Dear friends & family, 7-9-09
Last appointment went great and my blood counts were really high! My cousin Madison went with me. Oh! And I am getting baptized this Sunday!
Love,
Julia
With Julia's brevity, I'll follow up with a little more detail. We started what's called the "intermim maintenance" stage of her treatment on Monday, 7/6. Her counts had improved drastically since the previous Monday, so we were very pleased with that. With this stage of her treatment, we will now be going every 10 days to Atlanta for a 2 month period. Then we will be in "delayed intensification", which is a hard phase of treatment & will be closer to a weekly schedule for 2 months. Then we will be in "maintenance", which will be monthly hospital visits & oral chemo at home. As best we can tell, that's what her schedule looks like, and her treatment should end around July 2011. Her appetite is not very good these days, and she has lost some weight. Her hair is beginning to grow back in on top, but I don't think she will keep it very long. She's been quite achy this week, but has kept good spririts. Sometimes we feel very blessed with Julia's situation when we meet other families with children who are much sicker, but what she is going through is very hard on her little body. Please pray for her complete healing and for her to have no long term problems from all these strong medications. We have so many local friends suffering from some form of cancer right now and many new friends we've met in Atlanta. I'd like to list some of these people if you would like to also pray for them. I'm sure some of you are praying for mutual friends already. As always, thank you for your love, prayers, & words of encouragement.
Thomasville: Michelle Watt, Carmen Devane, Stephannie Murray,Susan Waters, Tommy Williams, Karen Crosby, Debi McHenry
Atlanta: Leland Erickson, Pyper Sellers (also from T'ville),Olivia, Irery, Patrick Brannen (Athens), Ward Wright (Albany), Aniah, Nurses & Doctors who deal with these children daily
Maggie & Stephanie (nurses in Nicaragua now on mission trip)
Families of Maris Barrett & Alexus Woods
I'm sure I've left someone out. I apologize. Thanks again.
Love, Sharon
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Lots of fun stuff to say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dear friends & family,
I had so much fun at camp!!!! My favorite thing at camp was gold panning. I found lots of jewels! And I liked the rock wall too. The first time I didn't make it to the top because my platelets were low so I only made it half way so I got some platelets after my first try on the rock wall. Then the next time I tried I made it to the top!!!!!!!! Oh! And when we went gold panning our cabin mom Mrs. Judy said ssshhh because their was a doe across the lake anjd it ended up about 5 feet from us. And after my parents picked me up we went back to the mountains for the weekend and went to Atlanta on Sunday. My appointment on Monday went FABULOUS!!!!!!!! In an odd way because I didn't get treatment but all of my counts were fine except for anc was low but anyways right before we even got into a room a nurse named Dianne whispered to daddy "Do you think Julia would want to go to a concert?" And before my dad could answer she asked me if I wanted to go to a KSM, DAVID ARCHILETTA, AND DEMI LAVATO CONCERT!!!!!!!! It started at 7:00 & ended at 9:50 IT WAS GREAT!!!!!!!!! We got home at 2:00 am. All in all it was a great week!
I had so much fun at camp!!!! My favorite thing at camp was gold panning. I found lots of jewels! And I liked the rock wall too. The first time I didn't make it to the top because my platelets were low so I only made it half way so I got some platelets after my first try on the rock wall. Then the next time I tried I made it to the top!!!!!!!! Oh! And when we went gold panning our cabin mom Mrs. Judy said ssshhh because their was a doe across the lake anjd it ended up about 5 feet from us. And after my parents picked me up we went back to the mountains for the weekend and went to Atlanta on Sunday. My appointment on Monday went FABULOUS!!!!!!!! In an odd way because I didn't get treatment but all of my counts were fine except for anc was low but anyways right before we even got into a room a nurse named Dianne whispered to daddy "Do you think Julia would want to go to a concert?" And before my dad could answer she asked me if I wanted to go to a KSM, DAVID ARCHILETTA, AND DEMI LAVATO CONCERT!!!!!!!! It started at 7:00 & ended at 9:50 IT WAS GREAT!!!!!!!!! We got home at 2:00 am. All in all it was a great week!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Dear friends & family ,
I went to church on Sunday with some of my family. I am going to get baptised soon because I accepted Jesus into my heart.
Love,
Julia
P.S. Camp Sunshine starts on SUNDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will be there until Friday.
I went to church on Sunday with some of my family. I am going to get baptised soon because I accepted Jesus into my heart.
Love,
Julia
P.S. Camp Sunshine starts on SUNDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will be there until Friday.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Bible school & camp
Dear friends & family, 6/9/09/
Today I went to Bible school and had lots of fun with my friends. Last clinic visit we only went to have blood work and the shots we have to give. Oh! And at the hospital they have a camp called Camp Sunshine. It lasts for a whole week and I'm going!! It is for people that have cancer or have been through cancer and when you are an adult you can help. If you want to learn more about Camp Sunshine just type in Camp Sunshine on the internet.
Love,
Julia.
