History

Monday, March 2, 2009 0:24 AM CST

Scarlett was in the Miss Horizon of Hope Pageant with all of her friends on Saturday. Last year was the first time they did it and they had such a wonderful time being together I think it will be an annual event for as long as they have it. It raises money for Relay for Life. They said last year they raised over $300,000 in Cullman alone.

Scarlett, Taylor, Summer, Bayleigh and Lindsey were there again and this year sweet little Alexis joined them. We missed Maggie this year. As you can see from the picture they are all so beautiful inside and out. They love each other so very much and are so proud of each other for all the awards they each get. I can't remember each one (if you visit Taylor's site she lists them all). Taylor won Miss Horizon, Most Beautiful and something else, Bayleigh won most photogenic and 1st Alternate, Summer I think got best dress and 2nd Alternate, Scarlett got Most Courageous, Alexis, best smile and spirit, ..... I can't remember. I'm sure I have goofed some up but nevertheless, they all did great, looked beautiful and shined, shined, shined!

We were in a hurry to get back home so we missed going to eat afterward with all our buddies.

Taylor and Bayleigh's site has great videos of the day if you want to visit it and look.

Scarlett goes to the doctor tomorrow for another strep test and to check her immunoglobulin levels.

I'll try to update the results and more pictures of Saturday.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009 8:14 AM CST

I took Scarlett for labs on Monday. Her counts are perfect. Dr. Berkow said he wants to do an immunoglobulin (sp) level on her in three months to make sure her immune system is functioning properly. She has been sick so much. I questioned him about her tonsils being removed. He isn't too fond of that procedure and doesn't recommend us doing that. So we will just hope that her medicine clears her up totally and she doesn't get exposed any time soon to strep again.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.

We have a special friend Nena and her dog Ellie who volunteer with Hand and Paw. They come to the hospital and make very scary sad days happy letting the children receiving chemotherapy and other illnesses love on Ellie and take their mind off their day. They have been nominated for a very special reward. All you have to do is go to the link below and vote for Nena and Ellie.
They are very special to Scarlett and our family.

http://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=376

Sunday, January 25, 2009 9:29 PM CST

As you can see from the picture, Scarlett finally got a puppy. She has begged for a dog for a long time. She named her Sadie Leigh (after Scarlett Leigh). She is a 7-week-old Goldendoodle. Dr. Berkow has a Labradoodle so they will be able to share stories.

I understand that my sweet friend Dixie knew that Scarlett was supposed to be at the hospital a couple of weeks ago for her labs. I, on the other hand, did not. I think I have a mental block when it comes to having to go every three months for that checkup. I absolutely HATE it. It creeps up every old feeling that we had for two-and-a-half years. Not extremely responsible I know but they keep telling me that if she relapsed we couldn't catch it early and it wouldn't make any difference with the outcome and that we would know so I guess a couple of weeks isn't going to make any difference.

I am so bad about updating her website or even getting on caringbridge sites at all. I pray for all the precious children and their families everyday, but I have to seperate myself from the "cancer world" a little bit or I am useless. I can't seem to shake the emotions and I constantly re-live every detail over and over in my head. I can't enjoy the blessing of her health right now if I don't let that part go as much as I can. I don't know if that makes sense, but it's just what I have to do to cope.

Scarlett has had strep four times since November - the last being yesterday. She has been sick pretty consistent for the last couple of months. I'm not so sure that it ever clears up. We are going to let her finish this round of antibiotics and then go for another strep test to see if it is gone and then talk about getting her tonsils out. I'm going to call clinic in the morning and take her for her labs so I will update what they are.

Thank you for your prayers!

Sunday, November 9, 2008 12:56 AM CST

Scarlett had her three-month checkup on Monday. Her counts were very normal and Dr. Berkow said she looked great.

We don't see him again until Jan. 12th.

Thank you for continuing to check on Scarlett. She is living life to the fullest - just like she did when she was sick, but she feels so good and enjoys things, I think, from a different perspective than most children her age. We are very thankful for every second of every day.

Monday, August 11, 2008 8:51 AM CDT

Sorry for the long delay of updating.

Today is Scarlett's first day of school. As you can tell from the picture she was a little excited! She has a wonderful teacher and a sweet group of friends that we are looking forward to getting to know.

We had a busy fun-filled summer. We spent a lot of time at the lake with our friends. Scarlett learned to ski (put a picture of that in photos).

She is going to the hospital for check-ups every three months now. We have had nothing but good reports for the last year.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.

Monday, April 21, 2008 10:02 PM CDT

Today is Scarlett's 9th birthday. She is growing up so fast and so perfect. Three-and-a-half years ago every time I looked at her I never thought I would get the opportunity to sing happy birthday to her at age nine. I remember a time when I wanted my children to stay young forever. Every year they got older I would feel a little sad that my baby was growing up. Not anymore! I cherish every second of her growing up. What a wonderful day it was for her and for David and me. Every laugh and smile warmed our hearts in a way that we could never describe. She really is the brightest ray of sunshine. She lights up the room and the heart of everyone that crosses her path.

I know I have written this so many times, but I truely don't know what I did to deserve to get to be her mother. I thank God for her constantly and know how very blessed I am to have been given such a precious gift.

Monday, April 14, 2008 9:33 PM CDT

I know a lot of people still frequent this website to check on our sweet Scarlett. She is doing great. Please know that no update is the best update.

I have so many thoughts and feelings that I could start pouring on this page. But for some reason, I will start to type and close out the page. I had a lot of ideas how I would handle things when Scarlett finished chemo. I have to say, just like with anything else in your world, you don't know how you are going to react until or unless it happens to you. I saw myself never stopping the updates, visiting the hospital frequently, keeping up with all the children going through treatment, exhausting every way possible to make the world aware and try to find a cure for childhood cancer, etc. I definitely still have all of those things in my heart, but physically, I absorb every ounce of time that I am allowed to be with Scarlett in watching her grow and loving her very busy life that three-and-a-half years ago I wasn't sure that she would have.

The fear is still so very real and here. It is so easy to hear the statistics and hope that you will be on the good side, but then you hear of the children relapsing after a year or two years off therapy and the great feeling that you are having when you wake up and see that beautiful, perfect energetic girl is sucked right out of you. Every time you hear "I'm tired" or "my head hurts" or "my legs are aching" the world is suddenly in slow motion and you wonder if you are going to be able to breathe again.
Those of you with children know that those words are spoken often - very often. It's just not a simple, oh, you must be tired or have allergies from the pollen or growing pains anymore. So you step back and tell yourself that it is fine, it is normal and then you enjoy like crazy every second that you can of your child. It's the "new normal" that you learn to live with but there is nothing normal about it.

This morning Scarlett woke up with a headache. Just a headache. I immediately ask where it hurts praying that she didn't hold the top of her head. Then I asked her was she nauseated, praying she said no. When I figured out that she was crying because she was tired and simply had a headache, I really could have given her some Sudafed and Tylenol and sent her to school. I made all kind of excuses why I shouldn't. The real reason was I didn't want her to leave this house and I wanted to know exactly at any point if I needed to know what was going on with her, whether it be running, laughing, crying or whatever. It was such a Lana problem, not the headache. Oh, well, just the way it is.

She is great! And I mean as close to perfect as you can possibly be on this earth. I was hugging her and kissing her yesterday and said, "Scarlett, you are so perfect. I don't know what I did to deserve you, but God must think I'm pretty special." She looked at me with the most precious look on her face absolutely loving what I said and said, "Oh, Mom, you know that nobody is perfect." I assured her if there is perfect on this earth she is it. That was about all it took for her to believe me!

Thank you for continuing to pray for Scarlett and all her precious friends.

Thursday, March 27, 2008 3:17 PM CDT

Scarlett had her appointment on the 17th. Dr. Watts saw her and said everything looks great. Her counts are great. She is getting more like herself everyday. I thought she was back to "normal" a few months ago, but every month I see more improvement.

She scared us pretty bad last month for a couple of weeks. She was very tired and complained of her legs aching a lot. She had no other symptoms. I stayed pretty numb for those days. Dr. Watts said it must have been a virus of some sort that didn't show symptoms. Who knows what happened, but as of today she is feeling great and looks great.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Saturday, March 8, 2008 12:52 AM CST

Scarlett had so much fun early this morning playing in the little bit of snow on the ground. By the time we got through rolling the balls to make a snowman, our yard was almost empty. We had as much grass in the snowman as we did snow, I think. She named him Bob. Who knows?

She had a great week at school last week and is enjoying her braces very much. She just loves the way she looks with them.

We are looking forward to spring break and having no schedule of any kind.

Thank you so much for continuing to check on her and pray for continued good health.

Sunday, February 24, 2008 12:32 AM CST

Every time I have tried to sit down to update I have been needed. I have time to check quickly the guestbook and our friends' sites, but no matter how early I wake up or how late I stay up, "Mama" is being yelled from the other room. Sorry.

Scarlett was in a fundraiser beauty pageant in Cullman last Saturday called Horizon of Hope. Four sisters started this fundraiser benefiting Relay for Life three years ago. Scarlett's friend Taylor is responsible for getting all the precious girls that Scarlett loves so much together to be in this pageant. They had a special division for cancer survivors. It was Scarlett, Taylor, Bayleigh, Summer, Maggie and little girl named Lindsay that we just met that day. She was diagnosed seven years ago when she was three and was told she would never live. As a result of her cancer and medicine she is blind. All the girls were so excited to meet her and loved her dearly. What a special day.

They were all so beautiful. As Maggie's mom said, "I can't even explain the internal light that these girls cast off. It radiates all around them, especially when they are all together." They are all winners on so many levels each day. But on this occasion they all got awards, crowns and trophies. Miss Priss was awarded most beautiful and first place Miss Horizon. I can't remember all the awards that each of them got - but when Maggie got awarded Judges Choice, she ripped off her wig and threw it on the stage. The whole place was yelling, clapping and crying. What a moment for her. That precious, brave child. I can't imagine the emotions she was feeling. I could go on and on about each of them and their beauty inside and out. I'll post pictures soon - hopefully!

Scarlett is having wonderful days and enjoying school and friends so much. We are looking forward to summer so there won't be any schedule, just a lot of fun together.

She had two teeth pulled last week. She will be getting braces soon. She is growing up so fast.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers for Scarlett and her sweet friends.

Thursday, February 14, 2008 7:54 AM CST

Scarlett is doing great. She is finishing up a round of antibiotics for strep throat. She is so tough. She was swallowing funny one morning and I asked her if her throat hurt. She said, "well, when I swallow and when I move my tongue it feels like it's going down my throat, but it's ok." I got a flashlight and oh my goodness. There is no way a tonsil that big and yucky didn't hurt really bad.

I can't deny that any sore throat, stuffy nose, tired afternoon - even if it is from riding her bike for an hour - doesn't make my stomach turn a flip and my brain start racing, what's going on ........ but it doesn't take me long to just welcome any common illness that comes her way. I gladly gave her huge capsules to swallow for ten days.

We are cherishing each moment of each day that we have and enjoying it so much. She was a nut this morning she was so excited about it being Valentines Day. At 5:45 I feel her reach over and poke me and say can I get up and get my surprise? I had told her last night not to wake up J.D. too early. She just couldn't help herself. So in a few short minutes we were up and the talking and jumping around didn't stop until she HAD to get in the car with her dad for school. I imagine he talked more or heard more talking than he'll hear all day at work on that short ten minute ride to school. I also imagine that he was smiling from ear to ear. It is a wonderful sound and sight.

Thank you for continuing to check on Scarlett and keeping her in your prayers. We appreciate you more than you will ever know.

Monday, January 28, 2008 8:17 PM CST

We went to clinic today and had another great report. Scarlett's fear was better this time. It is just so hard for her to go back. It was much easier when it was the "normal" in so many ways. But we'll take the dread and anxiety once a month any day!!!!!!

We got to be with Taylor. We were lucky that her visit was today and we got to spend a little time with her. We went to Bruster's afterwards and had ice cream before they headed home to Florence. Her report was great too.
Wonderful day! (www.caringbridge.org/visit/taylorhendrix.)

Thank you for continuing to check on Scarlett and pray for her. Everyday is a day closer to being somewhat out of the woods for relapse, but like she said in her prayers the other night, "you know God, some people's cancer comes back. I don't want mine to."

Sunday, January 20, 2008 12:19 AM CST

Needless to say, Scarlett and J.D. were as excited as every other child in Birmingham to finally see a little snow. You would have thought there was 10 inches the way they played for hours - until it was water. They were using the top to a sand box for a sled until our neighbors who used to live in Washington let them use a real one. It didn't take but a couple of rides down the hill before they were on nothing but wet grass, but it didn't stop them. As you can see from the pictures, sister Savanna had just a little fun too.

Scarlett is doing great. She called Friday to be checked out of school from a bad headache and she said she was dizzy. I think it was just sinus related because she woke up fine on Saturday to play in her basketball game and the snow.

Thank you for continuing to check on Scarlett.

Sunday, January 13, 2008 7:07 AM CST

Scarlett is doing great. She continues to be more like herself everyday. It will be a year in March that she took her last treatment. At times it seems like it was a long time ago that we started this journey but most of the time it seems like it was just yesterday. It is still so scary that we will be like so many..... things seem to be fine one day and the next it will be back. We know that God knows what will take place with Scarlett and we pray constantly that it's cancer-free forever.

I don't know when I will be able to remove the picture on the front. That is our Scarlett pre-cancer, just a big girl now. David and I were talking about how at 5 she was just such a baby to us and now at 8 she is so "grown-up" in so many ways.

We know how lucky we are that God chose us to be her parents. I still don't know what I did to deserve it. I count my blessings daily about a million times.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett.

Saturday, December 29, 2007 7:52 AM CST

I updated yesterday a little about Christmas but didn't get to explain some things so I'm going to try to get it in now before my little angels need me.

The weekend before Christmas we went to Fairhope to spend Christmas with David's family. We usually all meet here so it was a change. Everybody had a wonderful time. Fairhope is such a neat place. The night before we left, Scarlett got the worse stomach virus she has ever had. I thought for sure we were going to end up in the hospital getting IV fluids. But thankfully, she didn't and like her tough self, said she was fine to go to Fairhope. She was very weak but you would have never known by the smile on her face and her disposition. She never ceases to amaze us.

On Christmas Eve we woke up ready for our day - had a few kinks thrown in the midst of it, but I won't bore you with the details. Those of you who know me, know that a typical day with Lana can be interesting to say the least. So we made do with the change of events for the morning and went to Children's Hospital as planned. Bayleigh and family, Summer and family, James and family and more wonderful people had already been there and set up a meal for all the families and staff spending Christmas in the hospital. Scarlett was so excited to see her friends. They brought 4 tower to life like old times. I began to be worried that she might not get the whole reason we were there, but I knew later I could talk to her about it. I was just so overwhelmed with emotions that we weren't a patient there and my heart was breaking for all the children who are battling this horrible disease.

They all left and we waited for Taylor and Tammy to arrive with the stockings.
Taylor's wish for Christmas was to make stockings for all the children in the hospital on Christmas and their siblings. They had a lot of people send in donations and items to help make this happen for her. You wouldn't believe the amount of things and the size of stockings. I could put a million pictures, but you had to witness it with your own eyes to believe it. I don't know how Tammy and Taylor organized and did all of that. It might not sound like a big thing, but you start planning for girls and boys of all ages and siblings of kids that you have no idea who will be there....... I was amazed. Scarlett and Taylor would take in the stockings and say hi and talk to the parents and children. Scarlett said to one family, "I know it's hard to be in here. You just have to make the best of it". What huge words from such a small little girl. Words that if anybody other than a child who had experienced cancer might make you want to strangle them, but I bet it was comforting words coming from Scarlett. Just seeing the two of them looking so good and being through with therapy had to have given them hope and a smile.

It was a wonderful day and I feel so blessed to have been able to be a part of it. As we were walking out I asked Scarlett how she felt about being there. She said, "giving is so much funner than receiving". That sums it up!

Thank you for checking on Scarlett. She is doing great. We go back for counts middle of January.

Friday, December 28, 2007 1:13 PM CST

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, we sure did.

Christmas Eve we went to 4 Tower and met Dixie, Bayleigh and family and Tina and Summer were there. Sarah Morgan and her family were there (the first person we met when Scarlett was diagnosed that had survived ALL) and all the nurses who took such good care of us for three years - and many more special people who were all there to be with the families who were celebrating Christmas in the hospital. Dixie and Jim Howell arranged to have an incredible catered lunch provided for the staff, patients and families. We stayed after lunch and waited on Taylor to arrive with all the big stockings she had made for all the kids and their siblings. (www.caringbridge.org/visit/taylorhendrix).

Scarlett and Taylor would go into the rooms and say hi to the children and tell them that they used to be in the hospital too and give them their gifts. I know it helped the kids and their parents see how beautiful Taylor and Scarlett are and that there is hope that next Christmas they too could be bringing gifts instead of being the patient. I could only stand outside the door with chill bumps on my arms and tears in my eyes. All the craziness of the holidays and stress over not having gifts bought, etc., was put right in perspective. As we were walking out I told Scarlett how proud I was of her and she looked at me and said, "Giving is so much funner than receiving. Especially when that little boy looked at me and held out his arms and said is that for me and was so happy."

Scarlett is exhausted today. We are taking it easy and relaxing.

We don't go to the hospital for counts again until the middle of January. I'll post pictures soon.

Sunday, December 16, 2007 10:23 AM CST

Sorry I haven't updated. We have been busy with school projects and parties getting ready for the holidays.

Scarlett went to clinic last Monday. Her counts were perfect and she had a great report. She always loves the part of her exam where she sees if she has reflexes. That bothered her so bad the last three years when she didn't. Funny the things she focuses on.

We got spoiled in Jamaica that week with all of our girls with us. We can't wait for Anna and Savanna to get home for Christmas break. Time goes by too fast.

Mr. J.D. isn't in any photos with Santa because he would only get close enough to give him five and take a piece of candy from him. When he asked him what he wanted for Christmas, J.D. looked at him so serious and said, "a bat and ball".

I feel so blessed yet so guilty right now because our lives are going so good and we have so many close friends with their hearts breaking. I wish no one would ever have to enter the "cancer world".

Thank you for checking on our sweet Scarlett and her friends.

Friday, December 7, 2007 12:47 AM CST

Miss Scarlett is still having great days. She is so busy. We are definitely making up for the three years of activities lost. She is now taking gymnastics, jazz and playing basketball at our church.

I still hit a little panic mode when she looks pale and says she is tired. But if I did as much as her, I would be exhausted too.

We went to the Camp SAM Christmas party on Sunday. Scarlett always loves anything that has to do with camp. We walked in the door and I can't explain the feeling, but I felt a million emotions. So happy that Scarlett is able to be there, but so sad for our friends that are in heaven. I had to then start focusing on the kids that were diagnosed around the time we were or before us that we became close to while spending so much time in the hospital. It was great to see them doing good and so grown up. One little baby that I used to hold and love is now 4 and beautiful and doing great.

I looked across the room while we were in line to see Santa and saw precious Sean (his link has always been below). He was diagnosed about a year before Scarlett and relapsed three months after completing his therapy. Some of you remember me writing about it. He had his last treatment and spinal on Monday. A day that should have been so happy for his parents and all who love him, but turned out to be a third nightmare. It is back and not only isolated in his spinal cord this time it's in his marrow again too. We are heartbroken for them.

I remember when I first started writing on this caringbridge page that someone commented how depressing it was to read what I wrote. So at times I tried to write upbeat and only tell the good part of Scarlett's day, etc., but then at times I thought why should I make it seem good to help others feelings? The truth is, there isn't anything good about cancer. It's always good when they have a good day. It's always good when they have completed a phase of therapy. Everyday they are here is a good day. But everyday is also terrifying and totally unpredictable. I want the world to know what they go through and how horrible it is in hopes that enough people will make it their mission to help fight this horrible disease and help find a cure.

Thank you so much for continuing to check on Scarlett. Share your knowledge and the need for a cure with someone who doesn't know about childhood cancer.

Monday, November 26, 2007 8:24 AM CST

We went to Jamaica for Thanksgving week. It was awesome. Scarlett is already talking about going back.

We went in 2004 five months before Scarlett was diagnosed. When we were in the hospital the week after her diagnosis, all she talked about was taking her Grandmama to Jamaica. Every time she would talk about the future I would go to pieces with fear that she wasn't going to have that chance. Three years was so far away and we were starting such a nightmare of a journey. Well, three years later, no more chemo, port removed and we were off to Jamaica with Grandmama (we let Granddaddy tag along).

All of us had a wonderful time and were overwhelmed with joy every time we looked at her. She is finally our Scarlett again through and through.

Thank you for continuing to check on Scarlett. I hope with her website still available some people are finding encouragement. Everyday there is another devastating story of one more precious child either losing their battle or just starting one. We are still terrified and I still look at other sites that give me hope that we will reach the five-year and over mark.

