but she is truly walking on her very own!  I can't tell you how proud I am and happy that she is able to just walk without assistance.  I too am guilty of taking the ability to walk on your own for granted....I'm so happy that she can walk  on her own...hopefully some day soon she will be able to run again!  Things are improving for Belle...God's healing is present and heavy handed each and every day.  We did have the conversation with her that she has cancer which I have been dreading and avoiding but she actually asked Sarah if she has cancer so figured its best to be honest rather than lying to her and waiting to tell her until we were ready....that would not be fair to her.  There was something calming about the conversation and the way she handled the news....we just reassured her that everything the doctors were doing were to help eliminate the cancer and get rid of "ball thingy" in her head as she put it.  She knows the medicine she will be taking is similar to mommies and is there to help stop the cancer from growing and keep it from  getting bigger.  We could tell that she was over talking about it when said "ok let's not talk about it anymore!".....I loved how she handled it and how strong she is!  She's a rockstar...there is no wonder or question where she get it from....I'm a very blessed and thankful man! 

 

Chemo starts on Friday (1st session of what I figure will be about 36 to 40 sessions till haven't done a complete count)...one session closer to the end but we will just take one day at a time!  We learned that all to well from Sarah's treatment.....we cant look to far ahead and just need to focus on today and allow tomorrow to worry about itself!  She will start with Carboplatin and Vinblastine chemo combination on the first Friday of the cycle and then the following two Fridays she will only get Vinblastine...then get one week (Friday) off and then start the cycle over again.  We need to see some reduction of the tumor in the first couple of months (MRI March 3rd) to ensure the chemo is working so prayer warriors out there continue to pray hard...I beg you!  Let God hear all the prayers for Belle's healing, that the chemo is working to reduce the size of the tumor, that it's killing the cancer cells and that she her body is managing the chemo. So this week is week #1 of 2016 and we start this journey in good spirits and great optimism.  With God at our side and watching over our daughter all is possible.

 

I want to end this post with a sincere thank you to everyone out there providing support and love in so many different ways!  We are so very fortunate and lucky to have the support, love, and prayers coming in from everywhere and from so many...words can't express our extreme gratitude and appreciation!!!   I appreciate each and every one of you out there....truly!  I wish I could thank each of you individually here for your words of strength, kindness, dinners, support, donations, and prayers but there are far to many of you out there to thank without consuming this entire post with those thank you's and words of appreciation...perhaps a future post will just solely be that! 

 

I did want to let everyone know of a fundraiser that will be taking place for Belle on Saturday, February 27th so please mark your calendar to come and share in this journey and support Belle, we would love to see everyone....details to follow in the coming weeks so please keep an eye out for that!  We will keep everyone posted in the coming weeks on her progress with chemo and to keep everyone informed of how things are coming along!

 

Thank you,

 

Mac, Sarah, Michael and Isabelle

 

 

Philippians 4:6, 7 - "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus"

 

Roams 15:13 - "May God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."

 

Believe in the power of prayer! Amen.......

Isabelle’s Journey

Things began on 12/10/15 and Isabelle was complaining of headaches.  Initially we thought she was dealing with a sinus infection or something else that was just causing her to feel a little under the weather.  She seemed to feel a little better and then the headaches would start back up.  She was in good spirits but the headaches were certainly taking a toll because she would get tired so she was sleeping more than normal.  We went skiing on Sunday the 14^th, this was the first time that the kids have ever skied.  It was great day and the kids had a blast.  Isabelle did start to complain of the headache on the way home so we thought it was time to take her in to see what was going on.  We went to Children’s Hospital (south campus) to get her checked out.  She was not presenting with any sort of infection (no flu, no sinus infection, no fever or strep), they concluded that she probably has a viral infection so obviously my mind started to wonder what was going on, to be honest I did think there was a greater concern over just a simple viral infection.  We had a brain MRI planned for the following Thursday as a precaution because we have recently learned that Isabelle does have a genetic mutation that warrants close observations.  So we did what we could to keep her headaches at bay until we could get more answers from the brain MRI.  We nervously waited over the next few days for the MRI to tell us more as to what was causing the headaches.  Thursday was upon us and we started the day just like every other day.  Struggling to get the kids out of bed and out the door!  We went to Children’s Hospital for the brain MRI and ultrasounds.  The ultrasounds went well and nothing of concern there.  We prepared for the brain MRI and Isabelle decided to go with a pink lighting for the MRI room, that little girl loves pink…no surprise there!  Things were going as planned and toward the end of the imaging Sarah noticed that the technician was on the phone with someone.  This obviously prompted a little worry from Sarah given her recent treatment for breast cancer…..motherly instinct that something concerning was going on!  They promptly escorted Sarah and Isabelle to another waiting room and indicated that a radiologist needed to look at the image.  That is not good!  Sarah quickly called me since I was in the waiting room with Michael and said I needed to get back there ASAP!  So I nearly kicked down the door trying to get back there, once I made it to Sarah the radiologist informed me that my baby girl had a tumor in her mid-brain.  Instantly I couldn’t believe we were going through this again and now with my little girl.  I tried to maintain my composure and allow the radiologist to explain what was going on and how this tumor was impacting the flow of her cerebral fluid and blocking the fluid to drain into the 4^th ventricle.  I felt like I was punched in the stomach yet again…..I was angry, upset, sad, frustrated all at the same time!  Start asking why Lord are we going through this yet again??

