Hope4Peyton

This morning, I took Peyton to her favorite place in the world to eat…Hooters! Just kidding, Cracker Barrel, of course. When Peyton walk in it’s sort of like when Norm walks into the bar on the show Cheers, I expect to hear “Peyton!” shouted all over the restaurant. All the waitresses and hostesses smile and talk to her, she just acts like she owns the place, and we’re on first name basis with our favorite waitresses.

In fact, Peyton has become such a CB staple that today she’s started racking up presents! NO kidding. One of our most frequent and favorite waitresses is named Marlene and her husband came in to the restaurant to eat today. He sat next to us and he and Peyton were just smiling and grinning at each other, it was so cute. I had no idea who he was until Marlene came over and said that her husband had gone out to the store part to buy Peyton a toy because she pretty much just charmed the pants off of him. He came back with the sweetest puppy dog that pants and wiggles it’s tail when you pat its head. Peyton just laughed and laughed, it lit her up like a candle. She played with that toy all day, and it’s in bed with her right now. She was very particular about her dog being a boy and that its name is Rachael….awwwww.

What amazing people you meet along the way in a journey like this, and hopefully you have the chance to touch their lives in a positive way.

Tomorrow is Nathaniel’s 9th birthday. I can’t believe that he’s this gawky, long-legged mini-man already. I’ve told others that when we had Nathaniel we were blessed with this happy, healthy, easy going baby that was just such a cake walk to parent. We were feeling pretty darn proud of ourselves…..Look at us, we’re such parenting geniuses! We’ve brought forth this perfect little man child and we have done good! We are really great at this parenting thing. And then Rachael came along and we realized we knew nothing and it was her job to show us how much nothing we actually knew. But this was my first baby, and I am soooo very proud of the young man that he’s become. We are blessed to be his parents and to be a part of his life.

Nathaniel’s last official picture as an 8 year old.

There are prayers in my heart for our special friends in need. The Harry and Lisa Greenaker family are facing an amazingly difficult time as they prepare to go to Miami for a surgery that Harry needs. It is a scary time for them and full of unknown possibilities. Please keep them in your prayers for strength and peace and comfort throughout the anxiety, the surgery itself and all the pains of recovery.

I would also ask that prayers be sent up for Kyle Chubb. He’s a 13 year old boy who had leukemia, he’s been in remission for a year now and he’s going in tomorrow for tests because something has just not been right with his health. They will be doing tests to see what is going on with his body and to make sure that there’s no threat of relapse. This family needs our prayers and support right now as this threat on their child is hovering above them.

f.r.o.G…fully relying on God
—Anissa

ps….GO COLTS!!!!!!! I just want to let you all know that as soon as Peyton went in to put on her team jersey is when the game started to turn around for the Colts….don’t let the Bears know we’re harboring their secret weapon!

You have to read the "You're going to put that where?" entry before this one will make sense.

I went to pick the kids up from school and we were doing all the post-school "how was your day" stuff. I thought I'd see what the kids would say about donuts with Dad since they know we're not eating any of that stuff. Went something like this:

"So, how many donuts did Dad have this morning?"

"None" replies Nathaniel

"Really?" I say

"He had one!" Rachael narcs him out gleefully

"Rachael! You weren't supposed to say anything!!!" Nathaniel yells.

Yeah, I got the inside connection on the info. Poor Dad.

f.r.o.G….fully relying on God
—-Anissa

Apparently the digestional fates decided that Peyton, and myself, don’t quite have enough to deal with these days. She’s had needles stuck in her chest, her spine, her hip bones, her legs, her fingers and her arms, she’s had to ingest more medications in six months than most people will take in a lifetime, she’s been dragged through a medical hell….so let’s add insult to injury, rub salt in that wound and give her a raging case of constipation and have Mom stick something up her rear! Isn’t that just the cake topper? Poor kid, but I have to tell you, the 10 minutes after were probably the best 10 minutes of her whole day.

She went to the clinic on Thursday, got her finger poked and got the ok for a week off from the clinic.*

*When I say week off, that’s baring any dramatic change in color, illness, sudden signs that something might be wrong, pretty much that they say a week off, but they don’t really mean it.

She doesn’t go back in for chemo until the 29th, but it’s a doozy of a day, so we’re going to just coast through the next week and live in a fuzzy haze of denial. She’s really worn out, sort of hopping from energy spurt to energy spurt, she rests often, but she does have a bright future ahead of her in the opera, as long as her solo is called “MOMMY!”

Nathaniel and I had a grand time on the field trip we took with his class on Wednesday. It was to the Tampa Performing Arts Center to see an American History lesson through song, it was fun and the kids seemed to really enjoy it. The greatest part was how educational it was, so much so, that when asked what he learned, Nathaniel responded “That in the 70’s, there was this guy with great big hair that shook his butt to ‘Shake Your Booty’!” Disco, a distracting smudge on the history of America. But we so enjoyed the day together, it was awesome to be able to spend the day with the other moms and be an involved school parent for Nathaniel, which I know he’s missed this year.

