I know it has been a little while since our last update, so many of you have reached out and I’ve really wanted to post, but life has been incredibly busy and complicated. Just bare with me because this is kind of a long one...

Our house has been hit by both the flu, RSV, and some other unknown respiratory virus, over the last two weeks. Luckily, Allison has avoided it so far; her immune system is still very weak. However, I’ve been very sick myself. Staying away from her all last week while she was in the hospital for chemo was incredibly difficult. 

 

It has been such a struggle trying to support sick kids at home, be there for Allison, and manage my own health, all while trying to stop the spread of illness. This week, I spent an entire night in the ER with my 14 month old, going 37 hours with only about two hours of fractured sleep. My sweet baby is now home on oxygen and requiring a lot of extra TLC, which I am unable to give since I am here with Allison in the hospital. 

 

At times, it feels like a lose-lose situation trying to keep up. It’s heartbreaking to feel so torn between my children, but I am deeply thankful for the support system helping us through these tight spots. Even when life feels like a comedy of errors, I can still see how God is blessing us through it all, and I am so thankful for that hope and peace. 

 

We have family helping with the sick kiddos now so I can be with Allison this week, which is a huge relief. While so many people have offered to help, it’s hard to find practical ways for them to do so when we are just trying to survive and contain the illness. Because of that, prayers are the biggest and most constant way you can support us, and we truly appreciate every single one. 

 As for our Allison update, Allison had her PET scan and a CT of her abdomen/chest last Monday. The CT showed a small 2mm spot on her lungs. We aren’t sure what it is yet; we were told it could be from a recent respiratory infection (even though she had no symptoms) or a small spot of spread. I was reassured that it didn’t show up on the PET scan, but then told it would be too small to show up anyways. The good news is the rest of her PET scan looked good too. Most importantly, the cancer in her ankle looked less active this time, which is a huge praise! 

Last week’s chemo went very smoothly. They doubled the medication that helps clear the chemo from her system and increased her fluids, allowing her to clear it in about 72 hours as expected and head home last Friday night. Clearing the chemo faster also prevented the mouth sores she’s struggled with. This was the first cycle where she didn't get them! YAY! They also started her on a medication to help her appetite, which has already been helping her with regaining some of the weight that she has lost. As a result, this week we actually started chemo on time on Tuesday! This is the first round that hasn't been delayed, and it finally feels like we’re getting the hang of how to prepare for each round and manage all the side effects. 

 

She had an xray this week of her ankle, which showed no more bone growth, and chemo is going smoothly again. She told me this morning her pain and nausea are already improved from last night. When I hear the words “good” or “better” come from Allison, I do an internal happy dance! She will have a CT of her leg/ankle this Friday as well, to wrap up her pre-surgical imaging. 

 

After having some time to process everything, we set up an appointment with the surgeon yesterday to ask more detailed questions, and his answers were incredibly helpful for all of us. We are hoping PT can visit this week to help Allison start preparing to use forearm crutches after surgery. The surgeon has also requested that the prosthetic specialists stop by if they have time this week, in order to walk us through that process and discuss our options. It feels good to start some planning for her recovery. 

 

He also talked to us about a lot of different events they hold here and across the state for amputees, including skiing/snowboarding groups, water skiing/wakeboarding groups, and even an annual fair for amputees at the hospital. We are excited that this may open a whole new window of opportunity for connections and activities for Allison. 

Surgery is scheduled for March 30, at 10am. 

 

Right now we would appreciate prayers for HEALTH for ALL of our family: those at home, those taking care of sick kids for us, and those at the hospital. My baby and I spent a lot of time in the ER waiting room Monday night, (3.5 hours to be precise), with a lot of other sick kiddos, and I am just praying so fervently that none of that spreads to us. We already had to cancel one of our family trips this weekend in order to try to avoid spreading RSV to each other. We are really praying this is the end of this solid 2+ months of respiratory viruses in our house so that we can actually go to the wedding next weekend and enjoy our last little outing together before Allison’s surgery. We are praying God just cleans our house out supernaturally so that no more illness enters or spreads!

Also, we are on our knees, praying that the spot on the CT goes away and is nothing at all. Next CT will be after chemo is complete, about 3 months after surgery. Praying God continues to prepare our minds and our hearts for Allison’s surgery, that she would continue to have peace over it and absolutely no anxiety. 

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“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 

 

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

Phillippians 4:7