Thursday a Surprise for Devree!

We had a very long Wednesday. Devree's counts were at 0 so that meant no pedicure and no going to the Young Women's activity. We were getting blood and staying in the medicine room until 6pm. It was nice to have B clinic just visit us in the medicine room instead of waiting forever for them to call us back.

Today we will have to probably get platelets. We have Elizabeth the psychologist first. I was having a hard time sleeping last night and this morning I got in the mood to pack a couple of boxes. So I didn't do the blog until I got to the hospital. I cannot believe how much stuff we have accumulated in a few months. Everyone is so kind and has given us so many wonderful things.

Last night I got a phone call about Devree's surprise today. I don't even want to tell her she is getting a surprise because she will figure it out. So she will be SURPRISED!

We watched the funniest movie the other night. Cody and Kalene said it was cute and I laughed so much because I could really relate to how cold it gets in some places. It is called "New in Town" with Renee Zelweger and Harry Connick Jr. It is about a little town in Minnesota but was actually filmed in Canada. I know about Canada and the cold. It really is a good "CLEAN" flick. It makes me want to make some tapioca.

I had some exciting news yesterday. I ran into Lindsey (Santa's Elf nurse) from "E" clinic and she said that we are on the schedule for next week! Do you realize that is putting us REALLY close to going HOME! We have our last MRI scheduled for 8/16 and if we see "E" clinic next week than they are the ones that say we can go home! YEA!

This last week I was talking to some people and their attitude reminds me of this quote I made up. "Never put off something today. . . when you can always put it off tomorrow!"

Occupational therapy starts

Well yesterday we had Devree tested and she needs OT really bad. She has had a foot drop and now she has had a wrist drop. What it means is she doesn't have small motor skills and not hardly any strength in her hands. She set some goals and is going to work hard at achieving those before she gets home. One of them is writing because her handwriting is so shaky. We cut all of her beautiful long nails so she can manipulate things better. I was hoping she would set some goals towards manipulating eating utensils, but alas that is not high on her priority list. But Devree is going to send out some of her own thank you notes. So be prepared for old lady writing. Devree did awesome this morning and put on her knee socks and braces and put on her difficult shoes over the braces and tied them. That will help her get strength where she needs it.

If you didn't look yesterday, the sock winner is Emma Wilcox. Look at our video and see all of our socks!

We are very proud of Noble. He did his Eagle board of review last night. He did awesome. He was pretty frightened because of Todd. Now on to the District and National. I told Todd to tell them to HURRY so we could have his court of honor on Labor Day Sunday. But Todd doesn't see how they could move that fast. I would love to have ideas about how to make Noble's Eagle special, so if you have ideas, send them my way.

Today we are going to get a pedicure and try to go to Young Womens tonight. Devree still does the v word every morning when she tries to take her anti-nausea. I think she is getting a little better and even had some chocolate ice cream last night. Devree said it was strange, because it was cold and weird for her to swallow. Yes ice cream is cold!

Have a Wonderful Wacky Wednesday because we know we are!

And the WINNER is.....

May we have a drumroll please..... And the winner is Emma Wilcox with her flourescent squared knee socks! Congratulations Emma! Your Memphisopoly (Monopoly with a Memphis theme) will be arriving soon.

Thank you everyone for playing our game. Everyone who participated will be receiving a gold children's cancer pin. You will be getting them soon. I have got to find something that will mail the pins well.

Devree woke up and was doing fine, but she tried to take her nausea pills and she threw them up. She is feeling a little better and we don't have to be at the hospital today until 10 am and PT is the first thing up. She will get that over with and be much happier. She also has Occupational Therapy because I asked them to do an assessment of Devree. I feel that her small motor skills have decreased and she should probably get some therapy there to help her with all of the important things like buttoning your own buttons etc.

Yesterday I talked to the nutritionist and she is going to subscribe the strongest appetite stimulant to Devree as soon as her counts are up. Right now they are plummeting, but they should go up next week. The appetite stimulant has to be approved by Dr. Gajjaar, (the head of medulloblastoma's protocol) because it causes side effects and can only be taken for 3 weeks. Devree also might take a mild anti-depressant because she feels so low and overwhelmed with the walking and eating. The eating thing is really a mental game with her because she has such bad associations with vomitting and nothing tastes right and her throat has trouble swallowing and half her tongue doesn't work. We will see.

Have a Beautiful Day!

Breck and Celest really do have the MUCK!

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO SPENCER AND MEGAN!!!!!!!
We finally put pictures on the Blog called "Flaming Socks and Maya the Monkey." So go back and look.

Welll Breck and Celest came home Friday night to a disaster. Their upstairs toilet broke in the master bath and leaked down while they were gone on vacation 3 weeks. It collapsed the family room ceiling and also there was some storm damage to Tayzia's bedroom and the downstairs dining room. There have been several tornados in the area in the last week. So the Rice's came home to standing water in the bottom of their house and it smells like sewage. We had everyone come to Target House for dinner last night. We can only have 4 people maximun stay at Target, so I am sad we can't let them stay here while insurance comes and fixes things. With all of the claims in the area, insurance is very busy.

Rice's also had an entry into the sock competition yesterday. They were all impressed with the variety of socks Devree got. We are still waiting for our other cousins socks so we will let you know who are the winners! We will take pictures of all of the socks we promise!!

Now the music was put on by wonderful Summer, because Devree and I feel like the "Champions of the world" for finishing chemo. Devree also requested "It's a beautiful day" because we feel like it is that. But it may not be so beautiful for the Breck Rice's!

