Hanging in there, Counting our blessings

With this being a short week, we went in to the doctor for blood counts today. Rebekah's counts are still doing ok. Her ANC is still within the normal range at 2730, but on it's way down. Doc said we should expect a blood transfusion next appointment, which we have scheduled for next Tuesday. We could use some prayers that she does ok and doesn't need the transfusion. Her appetite has not dropped off like it has in the past. That is a blessing! Let's pray that it doesn't. Grandma M helped us get out the door this morning and Grandma A watched Sarah at her house while Rebekah and Mommy went to the doctor and then she brought Sarah home and helped watch both girls. Grandma M brought out dinner and is hanging out with us tonight, again. Thanks to both Grandmas! It is great that they are both on summer break.

Tomorrow she goes in for the Pet Scan. We were originally told that she couldn't have any food after 4am and no drinks after 9am with a check in time at the hospital of noon. That was looking really bad. Three year olds don't understand why they can't eat. When the anesthesiologist called this afternoon, he said she could have a light breakfast as long as she was done by 8am. That sounds a whole lot better. We'll need to wake her up a little early, but she'll be a much happier camper with some breakfast and a little less sleep than she would with more sleep and no breakfast.

Friday morning we have an appointment with the Radiation Oncologist to have the mask created (that will be used to keep her in the same position during each radiation treatment) and to do a cat scan with her in the mask. This cat scan will be used to design her radiation treatment. Radiation is aimed directly at the area to be treated. The mask is used to keep her in the same position, so that the right area is radiated. I am hoping that we will find out when we can expect to begin radiation treatments. I don't expect it to be next week, but it could be any time after that. I don't like not knowing. I find it frustrating to have no control of our schedule. I realize that for nearly a year, I won't have control of the schedule, but it doesn't make it that much easier.

It really seems as though Radiation is our only choice. We need prayer that Rebekah will make it through Radiation without the nasty side effects that have been described. I believe that God can keep her from these side effects. I have to trust that He can keep her safe through the treatments and give us peace and comfort through the process. He has already done so, in many ways. While the Radiation treatments (as well as the chemotherapy treatments to a lesser extent) will probably keep us from getting out and camping (in the woods not in the hospital parking lot), the fact that we will go through Radiation during the summer means that we have Grandmas that are more available to help. That is a blessing, too!