Abby's Journey Archive

We discovered this morning that the red line of Abby's catheter was once again refusing to draw back. We just had both lines injected on Friday with TPA to unblock them and when we left the office, they were both clear. Fortunately, we were already going to the oncologist's office this morning to draw blood for her weekly counts. They were able to clear the line again with the TPA, but Dr. Abella said we may have to consider removing this one and replacing it with a different type of catheter. Please pray that they will find a way to make this catheter function as it should so we can avoid the surgeries involved with replacing it.

Praise God that her bloodwork since leaving the hospital has produced NO signs of infection. Please continue to pray for the infections to stay away!

We tried for a somewhat normal weekend the past two days. We made it to church, and our wonderful Child Life specialist from the hospital, Debbie, came to talk to Abby's Sunday school classes about cancer. The kids were quite interested and Abby really surprised us by sitting right up front with Debbie, interjecting all sorts of interesting facts about what she had been going through. Amy and I were a little worried she was going to flip her dress up any minute and show everyone her catheter (and her cotton undies), but she provoked a giggle from us by demurely stating "I can't show you my catheter because I'm wearing a dress today."

God's mercy and providence is evident in His selection of Debbie to work with us. She is also a believer and goes to a large church up in north Mesa just a couple of minutes from where we used to live. This has made all the difference for us because we share the same world view and belief system. I think it makes it easier for her to deal with us too.

I can't imagine what it must be like for her to work with so many cancer kids. She likes to say she has the best job in the world because they pay her to play with kids.

Last Thursday Dr. Shafron made good on his promise and came to Abby's radiation treatment to remove her staples while she was sedated. It was such a relief not to have to put Abby through that trauma, even though removing staples really doesn't hurt (usually). It just pinches a little. Abby is so happy to have the staples out. Since then her incision has cleaned up very nicely and Amy has been able to rearrange her hair so you can't even tell she had surgery.

I promised a long time ago that I would post the famous fiducial picture as well as a picture of Dr. Shafron, and so here they are.

Radiation continues to go well, though Debbie told me today that kids get more tired as the treatment wears on. Amy and Josiah will go with her tomorrow to her treatment, and then out to breakfast and to Dr. Panchoosingh/Dr. Abella's office for a followup appointment to do a blood draw and check to make sure the catheter infection is still at bay.