Sharing my journey _ one story at a time.
About me:
My journey over the years included heartache, challenges, and deep grief. However as I move through middle age, I am learning my path has also been full of love, joy, and resilience. And where I go next is up to the Universe!
This blog includes my experiences with having both my daughters dealing with life threatening illness, my career as an educator, and navigating my own health crises. Luckily, I have lots of living to do and many more stories to share.
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Cell Factory needs to start working…
Ryleigh has had a low key day. Her blood work came back and her bone marrow is still on a coffee break. Her ANC is still zero and her hemoglobin has dropped a bit. The peripheral stem cell collection that was scheduled for tomorrow has been put off until her body starts to show that Read more
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Admission to BCCH Early…
Of course things are not always easy with our dear Ryleigh…she will not follow a protocol, likes to keep the doctors thinking….. Ryleigh started getting a temperature that was 38 degrees or higher on Saturday afternoon. As instructed I called the oncologist on call. She wanted Ryleigh to come in for some blood work but did Read more
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Waiting….Waiting….Waiting….
I have been told in the past that I have the ability to show lots of patience…however, this time my patience is being tested. It is an odd experience waiting for your child’s bone marrow to stop producing the cells that sustain their life. As we are now a week into Ryleigh having her infusion Read more
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Preparing for the stem cell “harvest”…
Ryleigh’s time in the hospital was “non-eventful”. We graded it a B+ as Chloe and I have devised a grading rubric about Ryleigh’s stem cell transplant process – ever the teacher, I am! The doctors that are responsible for Ryleigh were still on vacation so it was mostly residents and nurses that dealt with Read more
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Slowly but surely…
Today was the first day of the beginning of the process Ryleigh has to go through. She spent all day in the oncology/hematology clinic getting her first dose of cyclophosphamide – a chemotherapy drug that slows down the bone marrow’s production of cells. This will allow for making room so that more stem cells can be made. Read more
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Saying Goodbye to 2013!
This greeting created with Smilebox As the new year comes upon us — it seems to be a time to reflect on the previous year and evaluate the successes, worries, mistakes, losses, relationships… I could reflect on the year with a negative view. So many trying and stressful moments – you just need Read more
WiseMindedLiving 