Friday, November 2, 2007 0:06 AM CDT

Scarlett had the best Halloween. I say often that I can't wait until I can quit relating every single thing that we do or Scarlett does to her cancer, therapy, etc., but she was four years old the last time she was able to trick-or-treat without the effects of cancer and chemo and she was too scared of the costumes then to enjoy herself. So we had a blast last night watching her really enjoy Halloween.

She is doing great, feeling great and so full of energy.

As always, thank you so much for checking on our sweet Scarlett.

Friday, November 2, 2007 0:06 AM CDT

Tuesday, October 30, 2007 9:08 PM CDT

We had such a wonderful weekend. We went to Andrew's softball benefit, a cousin's birthday party, Grandmama's house, a Halloween party with Taylor and Bayleigh (which included rolling yards) and Atlanta for the High School Musical On Ice Tour. Scarlett said it was the most fun of her life.

Today we bought a pumpkin and Scarlett and Savanna - with J.D. supervising - carved it. A little late on the pumpkin, but better late than never. Scarlett loves Halloween and can't wait to trick-or-treat tomorrow. Her friends Emma and Ellen and her cousin Regina are going to go around the neighborhood with her. She is going to be a witch. I'll post pictures soon.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett. She is doing great and living life to the fullest.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007 8:14 PM CDT

It's been forever since I have updated. Sorry.

Scarlett is doing great. We went for labs on Monday and her counts are all in the normal range.

She is having wonderful days at school. She loves her teacher and all her friends. She is learning so much it is amazing. I was probably in the fourth grade when I was doing most of what she is doing.

We are going to have a fun weekend with her buddies Taylor and Bayleigh. They are coming to Birmingham for the Knockin Cancer Out of the Ballpark fundraiser. You can learn more about it on Andrew's website www.caringbridge.org/al/andrewlong.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett and for keeping her in your thoughts and prayers.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007 3:56 PM CDT

I have a quick couple of minutes to try to update an entire weekend of events.

We went to Destin, FL this past weekend with the Lighthouse Family Retreat. The founder is from Georgia so it isn't talked about much in Alabama. Some of our friends from the hospital got us to sign up for the retreat back in February, I think. I had reservations about going since Scarlett would be coming off therapy in March. But they called and asked us to come more than once. I told David that I felt like there was a reason to go, but I still had reservations about it up until I got there. It took about an hour and then I knew I needed it.

It is hard to describe it, you would just have to experience it. To sum up how it was for us, Scarlett has had numerous vacations to the beach and other places. She cried - sobbed, when we left. We met so many special people. She has never liked the sand or ocean. This trip, she never stepped foot in a pool. She and two other girls that stayed in our house, Taylor Hendrix and Jemy Foreman, never left the beach. She got stung by a jelly fish twice and she went right back in.

They always want you to come back a second time to get the full effect. Scarlett will be off therapy a year next March so spring break would be the time for us to go. That is a very busy time for David so we will probably be going back as a family to volunteer next October. That will probably be our beach vacation from now on. How wonderful would it be to have a great time together as a family and at the same time teach your kids to give to others and be a part of putting a smile on a family's face that has been affected with cancer?

I'll update more later. For all the Lighthouse friends that are reading this, thank you so much! We love you and feel so lucky you are a part of our lives.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007 12:33 AM CDT

I haven't updated in a few days, it's been a rough past week. Our dear sweet friend Andrew going to heaven has been difficult for all of us.

Yesterday we had our second annual Charter Charity Classic Golf Tournament benefiting the Janie Sims Foundation. It was a great success. We raised $107,000. It doubled from last year. Our goal is for it to double every year. Hopefully more people will become aware of the need for finding the cure that we desperately need!

Thank you for checking on Scarlett.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 1:57 PM CDT

Scarlett has been having great days. Her energy is endless. I have forgotten what her "normal" is. It is so great to be absolutely exhausted from playing with her and having my jaws ache because she makes you smile constantly!

J.D. and I went to have lunch with her at school today. We sat in the lunchroom and had great conversation with all the precious little girls that surround her. One little girl told her that she talked a lot. Scarlett got tickled by that. Another one of her friends beside her thought that might have hurt her feelings so she told her that she thought she was perfect. Too precious. What a great feeling to watch her just be a kid again.

She keeps me so busy - along with her little brother - that I take very little pictures these days. I better start keeping it around my neck. I'll update some pictures soon.

Thank you for keeping Scarlett in your thoughts and prayers along with all the other precious children who have fought or are still fighting this horrible disease.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007 7:58 AM CDT

We went to clinic Monday and Scarlett's check-up went fine. Her doctor said she is doing great.

She is so excited today. She gets to go to City Hall and meet the mayor. She really feels special because I told her that her dad knows the mayor and we are friends with his son. She just can't believe it. Too cute.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett.

September 25th is the Charter Charity Classic Golf Tournament benefiting the Janie Sims Foundation. Some of you have seen the commercials on TV with Scarlett and Deidre and Paul Finebaum. If you play golf or just want to be a sponsor go to the website for more details and to sign up. Please tell everyone you know. There are going to be local celebrities and Taylor Hicks will be there as well. They are autioning off spots to play golf that day with Taylor and Paul Finebaum to be on one of their teams. David knows a lot more names to tell, I'll get him to update soon. It's a fun event for a great cause. www.chartercharityclassic.com.

Friday, September 7, 2007 8:00 AM CDT

Scarlett is at school. She is feeling fine, just stuffy and coughing some.

I am taking her Chick-Fil-A for lunch/brunch at 10:30. That is so early to eat lunch, but I don't worry as much if she doesn't eat enough for breakfast.

We are going to have a relaxing weekend and recoup and get ready for next week.

Thank you for keeping her in your thoughts and prayers.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007 10:49 PM CDT

We went for a visit to South Dakota to see our friends the Gitters who moved this summer. We had so much fun and Scarlett never slowed down. She swam and jumped on the trampoline, etc., nonstop. She was stuffy while we were there and it got worse on Monday evening when we were coming home.

We had an appointment first thing Tuesday morning and I thought she went to clinic that afternoon for labs and her monthly check-up. I called to verify the time and realized I had the wrong date in mind. She goes on the 12th. So she missed school and rested. She fell asleep in the chair at about 5:00 and woke up around 5:30. I kissed her and she was burning up with a fever - 103. I hit panic mode and started beeping, e-mailing, and calling doctors. I knew exactly what to do, I just needed to hear them tell me to chill out and do it - give her tylenol and take her to the pediatrician in the morning.

We went and she couldn't find anything other than an elevated white count, which you have anytime there is a virus working on you. She is complaining a lot of pain in her stomach. Other than that, her only symptom is a stuffy nose and headache from the fever. I'm not exactly comfortable with her having the pains that are making her double over, but since it came along at the same time of her fever, I'm going to stay calm and see what happens the next couple of days.

She is so tough it is amazing. Last night I had taken her temp and it was 103.6. She was going to the restroom and I could see her in the mirror and she looked at herself and smiled really big and started doing a funny dance move sideways as she passed the mirror. Who but Scarlett with a fever that high could find the energy to smile and dance? Not her mama and I consider myself to be pretty tough.

She is definitely our hero.

Thank you for checking on her. Please keep all the precious children in your thoughts and prayers fighting this disease, especially the Long family.

Friday, August 24, 2007 9:52 PM CDT

Another wonderful week of school. She absolutely loves it and can't wait to tell me all about her day. J.D. is so happy when she gets in the car, though, he won't stop talking to her to let her tell me.

I don't have pictures up yet but Miss Priss got her ears pierced the Saturday after she had her port removed. As all little girls do, they start asking at about age five when they can get their ears pierced. As most dad's say... NEVER! Well, when Scarlett asked her dad it wasn't under the best of circumstances, so she was told after she was through with all her cancer stuff. One doctor told her that she had to wait until her port was removed. So that sounded like a good time. When the time came, she certainly didn't let us forget the conversation so off we went, sore chest, stitches and all. She put her EMLA cream on her ears and couldn't wait. She got a little scared but wanted it so bad. After it was over, she didn't even feel it and was so proud of herself. She loves it so much and feels so big and beautiful!

Thank you for checking on Scarlett. She will go for labs the week after Labor Day. Please remember her sweet friend Andrew in your prayers. His link is at the bottom of this page.

P.S. I have a new e-mail address. It's on this page next to e-mail author. I have tried to send it out to all my contacts, but didn't succeed.

Saturday, August 18, 2007 8:03 AM CDT

Sorry it took a couple of days to update that Scarlett did great and is thrilled to have the port out. She keeps it pretty close by, just in her hands now instead of her chest.

She was pretty sore but woke up this morning only recognizing she is sore when it is touched. She has inside stictches and steri-strips that will come off in seven days. He said she can resume normal activity after 48 hours.

We'll go for labs Sept. 4.

Thank you so much for continuing to pray for Scarlett and for all the precious children.

Monday, August 13, 2007 9:20 PM CDT

"Today was the best day ever!" That was the first thing I heard when she got in the car this afternoon. She even ate in the lunchroom and the smell didn't bother her. That was a very big deal for her. Those of you who don't know, Scarlett ate in the counselors office the last two years because the chemo made her sense of smell so sensitive that she would throw up when she walked in the lunchroom - not knocking the cafeteria at East, she did it at home even when I would be cooking something she wanted to eat. You just never knew what was going to bother her.

The difference of picking her up today in comparison to the other years was unbelievable. The days (very few days) that she stayed all day she looked like she wasn't going to be able to step up in the van she would be so tired. I think she could have ran a mile today.

Today was a great day for so many reasons. Especially seeing Scarlett look just like all the other kids her first day of school.

Thank you for checking on her.

We are going to have her port removed Thursday the 16th. I'll keep you posted.

Saturday, August 11, 2007 9:57 PM CDT

Scarlett is doing great. We have been enjoying the last days before school begins.

Thursday we went to the McWane Center. Scarlett had her favorite things to do and we did them for about three hours straight. She really loved the chairs that you sit in and pull yourself up. She was impressed at how strong she is getting. She had fun playing with JD too in his area, but that didn't last very long.

Friday morning we went to her school and she got to see who her teacher is. She has Mrs. Meads and quite a few of her best friends in there as well. She was thrilled and is counting down the days until school starts. It is so wonderful to see her so excited about school. I have said so many times, this is really her first year to go to school. She never felt good the past three years and she missed more days than she attended. So we are all thrilled that she feels so good and is so excited.

Friday afternoon Scarlett and her daddy went to DeSoto Caverns and stayed for the afternoon. She couldn't wait to sift for crystals. She came home with a bag of them.

This morning we went to the pool with her friend Ellen and her sister Anna. Anna came home from school in Colorado for a couple of weeks in between semesters so Scarlett is excited to get to see her.

I updated some pictures. I included one of a special friend Jake that we visited a couple of weeks ago. Scarlett can't wait to go back to see him. We didn't meet him at clinic 8 but he visits another clinic at the hospital and needs your prayers also.

I'll be sure to update early next week and tell you how much she is loving 2nd grade.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.

Monday, July 30, 2007 11:23 PM CDT

Scarlett's visit went well and her counts are still good. She had an echo today. They didn't give us a final report, but the dr. was in the room and he said from looking across the room, everything looked fine. I wasn't sure until today what exactly they were checking. But I learned that it is the heart muscle that can sometimes be damaged. Hers seemed to be just fine.

I don't update much, which is a good thing. Scarlett is keeping me very busy - along with her brother. She has had a good summer. It is a wonderful feeling watching her play and be "normal" for the first time in three years. We are still adjusting to all the "normal life" things.

I always can't wait to get to the hospital and check labs, but learning to live away from there is getting easier, that's for sure. When you are there and are reminded by how many sick children there are and how many children didn't respond to the medication and are not here anymore and how many relapse, it takes your mind to a not-so-happy place!

Most of you who have followed Scarlett the past three years have linked to Andrew's page too. He is such a sick little boy. Please keep his parents in your prayers.

Cancer is such a horrible thing. I HATE it so much. I pray for people to get as passionate as we are about finding a cure for cancer without having to experience their child having it. We have got to find a cure. Every time we go to the hospital there is a longer wait time, more and more children being diagnosed. I met a three- year-old boy today that has ALL. He was diagnosed July 10th. Before I talked to his parents, I was watching him sitting in his stroller. He had a mask on, but I watched his eyes and the way he was breathing. It was such a familiar look, I knew it had to be leukemia. Sure enough, it is. Scarlett was in rare form today and it helped his parents so much to see her four months off therapy and feeling so good.

I could write a very large book about the way I feel, etc., but I will stop now. Thank you so much for continuing to check on Scarlett. She is doing good. And so far, her little body is one that has responded to the medicine.

Friday, July 20, 2007 9:04 AM CDT

Scarlett is doing great. We have scheduled her appointment to get her port removed August 16. We were hoping to get it done so she didn't have to miss any school this year for anything cancer related, but hopefully that will be the end.

She made her second commercial yesterday with Deidre for the golf tournament. And I just realized as I am updating that I didn't even bring my camera and take a picture. Scarlett LOVES Deidre. She is now a busy med student so I have a feeling we won't get to see her as much.

We go for her appointment on July 30th.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett and keeping her in your prayers.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007 2:01 PM CDT

Things are still good at the Cowan house. We are getting ready for the 2nd Annual Charter Charity Classic Golf Tournament this year. Some of you may remember that Scarlett and Andrew started the tournament last year. And, of course, since it benefits the Janie Sims Foundation Scarlett and her "buddy" Deidre Downs are actively involved.

We went to Greystone this morning and Scarlett and Paul Finebaum made a commercial that will be aired on the Charter stations soon. She will be doing another one in the next couple of weeks with Deidre. So be looking for her probably in the month of August and September. I'll post some pictures soon of todays taping.

We are headed to Grandmama's house for a couple of days and will be home for the weekend. We can't stay away from Dad too long.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers.

Monday, July 2, 2007 10:03 PM CDT

We have been having such a good time this summer. Scarlett is sleeping good and feeling better each day. We can see a difference in the way she acts and looks daily it seems.

We have tried to go to the pool a few times. We seem to bring rain every time - which isn't a bad thing right now, but it is for Scarlett. She doesn't complain though. We just laugh and either wait for it to pass or go get Bruster's ice cream. I think sometimes she is happy about the rain. That cookie dough ice cream makes everything better.

We haven't heard from the surgeon yet about removing her port. I'm sure we'll be hearing from them after the holiday.

I had a sweet friend call me so concerned because she saw Scarlett's name on the prayer request from church. She was afraid that something had happened that she didn't know about. I assured her things were fine but that we sure don't need prayers to stop either. Scarlett's life can change in an instant again just like it did almost three years ago. Please continue to pray for her health and continued remission. Thank you for checking on her. She is doing great.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007 8:07 PM CDT

Scarlett is doing great. We went to clinic yesterday and her counts are still good. I questioned why her white count went from 6000 to 5000 to 4000 the last three months. The nurse told me that it is normal. There are kids that are off therapy for months and are still in the 4000 range. She will fluctuate but her numbers are still good. It is always a relief each month when we go back and things are still good. The fear is overwhelming, but we don't let it interrupt the good days and good reports we are having.

We thought that they would remove her port in September because we have always heard six months. Her doctor said that there isn't any specific reason to wait a certain amount of time. She said since it is summer we could go ahead and get it done so it won't interrupt her school year. So we are waiting to hear from the surgeon and plan a date for that.

We go back to clinic for her next visit on July 30th. They will do the usual lab work and check-up. They are going to do an echocardiogram this time to see if things are still okay. When she first began therapy she had one for a baseline because one of the drugs she was given has a side effect of heart damage. We will be relieved to hear that report is good too.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.

Saturday, June 16, 2007 3:52 PM CDT

Our baby is home and had a wonderful week at camp. We are going to do lots of loving and snuggling and I'll update tomorrow on what all she tells me about her week.

I did learn one thing.... A boy picked her flowers, got down on one knee and asked her if she would go to the dance with him. She said yes. I can't wait for her counselor to send me pictures. How precious are they?

Wednesday, June 13, 2007 11:40 PM CDT

Quick update.... We had a wonderful time at the lake with everyone. We got to Bayleigh's condo at lunch on Sunday and went out on the boat with her that afternoon. When we got back, the girls (Scarlett and Bayleigh) practiced their talent show act for camp. They were precious and so excited about doing it together.

On Monday Dixie and I drove the girls to camp and got them settled in. We had to make each other leave. They were excited to be there and were visiting friends they have made from camp and the hospital. We can't believe that it has only been three days. It feels like they have been gone for a week already.

I got an e-mail from Ms. Nena from Hand and Paw. She went to camp on Tuesday. She told me that Scarlett was dancing like crazy on the pier while she was being given instructions on some cheerleader moves. She said she was stealing the show .... imagine that! She said she told her that she was having so much fun and wasn't missing home at all. That is the best thing I could have ever read before going to sleep.

I'll try to update some pictures of her when we got to camp tomorrow.

Thanks for checking on Scarlett.

Sunday, June 3, 2007 11:30 PM CDT

We went to the beach for a week and got home yesterday afternoon. We had a wonderful time. Scarlett was -- for the first time in three years -- feeling good every day and having fun nonstop. She had an allergic reaction to sunscreen and so for a day she took Benedryl and slept most of the afternoon. But she made up for it that night when she didn't have to wear any and swam for a long time.

She has a busy summer. We are leaving for Lake Martin on Wednesday for four days with a lot of her aunts, uncles and cousins. We are staying until Sunday. And since she goes to camp at Lake Martin on Monday, we are staying with her friend Bayleigh at their condo on Sunday night and then we'll drive them to Camp SAM on Monday. She is really excited to get to spend time with Bayleigh and to be able to arrive at camp with her.

This will be the first time out of four stays at camp that the only medicine the nurse will have to bring her is Bactrim on Friday. She told me today that she can't wait to be at camp and feel good the whole time. I can't wait for her to get to do that either. I always start having major anxiety when it is this close to her leaving for a week. But statements like that from her pull me through.

Thank you so much for checking on our angel baby and for keeping her in your prayers.

Monday, May 21, 2007 7:52 PM CDT

We went to clinic today for Scarlett's appointment and everything was fine. Her lab numbers looked good and her energy is going through the roof.

We are looking forward to a fun week at school.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett and keeping her in your prayers.

Saturday, May 19, 2007 2:18 PM CDT

The past couple of weeks have been pretty good. Scarlett went to school all last week for the first time this year. It was a wonderful feeling for all of us.

We are all adjusting to being off of therapy pretty good. But when something familiar happens like leg pain or saying she is too tired to walk and wants me to carry her, etc., the world seems to stop. She called to check out one day this week from school and had kind of spit up. Her head was hurting and when we got home it only got worse. I tried to put all ideas of relapse out of my head, but it is really hard. We have a friend, Sweet Sean, who relapsed three months after he completed his therapy. He relapsed in his CNS and his symptoms were headaches and vomiting. The next morning she was worse, terrible headaches. She slept for a couple of hours in the chair and then would just lay in her bed without the TV on, she would just lay there. I kept telling myself and everyone else that it was just her usual sinus pressure, but the fear was still there. Especially when she looked up at me in the chair and said, "Please tell me my cancer isn't back." I asked her why in the world she would say such a thing and she said, "because this is how bad I felt when I had cancer." Well, you can imagine how I felt - actually, I went numb. I didn't feel at all. She did start feeling better as the evening went on and when she woke up the next morning (Fri.) she was great. She went to school and her dad went with her for Doughnuts For Dads Day to celebrate the dads. She has been fine since.

She goes on Monday for her monthly check-up. I will be glad to hear her labs but I don't anticipate anything but great results.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett. I will update on Mon. after she sees the doctor.

Monday, May 7, 2007 7:03 AM CDT

Scarlett has been doing great. We stay pretty busy with school and playing with friends.

I don't have time to update a lot this morning. I know all you wanted to hear is that she continues to feel good and have great days, and I am thrilled to be able to tell you that.

Thank you so much for keeping her in your prayers.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007 11:47 PM CDT

Scarlett went to school today and had a great day. The chicken pox was going around so she missed quite a few days.

Every day she seems to be getting stronger and stronger. We are so thrilled to see her energy coming back and that precious smile that stays on her face non-stop. She is watching TV less and less, which is a really good sign.

Today was a wonderful day. Thank you for your continued prayers and thoughts.

Saturday, April 21, 2007 7:30 AM CDT

Today is Scarlett's birthday. She is 8. I can't believe it is already here. I remember when she was 5 and diagnosed, turning 8 and being off therapy seemed so far away.

She is having a great morning. She got up, got dressed and almost cried because her hair didn't fix right. She gets in her mind exactly how she wants to fix her hair. She has come up with some interesting hair-do's lately. I love watching her. I can't believe that I don't get to do that anymore. She is really growing up.

Her dad and I have said for so long that we will never be sad when she grows up. I don't wish our days away, but every year she is a year older means that we are still winning the battle.

Thank you for checking on our angel. We will put pictures soon. We are going to the farm this afternoon - Scarlett's favorite place to be.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007 4:34 PM CDT

We went to clinic yesterday for her first visit off therapy. I thought we were just going for labs but she is supposed to see the doctor every time. I was glad. It was a long hard month not going for labs. I never thought I would be so happy to go for a check up at clinic 8.

