Round 7 chemo (round 2 low dose chemo)

Gracie has started growing hair again. and eyebrows and eyelashes. :) she looks darling.

She started the second round of the low dose chemo on Monday. She did pretty well with it with only vomitting 1-2 times a day. She didnt gain any extra weight this week but is holding her weight, right around 31 lbs. I am on my own, so to speak, with the kids so I had people watch the baby this week while the older two were at school and Brandon was working. Im so grateful for everyone pitching in to help, and I hear he was a good boy, so that makes me happy too.

last night Gracie and cHloe had a sleepover here with the neighbor girls. Gracie got to take the night off from the milk pump and be a regular kid. I slept on the couch. In the middle of the night, I woke up and noticed her sleeping on her tummy with her bum in the air like she used to sleep. I bet she misses good sleep, the same as I do. She has to sit semi-upright every night while sleeping so she doesnt puke while her feeds are going. shes a tummy sleeper like her mama so it is annoying to her. I remember not getting to sleep on my tummy when pregnant and i hated it, so i can relate in that aspect somewhat. I felt so rested getting 6 straight hours of sleep last night! :) Tomorrow Brandons parents are coming and will stay a couple weeks. after, that, my parents will come. It has been nice having our own family time these past 4 weeks, but i am ready for the help again and we miss them. :)

Gracie has one more week of chemo, then the week of the 7th we will be back in ft worth for scans again, the scans have to be within 30 days of transplant, so we have to re do all of them but the audiogram. as soon as all the scan results are back and approved by insurance, she will start the stem cell transplant, probably sometime the week of the 14th. Im SO not looking forward to it, but SO ready to have it over and done with.

round 6 chemo (round 1 low dose chemo)

The low dose chemo is 2 kinds of chemo the first week, 1 kind of chemo the second week, and the 3rd week off. The first week we did in Ft. Worth so they could get a daily weight and better monitor her nutrition and health. She did fairly well with the first week and went from weighing 12.6 kg to 13.2. They let us come back to Tulsa for the rest of it and for the second round of it as well.

Brandon, my husband, was able to be there the whole week in Ft. Worth so it was fun to have it just be the three of us. We went to the movie one night, Olive Garden another night, the zoo, and some stores. just anything she felt like doing.

I love this shadowy picture of daddy and Gracie at the zoo. :)

The next week that we were home we spent a day at an amusement park nearby as a family, Gracie loved it and rode a lot of rides. It was great to see her have fun and not just sit on the sidelines.

Gracie recieved a wig from Http://www.childrenwithhairloss.us free of charge. She was SOOO excited, and had a huge grin on her face. She immediately asked for a brush to brush her hair. This website is different from other hair donation sites. They donate to all kids with hairloss, not just low income or those with permanent hairloss. I will definitely send my future hair donations to them and suggest you do as well, if you are ever donating.

A beautiful evening last week to spend time outside and draw with chalk.

Our original plan was that Gracie would be starting pre-K this year, and riding the bus with her big sister, but cancer came along with its own plan. We got her some workbooks for her to have "homeschool" and she enjoys working on her writing.

This picture is from today. Gracie just started the second round of the low dose chemo yesterday and she weighed 14.4 kg. which translates to 31.7 lbs :) she has gained 3.75 lbs in the last three weeks and we are thrilled. She is on the milk pump around the clock to gain weight and it looks like it is working. She doesnt feel like eating still, and if by a rare chance she does, it usually tastes bad and she spits it out. Im so grateful for that g button!! :)

taking a nap at clinic today.

amazing Gracie pins made by Beans Things. love "em!