Hope4Peyton

If you ever have the chance to plant flowers with your children, please take this piece of advice….make sure you plant the same seeds with each child. When one child’s flower pot sprouts little green leaves and the other child’s still has “just dirt! Just stupid dirt!” it’s not a pretty scene.

The kids go back to school on today, YEAHHHH!!! I have to say that we had a great spring break, we didn’t do much, but we had a lot of fun. We spent lots of time in the sun, at the pool and hanging out with friends. It was the relaxing week we needed.

Monday morning, Peyton ha a clinic visit where she got Methotrexate and Vincristine in her port. It was a nice and easy visit, her tummy hurt for a while after the visit, but she took a nice long nap and woke up feeling better. She’s been eating really well, we think she’s having a bit of a growth spurt. She’s definitely grown in the past few months and looking back over pictures of her before she got sick, she has just changed so much in the past 9 months. Going from 2 ½ to 3 really has been a difference, not just the hair and the weight and all the changes rendered by the medication, it’s just her growing out of her baby phase.

I was disappointed with her numbers today. When we went in on the 14th to start her chemo cycle we’d had to wait an extraordinarily long amount of time for her counts to rebound so that we could start. We were starting to get alarmed when they did finally come up and we were able to start Interim Maintenance. One the 14th her counts were phenomenal, her ANC was over 2600 and her platelet count was 240,000. Today when we went in all her numbers had really taken a dive. Her ANC was down to 600 and her platelets had dropped to 60,000. It seemed extreme to me and I talked to Dr. Ayala about the sudden plummet in counts. She did get a lot of chemo on the 14th and 16th, but it was still a fairly extreme drop. She did have the virus that she was hospitalized working out of her system as well. We also talked about the fact that after 9 months of chemo, her body may be unable to rebound as fast as it used to be. I hope that all these things combined are what’s happening and am praying that her body soon catches up.

I also got the news that we will be getting started arranging for her cranial radiation. It’s still about 3 months down the road, she has to complete Delayed Intensification first, but there is a fair amount of time spent organizing everything. Apparently we have to do trial run-throughs and those kinds of things. The great news is that we will have the option to do her radiation at St. Joe’s which is so much closer than All Children’s Hospital. Daily trip to All Children’s in St. Pete was going to mean either an 80+ miles a day back and forth for a few minutes of radiation, or staying at the Ronald McDonald house so that we don’t have to travel. So, St. Joes sounds like a great option to me.

There was one other bit of news that gave me a moment’s disappointment. I had thought that she would be finishing maintenance and all of her treatment would be done sometime in the fall of 2008. It was explained that she would have two full years of maintenance after she finishes Delayed Intensification 2, so it’ll be summer of 2009 before she’s completely finished. It seems like such a long time, but as long as she’s cancer-free, what’s a few more months? I think when the time actually comes to stop her treatment it’ll be scary for me. I just pray for strength of faith to trust God 100% in his plans for our family and for Peyton.

She was too funny at the clinic today. I guess 9 months of clinic time has pretty much given her the seal of expertise. When our nurse Cindy went to hook up her IV tube Peyton grabbed the tube and told her, “Hey, Cindy, you almost pulled out my port!” We all started laughing because Cindy’s been doing this for a long time and knows her stuff, but Peyton knows what she knows too.

I have to tell you that I’m a little miffed because Peyton and I go to the hospital for 5 days and what famous people come to visit? No one! Angela and Adelaine goes in and who visits them? Ace Young from American Idol and the United States Navy Baseball team….fair? I don’t think so. The funny thing is that Angela greeted everyone in her pajamas! Nothing like meeting the rich and famous in your pj’s….that’s how we roll.

We got a gift from the Giving Hope Through Faith Foundation today. They sent us some wonderful gift cards from Wal-mart and Blockbuster and also shared some verses that were uplifting and amazingly appropriate. One that really stuck out and spoke to my heart was Philippians 4:6-7 “Don’t worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience god’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” They have added a special link to Peyton’s story and is spreading her story and the stories of other cancer kids. The Tucker family continues to do amazing things in honor of their son Zackary who lost his battle with a brain tumor.

