Day 5 (6/27/16):

• Went to work with Oliver today.  He was a good sport about it.  Even helped me by cleaning up the parking lot:) 
• When we got to the hospital, Annie was off of her IV, outside - yes, outside, with Fern and looked like a regular healthy girl.  We have to be careful not to get ahead of ourselves - keep telling ourselves that this is a long road and recovery is way down that road.  It's just so tempting for your brain to look at her walking around with all of her hair and color in her cheeks. . . .
• Per doctor, she continues to deliver terrific blood profile numbers:)  Almost starting to take that for granted.
• She had a chemo drug today that doesn't cause nausea.  If only they were all like that.  She had her appetite today and took part in some activities around the hospital campus.  They really do a great job making the kids happy and keep their thoughts away from the medicine and crappy parts of being there.  Today, while I was away, she made a Playdoh pizza, painted, and even played doctor - how ironic.

 

• Some really neat things today:
1. Annie got a surprise visit from two of her YMCA teachers today!!  They heard about her big challenge and wanted to come and show their support.  As is their tradition I'm told, they sat with Annie and gave her an "Elsa" braid.  She sat as patiently and cooperatively as we've seen in the past five days.  So nice of the girls to come and see her.
2. met a terrific girl named Heather - daughter of a work friend of Fern - Heather has leukemia.  She got it almost two years ago.  She was at the hospital today for a "maintenance" visit.  Essentially, she comes in around once a month and has her blood work done and if all is well, she gets a small dose of medicine and goes on her way.  She took the time to sit with us and talk about her experience with the disease,  our hospital, and the medical staff.  It might have been the best few moments that we've had since this happened.  She told us about how she missed most of her freshman year in high school, how she lost all of her hair about 5-7 months after her treatment began, and best of all how she is walking out the back door of leukemia:)  So happy for her and so happy to have met her.  She is amazingly well adjusted, doing well in school and just finished up her lacrosse season.  Gave us so much hope!!!
• Some Annie's Army items:
• my brother in law, Eric, wrote us from Phoenix with some interesting tid-bits that he learned while Googling leukemia - he discovered that stuffed animals are not such a great gift for someone with leukemia because they catch a lot of dust so are susceptible to carrying germs.  No worries about all the great stuffed animals folks have already gotten her, we're making sure to give them a good wash to make sure they're clean of any danger:)
• Uncle Mike roped the nuns and brothers in Lourdes, France to include Annie in their prayers.  And he's getting a delivery of the water of Lourdes.  I'm starting to wonder if there's anyone left who is NOT in Annie's Army.  Chances are, if you went to church yesterday, the mass you were at was dedicated to Annie:):)
• the hospital Chaplain visited Annie today, on strict orders from my next-door neighbor, Barbara.  She's retired from her post at our parish, but evidently still has plenty of juice:)
• okay, signing off for today.  thanks again to everyone who continues to hold us up.