February 2011

February we had a great month!  Brynn finished her week of chemo on the 6th and we got to go home for 2 weeks off.  Brynn felt good and we were asked to participate in the Children's Hospital radiothon the next Friday.  It was Reese's 4th birthday that day (the 11th) so we decided we could make a trip of it for her birthday.  They were so kind to pay for our hotel and the hotel gave us free supper and breakfast there.  When we arrived at the hospital we were all wearing our LIVESTRONG shirts that we got for Christmas from my family.  I think we were the largest family they had there! The kids were given stuffed animals, coloring books and there was a whole spread of food for us as we waited our turn.  There were two different radio stations there and they both interviewed us.  When they called us for our turn they were scrambling to find enough headphones and chairs for everyone to hear.  They asked us all about diagnosis and how it has effected our family.  We were all keeping it together pretty well until Brynn started crying telling how much her family has helped her.  We were all in tears after that- including the radio announcers!  She did a great job and we were so proud of her.  When we were done our interviews they brought an ice cream cake out for Reese and we all sang to her.  It was so fun to celebrate it there!  They gave Reese a build a bear and then we left to the hotel.  They hotel had treat bags for each kid in our room and a birthday card for Reese.  The kids had a blast swimming in the pool and we had it all to ourselves.  It was a great weekend to just have fun and be together as a family.  Brynn continued feeling well and made it through the whole month again with no fever!   Mom was home and feeling more normal each day and things were starting to get better when I was feeling at the end of my rope for a little while!  The last week of February we were supposed to go back for chemo and it was Family Day and no school the whole week for reading week.  I was kind of sad to leave when the kids were going to be off school and because of an RSV outbreak in the hospital no visitors besides parents were allowed so all coming to Calgary was silly.  We got counts checked and Brynn was too low to start so they decided to wait and check later.  We had a fun family day sledding and having a wiener roast with my sister's family.  Sadie's birthday was the following Tuesday and wasn't sure when we were going to have a party because of me being in Calgary and having basketball every weekend.  She had one weekend off- that weekend- and I was able to be home so it was perfect.  We got together with some of her friends that also had birthdays in March and had a dance party!  It was so fun and they had a blast.  We hired the seminary teacher to DJ it and he had a black light so they wore white and put neon paint on everything to glow!  It turned out really fun!  Brynn came with a few of her friends and had so much fun!  They played some games too and when they were doing the limbo- poor Brynn was leaning back going under the bar and her wig fell off!  Of course she just laughed and was such a good sport!  The next day was my birthday and my friend Kristy took me for lunch and pedicures.  Kevin made a big steak and shrimp dinner for me at home and it was great!  What a great month we had to recharge our batteries!!!! Brynn hadn't slept in a hospital since the end of December....Awesome!

January 2011

Well this is attempt number two of this post!  I was almost done and my laptop at the hospital died because it wasn't plugged in-uggh! Anyway I'm almost caught up to the present and it would have been easier to have started this last summer- but I guess better late and more brief than never at all!  Well as I said Brynn was able to enjoy New Years at home with us and her best friend Kaylee.  We are amazed at how every holiday and major event she is blessed to be home for it!  As we were enjoying New Years eve my brother Troy was with my mom at Lethbridge Hospital getting her admitted for infection.  She stayed up there for over a week and then came home on the 10th.  That was also the day Brynn was to start chemo in Calgary.  It snowed and the wind blew alot the night before and school was cancelled and the roads were terrible.  I was nervous to drive up so Kevin offered to take Brynn and then I was home if my mom needed me.  It's a good thing I stayed because mom's third day home she was feeling awful again and I called my friend and doctor Ryan Torrie and he took mom over even though he wasn't her doctor.  I feel so blessed to have him in our lives- he has been a lifesaver!  He did a bunch of tests and kept her in Taber hospital on antibiotics.  It was so nice to feel like someone cared if my mom even got better.  She knew most of the nurses, had her own room, and just felt more comfortable than in Lethbridge.  We didn't know that she would be in there close to 3 weeks!  Brynn came home from Calgary and got 2 weeks at home.  Her nurse Jo said to enjoy the next month or so since she was getting easier chemos and we would have a bit of a break from all the nasty side effects.  Brynn was able to go to a couple days of school and have sleepovers and even go swimming.  She was so excited to swim some laps! She was tired but had a huge smile on her face!  There was a big basketball game called rivalry night that her sister Sadie was playing in.  They asked her to be an honorary team member and had her wear a jersey(which hung down to her knees) and they had a little scrimmage at the beginning where they told the other team NOT to touch her and passed the ball to Brynn and she got to score the first basket! (and did it on her 2nd shot!!!)  The crowd went wild!  They also had a cake auction to raise money for the athletic program at the school.  They have done so much for us and we wanted to give back.  We talked to Crazy Cakes from Lethbridge and they were excited to make a cake that represented Brynn and what she liked.  Her cake went for the most money- $600!  Her Grandy (Kevin's mom) bought it so we all got to eat it too!  It was an awesome night and Sadie won her game too!  They were playing the Taber grade 9 team and Barnwell only has 3 grade 9's on their team.  They were down by 11 and came back and won by 8! Brynn was doing well so I was going to see mom each day and taking her for tests and scans in Lethbridge.  Brynn didn't have chemo again until the 31st and I took her this time and we stayed at Ronald McDonald House.  She wasn't admitted for this particular chemo so we just would go each day for a couple hours and then were able to do whatever the rest of the days.  It was nice to see our friends at the House we hadn't seen for a while.  It's amazing how we love being home but miss the close friends we made in Calgary and it's good to see them when we come up.  Everyone was happy to see Brynn walking on her foot because they all saw her during radiation.  We were so happy to see Amsings there and little Charolette who loves Brynn.  We also got to go out for supper with Davidson's and another little friend Chloe!  It's amazing how little kids just gravitate to Brynn.  They are drawn to her sweet spirit and sunny personality!  And who could blame them!