She had a great exam and things are going just fine. She even has some reflexes back in one leg. I thought once the Vincristine killed them that she wouldn't ever get it back. Not that it really makes a difference, but even watching her little leg jump when being tapped under her knee is a big deal for us. Every little thing is so emotional.

Thank you so much for checking on Scarlett. She is doing great. Please keep the prayers coming.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:15 PM CDT

Scarlett is doing fine.

I don't know where the time goes and why it takes me so long to update. Sometimes I sit down to write something and then just turn it off. I guess it was easy to tell in detail all about her chemo and what was going on when we had appointments, etc. And what a good thing to have nothing to tell about her other than, she is fine.

She still misses a good bit of school for various reasons. Her energy and stamina are still recovering. She -like always -looks fine, but Mom and Dad know what's what. She has been extremely emotional lately. I have different thoughts about what that might be. I don't know if coming off of all the medicine plays a part or not, but I know that her life as she has known it for the last two-and-a-half years has changed. As much as we hated going to the hospital for the reason we had to go, it was also a sense of security in more than one way. Unless you have walked in our shoes, there is no way to understand what I am talking about really.

We are breathing a little deeper each day, I guess. I just wonder how many days, weeks, years, it is going to be before it is a full deep one. Hey, maybe that explains my memory loss - the lack of oxygen!!!

As for now, I guess this would be about the best entry you have read since 2004 ... she hasn't relapsed, she feels good and we made it through the two-and-a-half years of medicine. Thank you so much for continuing to check on her and keeping us all in your prayers.

Sunday, April 1, 2007 8:35 PM CDT

Scarlett has been feeling good. She almost made it a whole week of school on time, everyday, all week. She missed on Thursday, but enjoyed the rest of the week.

We had a good weekend. Just played with cousins and enjoyed the good weather.

She had a soccer game on Friday night. She would run and run and then get real short of breath and have to sit out a little while. But she would go right back in as soon as she wasn't winded anymore. She loves being out there with her friends and cheering on her team. It is a lot of fun to watch her be so active and "normal" again.

I finally put some pictures of Ross Bridge on the web site.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett and praying for her continued good health.

Friday, March 23, 2007 10:40 PM CDT

I know my update and pictures are long overdue. I will give a brief one and hopefully tomorrow have time to go into detail.

Ross Bridge was wonderful. We had so much fun. I can't say enough nice things about the staff and management of that hotel. They rolled out the red carpet for Miss Scarlett. She met a sweet friend from Georgia there and can't wait to see her the next time they are in town.

She has been feeling good. We still have to play hard one day and rest the next. This week she has gone to a friend's house, met another friend at the park, met friends at the zoo, hung out with mom and brother and did a good bit of resting in between. I think the best thing about not having to take her medicine is that she can eat whatever she wants up until bedtime and not worry about it interferring with her medicine.

We are going to the farm on Sunday and have some fun with Dad.

I have some great pictures of Ross Bridge to post. Hopefully Master J.D. will cooperate so I can do it soon.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers. We love you all.

Thursday, March 15, 2007 10:53 PM CDT

We have had a busy week. The stomach virus hit our house this week. Monday Savanna was sick and Tuesday morning J.D. woke up with it and messed up Scarlett's plans for a celebration that we had reserved for Tuesday.

But we are going to make up for it tomorrow. We are going to Ross Bridge Resort (Scarlett and Mama) for a night. We have an appointment at the spa for a manicure and pedicure. She wanted a facial and massage, but she isn't old enough. She plans to "jump on the bed, swim, order room service, get Ross Bridge matching pj's and snuggle and watch movies all night long." I asked her if she wanted a big party to dance with her friends, and she said, "duh, I'd rather be with you all alone. I don't get that since J.D. came along." I asked her if she would send him back if she could and she said, "no way"! She loves him so much. Tonight she went in his room and got tears in her eyes and blew him kisses while he was alseep in his bed and said she was going to miss him tomorrow.

I don't know what yet but we are still going to do something special with all her sweet friends who have been so wonderful the past two-and-a-half years. It has been hard on them too.

Scarlett woke up last night at 2:00 a.m. and threw up and was shaking. She looked like she always does once a week, but I felt sure she had to have had the stomach virus. But she went back to sleep and woke up this morning at 7:00 and started eating. She was weak and her "legs felt funny" as they usually do on Thursdays. It will take some time before the medicine is out of her system. She will continue to have low counts and feel yucky at times, but we will start seeing more and more of our Scarlett as the days go on.

She is so thrilled to not have to swallow pills every night. I still go for the box it is such a habit. But what a good feeling to be able to turn around and not hold out that toxic mess for her to put in her precious little body!

I promise to put pictures soon.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett.

Monday, March 12, 2007 1:33 PM CDT

CLEAR - CLEAR - CLEAR!!!!!!! Scarlett's bone marrow and CNS tests were normal. She is still in remission. No more chemo!

We came home and Scarlett got her chemo and threw them in the potty as we sang, "no more chemo in my body, we're gonna flush you down the potty"! And you can imagine the dancing going on.

Unless you have been there, there isn't any way to explain the happiness yet fear that we are feeling. It's going to be hard to be "normal" again. Sweet Anne Long just came by and Andrew had a gift for Scarlett finishing treatment. We were talking about how scarey it is when they aren't taking any medicine. She said that she told herself the first time Andrew was sick that she wasn't going to ever regret that she didn't worry enough. Great food for thought. If Scarlett relapses, it won't be because I didn't worry every second of every day - I have got to just live. It certainly isn't going to change anything. Now, doing what I know I should do is a different story. But I will adjust just as we did two-and -a-half years ago.

I know we couldn't have "adjusted" as well as we did without your constant love, support and prayers. You will never know how much you all mean to us and how humbled we have been and continue to be by all you have done.

As much as we would like to know for sure that it is over for her, there is no way to know that. But as for now, we are going to be greatful for how far we have come and what we have behind us. Thank you for continuing to pray for Scarlett's health and specifically for no relapse.

Scarlett has to continue to take Bactrim (antibiotic) on the weekends for about six months until her counts recover. It will take six months to a year for her to have normal counts again. We will go monthly (WOW) for lab work. In six months we will have her port removed and at some point start going every three months for labs.

I will update soon and put some of the "Royal Flush" pictures. Thank you again!

Thursday, March 8, 2007 10:50 AM CST

Scarlett absolutely loved her soccer practice. It was such a great feeling to be watching her running and laughing with her friends.

She has been feeling really good this week but after taking Methotrexate on Monday she is feeling pretty yucky today - the usual Thursday. When she got up this morning she was pretty pale and nauseated. She drank a sprite and tried to eat toast. I gave her Zofran and thought she was doing fine. I was going to check her in school at 10:00. When we got there and I turned around to look at her, she was sound asleep. I said her name and asked her if she was feeling bad and she said she was. So I cranked the car back up and came home. She is in her pajamas right now resting.

Thank goodness, Monday was her last time to take Methotrexate and Sunday night will be the last time she takes 6mp. I can't believe that we are really at the end. David and I are thrilled to have made it to this point but are anxious as well.

We will be going to the hospital on Monday and she will have a spinal tap and bone marrow aspiration to make sure there isn't any disease. If it is all clear, we will go back once a month for lab work to make sure she is fine. If things go well for about six months, then we should be able to have her port removed.

Please keep us all in your prayers for good results Monday.

Sunday, March 4, 2007 9:12 PM CST

Scarlett had a great day yesterday. She woke up, got dressed and couldn't wait until 9:00 for her dad to take her shopping for her soccer things. She had her list.

After they did that, he took her to her cousin's house to play for the day. She had a full, fun day. I think she must have played a little too much, she was exhausted today and hasn't gotten out of her pj's or her room. She complained of her head hurting a lot again today, but her color is great. I'm not concerned at all about her crit. I don't know why she is having so many headaches. It's probably just her bodies way of saying enough chemo! Thank goodness we are almost there.

I will keep you updated through the week. She has her first soccer practice tomorrow evening.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 5:51 PM CST

Scarlett is feeling so much better. She says her head hurt a lot this morning and then medium and then small and now it's medium again. But she says she is used to it and she feels better.

I asked her if she wanted to go to school tomorrow and she said she did. She misses her friends. That is usually the best way to really know how she is feeling. When she feels good, she always wants to go to school and loves being there.

Today when Bayleigh finished her treatment at clinic she called us and asked if Scarlett felt like meeting her at Libby Lu for a Hannah Montana makeover. We had been outside for a little while and when I told her, she was in the house dressed and in the car faster than I have seen her move in quite sometime. They had a good time. I took lots of pictures. It's a shame I can only post three at a time. I'll put some up as soon as I can. She got her bag of goodies and a face mask. She couldn't wait to have a facial. I'm not so sure she is "really" enjoying the feel of it getting tight on her face, but she would never admit it. She is such a DIVA!!!!!!

Thank you for your prayers!

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 5:51 PM CST

Tuesday, February 27, 2007 12:58 AM CST

We are at Children's and Scarlett is getting her transfusion. She is laying down watching Flushed Away that her friend Bayleigh gave her(Thank you so much Bayleigh, you saved us today). She has ordered lunch - two hot dogs -YUCK- and fruit. She always asks whose blood she is getting. I told her that I hoped they were sweet because I didn't want her getting any mean blood. She thought about it and looked at me and said, "well, they must be nice or they wouldn't haven't given it al all". The nurses cracked up. She is so funny. What do you say to that?

They are so busy it makes me sick. Every chair in the back where they get treatment is full. I just can't believe this many children have cancer and are this sick. I think they could double this place and there wouldn't be enough room.

The doctor said that she looks good to him and that her counts aren't at a dangerous level. If she weren't feeling so bad with her head hurting, they would have probably waited to see what would happen. She has been feeling bad for so long all day long everyday that hopefully this will perk her right up and no more headaches. He said that if she continues to have headaches that they will want to do a spinal tap to make sure that she hasn't relapsed in her Central Nervous System. We will be having a spinal tap and bone marrow aspiration on March the 12th - which is her last day of therapy - to make sure all is clear anyway. I feel certain that this will make her feel as good as new and we won't have to think about that until then.

Please continue to keep her in your prayers and that her low counts are just medicine induced and nothing else.

Monday, February 26, 2007 11:11 PM CST

We went to Gadsden for the weekend. Scarlett got to go and visit Bayleigh Phillips,(www.caringbridge.org/visit/bayleighphillips.com), Saturday night. They were so cute. They made lipstick, sat in the chair together and watched TV and ate pizza (as much as they could). Scarlett is so excited to have a new friend, especially one that understands all she has been through. They both were trying so hard to feel good and enjoy each other.

Scarlett has continued to feel very tired. I was so hoping that her counts were going to go up since they had a point and half last Wednesday. She would go back and forth over the weekend - one minute she would be so pale she looked gray (a HUGE ghost from the past), and the next minute she would perk up and try to play. She is so tough. She is so used to having a headache that when I ask her what she feel like she will say, "my head hurts, but I'm okay."

We went to clinic today and she has dropped back down to 23 crit. Scarlett has proven in the past to not recover well on her own with her red blood. She has always needed a boost. So we are going for a transfusion in the morning. It will be so good to see her feeling good again. It is going on a month that she has been doing this.

Thank you for continuing to pray for Scarlett. We appreciate you more than you will ever know.

Thursday, February 22, 2007 1:54 PM CST

I checked Scarlett in school today at about 9:00. She is still pretty pale and doesn't feel good. Her friends were so happy to see her. It is so sweet to see such sweet children. They were hugging her and she wanted to hug them back but she is tender and would kind of smile and frown at the same time saying ouch. I will be so happy to see her feeling good again.

I picked her up at lunch time. Her teacher said she had been steadily busy, but complained of her arms aching. She is just really weak and tired. I'm going to take her tomorrow and do the same thing, check her out at lunch again to get her back in the swing of things.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007 3:47 PM CST

We went to clinic today for labs. This morning she was still having bad headaches and she said her legs felt funny. The lab tech could tell immediately that she wasn't feeling good. She had a hard time today with her labs. She usually is a little nervous but doesn't cry and verbally say she is scared. Today she cried pretty bad - very unlike Scarlett.

Thank goodness her counts were up a point and a half so there wasn't a need for a transfusion. It is still low, but hopefully each day it will get higher and she will get back to feeling as good as she has the past couple of weeks. We'll go back Monday for more labs.

Thank you so much for continuing to pray for Scarlett and all the other brave little ones with cancer.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007 2:03 PM CST

We went to clinic yesterday and as I suspected she has a low crit - 24. Her ANC - 900, platelets - 106. Her head hurts really bad when her counts are low and she tires really easy. I knew they had to be low for her to be in bed for days at a time. Like I said, not unusual for her to be watching a lot of TV, but laying in her bed upstairs watching TV is a sure sign she feels really yucky.

We are going to take her back to clinic this week if her headaches don't stop and she doesn't seem any better. If she seems to be improving we are going back to check counts again on Monday.

She was able to take her Methotrexate last night. So it'll be hard to tell what is making her feel bad, the metho. or her counts.

I'll update soon. Thank you for checking on her and for keeping her in your prayers.

Sunday, February 18, 2007 9:21 PM CST

Scarlett woke up this morning looking much better than she has the past few days - she had pink in her feet and lips. She played with her grandmother a lot then after lunch she got really tired again. I think she must have had some little bug that is working it's way out.

We are going to clinic in the morning for labs. I'll update tomorrow.

Thursday, February 15, 2007 11:18 PM CST

Scarlett didn't feel any better today. She wasn't shaking anymore, just pale and really tired. All it is is a guessing game to try to figure out what might be wrong. The only way to know if it's counts or viral related is to have labs checked. She goes Monday for that, so we'll see.

She stayed in bed all day today except to go to Sonic and get some tator tots. She has never liked tator tots. But if she has a craving and wants to eat something, if at all possible, I make it happen. Sure enough, she ate every one. When we got home, she put her p.j.'s back on and went back to bed to watch TV. It's not unusual that she watches TV all day, but it's usually in the den or in my room. She has to feel really tired and yucky to stay upstairs in her room like she did. It brings back terrible feelings seeing her tired and pale and in her bed. I can't let my mind go there, but it's hard not to.

I'm sure she will wake up back to her spunky self and feeling good. I'm looking forward to listening to her talk and watching her dance around the den nonstop tomorrow!

Thank you for checking on her and for keeping her in your prayers.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007 10:18 PM CST

Scarlett had a lot of fun at the Mercedes Marathon on Saturday and Sunday. At the Kid's Run she started off all the runners with Mickey Ferguson from Fox 6. Then on Sunday we went to the after party when all the runners finished and she got on stage with Dr. Reddy and Valerie and told everyone thank you. I love to watch her get up there with the microphone and just start talking. She will probably be a news anchor one day it is so natural for her. She handed out the keys to the people whose names were drawn to win the Mercedes. She just stands up there so clueless that there is probably 1,000 people watching her. As she would get bored, she would dance around a little to the music. She just cracks me up. I love her spirit.

She woke up this morning so excited about it being Valentine's Day. When she stood up, she started shaking so bad and almost passed out. She was very thirsty and I gave her Gatorade to drink. After a few minutes she got up and went downstairs and tried to get ready for school. She just couldn't do it. She laid around all day. Her only complaint was a headache and she felt wobbly(sp). I think it was just from her medicine and it affected her on Wednesday instead of Thursday this time. As I have noted a lot, there isn't anything predictable with cancer or the medicine.

She seemed better tonight. I'm sure she'll be at school tomorrow.

Thank you for checking on our little angel!

Friday, February 9, 2007 9:58 AM CST

Scarlett has had a really good week. She is still asleep at 10:00 this morning so I think that speaks for itself.

She is looking forward to the Mercedes Marathon this weekend. She and I were talking last night about how exciting it is that this year she is actually going to run the mile and that she feels like doing it unlike the past two years. She is VERY excited to once again be able to hold the microphone and start off races, announce people, and just do her thing of whatever comes to her mind. She is my hero!!!

On Wednesday I checked her out of school at lunchtime to go to the hospital to visit Bayleigh (www.caringbridge.org/visit/bayleighphillips.com) and take her a surprise. We went to Lucy's to get her something and she told everyone in there that "Bayleigh is new". She has really come to love Bayleigh so much and talks about her constantly and wants to visit with her all the time. She told me, "I bet it helped Bayleigh to have me tell her that I know what she is going through. I didn't have a friend like me when I was new." I love her big heart and big understanding of all of this. At the same time it makes me cry that her innocense was taken away from her. No child should ever have to understand so much.

Thank you to all the people who are participating in the marathon and "Scarlett's Team" and all of the other ways that time and money are given to help find a cure.

Tuesday, February 6, 2007 7:52 PM CST

Scarlett is doing great. She went to school yesterday and today. She had to check in at about 10:00 today - she feels kind of yucky on Tuesday mornings after having to take Methotrexate on Mondays. She usually is fine on Wednesday and then it seems to catch back up with her on Thursday. She misses school most weeks on Thursday - sometimes we are pleasantly surprised.

We registered her to play soccer today. She can't wait and neither can I. There was a time about a year ago that she could hardly play hide-and-seek with her friends much less try to run and play a game of soccer. Wow, we have come a long way in a year.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett and for keeping her in your prayers.

Friday, February 2, 2007 8:54 PM CST

Scarlett is doing good. She missed all this week of school except a day and a half. She has just had a headache everyday and has been really tired. I'm sure the weather didn't help much. But she is going to get good and rested this weekend and be there everyday next week.

Thank you so much for checking on Scarlett. I'm going to try to add another slide show of Scarlett's "famous" events. Some of you may remember that she told me one time that I am famous because I am her mother!

Tuesday, January 30, 2007 9:17 PM CST

We went to clinic yesterday and Scarlett's counts were fine.

She called me yesterday morning from school and said her head was hurting really bad and could I bring her a Tylenol. I checked her out and went to the hospital for labs instead of going after school. She has headaches a lot. I guess it's just sinus/allergy related.

Once a week she feels sick and is really tired and she usually misses a day of school. I think she goes and goes and then her little body needs a break. She was really tired this afternoon and didn't feel like playing outside much when we got home. We went outside and were swinging and the next thing I knew she was curled up watching TV - usually the first sign that she isn't feeling herself.
So we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Thank you for keeping Scarlett in your prayers. She is doing really good and is reaching the end of her two-and-a-half-year protocol. So many people think it's over after that - oh, it so is not. We will need your prayers for a long time that she stays in remission when she isn't receiving the medicine anymore.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007 7:43 PM CST

Scarlett is much, much better. She hasn't had a fever for 24 hours so she will start taking her chemo again tonight and go to school tomorrow.

Thank you for your many prayers.

Monday, January 22, 2007 10:50 PM CST

Scarlett had an okay day. This morning she said that she felt worse than she did last night. As the day progressed she looked better, but still just laid around and watched TV and read a book.

Later on in the day I took her temp just to see what it was and it was 102. I couldn't believe that it was that high and she looked so good. Kids are just so amazing. When I have a fever I can't stand it and just want to be in bed.

She kept trying to eat but nothing really tasted good.

She played on the computer with her grandmama until 10:30 and they are still up giggling like they are having a sleepover. I guess I'm going to have to go in there and be the bad guy and send Grandmama to bed and make Scarlett close her beautiful,tired eyes.

Scarlett's doctor said to give them a call tomorrow if she is still running a temp. Hopefully, we'll wake up and she'll be fine. I'll update tomorrow on how things are going.

Thank you so much for checking on Scarlett and for keeping her in your prayers.

Monday, January 22, 2007 1:11 AM CST

We just got home from the Emergency Room. It takes me a little while to calm down enough to go to sleep after having to go there so I thought I would update real quick.

Scarlett has had a stuffy nose for about a week and would complain in the morning some about not feeling good, but throughout the day she would be fine. This morning she woke up and threw up twice so I assumed she had a stomach bug. She was immediately hungry and the cautious mom would only let her have sprite and crackers. That lasted only an hour and she started having other things. She said she was starving! So we then thought it was more like a sinus headache that made her throw up. She got in the bath with J.D. and said her eyes were hurting. I felt her then at about 5:30 and she didn't have a fever. At about 7:00 I kissed her and knew that had changed. It was just a little under 101 at that point. The magic number to have to take them to the ER is 101 or above. So we waited another hour and it had gone up to 101.5.

We got to the ER about 9:30. They called 4 Tower for us so her nurses could come and access her port and we got to see two of her favorite nurses, Cie and Melanie. Of course, they accessed her with no pain and little fear. The ER brings back horrible memories for Scarlett with accessing her port. They gave her an IV antibiotic, did a chest x-ray and blood cultures and a CBC. Everything looked good.

We are to watch her and take her to clinic if we have any concerns or if she isn't any better. She has to stop her chemo as long as there is fever or at least 24 hours.

She is resting really good right now.

I'll update tomorrow on how she is feeling.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007 5:33 PM CST

Scarlett is doing good and going to school everyday. She generally has one day a week that her medicine makes her tired and nauseated and she misses school. That's not the case every week, but most.

