REMISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Yes, you read that right. Jill is in remission. They found NO Leukemia cells in her bone marrow last biopsy (one week ago). This was done prior to her beginning her 2nd round of chemo. Typically, children with AML have less than 5% Leukemia cells in their marrow AFTER the 2nd round. For her to have none after the 1st round is wonderful news! After Matt & I cried & high-fived & hugged over this, the doctor brought us back to reality with the cookie dough analogy.....when you take a scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough out of the bowl, it may have not ONE chip in it....that doesn't mean there are not chocolate chips in the dough, just not any in that one scoop. The sample of bone marrow they took showed no leukemia....but, we are not necessarily out of the woods (which is why they do 4 more rounds). That said...we're still elated.

She finishes chemo completely at 4 o'clock Friday morning & will have another 3 weeks or so of "recovery" before she can go home for her week (maybe two?). We hope to be home by Christmas, but would also be satisfied to start back on the road to getting this OVER WITH. She is wearing us out with her constant need to be entertained every second and her Go Go Gadgetness. That girl is quick & very unpredictable the past few days, especially.....today I stopped in her doorway to talk to another parent & she darted into the room (she's not attached when not having a drug administered....only if she stops hydrating do we hook her up to fluids). I didn't think much of it, she does it all the time & usually just dances around with her "Biddy Boddy Boo" wand or searches for a new toy to play with. When I pulled back the curtain which divides the 2 sides of the room, she was in her crib. Yep. She had climbed up into the big armchair that sits next to the bed and straddled the 8 inch gap between the chair & the bed, shimmied over her crib side (which was raised about 2 inches) and floopy-doop. There you go. I shrieked, "Whaaaat? How did you....where is the....who put you there?" And she very proudly stated, "I time into my bed my SEF." Oh, and apparently (according to a phone call 5 minutes ago from Matt, who is currently at the hospital with her), she can climb out too. "It starts out as a headstand....." HA!!!!!! (I'm laughing because it wasn't on MY watch).

Thanks to friends Lisa & Michelle who visited yesterday & brought gobs of fun stuff to do! The stamp kit, construction paper, crayons, STICKERS (Jilli decorated many doors yesterday at 11:30 pm & gifted each night nurse with two hands-full of their choice of stickers), foam decorations, shells & rocks (which I'm saving for a really crazy rainy day), and I'm sure I'm forgetting 50 other things...Michelle, you SPOIL us. Madison & Jilli became fast friends. It was so endearing. Thanks also to Michelle who printed out, copied (color-copied) & sent out 85 letters to my highschool graduating class ('93, 'yo) in the span of a few hours. Acted like she could've done it in her sleep, and immediately asked, "What next?"

Don't know if I thanked Laurie (Sammi's mom) for the incredible craft basket she put together for Jill & Anna, complete with tons of prepped crafts & either a model or photograph of completed project! And the accompanying basket of supplies with which to make each craft! How very thoughtful & creative. The girls have gone through 3 of them already.

To Jolly Jaeger, friend of my Uncle Tom's....she & her husband, Dwight, live in AZ. We've never met them....they've sent us 2 of the most darling care packages! Homemade playdoh, a lullaby CD, a ballerina dress (pics to be posted later).....WOW. Humanity.

To my Pedro Home Team who have rushed like madpeople to spearhead their GetSwabbed campaign & to set up the Garage/Bake Sale (150 people so far on the eVite list....Ally, you rock!). The website is nearly finished....I was so moved when I read it....if flows so nicely (Jim is a computer GOD). Shana G. cemented the location for the Jan 5th drive (Cabrillo Aquarium). Ourania is feverishly working on the pamphlets, and there is so much else being done behind the scenes, I can't even imagine! My friends are going to CURE LEUKEMIA! It's nice to have ambitious friends :)

To Dina, for always calling me when she's at one of 5 grocery stores "Do you need anything while I'm here?" and for being at my beck-and-call day and night. When I thank her, she makes me feel like it's a given.

To my sister Beth, who gave me her noise-cancelling sound machine which drowns out most of the beeping, crying, chattering, buzzing, and moaning all around us in the wee hours, so I can sleep better. One man's trash........

To the incredibly caring and forward-thinking NURSES at Miller's. Wow. Don't think any of them read this blog, but I want everyone in the world to know what wonderful care they bestow on their patients. The LOVE. The understanding. The compassion. The knowing what we're going through open-heartedness. Service with a smile. Free babysitting every time I need a little break (and thanks to CiCi....number one Nurses' Aide magnifico!!!!!.....for loving Jilli and for teaching her Spanish, one song at a time). And the Child Life Specialists, who make being there so much more FUN. Alison & Rose are incredible people. Jill looks forward to "Open Playroom" time every day. But is content to sign autographs in the Hallway Walk of Fame when it's not.

To Aunt Mary Wonderful for staying with Jill all morning Tuesday while I took Anna to school, went to the gym, and bought bras (whoo-hoo! that was exciting). And for buying & preparing Thanksgiving Dinner for our family, letting Anna help make the pies, and staying behind on Thanksgiving Day because of a stupid cold!!!, while we ate drank (& missed Mary) at the hospital. It was nice to be a family on the holiday, but our thoughts were with the person who made it so special. She's now tucking Anna into bed, after acting ultra-impressed with how well Anna can float in the tub, brushing teeth, reading books, and trying to muddle through her logic over why she doesn't have to go potty because she went 3 hours ago.....what a blessing she is!

So many I'm not mentioning, mainly because I need to go to bed myself. Tomorrow is my night at the hospital & if Friday is anything like Wednesday, I can expect to be exhausted the next day. As long as she is in high-spirits, there is nothing, really, to complain about!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for all of you.