We continue to have a great response to our Relay for Life efforts. I am in the middle of searching out donations for our auction and as prizes for our karaoke contest that we’ll have the day of the Relay. We are also looking for lots of baked goods and homemade goodies to use for our Bake Walk! If you still want to sponsor a member of our family (we are all listed as participants and you can sponsor any one of the kids too), go to the Team Peyton website.

f.r.o.G…fully relying on God
—-Anissa

As Nathaniel so eloquently put it “I thought we were just here to eat.”

When we got the invite to a meal from Rick Raymond, district manager of Cracker Barrel, I thought it was so nice that CB was acknowledging Peyton for her faithful customer-ship. In fact, for sheer brand loyalty, this kid is unsurpassed. The frequency varies depending on what phase of treatment she’s on, but the consistent request is “Can we go to Cracker Barrel?” I was excited to go and meet Rick and let him know what a fantastic restaurant they run, how compassionate and loving the staff always is to Peyton and how happy they make Peyton whenever we’re there. It a very safe happy place for her, I know that in her mind, nothing bad ever happens there.

We sat down and in came Rick, Stephanie (a district level manager), Stacy (the store retail manager) and John (a store manager), along with a number of other store managers, I do believe they were all present and accounted for. In fact, several employees who see us regularly came in on their time off to see Peyton on her special day in the restaurant and meet the rest of the family.

The overwhelming part of the visit really started when a special employee named Chris came over with one of the managers to greet our tables. He’s a busboy with Down’s Syndrome and he told us of his trip to the Special Olympics recently where he placed third in his track and field event. He was excited to meet Peyton and the kids and we were thrilled to meet him. Chris presented Peyton with a very special gift, you could tell his much work had gone into his presentation and my heart just melted, I’m not embarrassed to tell you I cried a lot today, but good tears. Of course, that’s the moment that they decide to break out the camera and start shooting pictures…perfect!

We opened the box and it was a Cracker Barrel apron, mini sized to fit Peyton and her name was embroidered on it with the words “Rising Star”….she loved it and told me it was her favorite and her best present ever. There were lots of pictures taken and we were told that Peyton’s picture and story would be going into their company newsletter, we’ll get a copy and post it when it comes. One of the waitresses gave her some “tip money”, pennies to put in the pocket of her new apron, another gave her a pen and another presented her with an order book with which she’s taken great pleasure taunting Rachael. When we got home with these goodies, Rachael announced “We’re going to play Cracker Barrel all day today!”

The fun did not stop there. After we ate our meal, Peyton was presented with one of the little white rocking chairs of her very own and a GINORMOUS basket of toys and animals and candy, seriously, the basket is 3 times the size she is. It would make a fairly nice bassinette. Nathaniel and Rachael were given boxes of goodies with toys and candy also and they sat down in the middle of the restaurant floor….directly in front of the waitstaff doorway to break into their booty.

Stacy, the retail manager, and I had the opportunity to connect in a special way. She lost a son to a brain tumor years ago, and she understood the weight of responsibilities on the caregivers of cancer kids. We talked about living each day for the precious gift that it. She had put together a special basket for me as well, full of lotions and candles, a special prayer angel and lots of other goodies. I was gifted with a full sized rocking chair as well! We were just stunned. Peter seriously covets my rocking chair….I promised to let him sit in it…maybe! But it is a family gift and we’re all going to enjoy those chairs!

Then the topper was when Rick presented Peter with special coupons for meals for when Peyton and I make our trips to the hospital. It’s a way for them to have extra special meals when mom can’t be home to cook. That was awesome! Then Rick handed me an envelope and it was a letter, an invitation for Peyton and I to eat at Cracker Barrel any time we want as their guest! That means, that next steroid treatment Peyton has coming up, when she’ll want to go every day again will be a treat of Cracker Barrel. Is that amazing or what?

Peter said something that fit it pretty darn well. He said that it felt like Exodus….the Lord tells his people that He would provide for them. He has, each day and in special ways, God has provided what we needed. Whether it was someone who lifted our spirits on a day when we’re feeling down, or something like this where those meals that are so important to Peyton when she doesn’t feel good are provided through a generous gift.

How do you thank someone for a blessing like this? I don’t know how many times I said thank you, but there was no real way to express how much it all meant to us. I know that they understood, but I just hope that their lives are blessed the way they’ve blessed ours.