She is still taking piano lessons and loving them. She is getting really good.

JD just woke up so I don't have time to update anymore. Things are going good for us. Thank you for all your prayers and for remembering all the other children and families who are dealing with this monster.

Tuesday, January 9, 2007 11:05 PM CST

Scarlett had a wonderful day today. She was a little tired this morning because she was up most of the night. Who knows why, just my Scarlett. I say that she will make an excellent med student and doctor one day because she literally needs no sleep! As for her mama, I am getting old fast. I think my body was made for sleeping and it hasn't had it in almost eight years. I am NOT complaining though. I can't imagine what I'll be doing when she doesn't want me all night anymore.

Another sweet child went to heaven this weekend that lost her battle with leukemia. I can't imagine what the families of these children go through. I am so sick for them. I can't wait to be able to ask one day why these precious babies had to go through so much. I know you will keep them in your prayers as well. The child's name is Kinsley.

The love I have for my children is overwhelming. I fall asleep while I'm praying sometimes because I beg him for so long to please wrap his arms around them and keep them safe. I know the parents of Kinsley and all the other parents of angels did the same thing so when I hear about one more child losing the battle, my fear is sometimes too much to handle. Moments like this and nights like this I just have to thank God for every breath that I watch Scarlett breathe while she sleeps and thank him for every second I have with her. I have to constantly tell myself to live for the moment and eventually the fear eases up. It NEVER leaves us, but it eases up.

I am thrilled right now that I can say that today is a good day for Scarlett and for her family. Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Monday, January 8, 2007 3:14 PM CST

We went for labs today and to see the doctor. Everything looks good. Scarlett is getting so big that they upped her medicine, though. Wow, she has grown so much since we started this journey.

Her last day is March the 12th. She will have a bone marrow and spinal tap that day to make sure she is still in remission and then we are going to flush all her medicine down the toilet!!!!!!!!!! We will have a Royal Flush party. Scarlett just told me to write YIPPEEEEEEEE!!!

There is a precious little girl who was diagnosed with a brain tumor that is a grandaughter of a friend of my mom's. She will be starting chemo soon so I thought you might want to visit her website and keep her along with all the other little precious ones in your prayers. www.caringbridge.org/visit/bayleighphillips.

Sunday, December 31, 2006 4:34 PM CST

Scarlett is still feeling really good. We had a wonderful Christmas. I can't remember when it was so great. There are so many things about the last two years that are a blur to us (and thankfully Scarlett too).

Scarlett wrote a letter to Santa in school. I have it packed so I don't remember exactly the words but they were something like.... Dear Santa, I love Christmas. The toys are nice but what is really important is Jesus Birthday. I don't care if I get any toys. I love you Santa, Scarlett. I know she has touched so many lives in so many ways and continues to do so with her sweet spirit and unselfish ways. She is such a special little girl. She never ceases to amaze us.

We go for labs on January the 8th and she'll see the doctor, just routine visit. I have no concerns about her labs. They have been exactly where they need to be and she has been able to take all of her meds.

We only have until March the 8th and this two-and-a-half year protocol for her is over. It is very scarey. We will have to learn how to adjust and live once again with the fear, just in a different way. Most people think it should be the happiest time and it is, but only the parents of children with cancer understand the fear that comes with the happiness.

Our family is so blessed to have so many friends and prayer partners. We find so much comfort and are very humbled by the support we have had and continue to have.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

p.s. I forgot to add that she had a complete meltdown when it was time for the elves to go with Santa. So she wrote him a letter and asked him if they could stay. Thank goodness he said yes. But they are only allowed to play tricks next December!

Monday, December 18, 2006 11:12 PM CST

Scarlett is still doing great. We went to clinic today so she could have her port flushed so they drew her labs from her port instead of her arm. She also had to have her second flu shot. She was so brave - as always. She never ceases to amaze us.

Her lab results were in the range they want them to be in so she took her medicine tonight and doesn't have to go back for labs until January the 8th! We don't know how to act having her feeling so good this holiday season. She told me the other day that she was so excited to feel good this Christmas because she feels "jumpy" instead of bad like she felt the last Christmas. She was simply trying to say she has energy. It made me cry then quickly smile and breathe a deep breath.

I say daily that today is a good day. I don't look any further than that and try my best not to look back. Every day is a good day as long as she is here, but thankfully, we have been having really good days.

Those silly elves have been entertaining us like crazy.
Some of the latest things they have done is write on mirrors, brought her a tooth box to paint (they know her top tooth is getting really loose), tied her stockings together and climbed over the banister and hung from them, put her sister's bras on the Christmas tree, made snow angels in the village snow on the dining room table .... I can't remember what else. I have no idea what there is left for them to do or wreck. I know she will miss them, but I think it's time for Santa to take them home and put them back to work. I told her kids always get in trouble when they don't have enough to do.

I will do better at updating. Always know if I don't, that's a good sign that she is feeling great and keeping me really busy.

Tuesday, December 5, 2006 8:57 AM CST

Scarlett is still feeling great and having lots of fun each day with her elves.

The latest things they have done are rolled her room and were hanging from the ceiling fan. They used a lot of tissue. One morning she found them in the laundry room with Benny covering his eyes and Lenny had his arms straight up in the air like he was very upset about something.... they had gotten a t-shirt out of Scarlett's drawer and tried to iron it. They burnt it and there is now an iron print on her sleve. She was really surprised that they used an "electrical appliance". But... they didn't learn their lesson, because last night they got some Christmas cookies out of the refridgerator and tried to make themselves some cookies and burnt them so black. Once again, Benny was covering his eyes. I think he dreads the talk that Scarlett's dad gives them each morning. They really love sweets, because one morning they were nowhere to be found. Scarlett was really getting upset thinking they had run away. But when she opened the cabint, there they were sitting in a box with chocolate chip cookies open and in their lap. They are really silly elves. They are making Mom and Dad tired, but Scarlett is having the best December ever. Who knows what is to come with those silly boys. Scarlett wrote them a note asking them how old they were and Benny wrote back that he is 12 and Lenny is 7. They don't write very well. Today there was a note on the counter that said they were sorry they burnt the cookies. Benny went to school with her today. She hopes he can learn how to write better. I hope they don't wreck the classroom. Yesterday two of her friends brought the elves and they turned all the chairs upside down. What a sweet teacher to put up with that.

Sunday afternoon we were invited to the Camp SAM Christmas party. Santa was there and each child got a gift. Scarlett got a Lite Brite Spin Art. It is really cool. She came right home and used all the paper and paint. Camp SAM is such a wonderful thing. I can't describe to you the feeling you get when you see these children that are struggling to even get the energy to get up and they walk in looking so beautiful with the biggest smile on their face. It doesn't matter if they don't have hair or if it has grown back or if they don't have limbs, etc., no one stairs or wonders why they look "different". They all love each other for who they are and they all know, really know, what each other is going through.

Thank you for keeping Scarlett in your prayers. They are definitely working and she is having great days.

Friday, December 1, 2006 12:38 AM CST

Scarlett heard from some friends at school that if you leave crackers and water by the fireplace that Santa will send an elf to you to live until he comes on Christmas Eve to take them back to the North Pole to start making more toys for next Christmas. Apparantly, this has been going on for a long time and I have been totally out of the loop. They are very tricky and make messes and do all kind of crazy things while you are sleeping or out of the house. Scarlett is most concerned that the elves will take her panties out of her drawer and put them on the Christmas tree.

Well, last night she left a plate of crackers,water, spaghetti with syrup (she got from the movie Elf)and marshmellows on it and a pop tart. I e-mailed Santa a letter asking him for an elf. He e-mailed her back right before she went to bed and told her that he would send one to her and J.D. Their names are Benny and Lenny. This morning those silly elves wrecked our den. They had turned our portrait of the girls upside down, pulled all the cushions off the furniture and had them strolled about, turned the lamp shades upside down, put items from the tables on the floor, left cracker crumbs everywhere, had slept in her boots and was trying on elf clothes from Build-A-Bear that didn't fit at all. She is totally in awe of these little friends. We are going to have a very busy month of December cleaning up everyday from them I do believe.

She is still feeling great. She has a bad day on Tuesdays and Thursdays of each week - I say bad, she just doesn't feel well - from the medicine she takes on Monday night. But other than that she has been great. We don't have to go to the hospital for labs for two more weeks (three weeks from this past Monday). We haven't ever had that luxery so we are really excited about that.

I updated pictures from her fun morning with the elves. I'm sure I'll have many to share.

I hope you are all having a wonderful day. Thank you for checking on Scarlett.

Thursday, November 30, 2006 7:51 AM CST

I had time to update a couple of pictures but JD isn't cooperating for me to update the journal.

But.... I am happy to say there really isn't anything to tell you other than she is feeling great and having really wonderful days.

She can't wait until Christmas.

I'll update soon.

Thank you so much for checking in on her.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006 11:24 PM CST

Miss Scarlett continues to do very well. She had a play date today with one of her classmates and she had so much fun. Before I took her there she was outside with her sister playing and she told her that her "energy was back". Savanna was in tears. What a sad thing for a seven year old to be so thrilled about.

I hate so much that she has to know about any of this. A seven-year-old child shouldn't know about low counts, blood transfusions, ports, relapsing, x-rays, CT scans, platelets, hematocrit, ANC, CBC, sterile bandages, etc., the list goes on at the words she uses and understands that would be foreign language to most people. It makes me crazy sometimes (most of the time), but at the same time I know that there is no telling what she will do one day to make a difference in this world with the knowledge and maturity that she has been forced to have.

I stay so scared but know how lucky we are that she continues to stay in remission and is doing so good with her treatment. On this day of Thanksgiving, we know how much we have to be thankful for. She isn't the only one who had to grow up in a hurry and see what is REALLY important in this world. In a split second, your life can be forever changed. I cherish every second that I have with my family and friends and thank God continuously for it.

Thank you for keeping Scarlett in your prayers. Please remember to say a prayer for all the other precious cancer warriors and for the families who are celebrating Thanksgiving on earth while their children are celebrating it in heaven.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006 3:19 PM CST

Scarlett's labs on Monday were great. We went to the hospital today for her recheck on her stomach and everything looked fine. He said we are now past the time of worrying about any infection inside.

She is feeling really good and having great days. A couple of days a week we can see the effects of her medicine some, just nausea occassionally and fatigue. But her fatigue isn't nearly as much as it has been in the past. We are praying that she continues to feel this good with no more bumps in the road before we are through with therapy. It looks like we will be through with this long two-and-a-half year plan in March. I can't beleive it has been that long.

We are on our way to the dentist for teeth cleaning.

Thank you so much for checking on our Scarlett.

Wednesday, November 8, 2006 11:25 PM CST

Scarlett is doing very well and having really good days. She has been to school everyday this week.

Her music class had a program last night and she had a solo part. She asked me how many people would be there to watch her and I told her probably about 100. She said, "my dream come true". She loves an audience! (no comments from any of you who knew me when I was young!)

We are going to Gadsden to be with her Grandparents tomorrow after school since she is out on Friday. We haven't been in a while. Hopefully, the weather will stay nice so she can do all the things she enjoys so much there.

She got to skip labs this week. We'll go next week just for labs.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support. We appreciate you more than you will ever know.

Friday, November 3, 2006 7:45 PM CST

Scarlett was very relieved that her flu shot didn't hurt at all. I told her she could bite my finger and I stuck it up to her mouth when I saw her face so scared and she bit down so hard I thought she was going to go through my bone. It was so funny. Thank goodness it was just her fear that made her chomp down and not pain or I would probably be missing a digit today.

For some reason - that I didn't get clear - she is going to have to go back in a month and get another one. She said, "no problem, that didn't hurt at all."

I can handle something hurting her briefly. What I can't handle is her having fear and anxiety. She has had to have way too much of that in her little life. It is absolutely amazing how these children handle all they have to endure. I could write down every detail and it would make you feel sad for them, but there is no way I could describe it so you would even begin to understand unless you live it with them.

She has had a good week other than her being tired and nauseated on Thursday like she usually is after her Monday chemo. She went to school today and got to have her piano lesson. She really is enjoying that.

We got to see James Howell and his family on Wednesday. James' daddy kept teasing her about wanting her bear and the sassy hospital Scarlett came out. She had fun teasing with him. Sweet James had to have another round of chemo and spend the night in the hospital.

Please continue to keep all these precious children in your prayers. Thank you!

Tuesday, October 31, 2006 10:27 PM CST

Scarlett had the best Halloween ever, as she said. This was the first Halloween that she felt good in two years and the first that she wasn't scared of any costume that wasn't Disney. The last two years we would bring the golf cart home from the farm and let her paint it orange and with whatever decorations she wanted on it so she could enjoy trick-or-treating. This year she had enough energy to go up and down our street. By the time we were almost home she had had enough and was whipped, but she was running from door to door. It was a wonderful feeling! The last two Halloweens we couldn't imagine her having a "normal" one.

She had a Fairy Maiden Princess costume that she loved so much. She wore it the other day when we had a party for her classmates. Today she put it on and it drove her crazy the way it felt. She said it was itchy. So I got a two-inch satin ribbon and put it on any area that she thought was bothering her. That wasn't it, it was just the way it felt. So two minutes before we were going out, I dug in the dress-up box and she wore a ghost costume that she wore when she was five. After a few houses, that came off too and she was in white shorts and a white t-shirt. It didn't bother her one bit.

She is dreading tomorrow so bad. She has to get a flu shot. They don't usually give flu shots to kids with a low immune system. I didn't find out what changed about it, but this time they want her to have it. She is relating any shot to the Peg Asparaganaise (sp) shots that she got in the beginning of her treatment that were so very painful. It goes in the muscle and they hold them down and two nurses jab the needle into their little muscle in their leg. I keep assuring her that it isn't anything like that. Her daddy was trying to explain to her that getting blood drawn like she does every week is worse than the flu shot. Poor baby, I'll be so glad for her to get it so she can see that it isn't the same.

I think the fear and anxiety that she feels is worse than anything else for me to watch. I remember when taking her for her immunizations were awful and I would cry when she cried. What I would give for that to be one of the worst things for her to fear and have happen to her.

One thing is for sure, though, she has handled every step of this better than I ever could have. She is so strong and tough. She is definitely my hero and I have learned so much from her.

Please keep praying for a cure and for the people who are working so hard to make that happen.

Thursday, October 26, 2006 9:40 AM CDT

Scarlett had a couple of extremely emotional days and she was very tired. She woke up this morning at 5:00 back to her happy self again. It made for a much better morning for all. It is so hard on me and David to send her to school when she is so obviously tired and not feeling well. We know how much she needs to be there to just be normal, though, so we swallow the huge lump in our throats and kiss her bye. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful and understanding staff at her school. They are all very attentive to her needs and take such good care of her. Her teacher and I e-mail usually daily and she gives me updates on how her day is going.

Tonight is the Halloween carnival at her school. She is thrilled about that. Halloween is her favorite holiday. She doesn't even eat much candy. She just enjoys dressing up and handing out candy to the trick-or-treaters that come to our house.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett. She is having a good day.

Monday, October 23, 2006 10:23 AM CDT

Miss Priss is still doing good. She is at home today, but she is fine, just tired and has a headache. She played really hard yesterday at Andrew Long's "Knockin Cancer out of the Park" event. There was a big crowd and hopefully a lot of money raised to find a cure. When we left she was tired and dizzy and had a headache. Sometimes after a real busy day she needs a day of catch-up.

It is easy to look at her beautiful smile and energetic appearence with a head full of hair and forget what her little body still goes through daily. I would love to forget it, but every night when I put out my hand with her chemotherapy in it for her to swallow and then wash my hands to make sure that J.D. or anyone else doesn't get it in their system, it is that sickening feeling that I could just throw up that reminds me once again that no matter how good she looks or feels or how great she is doing, every second is such a gift from God. We cherish those seconds and are still learning to live not day by day but second to second.

Please continue to keep Scarlett and all the precious children in your prayers. As great as it felt to be at an event with so many wonderful people helping to find a cure for our babies, it was equally as painful to look at Andrew, James, Scarlett, Davis, Sebastian and Cassidy's family and realize why we are all there and why we have to be thankful for so many wonderful people and their generousity and prayers.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006 10:36 PM CDT

Sorry for the late entry for those of you who check on Scarlett every Monday. Her labs were good and her spinal tap went fine. She woke up eating sugar cookies and drinking sprite. We came home probably 30 minutes after she woke up. She complained just a little of back pain and this morning she had a headache, but not bad enough to keep her from going to school.

She is so very excited - one of her top teeth are finally loose. She ate an apple in hopes of it making it loose enough to pull. I imagine it will be out by tomorrow as much as she has been pushing on it. She is asking that the tooth fairy make her money into a ring. One of her friends at school has the coolest tooth fairy who did that for them. Wow - I hope someone tells Scarlett's fairy how to do that in case she/he doesn't know. I really don't think her fairy has done that in a long time and needs a refresher course!!!!!!

Thank you for checking on Scarlett.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006 10:42 PM CDT

Scarlett is doing really good. She went for labs on Monday and they were better than they have been in a few weeks. So she took her Methotrexate on Monday. Taking that medicine makes her feel kind of yucky but not all day everyday.

As far as her surgery, she said she doesn't even feel like she ever had any surgery.

We went to the farm for the weekend and she had such a good time. That is always a nice break/vacation for her.

Thank you for your continued prayers for Scarlett and her family. They definitely work.

Sunday, October 1, 2006 8:51 PM CDT

Scarlett is feeling so much better. She woke up yesterday morning still very sore but as the day progressed she got better. She is still sore and walks careful, but she is getting around and doing all the things she wants to do. She is going to school tomorrow.

I was thinking today about the details of the day that she started feeling bad and how strong she is. She only cried two times. She cried when she realized that she was going to miss her piano lesson and when the surgeon came in and told her he was going to take out her appendix. She imagined having a big cut on her stomach and the thoughts of them taking something out of her scared her. After her dad and I talked to her about it and explained it she was fine. She was laughing and smiling and making jokes with the nurses and doctors as they were wheeling her to surgery. She did ask the doctor her famous question that she asks anyone that is going to touch her at the hospital, "have you done this before?" She is sure to get their credentials. I love it!

She looks great, has great color and her counts are back where they need to be for her to start back on all of her medicines.

Thank you for your prayers and concern.

Friday, September 29, 2006 3:13 PM CDT

Well, Scarlett's field trip that she was so excited about yesterday turned a little more exciting than expected. I missed the bus at her school and had to drive there to meet them at the Children's Theater. I rushed inside to make sure the play hadn't started yet. There sat all the children from all the different schools on the floor on the steps and all adults on the back wall. I asked Scarlett if she wanted me and she said yes so I crawled my way amongst the kids to sit with her realizing after going through all the trouble that I was too big (imagine that) and was blocking the view for some of the children. So I scooted in front of Scarlett's feet all cruched up so she could have me and I wouldn't be in front of anyone. Thank goodness I did. She wasn't feeling well and a teacher had gotten her a drink. She would sip and moan and put her face against my face on my shoulder. I started asking her what she was feeling like and when she said her stomach hurt I assumed she was motion sick from the bus ride. I asked her did we need to get up and she said yes. So once again I had to stand up in front of all these precious children just wanting to watch the Gingerbread Boy. And when I held her hand to follow me, she sat back down and said she couldn't get up it hurt. I finally got her up and I carried her out. One minute she felt like she had a fever and the next she would turn icy cold. I knew something wasn't right, called Children's and told them we were on our way and rushed to the hospital. When we got there there wasn't any time to let the numbing cream work on her port so they had to access her and she freaked out. They wasted no time in getting things going to see what was going on with her.

After x-rays and a CT scan it was later confirmed that she had appendicitis and they operated on her about 6:00 p.m. She did great and woke up asking for popcicles. She had a couple of doses of morphine and Tylenol and we came home at about 3:00 today. Medicine has come a long way, less than 24 hours after an appendectomy and she is laying in her bed watching a movie with her sister.

She is very sore and very nervous about it, but she is so strong. She never ceases to amaze us. We would give anything to not feel "at home" when we walk in Children's, but it was nice to be there for something other than cancer for a change. She was just being that "normal" kid that I always wish for.

We hope her soreness goes away soon and she can go to school on Monday. Her only limitations are no P.E. for a week. We are going to clinic on Thursday to check labs (cancer stuff) and will have a re-check with the surgeons in two to three weeks and that is it as far as her appendix issue.

Thank you for checking on our sweet Scarlett.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006 11:07 PM CDT

Scarlett is feeling much better. She went to school for half a day today. She was very excited to be going this morning.

She has a field trip tomorrow to the Children's Theater. She is looking forward to that. She doesn't want to go on the playground which surprises me because she usually loves that part of her day. Sometimes you can't ever tell what she is thinking or why. After she has missed school for so long it's almost like she is going for the first day again. I think it's a big adjustment for her to fit back in with her peers, work, etc. I can't imagine what all she feels or thinks. I do know that she is stronger than me and handles all of this better than I ever could. She is so amazing to me and gives me strength everyday just looking at her. I am so very blessed to be her mother.

