Thursday

Madeline got her wish to stay home the past two weeks with just a slight hiccup on Tuesday. Her red blood cell count was even lower than last week, and her doctor felt she she needed a blood transfusion to keep her feeling good. The process was pretty quick once it got started and we were home before bedtime. They gave her a hard sell about how great she would feel afterward, and in true Madeline-style she said she felt fine before and the same afterward...but hopefully it did the trick. She has stayed busy this week keeping up with her school work, decorating the house for Halloween and trying to beat her high score on 1010. She is feeling good, but dreading next week's chemo and the 4-5 day hospital stay. Hopefully the goal to be home to celebrate Halloween will keep her positive. 

I got her school pictures this week. We were blessed to take them right before she started losing her hair. She looks so grown up to me. This is my reminder of what we are working for: to be cancer-free and to go back to school and to her favorite activities. 

Other than that, family life is pretty normal. Brad is busy with work, Ben is busy at school, and I am starting to slowly remember what I did when I was a stay-at-home mom. So funny, how quickly I have forgotten how to do something that I did for so long! Slowly it is all coming back to me and I'm starting to enjoy the extra time at home and the freedom to "putter" around the house. I started reading a great book by Lysa TerKeurst, "The Best Yes." Gosh, I needed this book like two years ago! Better late than never. I'm also obsessed with "The Jim Gaffigan" show - it makes me laugh out loud every time! 

Seeing people wearing their MadelineStrong shirts and bracelets on social media and around town really brightens the day. Thank you so much to our ever-supportive friends and family. We love you all and are so thankful for the support you are giving to Madeline and to our family.