My friend Maryellen Flint is a mom at our school, she has sons who are in both Nathaniel and Rachael’s grades and she’s become a special friend who encourages me and keeps me laughing. She and her husband have a landscaping business, DCF Landscaping, that has a client that is high up in the Cracker Barrel ranks and she is the one who printed off pages of Peyton’s website and wrote a letter to tell them about Peyton. This client, Mr. Flannigan decided to do something to help our family and got in contact with Rick Raymond who contacted our Cracker Barrel and heard about Peyton from the employees there and then went to her site and learned more about our family. This all led up to our special Cracker Barrel day and how can you not see God’s hand guiding this all the way?

With Team Peyton we’ve had a super response to emails and letters I’ve sent out, people sending donations supporting our fundraising efforts. Plus, we’ve had the special bonus of friends telling friends and we’ve been getting response from people we don’t even know! Now I’m on the hunt to make our onsite fundraiser efforts a success….we’re looking for services, products or gift cards that we can use in our silent auction, and to give for prizes in our karaoke contest, as well as people who’d be willing to bake cakes, cookies, brownies, any goodies that we can use in our Bake Walk. So, if you’re willing to help us, let us know…if you know anyone who’s can help us and might be willing, hit them up for us….or just pray that our efforts are met with success.

I just got a call from Angela Powell that Adelaine needs our prayers. She’s back at All Children’s with a fever and an ear infection. She’s having some tests run to see why she’s getting these reoccurring ear infections, so I’m praying that they are able to find something to help ease her pain and keep her from getting sick. We did have a laugh because we are never able to time it that the girls can get sick at the same time, if Adelaine had just gotten her fever LAST weekend we could have had a good time! But they are in the room next to Tiffany and Anna and I’m hoping that Angela is able to talk to Tiffany and give some additional support. It will help Tiffany to see that she’s never alone in all of this.

I also got a call from Maryellen…I had talked to her right after we got home from CB to tell her all the exciting details of our day. I wanted to share with her especially because she’d been so instrumental in getting God’s plan rolling and making this day possible. She called me to share that she’d been feeling pretty good about her good deed and she thought her head was swelling a little. She said that just about the time she felt like she was patting herself on the back for being able to be a part of this day, God provided a “Hey, remember this is all MY work” smackdown on her! Her husband called and a tire popped on his truck, just exploded right where it was sitting. Her words to me were that something was going to pop, either her swelled head or the tire, and she was glad it was the tire. No matter, I am grateful for friends like Maryellen and that she cares enough to reach out on our behalf. She shined a lot of love in our lives, both hers and God’s and that’s priceless.

I have a few pictures of the day that I’ll post as soon as I get them off the camera. I’m also going to get copies of the ones that CB took and a copy of the newsletter that will have Peyton in it to share with you all soon.

“Hey, we could use a rocking chair for an auction item at the Relay.” Peter brings up casually.

“You’re talking about MY chair aren’t you?” I give him the evil eye, knowing the only way we’d get Peyton to give up her chair is to have her surgically detached from it….and even then she’d probably feel phantom rocking pains for the rest of her natural life.

“Well, yeah.”

“Jealousy is an ugly thing, Peter.”

“Yes, yes it is.”

New commandment…thou shalt not covet thy wife’s new rocking chair, no matter how comfy and wonderful it is!

f.r.o.G…fully relying on God
—-Anissa

These are just some sweet shots I took this morning of the girls out in the sun, being goofy and wonderful. My favorite models!

It’s amazing how different it feels to walk into a hospital when you know you’re visiting than when you know you have to stay. Today my friend Kim let me drop off the kids so that I could drive down to St. Pete and visit Tiffany and Anna. The trip down was relaxing because I had the chance to make phone calls in perfect peace, a rarity and a much appreciated thing.

When I got to the hospital I was greeted by smiles and happiness from Anna and that was fantastic because even though she was so friendly, there hadn’t been a lot of smiles on her face while we were there. Apparently she’d been dehydrated and after giving her some fluids along with some more bloods, she really felt a lot better. She was in such a good mood and I took her a bunch of toys that the girls have outgrown and we sat on the floor and played. Her mom and I took a walk, pushing Anna in the stroller while she pushed her baby in the play stroller, and we talked about all that was going on. It was just a time for Tiffany to be able to vent and to voice some of her fears and for me to listen and be there for her. We talked about crying and being ok with letting loose with the tears, we talked about friends that pull away because they’re not sure of how to handle all that’s going on in our lives, and we talked about the fears that we have for our children and how we do our best to handle them. Tiffany told me how much it bothered her that Anna might loose her hair even though she felt silly for it because Anna is so little and she knows it won’t bother her. I shared my emotional breakdown surrounding the same subject and my realization that I had to look at it as a sign that her medicine and her body are working to do their job in making her healthy, not a sign of her illness. Tiffany liked that idea, she hadn’t thought of it that way and it makes it a little easier to face.