Today I went to Bible school and had lots of fun with my friends. Last clinic visit we only went to have blood work and the shots we have to give. Oh! And at the hospital they have a camp called Camp Sunshine. It lasts for a whole week and I'm going!! It is for people that have cancer or have been through cancer and when you are an adult you can help. If you want to learn more about Camp Sunshine just type in Camp Sunshine on the internet.
Love,
Julia.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Just saying HI!!
Dear friends & family,
I finally got my stitches out!!! At first I wasn't sure if it would hurt or not. It didn't hurt at all!! I guess my mom already told you how my blood counts were if you haven't read that post yet they were fabulous!!! Hope you have a great rest of the week!!
Love,
Julia
I finally got my stitches out!!! At first I wasn't sure if it would hurt or not. It didn't hurt at all!! I guess my mom already told you how my blood counts were if you haven't read that post yet they were fabulous!!! Hope you have a great rest of the week!!
Love,
Julia
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
6/2/09 HOME AGAIN
Dear Friends & Family,
Yesterday's appointment went very well. We were there all day, because Julia had to receive about 7 hours of fluids before & after one of the chemo drugs. Julia's neutrophil count was up to 1,580 (normal range is 1490 - 7970). Woo Hoo!!!! All of her blood counts were within normal ranges except her white blood count was 4.06 (normal range 4.5-13.5) and some of her blood work is indicating some high ranges with her liver. The doctor said it is common to see these liver components run high. They usually return to normal after treatment, but he did say that chicken pox could also affect the liver which was another reason to be watching these very closely. But, speaking of chicken pox, her biopsy results finally came back yesterday afternoon before we left. Julia did not have chicken pox!! All that we learned is that her bumps were a reaction to something!?! What, we do not know. The doctor said that there is a silver lining to this black cloud. Since Julia had not received any chemo drugs since 5/11, we had a chance to see her blone marrow go to work. She seems to have healthy marrow!!! A big praise!! This also allowed her blood counts to build up higher before she starts getting hit hard again with more chemo drugs which lower blood counts. Chemo drugs are good & bad at the same time. Sometimes it's hard allowing these powerful drugs to be given to your child, worrying about possibe side effects even into her future, but knowing that they are needed to give her the best cure possible. We just have to have faith that God has her in His hands.
.....All in all, it was a good day.
Love,
Sharon, Jeff, & Julia
P.S. Jeff has to give Julia chemo shots Tues, Wed, Thurs. and again next week. These shots are under the skin, but it hurts when the medicine goes in. Please pray for Jeff. He hates giving them to her, & Julia is not always so brave to receive them.
Yesterday's appointment went very well. We were there all day, because Julia had to receive about 7 hours of fluids before & after one of the chemo drugs. Julia's neutrophil count was up to 1,580 (normal range is 1490 - 7970). Woo Hoo!!!! All of her blood counts were within normal ranges except her white blood count was 4.06 (normal range 4.5-13.5) and some of her blood work is indicating some high ranges with her liver. The doctor said it is common to see these liver components run high. They usually return to normal after treatment, but he did say that chicken pox could also affect the liver which was another reason to be watching these very closely. But, speaking of chicken pox, her biopsy results finally came back yesterday afternoon before we left. Julia did not have chicken pox!! All that we learned is that her bumps were a reaction to something!?! What, we do not know. The doctor said that there is a silver lining to this black cloud. Since Julia had not received any chemo drugs since 5/11, we had a chance to see her blone marrow go to work. She seems to have healthy marrow!!! A big praise!! This also allowed her blood counts to build up higher before she starts getting hit hard again with more chemo drugs which lower blood counts. Chemo drugs are good & bad at the same time. Sometimes it's hard allowing these powerful drugs to be given to your child, worrying about possibe side effects even into her future, but knowing that they are needed to give her the best cure possible. We just have to have faith that God has her in His hands.
.....All in all, it was a good day.
Love,
Sharon, Jeff, & Julia
P.S. Jeff has to give Julia chemo shots Tues, Wed, Thurs. and again next week. These shots are under the skin, but it hurts when the medicine goes in. Please pray for Jeff. He hates giving them to her, & Julia is not always so brave to receive them.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Update
Dear friends & family,
We are heading back up to Atlanta tomorrow. I am going to beauty and the beast tonight with my senior buddy Margret Singletary. My good friend Kristen Mulford came over to my house today. That was fun. Anyway last time we went up to Atlanta the Dr. said my blood counts were too low to do the procedur. They need to be 750 but they were 740. My sugar and protein were low too. Also on Monday I get my biopsy stitches taken out. I hope my blood counts will be high enough!!
Love,
Julia.
We are heading back up to Atlanta tomorrow. I am going to beauty and the beast tonight with my senior buddy Margret Singletary. My good friend Kristen Mulford came over to my house today. That was fun. Anyway last time we went up to Atlanta the Dr. said my blood counts were too low to do the procedur. They need to be 750 but they were 740. My sugar and protein were low too. Also on Monday I get my biopsy stitches taken out. I hope my blood counts will be high enough!!
Love,
Julia.
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