The doctor could not say with absolute certainty that the tumor was a malignancy or benign so a biopsy would have to be performed to better understand what we are dealing with and additionally they would have to deal with the blockage.  So the doctors would have to perform an Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV) which in laymen’s terms is a procedure to allow the cerebral fluid to properly drain into the 4^th ventricle.  This would relieve the pressure buildup (hydrocephalus) that was taking place in her brain.  The doctor said it’s a pretty standard procedure and if successful Isabelle would not need shunt.  So we were optimistic that this would address the tumor blocking the canal.  She would also need a biopsy of the tumor so that added some complexity due to location of the tumor.  They would need to access that through the back right side of her head going through her cerebellum.  Now let me tell you when neurosurgeon explain this stuff everything seems simple and routine.  They have an amazing talent of calming your concerns…..so bless them for this ability to take brain surgery and make it seem normal.  These doctors are truly amazing surgeons.  The plan was the needle biopsy and (ETV) and possibly one or two night stay in the hospital.  Surgery was planned for Friday at 5:30pm so we nervously waited in the hospital for surgery time.  Isabelle as in good spirits and enjoying her time in the hospital with the attention she was getting but not happy that should couldn’t eat all day….yeah that kind of pissed her off.  Let me tell you what they are many people out there that love us and love Isabelle….so many calls, gifts, stuffed animals, blankets, etc came flooding our way!  So the surgery time came and it was planned for 3 in half hours give or take.  I can tell you by this point Sarah and I were completely depleted emotionally, physically, and spiritually.  In looking back….I wish that I was stronger when they rolled her back for surgery but I just broke down and cried from all the heartache and pain I was feeling!  I was so scared for my daughter and that she was having to go through this…..as a parent you want to protect your children from anything bad that can happen!  I truly felt completely powerless and for the first time there was nothing I could do to protect her or keep her safe….that hurt more than I can even express!  She was in God’s hands and all I could do is keep my faith in him and his plan!  Friday was a long night as the surgery started around 5pm and we didn’t get to see her until about 11pm.  I want to personally thank my mother Theresa, Sarah’s mom Barbara, Sarah’s sister Britt, my aunt and uncle Sandy and Rich, our friends Brooke, Franny, Jim, and Kathy for being there for us during Belle’s surgery….we were not alone at all in this process!  

I think I was creating a path in the carpet from all of my pacing in the waiting room.  Everything went well during surgery just a little longer than planned.  She did end up getting some bleeding at the biopsy site which can be problematic and also some slight paralysis of her left side of her face and her left arm so they did a quick MRI which they had to resedate her to take.  I was kind of freaking out at this point wondering what was going on.  The neurosurgeon was relatively ok with the amount of blood and did think it warranted any surgical intervention.  He said the paralysis should completely resolve soon.  So we were happy that she did well and was out of surgery.  Everything seemed to be going as planned…..one night in the hospital maybe two at the most….let the healing begin so we can get Belle home!  Well let me tell you what not everything is easy or as we plan it!  What was supposed to be a short stay turned into 7 days….yes 7 days in the hospital filled with long nights and stressful moments.  The paralysis did completely resolve which was a God sent…..she did experience extreme dizziness, extreme facial swelling on the right side (completely closed her poor little eye), nausea, headaches, and the inability to walk on her own without assistance.  Not to drag out our hospital stay…..things did improve a little each day with some setbacks during the process.  The neurosurgeons said all of these things can be expected for the surgeries that she received…..well let me tell you what I don’t remember hearing any of those things possibly taking place.  I think that they don’t want you to sleep at night when you stay at the hospital between the twin “bed” aka fold out uncomfortable couch they provide (mind you both Sarah and I were sharing that) and constant interruption throughout the night like every 2 hours it was hopeless to get any sleep!  Sarah and I were frustrated but rolling with the punches.  We just wanted Isabelle to be well enough to be home for the holidays! 

I want to take a moment and explain to those of you that have never been to Children’s Hospital PICU….there are many sick kiddos there far worse off than Belle and it gave light to our situation and we wouldn’t help but feel and pray for those hurting far more than us.  Life is fragile and every day is a blessing!  Give thanks for your blessings every day and appreciate the important things in life!  Too often we focus on the wishes and wants in our life rather than the small things that we should be thankful for that we already have….lesson learned for me…I count my blessings every day!

