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!