Every parent loves their children and I am no exception. However lately I seem to have a deeper love or perhaps just deeper awareness of the love for my children. God has taught me through Kayla’s temporary condition to see people for who they are, to see deeper beyond the skin, beyond the way we look or dress, or speak.
Being a part time photographer allows me to freeze moments in time, and although these are not particularly pleasant times, I am making a effort to capture what I see because after all this is reality. Last night I wanted to try some new off camera flash techniques and asked Kayla if she would pose for me. She immediately stroke a pose, well more than one for me and my camera. Perhaps I see more on these images because I am attached to photography and more importantly attached to the subjects. Alex reluctantly joined in a few minutes later.
The kind of full time job I have allows me to see my children when they wake up in the morning and see them again when they go to sleep. This is a blessing I do not take for granted. The events that have unfolded in the last couple of months have placed things into perspective, what is important, what is not so important. I pray that God grants me the ability and wisdom to raise my children well, teach them to excel and guide them in Godly ways. I may need to read the book of Proverbs again to re-align my thoughts and soak in the Word to be prepared for the years ahead.
We have arrived back in Mobile, Alabama. Got off to a late start but made it home safe. Thank you for the many messages left in this blog and the prayers for Kayla and the rest of our family. Kayla has been feeling well and is so exited to be back home.
The next step is surgery in three to four weeks. A team consisting of a general surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon and a neurosurgeon have to come together and agreed on a time for surgery. Because of the location of the tumor and the size, this may require two separate surgeries one or two weeks apart.
To all of you Prayer Warriors we say THANK YOU.
Arrangements have been made for us to go home tomorrow morning (May be lunch time by the time we get going). Last infusion of Itoposide being done tonight. No pain to report. Praise God!!!!
Kayla was medicated for pain early this morning. The rest of the day was very good for her. As you can see from these pictures taken today, she was very well entertained. Volunteers where on hand this afternoon with music, gifts, singing and clapping. Later in the evening games kept her and Alex in very good spirits. Around 9:00 pm this evening, she had a bad headache followed by vomiting, possible side effects from the Cyclophosphamide given last night. Tonight and tomorrow night she will be infused with Itoposide which has been very gentle on her in the past.
Alex gets sad in the evenings when we leave the hospital asking when mommy will be coming back to put him to sleep, then in the next breath he tells me to go play with him. I have to admit that in a strange sort of way I have enjoyed the bonding him and I have developed in our stay in Memphis.
So far there is every indication that we will go home on Friday.
Kayla has been admitted into the hospital. The third round of chemotherapy will start tonight with the infusion of Cyclophosphamide and Itoposide. Kayla has had these two medications before with no major side effects. Please continue to pray for Kayla’s body to be strong and to recover quickly from the low blood counts.
G-CSF shots will have to be given for seven to ten days to stimulate the production of white blood cell and avoid extreme low blood counts. We are still hoping to go back home on Friday.
Kayla did a have an episode of severe leg pain this afternoon. She has complained about pain before, but this time seemed to be the most severe Linda has seen. She was given different medications including morphine before all the pain was gone.
Drove back to Memphis on Sunday after church. We arrived well and checked into the Memphis Grizzly House (accommodations provided by St Jude). Today Kayla was under sedation for an MRI. The preliminary results indicate no significant changes in the tumor, however the neurosurgeon has yet to make a complete evaluation.
Tomorrow Kayla will be under sedation again for a CT Scan with contrast. The scan itself is scheduled for 1:00 pm but she will have to start taking the contrast at 10:00 am.
The tentative schedule is for Kayla to undergo a third round of chemotherapy treatment. Our logical question was if the tumor is not changing size why more chemotherapy? Well the neurosurgeon and the oncologist feel that perhaps the blood supply to the tumor will be affected resulting in an easier later removal.
She will be admitted to the hospital tomorrow afternoon to start the treatment in the evening. The treatment will last for three days so we are likely to go back to Mobile on Friday.
We are back home from Providence Hospital (not a big trip since the hospital is five minutes from our house). Ended up coming home on Sunday afternoon. Kayla did not have fever since Thursday but her blood count was low, in fact she had a Hemoglobin transfusion on Saturday and a Platelets transfusion on Sunday.
Her blood count was back to normal when we left the hospital yesterday therefore she does not have to be given the daily G-CSF shots. Needless to say, Kayla was very happy to come back home. She had repeatedly complained about being “stucked in that hospital room” without going to play and without going to O’Charlies for dinner, anyway you get the picture. She told Linda last night that she wanted to have grits with lots of cheese for breakfast.
Kayla finally had a chance to open presents from Tia Lilly and Abuelita. Alex had his chance earlier in the week. They were both thrilled to open boxes and play like brother and sister (or should I say fight like brother and sister). I know Alex is starting to feel left out, please pray that we will have wisdom to care for his needs as well as Kayla’s.
We are still scheduled to be at St Jude in Memphis on Monday 9th for MRI and CT scans. It is unclear at this point what the next step would be, what is clear is our belief in God and his mighty power, our knowledge that Kayla will be healed by whatever means The Father chooses and that the name of Jesus is to be glorified every step of the way.