Pete got up early and took Nathaniel and Rachael to school today. Overachieving Dad Syndrome?? Oh no, my friend, Donuts with Dad day! On a diet, you ask? Pete’s response “Willpower is a fickle monster”. However, the diet is going well, the kids have stopped turning into loaves of French bread covered in fresh whipped butter when I look at them. In fact, I may already be seeing some progress….however, I may just be delusional from hunger.

Anyway, not a whole lot is going on this weekend for us. The kids are heading to the zoo with their buddies, Peyton is heading to Grandma’s and Pete and I are going to waste hours trying to figure out what to do with the free time we’ve been granted, only to discover that we’ve spent so much time deciding, we no longer have time to do anything. But it’ll be fun and child-free.

f.r.o.G….fully relying on God
—Anissa

ps..funny new Peyton-ism – the kids say "Whazzzzzup" like in the tv commercials, and Peyton can't quite get it so she says "mustache!" It might be one of those things that's funnier when you actually here it, but it IS hysterical.

“Can I get some candy from the washing machine?” (vending machine)
“Is that the mean medicine?” (it tastes nasty)
“This is my evil laugh!” (followed by appropriately evil cackle)
“I ate it ALLLLL gone!” (as a reason for seconds or thirds)
“Again?” (any way to get a smile, laugh or chuckle out of someone is better the next time around)
“Can you smell me?” (mmmm….I’ll leave you to guess what she’s done when she asks that one.)
“Is it going to hurt?” (whenever we have to try something new)
“One, two, three…pinch!” (her countdown to giving us pretend pokes)
“I just pretend!” (apparently not understanding the definition of the word, it’s her excuse for doing anything that gets her in trouble….example, throwing a shoe at ones heads and saying “I just pretend!”)
“Pj-j’s” (what she calls her jammies…which she changes no less than 3 times a night)
“Circle soup and circle spagetti” (two of her steroid staples, chicken noodle o’s and spagettio’s….actually, her names aren’t as silly as the real names)

Peyton in July

Peyton today

Good times!! Steroid Sally is doing fantastic! 19 days completed out of 21 and we’ve had no major emotional breakdowns, where they were multiple times daily the last go round. She’s got the super round cheeks and belly now, and walks like a woman in her third trimester. We’re still doing our trips to Cracker Barrel, I’m thinking about ordering her one of those aprons with her name on it and having all the servers sign it! These trips to Cracker Barrel are hard on me, with the no bread-no carbs-no pasta-no fun diet. After a week, Pete and I are doing well on it, and I already feel thinner, lighter, taller, stronger and faster, and maybe just a hint of the ability to fly….ahhh, diets are so good for the soul.

On Friday last week she got her last dose of Doxorubicin for this round, and she started getting random little mouth sores in her mouth over the weekend. Nothing too severe, but they were painful for her and the special leukemic mouthwash they prescribed her worked like a charm. They told me that the Dox is a med that builds up and builds up in the system, so now that she’s on the steroids it’s sort of helping to boost up her counts, but as soon as she stops taking them on Thursday, her counts will come down. We go into the clinic on Thursday for a finger stick to see what her counts are and see if she’s in need of any blood or platelets before she starts the next cycle on Monday. She has to make certain blood counts to start, but once they start they don’t stop for anything less than a serious infection.

We have felt so blessed this round of chemo, because even though there have been a few teary outbursts and many middle of the night feedings, it has been so much better than we’d braced ourselves for. She’s been happy and cheerful and for the most part, herself. Thank God for that prayer answered.

Tomorrow, Peyton will go with her Grandma for the day as I am going on a field trip with Nathaniel’s class. We are both excited about that, it’ll be the first time it’s worked out that his field trip wasn’t on a clinic day. His 9th birthday is coming up on the 23rd, and it’s just a bit staggering to realize how tall he’s getting and how much he’s becoming a little man. A goofy one with 9 year old common sense, but we’re raising a little man nonetheless.

Saturday was an especially fun day for me and the older two kids, as we got Grandma to take Peyton and because Pete had to work, we had most of the day to ourselves. We went to see a movie together, we picked up friends and had lunch and then went to the park to play. It was so much fun, and great for the kids to get in some time. This coming weekend, both kids are taking off with their Big Buddies to go to the Lowry Park Zoo for the day. I don’t know what Pete, Peyton and I are going to do, but it may involve Cracker Barrel so I don’t hold my breath for anything too exciting.