When I walked in Tiffany laughed and told me she liked my hair….pretty funny because I either wore it in a ponytail or a scarf the whole time I was there so I don’t know that she thought I had any.

After my hospital visit, Kim and I took our kids to get a bite to eat and that’s always an adventure with 5 kids. We’re so enjoying our spring break, not doing a whole lot, but just using our time to hang out and relax.

Kim and I swapped out some kids, she took Nathaniel and I took her daughter Lily and we parted ways. Sharon then came and got all the girls and took them to pick strawberries, something my girls absolutely love to do. Then we all got back together and went for a nice long swim at the YMCA. It was along day, but that was the plan.

Peyton’s sleep schedule gets all wacky when she’s in the hospital, people are up and around all night, she goes to sleep late, she wakes up late, she naps funny. It’s hard to get her back into the normal swing of things when we get home and then with spring break and the difference in schedule with the kids being home it’s been even rougher. So, today in an attempt to get her back on a reasonable timeline, I researched out an ancient Asian secret….known only to a few…used only by the wise….I refused to let her nap and I wore her out until she was ready to tear the fuzz we call hair out of her head and then put her behind to bed where she fell asleep in under two minutes. It was beautiful. No fuss, no fight, no “I need a drink, I’m scared, my legs hurt, can mommy lay down with me”. Just silence. Blissful silence. The great thing is that it worked like a domino effect and Rachael passed out on the couch in exhaustion and Nathaniel fell out shortly after….round one to the parents!

f.ro.G…fully relying on God
—-Anissa

Today the girls and I celebrated spring by planting some little flowers. Rachael wanted to know why we couldn’t use the dirt in the yard instead of the fresh bag of potting soil I’d gotten and these words actually came out of my mouth “because we’re going to use good clean dirt”….would you believe Pete had the nerve to laugh at me? Anyway, we scooped our good clean dirt, we scattered our little seeds and if they live through the thorough drowning the girls gave them then they’ll make it through hurricane season for sure. It was so funny when an hour later Rachael yanked Peyton back outside to check on their flowers and Peyton looked at the flower pots, shook her head sadly and announced her gardening a failure “No, still just dirt.”

Peter and I attended a Relay for Life and then check out the Luminaria link.

Then it’s on with the merry-making until 9AM!! Whooooo….let me tell you, we were in this room with a bunch of college students and I have to tell you that I’m seriously worried that I am not going to be able to hang with all the youngsters. I’m too old for all night fun times, but I’m going to give it my best.

I’m shamelessly sending out emails and letters for donations, and it’s so much fun to watch people rise to the challenge to do good for a great cause. I have the most wonderful friends and family and they do have wonderfully generous hearts.

There is much to be completed and organized in the next few weeks before the event and I have many little ducks to get in a row, but I’m looking forward to having this to do.

Peyton is doing great since we got home. She’s feeling really sparky since we got home, having lots of fun with friends this afternoon and with her grandma and siblings this evening. Tomorrow the kids are going to play at my friend Kim’s house so that I can go back to the hospital. Not for treatment, but so I can visit Tiffany and Anna. Anna’s not improving as they’d hoped she would and her treatment is about to get much harder and I want to go down and give Tiffany some support and encouragement. We can all use an extra shoulder during times like these.

f.r.oG…fully relying on God
—-Anissa

Peter brought it to my attention that I didn't mention this very important fact….EVERY day Peter and the kids came up to see us. Even though he had to sleep during the day and be back at home in time to work at night, he still made it up there with the kids each night to spend some time, to give me a break and to kiss us good night.

They kept the homefires burning for us and I have to tell you all that while most moms might be frightened to come home after leaving their husbands home with two kids alone for 5 days, thanks to Pete and his AMAZING mother, I walked into a better house than I left.

Thank you to Team Peyton for keeping it together for us at home!

f.r.o.G…fully relying on God
—Anissa