So back to Belle…she was improving and got the thumbs up to go home before Christmas!  We made it home by Wednesday and our bed at home never felt so good!  Isabelle’s dizziness had resolved and the headaches were getting better (only needing Motrin about every 8 hours).  I guess going through the cerebellum with a needle is quite easy but very disruptive to brain function so it causes swelling and disrupts balance and other things so it just takes a little with for things to reset if you may.  It felt kind of like we had a newborn again as we had to wait on her hand and foot since she was unable to walk on her own and she did have difficulties feeding herself certain foods that required more hand skills.  But praise the Lord things were improving and getting better every day and Christmas was great and we were so happy to be home!

The only thing left lingering in our minds was the biopsy results and what the plan was to address the tumor.  We asked the oncologist to wait until after the holidays to discuss the results so we had an appointment for Monday the 28^th to discuss that.  I can tell you as each day neared I was more nervous and sleep a little less.  I was praying constantly for God just give Sarah and I peace of mind and to continue to trust in his plan…..sometimes we stand in the way of that….I’m continuing to learn to let go and let God take the lead!  I’m a work in progress J  Thank goodness God is patient!

So Monday came and we were hopefully but cautiously optimistic about the results.  Something that I have learned since dealing with Sarah and her journey with her breast cancer.  Belle came with us so that the oncologist could do an examination on her to see her progress since surgery.  So the results were not completely what we wanted (which was a benign tumor) but to be honest what we expected.  Belle has a grade II Glioma Astrocytoma…which is best described as a low grade cancerous tumor…..this certainly gives us hope of successful treatment options. 

So what’s the plan…..well its long one but we will fight every day and be there to support Belle to get through this journey!  She will require a full year of chemotherapy for all of 2016.  She will start this process on January 4^th…..with the surgical placement of an access port in her chest.  Given the sheer volume of chemotherapy that she will receive doing this intravenously is not an option so a port is the best option and with be less painful for her over the long run.  The port will be placed under the skin so she will be able to go back to her swimming class…..yeah for Belle!  I just love watching her go to swimming class she see that smile on her face!  I take the time to really watch her and see her joy…I often times see other parents sitting there on their phones texting or looking at Facebook and missing what is right in front of them and not being in the MOMENT!  I share this small gift with you other parents out there….don’t get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life but rather just be in the moment with your kiddos whenever you can…..

She will start the chemo regiment on the 8^th.  The regiment will be three Fridays in row of chemo and then one off and then start the cycle over for a full year.  She will be receiving a fairly lite dose of chemo if there is such one and as a result will most likely not lose her hair, it may thin a little but it shouldn’t fall out which is good!  As always with chemo there are some side effects most commonly nausea and constipation but we will do our best with available medications to combat those side effects.  We have not explained everything to Isabelle yet since I know that the initial surgery was pretty traumatic for her so we just want to wait a little longer before we go through all of this with her.  Otherwise she a strong and brave little girl and is taking this situation with strides and still laughing and having fun during this winter break!  I just want her to be a kid and not worry about these things….allow mom and dad to worry about it! 

So that’s where we are right now…..just taking one day at time!  Still trying to heal from Sarah’s journey but ready to start the next with Belle….

I know that God has plan even though I can’t see it right now….I have to put my full faith and trust in him that he will care for our Belle!  Life isn’t always easy or how we planned it…..I have let go of the anger!  That does me no good and it doesn’t help my family! Instead I have replaced it with hope, joy, thankfulness, and faith! I know with that we will get through this journey too.

Michael is doing well and of course worried about his little sister.  We are trying to maintain as much normalcy for him as possible.  I know it was difficult to see his mother go through cancer treatment and now having to see his little sister do the same can be difficult to comprehend.  I do want to thank Jen & Chris Woelkers, the Brian & Sally Wetterling, and Mike & Emy Ross for their help taking care of Michael when Sarah and I were at hospital caring for Belle.  It was nice to know that he was in good in hands and being taken care of and being able to enjoy the winter break with his buddies.

I want to thank everyone out there that is sending love, support, and prayers our way!  I can’t say enough about your resilience to continue to help during these tough times! My mother will be starting the meal calendar again for the next year to coincide with the chemo Fridays so that we do not have to worry about a meal on those evenings.  We have been conflicted about the GoFundMe account since so many of you have already donated toward Sarah’s medical expenses.  We are going to look into any funding support that the Children’s Hospital Foundation can provide but many of you have asked if you can donate toward her medical expenses so I will attach the link to medical GoFundMe account if some of you do still want to donate toward our families upcoming medical expenses.  GoFundMe Link: https://www.gofundme.com/mcallister-family-medical-fund

Again I want to thank everyone for your continued support and help…it’s going to be long 2016 but we know we will get through it!  God bless you all and praise him in his glory!  We will continue to keep this blog updated and let you know of her progress….please pray for her to continue to heal and for the chemo to do its job and eliminate the tumor!  As always if anyone out there is aware of new innovative treatments please let us know, its always good to know about other treatment options over chemotherapy to discuss with her oncologist! 

Thank you,

Mac