I know all the reasons I am blessed and most of you do if you have ever met her - even for a second, but I'll tell you a funny story of Scarlett's outlook on why I am lucky and blessed to be her mom. She told me one time that I was famous. I questioned her what would make her think I was famous? She said, "Well, you are my mom, you know." I hope she never loses her confidence. What a ray of sunshine she is!

We go back to clinic on Monday to check her labs and to see the doctor. I'm sure after being off medicine for a week that her body has recovered and will be ready for more of that toxic medicine that we are giving her to save her life.

We appreciate you checking on Scarlett so much. Thank you.

Monday, September 25, 2006 8:37 PM CDT

We went to clinic 8 today for labs and her Hct is 30 (it was 18 Thurs), her platelets are good, but her ANC is still very low, 450. She is feeling so much better but still tires easily. When her counts are low it makes her tired. Most children aren't affected when their white count is low it is usually the red blood that makes them tire, but Scarlett gets very tired and grumpy at times, which is not the norm for her. So last week when both her ANC and hct were low you can imagine how bad she felt. I'm sure she'll be bouncing back soon. We are going to keep her home from school one more day and then start back on Wednesday if she is feeling up to it. She is missing school, which is a good sign that she is feeling better.

They are still keeping her off of all meds this week. She is so excited that she got to miss swallowing 10 pills tonight and she gets to eat up until she goes to bed without having to take medicine on an empty stomach. That's always such a challenge at night when she needs to be in bed early but it hasn't been two hours since she has eaten to take her medicine. I will usually tell her she can't eat but she can have a popcicle and that makes her okay with it.

Thank you so much for checking on her. Your prayers are working, please keep them coming.

Friday, September 22, 2006 2:49 PM CDT

We are sitting in clinic and Scarlett is getting her blood transfusion. She is very anxious to get out of here. We got here at 8:30 this morning and should be leaving in about an hour.

She is already looking so much better and her heart rate went down after just 15 minutes of getting blood.

They are taking her off of all meds for a week to see if she'll pick back up. Her ANC went from 1565 on Monday to 460 yesterday and her hematocrit went from 21 on Monday to 18 yesterday, quite a drop. Sometimes her little body has just had enough and needs a break. We are going to keep positive thoughts that that is all it is or a virus working on her. We'll re-check labs on Monday to make sure that her Hct is holding its own and then she'll see the doctor on October the 2nd.

Please keep her in your prayers.

Thank you

Thursday, September 21, 2006 9:21 PM CDT

Scarlett has still been feeling very tired and is very pale. We went to the hospital today to check her labs and her Hct was 18, down from 21 on Monday. So we are going back in the morning at 8:30 for a blood transfusion.

Yesterday we were outside playing and when we looked at her it was like seeing a ghost from the past. Her coloring looked real grey like it did when she was diagnosed. It is real hard not to let your mind wonder and worry that she has relapsed. We have to keep ourselves from worrying about it daily, but when she has that all too familiar look, it takes your breath away. She has had so many toxic drugs for two years that her little body has just taken a beaten from it. It seems like every time she gets to a low point it takes that much longer for her to bounce back. As much as we hate to see that blood going into her little body, it is wonderful to see her cheeks and lips pink up instantly.

She has started taking piano lessons from her teacher at school one day a week. I am so thrilled that she loves it and is so excited about it. She just couldn't do dance after school right now. Me and David are really the only ones who know the way she struggles because she is always so cheerful and skipping around. I hear daily from so many people how good she looks. She definitely does, and I think it is comforting to them, but how she "looks" has nothing to do with how she really feels and how she acts when she is at home. She was so upset today that she was going to have to be at the hospital and miss her second lesson, but we made it in time and it is a wonderful diversion for her to be able to sit at the piano for a 30- minute lesson, much different than dancing for an hour.

I will update tomorrow how she is and how the transfusion went. She got a new movie to watch tomorrow. It takes four hours to get the blood. They give her Benadryl in her port before they begin so she usually takes a short nap that helps pass the time.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett and for keeping her in your prayers.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006 8:31 AM CDT

Scarlett's visit went fine. She saw Dr. Nicole and all the sweet nurses, which is her one good thing about the hospital. Before we go in every visit she will say how much she doesn't like the hospital and having cancer and then I have to say that I don't blame her I don't like it either but we are lucky to have it so she can get well. Then I have to say enough negative talk and we have to think of three positive things about the hospital. And the one thing she always says is that her doctors and nurses are all really sweet and are always happy to see her.

Her ANC is 1500 so she can take her Methotrexate this week. Her Hct is still low, 21 this week (23 last). She still feels really tired and has a headache. We certainly don't want her to have to have a transfusion and Dr. Nicole said she wouldn't transfuse at 21 but to let her know if she still feels bad this week. She has had to have a transfusion before when her Hct was in the 20's but it was because we couldn't get her head to stop hurting. We are praying that it will build back up and her head will stop hurting and we won't have to go back until Monday for labs.

She is home again today from school. If she continues to drag, I am going to try to take her in the morning and then check her out at lunch time. We'll just have to play it by ear. The way she feels fluctuates as much as her side effects from medicine. It's a minute to minute thing some days.

Please continue to keep Scarlett and all her friends and families in your prayers that are battling and have battled cancer.

Sunday, September 17, 2006 1:40 PM CDT

Scarlett hasn't been feeling well at all this week. She went to school on Monday before we took her to the hospital. Then Tuesday was the golf tournament and she has been feeling really bad since then. She missed all last week of school. We take her tomorrow afternoon to clinic for another treatment of Vincristine. Hopefully, she will start bouncing back this week. She stops her steroids after tomorrow and usually the Vincristine doesn't make her feel as bad when she isn't taking the Dexamethasone with it.

As you could see, I updated the pictures from the tournament. I didn't get to take too many with J.D. in my arms grabbing the camera and the ones I took weren't the greatest, but when Scarlett is in a picture it lights up the screen no matter what. She had a good time and was so excited to see her buddy Andrew there. He and Scarlett started off the tournament.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett and for keeping her in your prayers. She always looks so good and is always so happy and seemingly energetic that people tend to forget the battle she is still fighting everyday. We appreciate your prayers and support more than you will ever know.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006 9:27 PM CDT

Scarlett's appointment went fine Monday. She got her Vincristine in her port and started the Dexamethasone. Her hematocrit is low, as we suspected, but she is making new red blood cells so that is a good sign and hopefully they will start picking back up instead of going down anymore.

She is feeling really bad from the Vincristine. It makes her jaws ache real bad and she just feels terrible all over, really. She will be going back Monday for one more injection of Vincristine. We just pray that she doesn't get peripheral neuropathy(sp) like she did last time. You certainly can't judge one reaction one time to the next because they are different every time.

Hopefully she will wake up and have a better day. My heart breaks so bad when I see her in pain and weak and there isn't anything I can do for her. All she wants me to do is hold her. Thank goodness she loves her brother so much because it is impossible to hold her without a ten-month old wanting to be right in the middle of it. I think he can tell she feels bad, though, because he kissed her so many times on her cheek today. It was precious and she loved it.

The Charter Charity Classic Golf Tournament went well yesterday despite the rain. Thank you so much to everyone who participated. Every dollar raised is one dollar closer to finding a cure. How wonderful it would be for no child or parent to ever be faced with this again.

I will update pictures soon. Scarlett looked so great out there with her daddy on the putting green. It's too bad she said golfing was just too much work. One day soon she'll be able to just drive him around while he "works" out there.

Saturday, September 9

Scarlett has been having good days, but not feeling quite as good as I have been reporting. Her energy isn't quite as good and she has had a couple of days of nausea. I won't be surprised at all on Monday if her labs show that her hematocrit is low.

Her counts don't affect the treatment she will be getting on Monday. Even if they are low, she will still get the Dexamethasone and Vincristine.

Scarlett will be at the golf tournament all day on Tuesday. We hope she perks up and feels good so she can enjoy it.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett and for keeping her in your prayers.

Please don't forget about the golf tournament mentioned below and tell all of your family and friends. We need a cure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Charter Charity Classic golf tournament is September 12 at Greystone County Club. For tournament details, go to chartercharityclassic.com. We invite anyone to come and be part of this great event, even if you don't play golf. Wives are welcome! There will be a reception and silent auction after the tournament. Proceeds will benefit The Janie Sims Foundation. This is going to be big event. Charter COmmunications is sponsoring. JOX 690 will be live, and we are actively recruiting "celebrities" to participate (Jay Barker, Al DelGreco, Phil Gargis, Wimp Sanderson, Coach Bill Oliver, etc.) We are trying to get others. If any of you know a celebrity that might participate, call David at 879-9661. We need golfers and celebrities.

Thanks for your help.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006 7:31 AM CDT

Scarlett has been having great days at school.

We went Monday for labs and her counts are great.

Her sister Anna is leaving today for school in Colorado. Scarlett is always sad when her sisters leave.

It will be two years the 25th of this month that Scarlett was diagnosed with Leukemia. It seems like just yesterday in some ways, but we have come so far. Last year at this time she didn't feel good at all and started school on a much different note. We are so thankful that she has been feeling good and is able to experience school this week like a "normal" first grader.

We are scheduled for a tough treatment on September the 11th. So hopefully, she'll have a full month of energy and fun at school.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers, support and love.

Sunday, August 13, 2006 10:18 PM CDT

We went Thursday for a few minutes to meet Scarlett's teacher and see her classroom. She was so excited to be a first grader now. She told me that I didn't need to worry about her getting up and dressed on Friday because she was going to be the first one up.

She got up and was so excited she couldn't finish her breakfast. She came home and told us that she loved her teacher, her new friends and her class pet - a hamster. She was really tired and said that her legs were numb she was so tired. It didn't take her long to bounce back and be up and dancing.

We go for labs tomorrow. The routine labs are to check her counts to see if she can take her Methotrexate on Monday night. Unless her numbers are extremly low or she is sick she can usually take her 6MP (her daily chemo). Methotrexate (her once a week chemo) affects her counts more than the 6MP so she wouldn't need to take it if they are already low.

Thank you for checking on our angel and keeping her in your thoughts and prayers.

Tuesday, August 8, 2006 11:08 PM CDT

It's been awhile since I have updated. Sorry. Scarlett has been having really good days. She got to skip labs this week and she was thrilled.
Last week we moved her sister back to Tuscaloosa and Scarlett, JD and I went and stayed with her for a couple of days. Scarlett fit right in the "college life".
She loved being around Savanna's friends and talking like she is a teenager. She didn't want to come home and there were a lot of tears shed by her and her sister when we left. She pulled a tooth while we were there. She smiles really big with her lower lip kind of down so everyone is sure to see! Bless her heart, her friends have almost lost all of their baby teeth and this will be her third tooth on the bottom to lose.
We went to Tangles today and she got her hair cut. She is now officially ready for school - pulled a tooth and has a big-girl hair cut. Our mirrors have been used a lot today.
I got to see my sweet friend Suzie Tierce while I was in Tuscaloosa last week. I felt so guilty sitting with her talking about Scarlett and Cassidy knowing that I have Scarlett to go home and hug and her arms long to feel Cassidy again. She is an amazing woman. She still has her sweet smile and spirit on the outside no matter how bad she is hurting inside. We talked about the fact that I hadn't told Scarlett yet about Cassidy going to heaven and she just reminded me to tell her that it was a virus that made her so sick and not cancer.
I did have a talk with Scarlett and told her. Her little face was so sad. Her eyes filled with tears and her mouth flew open and she just stared at me and then finally said, "poor, poor Cassidy". I told her not to be sad for Cassidy because she is with Jesus now and feels great and is so happy. She said, "you know what, Mom, I think Cassidy is my guardian angel now. I bet she watches over me everyday." She then smiled real big. A little later she did ask me if she was going to get that virus too. I told her that so many women's hearts stop beating and would it make since for me to sit around and wonder if it would happen to me? She thought about it and said no and she was fine. She has mentioned Cassidy everyday since and will get the sweetest smile on her face like she can feel her right beside her. Scarlett and Cassidy never got to have a playdate outside of the hospital, but Scarlett felt so close to her and loved her so much. It was like an instant bond they had.
Thank you for checking on Scarlett. Please keep all the children in your prayers who are fighting this horrible disease, and all of the families that have lost their precious children to it.

Monday, July 31, 2006 6:06 PM CDT

We have been in Gadsden for the weekend, as always Scarlett had a great time.

We went to clinic for labs today and her counts are better than last week. Her platelets went from 98 last week to 268 this week. Her crit went up to 31 from 29 last week. Her ANC is 960, a little lower in numbers but basically the same thing as far as the doctors are concerned. All of her counts are where they are expected to be while taking chemotherapy.

Scarlett is nervous about starting first grade. She told my dad that she didn't get to finish all her work in kindergarten because she missed so much and she was nervous she was going to be behind. I'm so glad she verbalized that to him so I could clear it up for her. She is everything but behind. We played school last night and she made "100" on everything, so she feels better now.

My sister told me that the links to Andrew's and Cassidy's website aren't showing up. Here they are if you want to visit them. www.caringbridge.org/al/andrewlong www.caringbridge.org/al/cassidy.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006 5:22 AM CDT

Scarlett's counts are up from last week so she started back on chemo last night. It is scarey to me when she is missing any doses, but it felt so good not to be putting that poison in her mouth last week. Last night as she counted ten pills and swallowed them,it made me want to pass out. It's just such a slap in the face of what she has to endure and what is in her beautiful little body.

Our friend Andrew is having a real hard time with the aftermath of his transplant and waiting for engraftment. Please keep them in your prayers.

Cassidy's mom put an amazing slide show of pictures of Cassidy from before and during her treatment you might want to see - their links are at the bottom of this page.

Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, etc. We love and appreciate you more than you will ever know.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006 10:30 AM CDT

Scarlett's spinal tap went well. Her ANC is low (360) but her hematocrit and platelets are good. Last summer I wouldn't have gone out of the house with her in fear of her having to go back in the hospital. She just didn't feel good most of last summer. But she feels so good and there hasn't been any traumatic sudden stays at the hospital in a while so if she does get a fever and gets sick, we'll just deal with it then. Obviously, I'm not going to take her to Pump It Up or Chuck E. Cheese, but we are still going to swim and play with friends, etc., as long as she feels up to it.

Today we are meeting up with a friend she met at Camp SAM this year. She is from Mississippi and is in Birmingham having her appointments today and tomorrow. Scarlett is looking forward to seeing her.

Thank you so much for checking on our angel baby and keeping her in your prayers.

Sunday, July 16, 2006 2:54 PM CDT

We had a wonderful time at the beach last week. Scarlett enjoyed the ocean for one day and then she was through with that. She has never liked being sticky and sandy. The day we went to play at the beach, the ocean was so clear and beautiful. There wasn't any seaweed or jelly fish. We played for a long time. The next day that I talked her into going she was ready to leave two minutes after we got there.

We rented a house with a screened-in pool. The pool was very large with a hot tub (that wasn't hot) that stayed on and poured over into the pool. It was a salt water pool and I was thrilled with that. I am always freaked out about her being in pools with all the chemicals in it. I wish all pools would go to the salt water. It was right out the door from our bedroom and kitchen and den. It was so perfect. If J.D. was napping and Scarlett still wanted to swim, I could just leave the door open and we could swim. She had so much energy but when she needed her down time or the couple of days that her meds were making her sluggish, we just watched movies or sat in the swing outside by the pool and then later that evening she would swim for a little while when her friends Emma and Harrison came in from the beach (they were beach bums).

I can't express how much good it did my heart to just relax and play with her all week and see her having so much fun. It is very different than our experience at the beach last summer. Thank goodness I knew what medicines to plan the trip around this year.

We are going in the morning for her spinal tap. Mom and Dad are anxious as always, Scarlett can't wait!

Thank you for checking on Scarlett.

Thursday, July 6, 2006 6:28 AM CDT

Scarlett's counts were really good Monday. She still feels good and is really excited about going to the beach on Saturday.

We tried to go to the pool and swim on the 4th but the chance of rain made them close the pool. She was very disappointed. Savanna brought her home some sparklers and she had a lot of fun doing that with her daddy. That was the first time she had ever seen them and she said it was the greatest day she had ever had - she has a lot of those!
It doesn't take much to make her happy.

Her sister, Anna, is home from Tulane. She is enjoying getting to see her. Anna is in engineering and after Katrina they closed the engineering program at Tulane so she is going to finish school in Colorado mid August.

Summer is going by way too fast. I can't believe we only have a few more weeks and then school will start and Scarlett will be in the first grade. She isn't going to like the structure very much - neither is her mama!

Thank you for your continued prayers. Please keep our friends the Longs in your prayers - they are about to begin their stem cell transplant. They will need a lot of blood and platelets if you would like to donate. You can read about direct donating and Andrew's progress at www.caringbridge.org/al/andrewlong.

Monday, July 3, 2006 2:00 PM CDT

Scarlett is doing good this week and has had a lot of fun. We went to Gadsden to be with her grandparents. We went to the falls and played mini golf and visited the petting zoo area. Scarlett's guinea pig, Fluffy, lives at the falls now. We are going to go back and visit him and get to see his babies that they say will be here in 36 days.

Scarlett got Fluffy when she turned 5 in April before she was diagnosed in August. My germ phobia after she was diagnosed was too much to be holding Fluffy all the time like before. We felt sorry for him but Scarlett loved him and didn't want to give him away. But she decided that she wants hermit crabs when we go to the beach next week. I told her one pet at a time and if she wanted Fluffy to go live at the falls she could get two crabs. So that's what we did. It is so nice there and she was real excited for Fluffy that he was going to have so many friends to play with.

We went for labs this morning but I haven't heard the results. I can usually tell by looking at her and the way she acts if there is any concern that she won't be able to take her Methotrexate tonight. My opinion is that she is just fine and will have good counts. She had a couple of days that she was real tired and couldn't play much and this morning she had a headache, but that is just a usual week from side effects of the meds, not low counts or anything to worry about. She will usually take her big dose of Methotrexate on Monday and 6MP every night and then towards the end of the week she will get really tired, nauseated and have headaches and that will last usually a couple of days and then we start over on the next Monday. Like I have said before, there is no way to predict anything, but that seems to be the usual for the most part.

She is scheduled for a spinal tap on July 17th. That's when she will get Methotreaxate in her spine. We will just do labs weekly until that date.

We are going to Destin with friends for a week on Saturday. I have been saying many prayers that she will continue to feel as good as she does now so she won't be disappointed. It's always risky to plan anything especially when it includes other people and their plans.

Thank you for checking on our angel baby. I will try to do a better job updating news and pictures.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006 7:38 AM CDT

Scarlett's counts were great yesterday. Being on the half dose for a week brought them right up.

She feels really good and is so happy to be home. She is so glad to be here that I can't get her to go anywhere. Yesterday I tried to get her to go swimming, to the movies and out to eat lunch and she wouldn't do any of it. She just wants to be playing with her mama. Believe me, I'm not complaining! Today we were supposed to meet alot of our cousins at Macaroni Gril for lunch and once again, she said she just wants to be home with me. I am probably trying to push her to do things because I'm so afraid that she will start feeling bad again and not feel like it. But whatever makes her happy is what she should be doing. I'm sure she was so incredibly busy at camp that she does need to just have a low-key week.

I haven't gotten any pictures developed yet. Hopefully, I'll do it in the next few days.

Please say a prayer for our friend Andrew Long and his family. He has tests today to find out how his cancer responded to the treatment. www.caringbridge.org/al/andrewlong.

Saturday, June 17, 2006 4:15 PM CDT

MY BABY IS HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She had such a great time at camp. She told me that she cried tears everyday. Her counselor said that she had a few sad moments mainly when there was any down time. She told Dr. Nicole that she was homesick but she wasn't crying and she was very proud of herself.

When I got there today (30 minutes before I was supposed to arrive - couldn't help myself) she had been saving me a peanut butter cookie from lunch. Her hands were sweaty and it broke in half, some of the peanut chips were melted from her hot hands, and it was the very best cookie I have ever eaten. She couldn't stop telling me she loved me and she was so happy to see me. Now that we are home, I don't hold a candle to the television. She hasn't watched it for a week. I'm sure she'll tell me about camp in about a month. She told me a couple of things about her new friends, riding the bananna boat and flipping and her wish that she made in the "wishing boat". I'll have to share that with you.

Apparently, there was a boat with a monkey head that had candles on it and you got to make a wish and light candles. I heard various wishes that people made like wanting stuffed animal to come to life. I asked her what her wish was and she said that she wished that no other person in the whole world would ever have cancer and that they would find a cure. She said, my wish wasn't just for me, it was for everyone. She never ceases to amaze me. I am so very lucky to be her mother!

We will go to clinic Monday for counts. Her energy is endless and her lips are very bright pink so I have no doubt her counts will be up there. I'll update pictures as soon as I get them.

Thursday, June 15, 2006 8:41 AM CDT

I got a letter from Scarlett saying that she was having a real good time.

The time is going by quicker than I thought. I am so very anxious for it to be Saturday, though. I miss her so much. This house seems so empty without her here. Like I keep saying, I am just so thankful that she is here and feels like being at camp. I can handle the aching heart and missing her smile, smell, hugs, etc.

