Thank you All God's Children, Update and Prayer Requests

The last few weeks were very hard on Abby. Our great agency, All God's Children http://www.allgodschildren.org/ , sent her a beautiful bouquet of flowers. They made her feel so special. She was so weak when we took this picture, but she truly loved them. I saw her many times during the last few days smelling them and touching them, with the sweetest smile on her face. Thank you all for thinking of Abby. You have been so wonderful about checking on her and praying for her. Thank you. You guys are the best.

Many people ask us us how Abby is REALLY doing. While we are honest about how things are going, it is sometimes hard to know how much information people want to read. Abby is doing much better than she was a few weeks ago, but she is still healing from the last round of chemo.

We are praising God for:

• Healing her liver. Her liver enzymes were up to 30 times greater than normal and now they are normal for a HEALTHY child. Chemo can damage her liver, so we are still praying for protection, while we are praising God.

• Abby is still in remission.
• Abby's sores are healing and no longer painful.
• Abby is still happy girl who loves to play and laugh.

Unfortunately, today Abby is beginning the next round of chemo. This round is a repeat of the last round of chemo, and it was VERY hard on her little body. The plan is for her to get chemo 4 days this week, 4 days next week and then only one day a week for the next 2 weeks. We have learned that while the weeks with only one chemo day are easier on us time wise, the drug they will give Abby is the very hardest on her. It causes severe leg pain and muscle weakness.

We are already 2 weeks late starting this series of chemo. She will begin the round at least 25% weaker and 5 pounds lighter than she was at the beginning last time. The nausea is taking its toil. Her sores still have not completely healed.

Would you join us in praying for:

• Abby to regain the weight she lost, so her body will be better prepared to fight the cancer.
• For the pain to be less or at least better controlled.
• For her not to run a temperature or be admitted to the hospital. She will be getting the medicine, that caused fevers, 8 times in the next 2 weeks.
• I am asking for her doctors to allow me to give Abby chemo at home any time that she will not be seeing a doctor or having labs done. This would save us 2-3 trips to the hospital's clinic on our tough weeks. Have I told you all that I am an RN? :-) Truly any parent can learn to do it.
• For Sami to get permission to come with us to Abby's oncology clinic visits. She has to test negative for staph several times before she will be allowed to come. I am glad that they are careful, but we miss her.

Abby cooking with Mommy. I love seeing her smile again.

Sami at her doctor's appointment. I can't wait to go somewhere

besides doctor's offices.

Sami is growing up too fast. She is going to be an incredible woman some day.