Special prayer alert!!
Stacey Chubb is a new friend of mine I’ve met through Peyton’s illness. She’s a fantastic person with a huge heart and I am just so thrilled that God brought her into my life. Her son Kyle was diagnosed with ALL leukemia when he was 11 and he has been in remission for a year. He was treated at All Children’s Hospital and the same oncology group we work with. Stacey told me this morning that things are just not right with Kyle, he’s tired, his coloring is wrong (when you have a cancer child, you notice even the slightest bit of pale on your child) and that his platelet levels have been off. These are not necessarily bad things, but these are not the kinds of things you want to hear. He goes to the clinic on Tuesday next week for more tests, and my heart is just filled with prayer that it will not be a case of Kyle relapsing. I know that it is at the center of Stacey’s worst fears for Kyle, but she has strong faith in God’s plan for Kyle and that His will for Kyle will be done. Please keep Kyle Chubb and family in prayers as they wait for the tests, the results and whatever the future may hold.

Thank you all for your prayers, your encouragement and love. We are just constantly reminded of how much support we have behind us all along the way and it’s humbling and empowering at the same time. We just pray that your lives are blessed the way you’ve blessed ours.

f.r.o.G….fully relying on God

—Anissa

ps….one word….hint is “fun with flexibility”

If anyone who reads this is related to / is friends with / or is otherwise affiliated with the owners of Cracker Barrel, Chef-Boyardee, or Juicy Juice….let them know that I have their new spokes-girl at my house, right now! With the amount of food she's taking in, the smart thing is to either buy stock in the company, or get sponsorship ads placed on her behind!

Every day this week I’ve been to Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Now, that might not sound all that bad, but anything gets old 3 days in a row. I feed her around 4-ish, she eats again when the kids get up and eat their breakfast around 7-ish and then by the time we drop them off at school at 8:20, I start hearing this “can we go to Cracker Barrel now?” Sometimes I ignore it just to see how long she’ll ask before she gets mean about it….takes about 9 minutes. When I’ve tried to reason that we just went the day before, that it costs money to go, and then the reminder that we DO have eggs at home and I AM capable of making a plate of eggs myself, the look on her face is just terrible. My offering to make her scrambled eggs instead of taking her to Cracker Barrel is the equivalent of taking her to Taco Bell and trying to pass it off for a vacation to Mexico. “NO! Cracker Barrel!!!”

So, the people at Cracker Barrel just smile and coo and ooze sweet love over Peyton as she shovels bacon and ham into her mouth as fast as she can….and they don’t even blink an eye over the fact we’re there every day. They’re going to start thinking we’re stalking someone, and we’ll just have to explain that the only thing we’re stalking is a big plate of sugar-cured ham and scrambled eggs.

Tomorrow is day 14 of the steroid treatment, only one more week to go. She’s expanding at a much slower rate this time, her dosage is a little lower, and so she’s easily tearful and emotional, but not hateful or angry this time around. She’s also eating a lot, but not the scary bottomless cave she was the first go-round. Her little cheeks are starting to puff, and her belly pokes out so cutely, she pats it proudly and says “look at my round belly!” That’s my girl.

Peyton on Dec 30

Peyton 14 days into steroids

However, Peter and I are also starting to puff and poke out, and our round bellies just aren’t as cute. We’ve started the South Beach diet, and so far we’re 12 hours into it and haven’t eaten one of the children yet, so it’s going ok. We’ve done this one before and it was a great diet for us, until we visited my Aunt Shawnee and her chocolate chip cookies and fresh homemade cinnamon rolls and amazing yeast rolls….need I explain further why our diet had a slow, painful, carb-filled death?

Rachael was starting an art class at Center Place today, and we got there this afternoon, something she’s been chattering about for a week now….and we find out the guy giving the art lessons fell, broke his leg and cancelled all his classes. Poor kid, she was so sad leaving the building. She asked me “Why can’t he give the art class? Does he draw with his feet or something?” I love this kid’s logic!

On a more serious note, I received two bits of news that require lots of prayer and I would ask that everyone who reads this to please say one for these two families in need.

1.Nathaniel has a friend in his class named Blessing. Blessing is the sweetest girl with an amazing smile and funny personality, and she’s always quick to come up to Peyton and say hi and ask how she’s doing. Blessing’s mother went into the hospital last week with leg pain, she was quickly diagnosed with leukemia. Adult leukemia is much rarer and also much more difficult to treat, and her mother was only given 6 months by the oncologist. Unfortunately, God’s will was that she be with him now, and she died suddenly Monday night. This family needs your prayers for comfort, peace and understanding.

2. We have great friends named Lisa and Harry Greenaker, we’ve known them for years and Lisa has always been one of the first to jump in and lend a hand when our family has struggled. Harry will be having a major spinal surgery at the end of the month in Miami, and we just ask for prayer that God will see him safely through this very risky surgery, and for strength to recover. Lisa will also need our prayers as she continues to teach middle school, be mother to four highly energetic boys, and caregiver to Harry.

So much happens that we can’t explain or understand, we just have to pray for the Creator’s grace to see us through these times. One thing I’ve learned is that sometimes there is just no understanding, we just have to let God’s will be the mastering force in our lives and have faith that HIS plan is greater than ours.

f.r.o.G…fully relying on God
—Anissa