I have sent her packages that she'll get everyday while she is there. Today she should get her outfit from Libby Lu that she is going to wear in the talent show tonight. She is singing this year (and dancing, of course)! She is going to be so excited when she opens that package up. Tomorrow night is the greek dance. She already won best costume at family camp so I bet she will be taking it off pretty quick. It drives her crazy to wear anything that's not comfortable. I don't know what isn't comfortable about a sheet hanging on you, but to her it is.

One of the counselors is taking lots of pictures for me. I hope she is able to do a quick video with her digital camera so I can see her talent! I'll udate as soon as I can after getting her home Saturday. It might not be until Sunday because I'm sure my hands will be doing nothing but loving on my baby!

Thank you for checking on Scarlett and for keeping her in your prayers.

Monday, June 12, 2006 11:26 PM CDT

Scarlett is at Camp SAM. Last night she started saying she didn't want to go again. At night things are always worse. I told her not to even think about it. That we would pack this morning and then drive there and when she got there she could decide whether or not she wanted to stay or come back home. That seemed to make her okay and she went to sleep with no tears. I had a feeling that when she got there she would be so happy. I was right.

A friend of ours that lives in Vestavia (Davis Hartselle) and his mom rode with us and when we pulled in Scarlett and Davis were so excited. Scarlett said, "I am so happy I am here!" Davis had never been to camp and was so brave and happy. They both have the same doctor (Dr. Bryant) and she is going to be coming tomorrow for the week. They both adore her. I think the feelings are mutual on her part. We immediately saw sweet Angela, a nurse on 4 Tower that took care of Scarlett and Davis and then they both ran off to meet their counselors.

Scarlett only got teary-eyed once when she jumped in my arms for the second hug bye. She smelled my hair real good (that is like her security blanket - it's something all my children do) and then ran off to make her bed. I know she is having a great time and is sound asleep right now getting ready for her big day tomorrow.

I am having a hard time being away from her. I keep hearing her calling me from the other room. When I realize I am imagining things I get the sickest feeling in my stomach. She is so much braver than me. Thank goodness this year I have J.D. to hold and Savanna is home from school. They will keep me busy and the week will go by much faster. David has to go out of town tomorrow and will be home Thursday, so that will help him too.

I never have to be away from Scarlett, but the times like this that I am, I feel so sorry for David that he has to leave her every morning. It must be so hard for him.

Well, I won't get to talk to her until Saturday when we go pick her up. She will be sending me a letter soon, so as soon as I get it and get an update, I'll let you know.

Sunday, June 11, 2006 1:36 PM CDT

We rechecked labs on Friday and her ANC went up to 900, crit up to 27. She feels much better.

She has been saying that she wasn't going to camp. Today Jennifer (director) from Camp Sam called and Scarlett said that she didn't know if she was going. A few minutes later Kellie ( her counselor from last year) called to check on her and she heard her voice and got so excited and told her that she would be seeing her there. So as of right now, she is going and I need to start packing.

I'm glad that she just decided at the last minute to go. It has helped me and David not to have anxiety for a week leading up to it. We both know how good it is for her to go and have so much fun, but at the same time, it is AWFUL without her here. I wish I had a house right across from Children's Harbor so I could sit on the porch and watch her. We are just glad that she is here and has the opportunity to decide for herself if she wants to go or not.

Thanks again for your many prayers and support.

Wednesday, June 7, 2006 4:58 AM CDT

We went for labs on Monday and her ANC was 450, hematocrit went up one to 26. She gets really tired when her ANC is low and doesn't feel like doing much. In order for her to take her Methotrexate her labs need to be above 500. But since her platelets were good and her hematocrit went up to 26 from 25 last Monday, they decided to give her 1/2 her dose of all meds for a week. We are going to go back and recheck on Friday to see where she is.

Camp SAM is Monday. I don't think in their eyes it is a problem for her to go if her counts are low being that her doctors and nurses will be there. But when she doesn't feel good, she doesn't want to go anywhere much less be away from us for a week. She has been so excited about going. I hope her counts go way up and she will start feeling better and get to have the fun she has been looking forward to.

We have come so far. I can't believe Scarlett has been going through this for a year-and-a-half with another year to go. Please continue to keep her and all the other precious children in your prayers that are fighting so hard for their life.

Thursday, June 1, 2006 9:46 AM CDT

Scarlett had a really bad few days. After my entry on Monday morning she woke up feeling worse than the day before. It hurt her to even touch her skin. I felt so sorry for her. I couldn't hug her, touch her, fix her hair, help her get dressed without her screaming in pain. And for those of you who know her, know that she doesn't do that.

On Tuesday when we finally got to the hospital for her treatment it was hard for them to access her or examine her because she would cry so hard. The doctor examined her and decided to cut her medicine in half from the dosage she got last week. They prescribed her some Tylenol with codine. I went down to the pharmacy and gave it to her immediately. It helped and she rested good that night. She woke up yesterday still a little sore but nothing like it had been the days before.

She ended up having a really good day yesterday and felt much better. She is tired today and we'll take it easy but she isn't sore and I can hug her as much as I want to.

Her counts were good enough for her to take her Methotrexate Tuesday. The only thing low is her hematocrit, which is another reason she is so tired and doesn't feel so good. Hopefully, it will pick back up by our next check on counts, which will be Monday.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett and keeping her in your prayers.

Monday, May 29, 2006 6:37 AM CDT

Scarlett finished her Dexamethasone yesterday - thank goodness. She was eating so much. I can't imagine her taking it for two more weeks like she had to in the beginning of her treatment. It hasn't seemed to make her stomach hurt as bad this time. I don't know if it is from the different foods she craved this time or what. The symptoms will continue for about another week and then she will start being back to normal - eating nothing. There isn't a happy medium.

She had a really bad day yesterday - probably the worst. Her back hurt really bad and she looked so terrible through her eyes. You could see the pain in them. As she would say over and over, "Mommy, my spine hurts. What can you do to make it stop"? Tylenol would help for a short while, but not near enough and not long enough. She got an ice bag out of the freezer and layed on it for a little while. I was tempted to give her Benadryl and let her sleep. She did okay through the night. She was up a couple of times for about an hour each time, but she is resting right now. Hopefully she will wake up with no pain.

She goes tomorrow for another treatment of Vincristine. Hopefully, this next week won't be as bad for her since she isn't taking the Dexamethasone.

Thank you so much for your continued support and prayers.

For those of you in town I wanted to pass on some information about our sweet friend Andrew. There will be a prayer vigil for him Wednesday the 31st at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church at 6:00 p.m. If you want to read more his website is www.caringbridge.org/al/andrewlong. There is a link to it at the bottom of this page.

Friday, May 26, 2006 9:54 PM CDT

Yes, you are really seeing it - Scarlett with Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. No trick photography.

We went to the preshow party and got to meet them and then they sang a couple of songs. Scarlett didn't feel like staying for the concert but it was like our own personal concert beforehand.

They are as beautiful in person as they are on TV and sweeter than you can imagine. They both squatted down to talk to her and were so sweet about the bookmarks she wanted them to give their children.

Scarlett had a better day today than yesterday. She is just really tired and a little sore but not as bad. Her headaches haven't been as bad today either.

Thank you for checking on our sweet baby girl.

Tuesday, May 23, 2006 10:12 PM CDT

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2006 - Scarlett is feeling really bad from her medicine. Her jaws are aching really bad, head and ears hurt, joints in her legs ache and her skin is sensitive to touch. She is incredibly wheepy from the steroids but is enjoying wanting food. She will get another injection on Tuesday of the Vincristine but she stops her Dexamethasone on Monday. So next week won't be as bad and she will start feeling good again. I have been giving her Tylenol but it isn't helping. Today was her last day of school but she didn't feel like going. I took her up there and carried her in the school so she could hug her teachers and pick up her things from her classroom. I always feel so bad for her when she feels bad and misses out on things. The good thing about it is that she feels so bad she doesn't care one bit. Enjoy the pictures of Camp S.A.M. What a beauty, huh?

TUESDAY - 23rd
Camp Smile-A-Mile was great. Scarlett couldn't wait to get there. When we were pulling in, she said, "I can't believe I am really here again." It was a very fun-filled weekend. J.D. was a trooper! He never cried one time from Friday until we left. I anticipated he would be fine because he has a very pleasant personality, but being away from home and around so many new people had me wondering how much consoling we would be doing.

We checked in at 7:30 after eating dinner at Sinclair's(sp)across the street from Camp SAM. We ate outside and Scarlett enjoyed feeding the ducks crackers and running on the pier looking at all of the boats. She met her counselor and new friend, Claire, and off they went to make their beds and roast marshmellows by the fire. From what I understand, they woke up around 5:00 a.m. and couldn't wait for the day. Unfortunately, Scarlett had her usual morning nausea feeling and it started her day off kind of slow and bad. By lunch she was much better and couldn't wait to ride the boat. She did that and then swam for a long time. We then got ready for dinner and to wait for the bike riders to come in from their 150 mile ride from Tuscaloosa to camp. It is called Ride of Love and they raised around $90,000 for camp. It was really a touching and emotional thing to watch them all coming in. Our dear friend, Stanley Boyd, who is also fighting cancer himself, was one of the riders. We were happy to get to see him.

Then came the dance. This years theme was Greek and Scarlett picked out monkey material (S.A.M. is the camp monkey) She looked precious and won first place along with her friend, Sean, for best costume and dancing. She was so exhausted that she couldn't make it through the dance and felt bad so she wanted to sleep with me. We took her with us back to our room and she went to sleep. She was very nauseated and tired. I could tell that her counts were lower than they have been the past few months. Sometimes it is hard to make her slow down when she is having fun. In hindsight, we should have made her take a nap and slow down a little that day. As much as we want her to be as "normal" as she looks and as "normal" as her friends are, she isn't "normal" and she won't be for a long time. So we play really hard one day and rest the next. I'm going to have to plan our activities this summer with a little more thought in taking the time to rest.

We went to clinic on Monday for labs and treatment. She had Vincristine in her port and started her steroids. Her labs are lower than they have been - ANC 624, crit 26 and platelets 170. She was still able to take her Methotrexate that night. It has to be above 500 for her to be able to take it. She had to swallow 12 pills that night. Bless her sweet heart. She doesn't complain. She has learned to take more than one at a time. Some of her medicine is little so she can take three or four at a time and it doesn't seem like she is having to take as much.

She went to school today and called me after lunch to come and get her. She layed around most of the afternoon and watched TV and rested. This week will probably not be one of her greatest. The Vincristine makes her feel really yucky sometimes. It seems like the lower her counts are the worse she feels with it. But, we never know. She reacts different to all of her medicine all of the time. So we will just see what tomorrow brings for her.

I have a few really good pictures from camp. I'll post them tomorrow. Thank you so much for checking on Scarlett.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006 11:02 AM CDT

Scarlett is doing great. She was very excited that she got to skip labs this week.

We are going to Camp Smile-A-Mile this weekend for family camp. The theme is Greek so we have to get her toga material together. She doesn't want just white. She has decided that she wants yellow and green material with yellow and green flowers on her head. We are going to the fabric store this afternoon so it will be interesting what she comes up with. She is excited that J.D. gets to go this year.

She is scheduled Monday for labs, injection of Vincristine in her port and her week-long steroids. She is excited about getting to be hungry and eat a lot. I love the way she can always find something positive about her treatments.

I'll update about our great weekend.

Thank you for checking on Miss Scarlett.

Tuesday, May 9, 2006 6:59 PM CDT

Labs went well yesterday and her numbers were fine for her to take her medicine last night.

She woke up really nauseated this morning and couldn't get it under control enough to go to school. But on a good note, she is just fine and has been eating a lot this afternoon so she will definitely have a good day tomorrow.

I don't know if I have written about her playhouse or not. If not, I'll give a brief update... when we went to the Red Nose Ball benefiting Camp Smile-A-Mile a few of our friends went along. There was a live auction and while me and David were talking to other people at another table, our dear friends put their heads together and decided to bid on a log cabin playhouse for Scarlett. Needless to say, they were the highest bidder and we were clueless. I was so excited when we got back to our seats and were told what they had been up to. I have always wanted a playhouse for her but we didn't have anywhere to put it the way our backyard is landscaped. Well, when your friends do such an incredibly nice gesture for your child, you figure out a way to make it work.

Thank goodness we have someone like Dan Sims (www.curingchildhoodcancer.org) with the energy and tireless effort to help us make it work. We had some trees cut down and Dan got Crane Works to come and move it for Scarlett. I can't tell you how many afternoons he spent coming over and trying to figure out ways to get it up the hill. They moved it Friday.

Scarlett and Ms. Kim went to Target yesterday to shop to decorate. I thought they would come back with a few lights and maybe a pillow or two.... oh, no, it is some kind of fancy log cabin made just for the princess Scarlett is. She has a canopy, seven large pillows, a pricess mirror, beads hanging from the entrance door, beads hanging from the loft, a chair, a foot stool (that Scarlett calls "shiney pat tin leather") a rug, coat hooks, door mat..... have I forgotten anything? She is so excited. She made a sign today that says, Scarlett's and J.D.'s playhouse. I love the way she includes him in everything.

I will update pictures soon. I only have time to do one thing either post or put pictures. Maybe tomorrow I will remember to do the pictures.

Monday, May 8, 2006 3:35 PM CDT

We went to Gadsden for the weekend. Scarlett had so much fun. You would have had to be there to see the energy and fun she had all day Saturday. It was such a beautiful day and we were outside for about seven hours and then jumped rope inside for another hour. I took pictures and will post them soon.

We went to the hospital just for labs today. We never know the results until late on Monday afternoons so we will know if she can take her Methotrexate or not. From the looks of her and by judging how great she feels, I have no doubt her numbers will be good.

I can't believe that the school year is almost over. Scarlett has big plans to go to Camp Sam again for a week this summer. She was talking to a friend at the hospital this morning about going and they are excited. As much as my heart aches for her when she is there, I will just be so happy she feels like going and is having such a good time.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett. I'm so happy to be able to write such positive notes.

Saturday, April 29, 2006 7:07 AM CDT

Scarlett had an okay week - not quite as good as they have been, but certainly could have been worse. Sometimes she has more side effects than others from her medicine.

She kept a slight headache most days and just didn't have much energy. She would jump around and play and then a few minutes later need to lay down and watch a movie. She has a rash around her mouth and nose from her methotrexate. It doesn't bother her but it's just a constant reminder every time her dad and I look at her what her precious little body is having to endure. What we would give to go back a year and a half ago and all of this be a nightmare that never comes true. But it is real and we have to live with it, and we are thankful to have come so far with her continuing to respond to her therapy.

She is so tough and such a fighter. I learn so much from her everyday. She is having to fight this battle every second of everyday and does it with the biggest smile on her face and constantly thinking of others. We are so blessed to have her.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett. Please remember all the other children and families who are having difficult times right now. (There are so many but our dear friends are the Long, Tierce, Gazzaway and Mizell family)

Tuesday, April 25, 2006 3:18 AM CDT

Scarlett's clinic visit went well yesterday. She did fine with her spinal tap and her labs are good.

She started complaining of being sick to her stomach last night. When she gets the methotrexate in her spine versus by mouth on Mondays it seems to make her nauseated sooner than the usual end of the week. But it will pass quickly with a Zofran tablet.

She is looking forward to going to school today. I hate it that now that the weather is good, there aren't as many illnesses going around and she is feeling so good that she only has about a month to get to enjoy her friends and school, but we are looking forward to having a great summer with her.

Thank you for checking on her.

I forgot to say how great it is to see so many cars with the Curing Childhood Cancer car tag on them. Thank you to everyone who has gotten them. If you haven't - don't forget! It's such an easy way to help - $50.00 for a year and $41.75 goes straight to the hem/onc dept. to help find a cure! www.curingchildhoodcancer.org.

Thanks again!

Saturday, April 22, 2006 4:36 AM CDT

Scarlett had a wonderful birthday party. I think the pictures will speak for themselves. She couldn't stop telling me that that was the best party she has ever had. She woke up several times through the night to tell me how much she loved her Chuck E. Cheese party. When we pulled in the parking lot she was so excited you would have thought we were at Disney again.

I can't believe she is 7. She has grown so much. I was looking at her pictures from last year, and the difference is amazing - her size, her hair, how far we have come with her treatment. A year and a half ago her being 7 seemed so far away. I certainly don't want to hurry her growing up, but being able to hear she is through with treatment and then in five years being able to hear that she hasn't relasped will be such a wonderful day. I sure would give ANYTHING to be able to just live and enjoy her without the constant fear and basing everything on her medicine, treatment and this horrible disease. But for the moment, we are very blessed that she is home and feeling good. We don't take any day for granted, that's for sure.

Thank you so much for checking on her. Please remember our friends the Tierce and Long family in your prayers.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006 3:42 AM CDT

Scarlett is still having good days. At the end of a long day she is really tired, but that's a good thing. It just shows how active she was during the day and how good she was feeling.

Her birthday is Friday. She is having a party with her classmates on Thursday at Chuck E. Cheese. Could she have picked a place with more germs?????? She has always wanted a party there and I figured she would think she was too old before long so whatever makes her happy. I'm just lucky that she doesn't expect a repeat of her huge carnival party last year.

She is such a sweet, unique little girl. We have really never had to worry that all of the attention and gifts she receives as a result of her having cancer would make her spoiled or unappreciative. She is still so kind and thoughtful and generous. She is just like every other child in that every commercial she sees she says she wants it - and most of the time she ends up with it one way or the other - but she doesn't get upset if I say no or if someone doesn't end of buying it for her, and she plays with every toy she gets. Nothing sits on a shelf. She is amazing and so incredibly special!

I thank God so much for giving me the opportunity to be her mother. I tell him everyday that I don't know what I did to deserve it, but I sure am glad he picked me to be her mother.

Thank you so much for checking on her and praying for her. I know it warms your heart to get to read that she has had so many great days.

Thursday, April 13, 2006 3:48 PM CDT

I'm happy to say that I can post the great news that I anticipated about Scarlett's week. It has been great! She has enjoyed school and playing with friends every afternoon. We are looking forward to making beautiful Easter eggs and having a wonderful weekend.

Next week will start off even better on Sunday when she asks about "tomorrow being Monday" and I get to tell her that she doesn't have to go to clinic.

As I have been able to wake up with Scarlett having lots of energy and great color, thanking God for today and enjoying every second of it, my dear friend, Anne Long, had to wake up to all cancer mom's worst nightmare, Andrew's tumor came back and has spread to his spine. Please keep them in your prayers. To check on Andrew and his family www.caringbridge.org/al/andrewlong. Andrew lives in our community, goes to our church and is in the same school with Scarlett. He is her Chuck E. Cheese buddy that went with us when Scarlett figured out that it was summer and Chuck E. Cheese is "open" again.

Have a wonderful Easter. Thank you for checking on my Scarlett and for all of your prayers.

Monday, April 10, 2006 8:39 PM CDT

We went for labs today and Scarlett did just fine. Her counts are right where they should be so she can take her methotrexate tonight.

I was telling one of my friends today how crazy it is that when her counts are high (over 1500 ANC) it makes me worry that her medicine isn't working but it makes me feel better when she is around people. But when her counts are where they want them to be (between 500 and 1200 ANC - which is low fighting cells) it makes me happy because I know her medicine is working, but it makes me a nervous wreck when she goes in public places and is around a lot of people.

So..... we are very happy that her medicine is working and that she can take her medicine tonight and not have to skip any treatment. I'll just have to focus on that and put everything else out of my head. Ha, ha for those of you who know me well, huh???? (Dr. Nicole and Rhonda, you aren't allowed to comment!!!!!)

All of the pollen is making Scarlett's allergies mess up so she is sluggish today and has complained of her head hurting. So I'll give her some sudafed along with her other 10 pills tonight and she should be ready for school in the morning.

We get to skip labs next week and have a spinal tap on the 24th. She is so happy that it will be three weeks before she has to have her arm poke again. They draw labs from her port when she is getting put to sleep.

I'll update how her week is going. I have no doubt that it will be great reports! Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.

Tuesday, April 4, 2006 1:41 PM CDT

Scarlett is still having such good days. She is pretty tired at the end of the day, but aren't we all? This morning she didn't wake up until 9:10. I couldn't believe it. She obviously needed rest. I checked her in as soon as she ate breakfast.

Yesterday I was teasing with her and told her that she should stay home with me and not go to school. Any day that she isn't feeling so good she would have jumped on that in a second. But she would tell me, "Now, Mama, you know I have to go to school." I can't tell you how great that made me feel. As much as I miss her while she is at school and as many anxiety attacks that I have about what she might be getting exposed to, or if she is tired and needs to rest and can't, or if she just wants to smell my hair and have a "feel-good" moment, it brightens my day so much when she skips through those doors like any other child with no cares or worries.

She was a happy little girl to get to skip labs yesterday. We'll go next Monday for labs only. And if they are still this good, we'll get to skip the next week. And then she is scheduled for a spinal tap on the 24th.

