Update from the Trenches

From Michelle:

No happy pictures or funny stories tonight. Just a plea for prayers for Abby. Has anything changed? No, not really. We are just tired. Tired of seeing Abby hurting and watching her deal with things that no child should ever have to. Most importantly, ABBY is tired of hurting.

She's having bad headaches again, and you can tell from this photo that it is wearing her out:

We are quickly lining up and completing tasks that were ordered by her doctor.

• Topamax (drug for intracranial hypertension) is at its maximum recommended dose and Diamox (another drug for intracranial hypertension) was increased today.
• She saw the Ears, Nose Throat doctor today and he wants Abby to have a sleep study. This is something I am very thankful is being done before we make any decisions about surgery.
• Abby's sleep study will be on Thursday.
• Abby will see the Neurologist next week.

While I am amazed at how quickly everything was arranged, I am ready for this chapter to be over.

Abby's headaches are back and she wants to get a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) tomorrow. The on-call doctor increased her pain medication and she is finally asleep. Since Abby is still tolerating the medications, her doctors want to try to "tweak" the doses, to see if they can make them work. I am fine with that IF they will get her some pain relief while they are working on it.

I am praying we can arrange second opinion very soon. Does surgery scare me? Of course it does but if the medications won't work then something has to be done.

Please pray for wisdom for the doctors and for Brent and I, for Abby's pressures to go down, the cancer cells to be destroyed and for her to have the strength to handle this fight. Please also pray that Abby would be protected from any permanent damage from the elevated pressures.

Other Update Stuff

Garrett is handling his injuries amazingly well. At seventeen, he is already mature enough to do everything the doctors, physical therapist and occupational therapist ask him to do. He is determined to work hard and do everything for himself that he can safely accomplish. He is thankful he is alive, as are we. Thank you for praying for Garrett.

While Brent would never ask for himself, I would appreciate your prayers for him. He pulled something in his back and is in a lot of pain. He doesn't complain and most of our kids don't even know he is hurt. He just keeps doing what needs to be done for his family. He is a great father and husband. I wish I could do more to make things easier for him.