Marching For Mollie

We will be walking in the Light the Night Walk on Oct. 4 to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

If you're local and want to walk with us, call me or register on our webpage (click "join"). I'm going to *try* to get pink T-shirts made up for participants.

Our fundraising goal is $1000. To donate, click on a team member's name (or just click here). Enter your donation amount and click "donate" and you will be taken to a secure website where you can use your credit card to make a donation.

Our family really appreciates the research, financial assistance, and, especially, the information packets, that the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society provides. Please help us support this organization and pay tribute and bring hope to thousands of patients battling blood cancers.

Just a reminder...

If you bought (or plan to buy) the $5 Macy's shopping pass from CureSearch, the day to shop and get your discount is tomorrow, Sept. 20. 20% off regular, sale, and clearance merchandise (10% off mattresses, furniture, rugs).

And if you haven't had a chance yet, you might want to watch the videos at www.completethecure.com.

Treatment plans

Today, in a brief discussion with Mollie's nurse-practitioner, we learned (to my surprise) that there are no planned bone marrow aspirates or hospitalizations in the remainder of Mollie's treatment.

Wow. I have kind of mixed feelings. Well, I'm glad that there are no more planned hospitalizations. Everything is outpatient and she'll only have to be hospitalized for complications like fevers (let's hope there are not many of these).

The bone marrow bit surprised me though. A bone marrow biopsy is the only way to confirm a diagnosis of leukemia. Mollie's biopsy was negative at the end of Induction, so she was declared to be in remission. According to the NP, the additional phases of treatment are designed to keep the cancer in remission and they don't need to look at the bone marrow again unless there are indications of a problem. Personally, I wish they would look. And just make sure, again, that the cancer is totally gone. And stays that way.

Guess I've got some more reading to do.

Update

We've been busy with everything except blogging. Here's what's up:

Mollie has a new-found love: swimming! We spent all day Sat. and Sun. at the pool with friend Isabella.



We met with the wish volunteers. They brought Mollie (and Lucy) some surprises and made Mollie feel very special. The three wish choices are 1) Disneyworld, 2) a playhouse, 3) Hawaii. I think we're going to request that they change #1 to playhouse though. We may end up going to Disneyworld with Isabella and family (more fun for all, I think). And Mollie has really been talking more and more about a playhouse...

Mollie started "Fairytale" ballet classes and storytime at the library. She is enjoying both immensely.

Mollie's clinic visit went very well today. Her ANC is borderline (1000) but still high enough to continue chemo at the current doses. She's really comfortable at clinic now and there wasn't a single tear this morning for her blood sample. And, she was having so much fun doing artwork with Kym, the child life specialist, that we had to stay an extra 45 min. or so!