Thanks for checking on her. Your prayers are working - we are having great days! Please continue to pray for Sweet Cassidy's family, I know their pain is unbearable.

Friday, March 31, 2006 1:12 AM CST

Scarlett has had a great week. She is enjoying the nice weather but informed me that she doesn't like to sweat! (She sounds just like one of her older sisters)

Thursday seems to be the day of the week that her Monday medicines get to her. She gets nauseated Wednesday night and usually sleeps late on Thursday and then it takes her awhile to feel good that morning. So yesterday I checked her in at about 11:45. But when I picked her up, she seemed to have had a great day.

We came home and played outside for a long time. She told me when I was getting her out of her bath, that she had a lot of energy and she thinks that she could run a marathon. That statement is so very different from what we have been hearing for the past few months. At the end of the day she always wanted her daddy to carry her up the stairs because her legs were too tired.

You have no idea how wonderful it is to be able to tell you how great she is feeling. I pray that these reports will be all you hear from now on. But if it changed tomorrow, we feel so blessed to have this many great days in a row.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett.

Monday, March 27, 2006 6:05 AM CST

Scarlett had a good time being in Gadsden with her Grandparents. She had lots of energy and fun. We came home yesterday evening and she is looking forward to going to school today to see her teacher and friends.

Our precious little friend Cassidy Tierce passed away Friday evening. Please continue to say prayers for this family. I cannot imagine the pain.

We do not plan to discuss this with Scarlett so please be mindful of that when she is around. She said her prayers last night and as always Cassidy was in them. She is used to talking about Cassidy and seeing her at the hospital but not that often. It has always seemed that when one of them would be at home and going to school the other one was in the hospital. So their visits weren't frequent enough that she will recognize the time. The last thing we want her to deal with right now is relating death to cancer and especially losing her friend who she loved so much. Their last playdate was at the hospital on the 6th floor while Cassidy was waiting to get her "red medicine" - no one was allowed to call it blood. They played with a remote control toy around the halls and painted beautiful pictures on paper plates. Scarlett gave Cassidy a pound puppy - she loved all dogs! I can still see her beautiful smile as she crinkled up her nose and snuggled the dog.
Those of you who know the Tierces know exactly the look I'm talking about.

Our hearts are breaking for them and once again we are slapped in the face with the reality of this horrible disease.

Scarlett goes for her clinic visit today and her check-up with Dr. Nicole. She got to skip last week and it was great. She is going to go to school this morning for a little while and I'm going to check her out. I'll let you know about her visit. There shouldn't be anything to report other than labs.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

MONDAY EVENING:

Scarlett's counts are really good. The visit went well and we get to skip another week of labs. Scarlett kept asking Dr. Nicole when she was going to get magic milk again. She is excited to have heard that it will be in four weeks. I'm glad that makes her happy ~ I'm still waiting for them to make it mandatory for parents as well! Thank you for your prayers. Scarlett is having the best days she has had in a year. We are treasuring every second of it.

Saturday, March 18, 2006 1:27 PM CST

Scarlett had a great week at school but had to miss Thursday due to some children in kindergarten having the chicken pox. Thank goodness she has a teacher who is so attentive to her needs or I wouldn't have known and it could have potentially been very dangerous for Scarlett.

The way it turned out, she had to go to clinic yesterday for about four hours and get an IV called IV/IG. It is a blood byproduct which means there is always a chance of reaction so she had to be monitored closely. They pre medicated her with the usual before transfusions, tylenol and benadryl, and she did just fine.

I wrote a very specific letter to every parent at her school explaining the importance of me being notified day or night no matter what time if their child had the shingles or chicken pox. It is so frustrating to me that there were four children with the chiken pox and I have yet to get a phone call. Mrs. Patterson heard about the cases and called me. On Friday morning I called the school and found out that Scarlett was on the playground on Wednesday with one of the girls that had blisters so that was the urgent need for her to get to the hospital.

I understand what it is like to not know or understand anything about cancer, the treatment of it or how common illnesses can effect a child with it, I used to be just that clueless. And I hope that no one else ever has to "know" all I do. But I think that because Scarlett looks so good right now and has hair and energy and she doesn't "look" sick, that people choose to believe that everything is great.

I have had so many people say to me, "but she is in remission and she is fine, right?" Well, yes, today she is "fine" and I hope she will always be. But there are days I want to say, oh, yes she is wonderful! Tomorrow we have to go to clinic and get a needle stuck in her arm for labs and then next week she will have a needle stuck in her chest in her port so they can give her medicine to put her to sleep while they stick a big needle in her spine and inject poison into it. Then in a couple of weeks she will take medicine that makes her not sleep and she is hungry around the clock and her stomach swells from the inside out which makes her hurt and her cheeks get puffy and her clothes don't fit and she doesn't understand why she feels so noodley (as she says it). And they will again put a needle in her port so they can put a different poison in her that makes her feel achy and her jaws ache and her back aches like she has the flu. But other than that...... she "looks" good and since she is taking chemotherapy she is in remission and so things are just wonderful for her.

We stay so scared that it is hard to really enjoy every second of everyday like we should. We try really hard and most of the time do really well. But it's always in our minds. While we are praying so hard and our hearts are hurting so bad for our friends who have lost their children to cancer and the ones who are fighting so hard right now as I am typing this in ICU, we are so thankful for today but also have in the back of our minds how quick that can change.

Please continue to pray for Cassidy and a little boy named Kadin who has relapsed from leukemia (ALL). They are fighting every second.

Now that I have unloaded some of what was on my mind ....... today really is a good day and we look forward to having a week to do nothing. We are going to go to my mom's in Gadsden and enjoy!

Monday, March 13, 2006 7:18 PM CST

Today was the first Monday in about five months or longer that we have got to skip going to clinic for labs. Scarlett slept so good last night when she asked like she does every Sunday, "what day is tomorrow, Monday?" and I got to tell her it was but she didn't have to go for labs until next Monday. She looks so good, feels so good and is having so much fun at school with her friends.

Today was a great day and we pray for tomorrow to be as well.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. As you know from following Scarlett's progress for so long in a matter of seconds everything can change from good to bad.

We love you all! The Cowans

Saturday, March 11, 2006 10:27 AM CST

I am happy to write that Scarlett had a wonderful day yesterday at school and is having one today. She is better and for the first time in a while didn't take anything for her congestion last night.

We are soaking in every second of everyday that is good. We have learned how you can't make plans for anything other than the moment and thanking God for the good moments we have each day.

Most of you know about Scarlett's friend, Cassidy, and how much she means to us from hearing us talk about her all of the time. Some of you know about her from me posting about her and asking you to pray for her. She needs a lot of continuous prayers right now. She went into cardiac arrest this morning and they almost lost her. They got her back and she is on a paralyzing drug right now to keep her fully sedated. Suzie said they won't know the effects of this for three to four days. She is in ICU and fighting hard like she always has.

This disease is so uncertain and unfair.

Thursday, March 9, 2006 11:06 AM CST

Scarlett is home with me today. She woke up nauseated. This is not unusual, actually the norm for the end of the week. The medicine she takes on Monday night seems to affect her on Thursday and Friday mornings. She has thrown up a couple of times at school when she feels like this and she is really afraid she'll do it again. I gave her a Zofran (nausea medicine) and she is watching TV and playing with her stuffed animals.

She had such a good couple of days at school and can't wait to go tomorrow.

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 8:31 AM CST

Scarlett had a great day at school and couldn't wait to wake up and go back this morning. She is getting better each day with her stuffy nose.

We are having great days!!!!!

Tuesday, March 7, 2006 6:05 AM CST

Scarlett's visit to clinic yesterday went very well. Her counts are really good. She is still congested but doesn't feel bad.

She is going to school today and is so excited. She has missed her friends and Mrs. Patterson so much.

I'll let you know how her day went.

There is no way for us to express how much we appreciate you continuing to pray for Scarlett and check on her. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts ~ Lana and David

Saturday, March 4, 2006 7:27 PM CST

Scarlett has had a great weekend. She is doing great other than her coughing and stuffy nose. This morning she woke up saying that her jaw hurt, her nose was stuffy and it was aching in her teeth and her ear was clogged up, but that she was okay. I laughed thinking about all of us adults who would want to lay in bed all day. Not Miss Scarlett. She took some Sudafed and watched TV until it eased up and was ready to go. She played in her new log cabin ALL day long, came in and ate a great supper and is ready to get a shower and read to me.

Last week we went to the farm for a couple of days to just get away and have a change. She loves it there as does her brother. We rode in the golf cart for about an hour and a half and JD just slept while we giggled and had so much fun. She learned how to drive it all by herself. She said that she probably would be getting her driver's liscense before she was ten.

We go to clinic on Monday for labs and it's her time to see the doctor for her monthly examination, which makes for a longer day than just running in every Monday for labs. She doesn't mind it, though, because she loves all the doctors and nurses so much and she gets to do arts and crafts with the volunteers from the Junior League that are there.

We are so hoping that the flu is out of her school and her coughing and head feels better so she can go to school and stay there.

Scarlett's friend, Cassidy, is still having a really rough time. Please continue to say a special prayer for her as well. Thank you so much for loving our angel baby and praying for her!

Tuesday, February 28, 2006 4:58 PM CST

Scarlett's lab work was good on Monday. She is starting to feel better each day and I can tell a difference in her cough.

She misses school and her friends and teacher. She'll definitely be back next week and hopefully not have to miss anymore.

Thank you so much for continuing to check on her. I love to read your messages. It makes me feel like I am still connected to the "outside world".

Thursday, February 23, 2006 8:40 PM CST

Scarlett isn't feeling well right now. She woke up this morning with a 101 fever. We spent the day at clinic. She had her lab work, x-rays and the flu test. Thank goodness they all turned out fine. Anytime there is a fever they do a culture to make sure there isn't any bacteria in her port. That will grow for a few days. They feel sure that there isn't a problem there. What she has is probably viral and will have to work itself out. We are just so glad that she wasn't at school exposed to anything else this week. Keeping her in and away from people didn't prevent her from being sick, though.

She was going to be in the Miss Dogwood pagent on Saturday. That's all she could talk about today and cried and cried because she was going to miss it. I finally told her that it was cancelled and she could be in it when it was rescheduled. She was fine after that.

She is watching Bambi II and visiting with her grandmama. She always perks up when sweet grandmom is around.

I'll keep you posted on how she is doing. Thank you for checking on her.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006 1:22 PM CST

We went to clinic yesterday and Scarlett's counts are good. She is out of school today because of the flu in her classroom. I know for sure of three of her classmates with it and five are absent today. So we are going to be "home schooling" for a while until that virus is gone. I am so glad she is in kindergarten so it is okay for her to miss as she needs to.

Thank you for checking on her. Her friend Cassidy is still having a very tough time with her stem cell transplant. Please keep her in your prayers along with Scarlett.

Cassidy's web site is www.caringbridge.org/al/cassidytierce if you want to check on her progress.

Saturday, February 18, 2006 7:19 AM CST

Scarlett is feeling so good. She went to school everyday last week and had such good days. I think we have only seen Scarlett feel this good one other time since her diagnosis. It lasted about a week the last time and we are going on two weeks this time. What a great feeling! We are enjoying everyday to it's fullest.

I feel like I have always enjoyed my children and apprectiated all the little things, even the times I had to discipline (teach) them. I think this has taught me to embrace every second of everyday, even the little things that would normally make me crazy - being rushed, children being sick(stomach virus,strep throat,etc.) burning dinner, flat tire, etc. I get tickled when I hear people so "stressed" out about the simplist things in life. I hate it that it took my daughter having a life-threatening disease to realize that those things are so ridiculous and I should never allow something so small to take away a second of my joy in my children.

Scarlett's cousin spent the night with her last night. You just wouldn't believe how messy my house is. If I took a picture, you would wonder if it was really a home. These two have an imagination like no other. When she doesn't feel well, they can only make maybe two rooms look like this. Today, even my screened porch is upside down.
This means she is feeling great. I hope I can update for many weeks to come that Scarlett and Regina have struck again!

Thank you for your many prayers. Please say a prayer for Scarlett's friend, Cassidy, she is having a tough time right now. And my friend, Kim Mizell, whose son, Taylor, passed away on Tuesday. There are so many children who struggle daily with this horrible disease.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006 8:57 AM CST

I know I need to update pictures!!! I hear you.

Scarlett had a wonderful weekend. She had a blast starting off the races at the Mercedes Kids Marathon on Saturday. Being cold didn't stop her one bit. They had asked her if she wanted to fire the gun and she said no it was too loud but she would say on your mark, get set, go. And did she ever. She is definitely a natural with a microphone in her hand. I told her dad she has been watching too much Miss America. Before the race began she got the mic and did a little speech........

"I would like to thank all of you for coming out and running today. And I would like to thank my mom for taking care of me all the times I have been sick in my life. So who is ready to run? LET'S GO!"

On Sunday after the Marathon we went to Boutwell Auditorium for the awards. It was packed with people. There was a band playing, tons of food, and people everywhere just enjoying themselves after the race. She went on stage with two of her doctors and her friends, Davis and Andrew, both of which live in Vestavia and also have cancer. The three of them presented a check to Children's for $31,000 that was raised for research of childhood cancer. They were asked who wanted to talk and of course, Scarlett was pumped and ready again to blast out something on the microphone. This time she told everyone thank you for running for her and Andrew and Davis and for them to run really fast so they could raise money to find a cure for cancer. I don't think there are enough mops made to clean up all the melted people. There is no telling how much money will be raised next year.

The news anchor, Devan, from Fox 6 asked Scarlett if she wanted to help her give the keys away to the Mercedes. So she stayed on stage and handed out 10 keys to people trying to win the car. The whole time she was up there she was dancing and making faces at her sister and having a ball. She is definitely a unique little girl.

We went to clinic yesterday for counts. Her platelets and hematocrit are still really good. Her white count is low but in the range it needs to be to take her chemo this week (ANC 560). She feels great and looks great and is happy to be at school. Hopefully, she won't come in contact with any virus or bacteria that will make her crash again.

Thank you for checking on us and for your prayers.

(I added a picture of Scarlett, Davis and Andrew from the Marathon on Sunday)

Monday, February 6, 2006 6:48 PM CST

Sorry I haven't updated before now. Scarlett handled her dexamethasone last week very well. She only had a few complaints of jaw pain and leg pain. She wasn't too irritable, just an occasional sassy comment here and there. I love seeing that spark in her though. That medicine makes her insides feel weird. I'm glad for her to express it some way. Her appetite was huge, like always! We were up at all hours of the night eating and watching TV. I was amazed that Nick Jr. and the Disney channel still had good shows on at all hours of the night. We seemed to watch Full House from 4:00 to 5:00 a.m. a lot.

She likes the hungry part of the medicine because food taste good to her. The sad thing is watching her swell. It was like an overnight thing this time. David and I told her good morning and looked at her and couldn't believe how puffy her cheeks had gotten overnight. Her little belly aches because it swells from the inside and then out. She asked me the other day if she was getting "f-a-t-t". She knows that saying fat isn't nice so she spelled it. I got so tickled. I told her no. And she kept insisting that she feels "f-a-t-t". I finally told her the correct way to spell it and told her that her tummy felt funny because of the medicine and it would go away. She said she knows the difference in feeling funny and not being able to button her pants. She makes me smile so much that at the end of the day my jaws are aching from smiling from morning to night.

We went for labs today and her counts are really good. The steroids make her counts go up and getting her methotrexate in her spine last week instead of oral also made a difference. So she will be going to school this week. It's hard for her to adjust going and missing so much. I hope from now until the end of the year she can go everyday and get in the groove of things. I'm sure it will help her teacher and classmates as well. I think it's harder on her peers than anyone knows. I'm sure they feel a lot of things that they don't express.

I feel so scattered and unorganized. To all of you waiting on bookmarks, I promise to do better and get busy. For anyone I owe a thank-you note or phone call, please forgive me. I hope you know that my actions or lack thereof are not an indication of my feelings and my heart. I appreciate more than words could ever express all everyone has done and continues to do for me and my family. I love you all so much and hope you know that.

Tuesday, January 31, 2006 5:49 PM CST

I had time early this morning to update a very lengthy note to let all of you know about the latest events. For some reason this crazy computer deleted all of it. I don't have that much time now so it will be very brief.

The circus was incredible for Scarlett. She was a beautiful clown (never knew that was possible until Fri.) and was working the crowd so much with her wave that I forgot we were at the circus and thought I was at the Miss America pagent. I have no doubt she will be Miss America one day (and she doesn't either)!

Yesterday's clinic visit went well. As always she loves getting her "magic milk" and is so enthusiastic about her spinal tap that she makes the moment bareable.

Her platelets and hematocrit are still going up on their own so that is a good thing. Her ANC is a little under the 500 mark (475) so if she developed a fever it would be automatic admittance. None of us need that so we are being selective on where she goes. Her teacher said that there are a couple of kids with bad coughs in her class so we are dodging that especially since a runny nose is what kept her so sick for the last three months.

She feels really good today. I'm not so sure how long I will be able to say that this week being that she started her dexamethasone yesterday for the week. The moods and being hungry will kick in soon. She had vincristine in her port which has made her feel really bad the last few times she has gotten it (jaw pain, aching) so towards the end of the week she may feel yucky. She'll get vincristine again on Monday and then we don't repeat this particular treatment (spinal tap, vincristine, dexamethasone) until 12 weeks. Mom and Dad are glad, Scarlett is mad that she has to wait so long for her magic milk.

I'll update soon. Thank you so much for checking on Scarlett and especially for your prayers.

Friday, January 27, 2006 1:36 PM CST

For those of you going to the circus tonight, look for the most adorable clown there. Scarlett is going to be in the first act with the clowns. She gets to go be made up by the Ringling Bros. clowns! She is so excited. She has never even been to the circus and was so excited to just be going. You can imagine how thrilled she was when she was invited to participate in something as great as this.

She is still feeling good. Although this morning she had one of her spells where she threw up. She usually is really tired by the third and fourth day after taking her Methotrexate at the beginning of the week. The last couple of months she has been throwing up some. I didn't know whether to contribute it to her congestion or the medicine at times. Being that she isn't congested right now, I guess it is just medicine related. But after giving her a Zofran she was ready for school.

They were celebrating the Chinese New Year and dressed up holding masks and playing instruments. They had a parade around the halls of the school. She was very excited for us to come watch her.

Thank you for your continued support.

Wednesday, January 25, 2006 8:01 AM CST

Our visit to clinic on Monday went very good. Her counts continue to go up.

She is excited everyday to go to school and see her friends and teacher. Maybe she won't contact anymore viruses and be able to enjoy the rest of the school year.

We are scheduled on Monday for a spinal tap, vincristine in her port and start a week of dexamethasone. Scarlett loves these visits because she likes to be put to sleep. Her daddy and I on the other hand have a hard time. It is definitely easier than it used to be because it has become our life, but it is never easy to have to mentally picture a needle being ramed in your baby and toxic medicine being injected into her spine. Not that it ever leaves our mind for a second the disease that she has or what she has to go through and the uncertainty of her future, but it is just more real on those type of visits the nightmare that we continue to live and watch our angel endure.

I pray nightly to somehow have Scarlett's strength. She is amazing.

Wednesday, January 18, 2006 10:49 AM CST

Scarlett is having great days! We went to clinic on Monday and her counts are a little higher. As long as they aren't dropping more is a good thing. My understanding is that a white count of 1500 versus 1200 really isn't any different other than it's not going down.

She feels great and looks great and has been at school yesterday and today. We have been checking in instead of her attempting PE since they are training everyday for the mercedes marathon. She just isn't up to running a mile. But I talked to her PE teachers and Scarlett understands that she is going to have to speak up if she is getting dizzy or really tired. So she went today and we'll see how she did. She really wants to play soccer and they are doing that in PE right now so she was excited to go.

I'll update soon. Sorry it took me so long. We are a little busy around here these days.

Some of you remember me talking about Scarlett's friend Cassidy from Tuscaloosa a lot. Please keep her in your prayers. She is having to undergo another stem cell transplant. This time it is a donar transplant instead of her own stem cells so the risks are greater. She is still cancer free, but her marrow isn't working. She will be admitted on Monday. Her website is www.caringbridge.org/al/cassidytierce if you want to keep up with her progress.

Thank you for all your continued prayers. You have no idea how much they mean to us.

Thursday, January 12, 2006 10:16 AM CST

We went to clinic on Monday for labs. Scarlett's counts are still low but not dropping anymore. We will go back on Monday and see where they are. She feels so good -- better than she has felt in over two-and-a-half months. I can't believe they are still low and she feels and looks so good. We are living each day to the fullest, that's for sure. Every day is so uncertain that when you have good ones - especially in a row - you appreciate them so much more.

The last two afternoons we have been playing outside and roller bladding. Today is another beautiful day and she feels good so we will be outside as long as she is up to it.

She is absolutely loving being a big sister. She thinks he is the greatest thing and by the way he looks and smiles at her the feeling is mutual.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support!

