Jan 7th Foxy Family

                  

              Wow! What a week! We are so lucky to have been featured on the Fox 5 news story and Good Day Atlanta. We hope that many people sign up to be donors, not just for me, but for anyone. Beth Galvin and the team did a great job when they came out to the house to Tuesday. They were so nice and easy to work with. We had some funny moments that included someone stepping in doggie do and Wallace acting like it was a special on Boston terriers.  As many pictures as I take, I’m not sure why I didn’t get one with Beth that day. Maybe, when we do a follow up story, when I’m cure, I’ll get a picture of us. I have been overwhelmed by the response to the story. I have a lot of people contacting me through the blog and face book. We are so thankful for everyone’s prayers, comments, and willingness to become donors. I have also read some encouraging success stories of people with ALL that have had successful BMT’s.

              Due to being so tired this week, busy, and everything going on, I haven’t been able to write very much…. When that happens…. Consider no news, good news, just means I’m super tired.

              Our family had a scare this week when my dear Poppa Bill had to go to the hospital for one night, but it seems that everything is ok with him, and we are truly happy about that. My Granny was still on IV antibiotics so I was taught by the home health nurse how to hang it for her. Luckily, my Aunt Judy came up and helped handle the rest of everything, God knows I can barely take care of myself, and I’m not doing a great job at that! I think I could have hung the antibiotics, but I’m no nurse, and my hemoglobin has been running in the high 8’s, so sometimes there is not enough oxygen going to my brain. Judy coming up to help was wonderful so I could concentrate on my family. Dad and Fay had to spend most of the day with Pop at the hospital. I hated not being able to be there with him. I would sleep in a chair all night for my Pop.  The next day, I just tried to get some rest and spent some time with my husband and baby before coming back to Emory. We were able to see Pop last night after he got home, and he looked like his old self. Ha ha

Evalyn was talking about something very important here.

                    This week, Evalyn started sweet potatoes and she thinks the word pee pee, in a high pitched voice, is hilarious. She did such a good job when Fox came and so did Wallace, if you noticed him on the bottom left.  She seems to be enjoying her teether more and loves her activity center. That was the best $35 dollars I have ever spent (craigslist). She loves to stand up and it gives her a place to play while we are doing things in the kitchen.  Her laughs continue to warm our hearts, she is so happy! Evalyn also loves just laying on a blanket, talking, and rolling. She still only rolls over on her stomach and not the other way. She is strong though, and likes to do pushups, unlike her wimpy mommy. Upper body strength is not my strong point. Now, if I need to move something with my hip, well buddy, we are in business, unless my platelets are low and then there will be huge bruiseJ.

Favorite memory of the week, Jonathan has her laughing like crazy, of course, she stopped when I tried to take a video. 

Dec 2nd Medical MJ and Mental health!

Middle of the night, I was too excited to be able to be up that I couldn't sleep!

Hey everyone,
        Thank you for your prayers and know that I had some, a lot of, time to pray for you also. I have been laying in bed forever it feels like. The headache, or death ache if you want to call it that,  ended up being from the LP. Read all about it at this link.  It can go away with time, lots of caffeine, and with a blood patch. Did you know there IS caffeine in IV form? I know some of you are like " I knew it was out there somewhere". Caffeine didn't work, time probably would have but I couldn't go home just to lay in the bed for days. I drank enough cokes, took caffeine pills, then IV caffeine, nope. So for maybe the first time since the ALL hit, I broke down bailing my eyes out in front of 3 nurses. I told them that this was not directed at them but that if I didn't see anesthesiologist today to get a blood patch, I was going to have every nurse and doc in my family up Emorys Ass. Good one Heather. Well, they believed I was in pain, but it still look a while, all day. The blood patch was probably at least the 6th worst experience of my life, I can't even write about it right now. It wasn't the pain, although my back is really hurting since I have had so many sticks in my spine. My dear husband, maybe you had to go through that a few years ago, another day I'll tell you blog readers,  so that you could tell me the story and I would know so much about it.
           Although, it has been very frustrating to have to eat laying down, not be a able to organize my room, not finish Evalyn's hat, not play my guitar, not writing, not seeing my cousin, and not staring work like I wanted and feel like I need to do.  It has not been all bad. Sometimes you get what you NEED, right. Well, I needed to be reminded that this is not about me, again, and that I need to go with the flow more. So, just so happens that Stacy that works with Be the Match was working a donor drive, where, right out my window. She came up to the room yesterday and we had a great conversation and we are really excited about the Athens drives, that take money. Each test and filing of the DNA costs about $100 per person. No, if you donate you don't have to pay but someone has too. I will be asking store owners in Athens for money, if I can get it from the state of GA for my peeps, hopefully I can do it will a mask on. That's a blog in itself, just pray that God's hand will be on me during this time of "lets smile and give this girl attention time cause she has cancer and a baby and blah blah" and remind me that it is not about me. Always remember, tree in a forest.
                My mom came to visit and we talked about serious things. My mom decorated my guitar with the lights and brought me some food. She's going to start to think that I'm always sick, because it seems like the days she is able, I need her help the most. My mom also brought me the "it's been lovely now but I have to scream" button that I gave her before. My Dad came today while I still couldn't get up. Bless his heart, he gave me some Coke from work, ha ha. He worked hard last night and was tired but he loves me so much he still came to see me. More good news, I was suppose to get another LP tomorrow but Dr. K cancelled it due to basically have 3 in two days. So, I'm going home a day early if I'm ok in the morning.
                  Over the last two days I have been encouraged by so many believers and and staff. I have made friends here and they really blessed me and took care of me. The big booster for the day, no not another bag of Chemo, but that FOX is picking up the story. Michelle, one of my sister and my friends, tipped off the health reporter for Fox. It got the info together and ask my Dr. K, Stacy from Be the Match, and a successful BMT and cancer survivor, Mr. O, if they would be willing to do short interviews. They said yes, and I sent the contact info in. Beth, from Fox, called and said that her photographer would be up here today to take some shots here at the hospital. Today... I was laying in the bed all day waiting on the blood patch and this is the photo shoot of my life. Not funny God. Timing, done with patch at 3:30 pm, have to lay flat for 60 min, Fox gets here early at 4:10. My wonderful nurse, Laura, helped me put my shirt back on, and helped me with a little makeup. We couldn't find a mirror and I couldn't stand up, so I used the back of a CD! I got to met someone else here at Emory, Vince, and he knows my aunt Sharon, and I got to brag on her, again. So fun.  Reggie, from Fox, took pics of my pictures, of the cards that my people sent me, and a little bit of video. Fox is coming out the house on Tuesday so that Evalyn and Jonathan can be on there, and Wallace and Chloe, Yeaaa! Lola is going to be pissed, but she gets made at everything, that's our turtle.  It will probably be super short and not show the good side of my face, just Kidding, if it can save one more life, I don't care what it looks like! Nope, don't know when it is going on the Tele, I'll post it when I know.
            As you might imagine, I want to stay up all night and work, and write, and sing and make something out of nothing, and NOT be in bed. I'm seriously rubbing my eyes and my bald head trying to stay awake. I'm a kid, I tell ya.

I decorated my pole... didn't get to hall walk though, or put together a gang.