We are stuck in Day 27

Mary-Elizabeth is stuck on day 27. Karyn, our Nurse Practitioner, made us these really great treatment calendars. I have them out to October of 2005 when her intense part of treatment ends. They out set in great detail, the treatments M-E will receive from now until the her last dose of Prednisone on October 8 2005. I have color coded the calendars and have relied on them to organize my life. Unfortunately, there is fine print. Each stage of chemo creates a problem for M-E's bone marrow. Her marrow has to recover to a certain extent in order to continue. There seems to be no magic alixer. No magic pill. Time, time and more time.

We have found that being stuck has some benefits associated with the wait. M-E was able to go to school for a few days last week. She and Whitney were able spend the day at our house and then come to the office for a pizza party. She loved seeing everyone! Rhonda made her day with a ghost and she received lots of hugs and good wishes from evetyone. It was great.

She was able to spend the night with Verhoffs and I was able to go to a nice adult dinner. I even was able to go to church.

The best part is what she said: Mom, I feel great. I know that after all the treatments, I will feel like myself again. I will have energy and will feel like laughing. People won't know I have luqemia. Lots of people think this is my hair!

Keep us in you prayers. We won't be here for too much longer. We might reach day 28 Tuesday. 8 Ara-C, 2 Vincristine, 3 Asparagus shots and a dose of Cytoxan, 14 doses of Mercaptopurine and lots of time..............