Devree has had a moderate last couple of days. She still did the v word a couple of times on Saturday but yesterday she just did once but she never ate anything all weekend. Today we have started out better without doing the v word. She will get worked today with PT everyday this week. She has lots of appointments until the medicine room at 11:30. We have been here since 8:30. We ran into a teenage boy this morning that was mocking being sad. He said he had too many appointments so that he can't meet the Red Birds (Memphis Baseball team) this morning that are coming to St. Judes. I asked him which player he wanted to meet and he said "Oh I don't want to see the players. I want to see the cheerleaders!" We laughed at that one.

Thanks for fasting for us yesterday. I have already seen a difference in how Devree is feeling and acting since other rounds! We are counting the days to feeling better!

P.S. I just saw the Red Bird players and the "Red Hots" (cheerleaders) and I told them that there is a teenage patient that was so disappointed that he had appointments and couldn't see them. So the leader asked me where he was and I told them to go to Rehab and D and E clinics because that is where he is. They asked "Who should we look for?" I said a "A teenage boy!" They laughed and went to find him.

Finally Out!

These are the nurses singing to the tune of "Oscar Meyer's B-O-L-O-G-N-A"

"Our Patients have the sweetest S-M-I-L-E

They also have the Kindest H-E-A-R-T.

Oh we love to see them everyday,

But now the time has come to say...

Pack your bags. Get off the floor.

You don't need Chemo anymore."

Then they threw confetti and gave her a sign and balloons.

This was at 9:30pm. We had been waiting since 3:30 pm for her TPN to be sent by pharmacy. I was happy to get back to the Target House, and so exhausted just getting Devree to bed and then going back down to the car to get our stuff. Wheeeeew! It was good to get back to the Target House to sleep in a good bed and not be interrupted by nurses all night long. But I kept waking up because I had nightmares that Devree was calling me and needed my help. She was always sleeping peacefully and woke up happy and told me about some of her dreams

We had to get to the hospital by 8:30 am and I had forgot to charge my computer so that is why this is so late today.


We are delaying the sock competition because we had a request from some cousins that their socks had not got here yet, so we will judge after we recieve their socks and we will get pictures of all of the socks. Look at past posts because we put more pictures on.

Today was a fantastic day, because Devree did not throw up and hasn't felt too nauseous. Our prayers are working already!

Love, Shana and Devree

No Mo Chemo

Yesterday we received 2 more pairs of socks. The Fauvells sent some lovely purple and black houndstooth socks. The Richards sent Christmas early and gave Devree some Santa socks with some other lovely art work by Brenna and Austin, lovely glow sticks and a good book. Both pairs of socks are awesome and this contest is getting tougher. I am glad that I am not the judge.

Today in a few minutes Devree will be getting her stem cells for the last time. She will get out this afternoon and we will go back to the Target House. I am hoping to get my camera going to show you the pictures of the "No Mo Chemo" party the nurses do for each patient that finishes chemo. Even in the Medicine room where a lot of patients come in for different kinds of chemo, they throw them a "No Mo Chemo" party. Basically it is a song and confetti throwing.

Devree has already been visited by her psychologist, Elizabeth this morning. We talked while Devree was sleeping and she wants Devree to take an anti-depressant. She has discussed this with Devree and Devree doesn't want to do it. I told Elizabeth "Let's see how this month goes before we go home." I think Devree will be better when she starts feeling better. Devree has a lot of anxiety about eating and walking. That is what I am asking everyone's prayers about. The doctors are going to prescribe a heavier drug for an appetite stimulant. The marinol didn't help with anti-nausea or the appetite stimulant that it is supposed to help with.

We are excited to see Celest, Breck, Tayzia, Talon, Kallie and Jackson that are on their way home. Shay and Dane are having fun in Sullivan with their many cousins there. I can't wait to see Shay and Dane which they should be coming on Sunday. Todd will fly out 2 weeks from Saturday to take the boys and our loads of stuff in the apartment, home in the car. The time is getting closer.

Thank you to all of the wonderful words of support on the blog and by email. We are much loved, cared and prayed for. Have a wonderful Thursday.

Flaming Socks and Maya the Monkey

Flaming socks from Emily Larkin.

Maya the Monkey from the cousins. Because she is dressed so tropical!

Well what could have been better to help Devree feel better than 2 packages to open! We recieved your fire flaming socks Emily Larkin. They are awesome. We have a good idea from Cat and that is to see all of the socks we were given. We will have pictures on the blog. Friday is the final day for the sock competition. Saturday we will have a special blog and say who is the winner! But those that do not win we have thought up an awesome momento. Each participant will recieve a gold children's cancer ribbon.

Due to camera difficulties I haven't been able to put on the pictures. Maybe batteries is all I need.

So Devree had another huge package from Aunt Mary, Uncle John, Kayleigh, Tyson, Noah, Maci, Jackson and Matthew. Devree got her birthday package from them and inside was the cutest monkey that Devree has named Maya because she is so tropical. Thank you Hamblin kids for choosing such an adorable monkey. It has all of their voices saying "Happy Birthday Devree". Thank you so much.

Devree did quite well with her last night vigil of urinating every 2 hours. She actually sometimes did every hour and half. Today we are tired but it is Devree's day of rest. Meaning no more chemo drugs. She did wake up throwing up though. We have a great nurse today that will make sure Devree gets her anti-nausea drugs.

I found it funny that Kim (our favorite nurse practitioner) came to check on Devree because she heard from someone on the floor all of the terrible things that have happened to Devree this round. But we are DONE! No Mo Chemo!

This Sunday we are asking for those that would like to fast that specifically we would like Devree to EAT and recover her walking on her own.