Wednesday, January 4, 2006 8:35 AM CST

I'm happy to say that my children are feeling much better. Scarlett is still stuffy. I don't think that will ever end. Just allergy related, I think.

She is getting sick to her stomach a lot these days. It's very unpredictable. She'll be fine one minute and throw up the next. I have been thinking it was from all the drainage. Thinking back, though, she has gone through these spells before. You can't ever tell how she is going to react to her medicines. She reacts different to the same drug all the time. I know that if I took half of what she takes I would be sick all the time. Children are amazing.

We went to clinic for labs yesterday. Her counts are still on the low side but she was able to take her medicine last week and this week, which is good. We certainly don't want to have to skip anymore. For those of you who know what these numbers mean, her ANC is 752, platelets 90,000 (up from 75,000 last week) and her crit is 22. I'm surprised she feels and looks as good as she does with it being that low. It was 21 a few weeks ago when she got a transfusion and she looked so bad. The only time I can tell they are low is when she tries to run. She looks like she is going to pass out and has to lay down. But she has pink in her skin and lips and is playful. Her head hasn't been hurting either, which is another symptom that she usually has when it is low.

We plan for her to go to school tomorrow. She really needs to get back in the swing of things. It has been a long two months without any sort of normal routine. As much as she says she doesn't want to go, I know that she needs it and will be so much better if she does. Hopefully, all the sickness is going to slow down and she won't catch anything else for a while.

Thank you so much for continuing to check on her and pray for her.

I hope you all had wonderful holidays!

Sunday, December 25, 2005 1:54 PM CST

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

We have had a very busy week. I'm sorry I haven't updated how Miss Priss has been. After her blood transfusion I finally saw her beautiful pink lips and color in her skin. It was a very nice change from the last two months. She is still very congested and is being treated right now for an ear and sinus infection. Wouldn't you know that as soon as clinic closed on Friday that she would start crying and holding her ear with pain? Thank goodness it wasn't a fever, though, and we could go to the pediatrician.

Scarlett's virus is apparently the RSV virus because JD had to be admitted in the hospital on Wednesday and tested positive for RSV. It is so bad for young babies to get. We had to put him through so many tests (blood tests and a spinal tap) to rule out bacteria. He was a little dehydrated so they had a difficult time getting an IV in him. Finally, after being poked in both feet and one hand the fourth try worked. I can't believe they can even get IVs in those tiny little babies. He got antibiotics and IV fluids for 48 hours and we got to go home since his cultures were still negative for bacteria.

As soon as we got home and unpacked on Friday, Scarlett started feeling so bad. She has now had two days of antibiotics and seems to be a little better. She had such a bad headache and ear pain Friday night that she started vomiting. We were thankful it wasn't a stomach virus but so sad that yet again she had to feel bad. I can't wait for her to be symptom and medicine free.

Although it sounds like I'm saying that we have had a bad Christmas, I'm not. It has been wonderful and we have so much to be thankful for. We didn't have much time to shop. Thank goodness for Toys R Us on the internet and for two teenagers who know the true meaning of Christmas and was just happy to be with their family.

I hope you all had a great Christmas!

Tuesday, December 20, 2005 8:20 AM CST

Scarlett is home and feeling good. We went to clinic and she got a blood transfusion. It's amazing how fast it makes her feel and look better. Her doctors think it's a combination of a virus that has been working on her and just the fact that she takes chemo everyday that her counts got low.

We plan to have a wonderful Christmas and hope all of you do as well. We have been blessed that she has felt as good as she has and have only had a few bumps in this long road we have with her treatment and illness. Thank you for all of your prayers. We know there are definitely angels that are surrounding our angel baby!

Monday, December 19, 2005 8:55 AM CST

We went to the farm for Christmas and Scarlett had a great time despite the fact that she really felt horrible and kept her low grade temp all weekend.

Last night her fever got above 101 so we had to go to the ER for labs. Her counts are low so we have to go to clinic this morning for a transfusion and let her doctor see her. It seems as though she has a virus working on her. We'll know more today when we see her doctor.

Please keep her in your prayers. They have certainly worked over the past year.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005 8:33 AM CST

Scarlett has been out of school this week. Sunday night she was having terrible headaches and a fever of 100. It never went up past that and has continued to be 100 for the last three days. She feels and looks good, she just has a cough, an occasional headache and that little temp that doesn't seem to want to go away.

She is ready for Christmas but hasn't seen Santa yet. She still hasn't told me what she wants from him because she hasn't told him yet. I think we better get to the mall soon!

We are going to the farm this weekend for Christmas with David's family. Scarlett can't wait. That is her favorite place to go. She tells JD about it everyday.

JD is growing a lot. I can't believe it has been a month since I had him. It doesn't feel like it at all. We stay so busy thinking about Scarlett's Monday visits that the weeks fly by.

We will be going to clinic on Monday for labs.

We hope you all have a wonderful holiday!

Wednesday, December 7, 2005 8:50 AM CST

Scarlett is feeling good and having a good time going to school. She has a hard time in the mornings with nausea so we tend to check her in most days.

Her counts on Monday were in the range that they expect to see them. She feels good so we are living life to the fullest.

She loves being a big sister. She had many mixed emotions while I was pregnant and would ask me to give the baby to someone else. She would say, "He is going to change my life forever." And she didn't mean in a good way. Well, she gets up in the middle of the night and finds us and will stay up a while. And the other night she said, "Mom, J.D. didn't change my life, he made it!" So sweet!!

Tuesday, November 29, 2005 6:17 PM CST

Scarlett is feeling and looking better everyday. I guess whatever was working on her before JD was born is finally working it's way out.

The little boy, Sean, that I wrote about a couple of weeks ago that has relapsed needs blood. He is AB+ so he can have any type of blood as long as it is CMV-. If you are CMV- and want to donate blood, call his mom, Nell, at 967-9378.

David and I saw them leaving clinic Monday as we were waiting to see the dr. It was so heartbreaking to see that all too familiar look of steroids taking over his precious body and spirit. It certainly took us back to a place that we never want to go again and are so sick for that family to have to relive this horrible nightmare.

We often look at pictures of Scarlett when she was three weeks into her treatment on steroids and it's unbelievable how far she has come. At that time, I never thought I would ever even have a glimpse of the way my baby looked ever again.

Please keep the prayers coming that Scarlett will only continue to move forward with her treatment and at the end of her two-and-a-half year protocol of treatment we will be able to say she is through with this nightmare and never have to look back.

Monday, November 28, 2005 4:02 PM CST

We just got back from clinic and had a good report. They think the reason her jaws are aching is from her grinding her teeth at night. Her counts are where they should be and are showing signs of her marrow working as it should.

I sometimes wonder how in the world I'm going to make it for five years wondering and being so scared that she is going to relapse. It is definitely a new way of living. I sometimes can do really well living for the day and enjoying every second I have with her. But there are times that it gets on top of me and I can't get my fears under control.

She looks better today than she has in a couple of weeks, especially the last few days. We are ready for things to settle down and get her back in school and "normal".

Thank you for your prayers.

Friday, November 25, 2005 2:09 PM CST

Everyone is doing fine at the Cowan house. Scarlett has been up every night helping take care of her brother. Thank goodness she is on a break from school. I don't know how we are going to work that out once school starts.

She still has a cough and is complaining of jaw pain. We constantly worry and have fear every second of every day that she will relapse. Jaw pain was one of her symptoms when she was diagnosed. Please say a special prayer that when we go to clinic on Monday that her counts will be normal and they will figure out a reason she is having this pain other than relapsing.

Being up all night with a newborn and worrying about Scarlett, I haven't had much time to update or talk on the phone. I will update as soon as possible.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Tuesday, November 15, 2005 2:09 PM CST

Yesterdays clinic visit went well. Scarlett's counts are really good. Her doctor explained to me that when she gets methotrexate in her spine that it doesn't effect her counts like it does when she gets it orally every week. So we were glad about that.

I ran into a family who has been off treatment for two months and relapsed last week. He has the same type of leukemia that Scarlett has. Throughout Scarlett's treatment, he has been someone that I would think about when I needed to think of someone who has done really great. I can't tell you what that did to me seeing them and hearing that they are having to live this nightmare. Please keep that family in your prayers. When these children relapse, the treatment is much worse than the first two-and-a-half years. His website is www.caringbridge.org/al/sean.

We were back at the hospital at 8:00 this morning. Scarlett started running a fever last night and felt horrible. Her head was hurting really bad and her cough got worse.

They did a CT scan to check for a sinus infection and a chest X-ray. Her scan was clear, but they saw some streaks on her lungs. Nothing serious. They gave her an IV antibiotic and sent her home on 14 days worth of antibiotics. She is usually better the same night after getting the IV. Hopefully, that will be the case today and she will feel great tomorrow.

We are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of Scarlett's baby brother. We are going to keep it very low key at the hospital and give Scarlett all the time she needs to adjust and to love becoming a new sister. After the year she has had, it will be an adjustment for her - a good one, but still a big change.

I'll try to update soon. Please keep Scarlett in your prayers that she will continue to get better and stay well.

Saturday, November 12, 2005 9:53 AM CST

We have had an uneventful week, which is good. The press conference at the high school went good. All of Scarlett's classmates were there and it was a fun morning for all of them I think.

There was a stomach virus and strep throat going around her class. I am amazed that she didn't get it. Mrs. Patterson is as good at sanitizing as I am. I think that has a lot to do with Scarlett staying well.

She does have a nagging cough that seems to keep getting worse. It started last Saturday, just allergy stuff and it has now turned into something else. I'm just praying that it will go away with enough cough medicine and not keep getting worse. I really need her to be well this week and get to enjoy her brother's arrival.

We are scheduled for labs on Monday so we will just see the doctor and get a chest X-ray, I'm sure, to make sure she is okay and it isn't affecting her lungs.

I want to apologize for the delay of me getting bookmarks to those who have ordered them. I promise to have them in the mail on Monday. If you have ordered them and don't receive them next week, please e-mail me. I could have overlooked an order or it could have gotten deleted from my mailbox. If you wrote a check, Children's will be sending you a receipt that you can use for tax purposes. If you sent cash and want a receipt, be sure and let me know.

Tuesday, November 8, 2005 6:44 AM CST

I don't know where the days go and why it takes me so long to update. Sorry.

We had a great time having tea with Cinderella. We went in and they gave her a princess costume, which just happened to be Cinderella, then she had her hair and make-up done. Then they went outside to a beautiful horse and carriage and took a 20 minute ride. When they got back they went inside for tea and lunch and Cinderella made her entrance. I think they were star struck. Even Scarlett sat very quiet at her place at the table. Fox 6 was there and asked her to talk to them but she wouldn't have any part of it. I checked her immediately for a fever! She is usually begging to be on TV and make commercials. It was a wonderful day. A big thank you to Magic Moments and Disney on Ice for making five special little girls feel like the princesses that they are! (I will put some pictures).

Saturday we went to see Disney on Ice. After meeting the Cinderella that was skating, Scarlett felt like she was looking for her in the audience. So every time she would skate our direction and look that way, big waves came from Scarlett. We would tell her that she saw her and smiled or ask her if she saw her waving and looking at her. Oh, she loved it. And the wave Scarlett was sending wasn't just an ordinary wave, it was that of a true princess. She's a natural.

Monday we went for her spinal tap and visit. It went smooth and was a relatively short visit. I usually don't plan on getting home before 2:00 or 3:00. We got home around 12:00. Scarlett loves getting put to sleep so that's a nice treat for her not to be so anxious other than the couple of minutes that it takes to get her port accessed. I gave her Tylenol so she could go to sleep last night because her back was really sore. Other than that she is fine and ready for her press conference today. I still haven't heard from the hospital about the results of her spinal, but I assume that no news is good news and it is clear and free of any leukemic cells.

Today there is going to be a press conference at the High School announcing the Mercedes Marathon. There will be an unveling of "Scarlett's Team" logo and she will do the honors of pulling off the cover. Her sweet friends from school will be with her showing their amazing love and support. Children are so special and never cease to amaze me. Thanks to all the parents who are able to take the time to check their children out to be there with Scarlett.

I will do my best not to wait so long in between updates. I will also add some pictures in the photo album very soon. I'm attempting it this morning. If it doesn't work, I'll try again later.

Friday, November 4, 2005 10:19 AM CST

Scarlett is doing much better. Everyday her stomach pain seems to lessen.

She is so excited today. She gets to have High Tea with Cinderella. I didn't tell her until last night. I should have waited until this morning because at 2:30 a.m. until about 4:30 a.m. we were up talking about it. She loves princesses and feels like one herself (I wonder why?).
There is going to be make-up artists there and she will get a costume. They will have a carriage ride and then lunch with Cinderella. Very exciting day!

Tomorrow we are going to Disney on Ice. Her sisters will be home to go with us. She doesn't know about that adventure either, especially that both her sisters whom she adores will be going. But I will definitely wait until tomorrow to share that excitement with her.

David and I can't thank you enough for your care, concern and prayers for Scarlett. We find great comfort in knowing we have such a huge prayer group and support.

Tuesday, November 1, 2005 6:47 AM CST

Yesterday I got a call from Scarlett's school saying she wasn't feeling well. Of course, I panicked! But when I got there she looked fine to me and at two cookies in the car. She said her tummy just felt jumpy inside. Who knows? Her counts were low on Friday when we went and when she has low counts she feels different.

We came home and rented a movie and layed around until it was time to trick-or-treat. She had so much fun. She did paint the golf cart orange again and we went out early before the big crowds started. I can't tell you how good it made my heart feel to sit and watch her run door to door so happy. Last year was quite different and at that time I never thought I'd see anything else. We've come a long way in a year, that's for sure.

After about an hour she had had enough and was tired so we came home. She couldn't wait to hand out candy. Unfortunately, she only got to give it out to about four different groups. We quickly got a bath and went to bed. She slept good and is still asleep. I'm going to wait and see how she is when she wakes up before I plan to send her to school.

We go back to clinic on Monday the 7th for a spinal tap. We just hope and pray that her counts are on the rise and not lower.

Friday, October 28, 2005 5:07 PM CDT

Yesterday was an exciting day. Scarlett got to talk with Miss America - again. She walked in the room and saw her and went right to her like they are just great friends and go way back. We went to a press conference that Charter Communications had announcing their support of the Curing Childhood Cancer car tags. They had 400 of their company vehicles there that they tagged and then left in a caravan. Extremely touching!!!!

Miss America, Dan Sims, Dr. Howard (head of the hem/onc dept. at Childrens) the CEO of Charter, a couple of state representatives - I can't remember who all exactly, but they made a speech about how incredible the tags are that Dan and Deidre came up with and how they were so happy to support them. It is incredible to know that one man started a foundation in his precious daughter's name and hasn't stopped (and I don't think he ever will) raising money to help find a cure for this horrible disease. I feel extremely indebted to him for working so hard. He lost his child and yet continues to work so hard everyday for all the children who could still have a chance with the right drug. The only way to have that medication is from people joining in the fight and helping raise money.

I pray that other large companies like Charter will realize the importance and need there is for research money for childhood cancer, and eventually all we will see on the road are the yellow tags with little hands on them representing and trying to find a cure for all the precious children like Scarlett. If you are reading this and live in the State of Alabama, I encourage you to please go to your local tag office and purchase this tag.
It is $50 and $41.25 will go directly to the Hem/Onc Dept. at Children's. You don't have to wait until your tag expires.

This entry is repetitive for some of you and it will be again. It is something that I am very passionate about and will talk about it often, I'm sure.

Scarlett had to go for labs today. She usually goes on Mondays but we scheduled it for Friday so it wouldn't intefere with her Halloween festivities. Last week her ANC was 2800. She needs it to be above 500 to get her medication on Mondays. Today it was 681. It's amazing how her counts can go up and down so quick. No one understands unless you have lived it what I am talking about when I say it is absolutely day to day. You really can't plan anything and there is no way to know what each day holds for you. Her doctor said to go ahead and give her the medicine on Monday. So we are just going to enjoy the weekend and Halloween and hope that the next time we get counts checked, which will be a week from Monday, they are up. She is scheduled for a spinal tap that day. She is feeling really good and looking forward to the weekend. We don't have any plans other than playing Barbie at this point.

Thank you for continuing to check on Scarlett.

Sunday, October 23, 2005 11:14 AM CDT

Scarlett has had a very busy weekend. Friday we went to her friends house to see our Ascension friends and more and she swam and did body art with paint and had a ball.

Yesterday she went to a birthday. At 4:00 they bowled and then went to their house for pizza, cake, fingernail painting, there was a fortune teller and watched the new Barbie movie. She got home at 10:30. What a fun day. Thank goodness she had that diversion because her steroids were continuing to work their way out of her all yesterday morning up until the time for the party. I said I think the exorcist finally worked its way out. She is back to her old self this morning.

Today she has two birthday parties to go to. One at 1:30 and one at 3:00. She is quite the busy girl and keeps her mama and daddy busy as well.

We are just so glad that she feels like doing all this stuff. Last year was a different story. She did trick-or-treat and tried to have fun, but she was in a much different place with her treatment and medicines that hendered so much "normal" activity.

We try so hard to not think about tomorrow or the future and what could be and focus on one day at a time, but it is very hard especially when the days aren't so great. But today is a good day and we are blessed and thankful for today.

Wednesday, October 19, 2005 8:53 AM CDT

Scarlett is feeling really good. Yesterday she was sore to touch. Sometimes her skin is so sensitive that clothes even hurt her. I gave her some Tylenol before her field trip to the pumpkin patch so she could run and play and enjoy herself - and she did very much. She said it was the best time of her life. Her only complaint today was that her muscles were sore from walking so much. But she slept really good - finally - and was up and ready for school.

Her doctor told me that she didn't think the Vincristine she got on Monday would affect her as bad this week since it isn't in combination with the Dexamethasone (steroid).

She has two birthday parties to go to this weekend and a get together on Friday with her Ascension friends that she misses so much. I'm so glad last week is behind her and we can hopefully have many great days ahead.

Thank you very much for your prayers. Please don't stop them. She still has such a long time of treatment ahead.

Sunday, October 16, 2005 6:54 AM CDT

Scarlett is doing fine, just not great. She missed Thursday and Friday from school and this weekend has really just been laying around a lot. She is extremely tired and tries so hard to play but can't last very long even with a board game.

Today is the last day for the steroids and then she gets the injection of Vincristine on Monday. By the middle to the end of next week she should start perking back up again, hopefully. Of course, we always wonder if there is a virus working on her or something else going on and have to wait to see lab results to know anything.

The best way to tell how she is feeling is for her grandmother to come visit. She was here yesterday and Scarlett just couldn't play with her. I asked if she wanted Grandmama to go home or spend the night (which usually I can't get her to leave if I want her to because Scarlett won't ever let go) and Scarlett said with her head laying on my shoulder that she didn't know. So my mother quickly gathered her stuff and went home knowing Scarlett just wasn't feeling good.

She has a field trip in the morning with her class to the Children's Theater. We are hoping she feels like going before her visit to the hospital. Then on Tuesday they are going to the pumpkin patch. I hope she can go. It breaks my heart when she misses out on the things that all the other children get to do without a second thought. The good thing, though, is that it probably only affects me. When she feels too bad to do things, I don't think she cares. She occasionally will say she will be glad when this leukenia (as she pronounces it) is over and asks me how old she will be. I get sick to my stomach when I have to honestly say, hopefully, eight.

I will update soon on how she is feeling. I'm sure it will be very good news soon. She is so tough!

Thursday, October 13, 2005 12:47 AM CDT

Scarlett is home with me today. Her jaws are aching. Last night we went to dinner to celebrate her dad's birthday and at 7:00 she was falling asleep - very unusual for her - in the restaurant. We got home quick and she was asleep by 7:30. So we are having a quiet day doing a lot of laying on the couch watching TV and playing quietly with her barbies.

She misses being at school, though. Every so often she will ask me what all her friends are doing at school. I'll have to look at the calendar and tell her. The only thing she has been glad she is missing is lunch. Her sense of smell is super sensitive and she has a hard time eating in restaurants or in the kitchen if something doesn't smell good to her. You never know what it is either. One time it was cookies. She comes home most days starving because she can't eat her lunch.

We only have until Sunday to stop taking the steroids and then she'll get another injection of Vincristine on Monday. It will be a few months after that before we have to repeat this particular cycle of treatment.

Thank you for checking on her.

Tuesday, October 11, 2005 6:33 PM CDT

Scarlett woke up this morning really tired and after she took her medicine she got really pale. I was so worried about her at school. But she had a good day and came home feeling fine.

After school we went to buy a pumpkin and came home and deorated for Halloween. It's amazing looking back to last Halloween and how far we have come. Some of you may remember that she looked in a Lillian Vernon magazine and picked out all these decorations for outside. Whatever she wanted I bought. They are somewhat scary and she still has to get the nerve to look at the witch and make it make noises and light up. We won't be painting a golf cart this year but we'll be riding in it for sure. Or Mom and Dad will, we are the lazy ones, not Miss Scarlett.

Thanks for checking on her. She had a good day.

Monday, October 10, 2005 7:54 PM CDT

We went to clinic today. Everything went well. She got Vincristine in her port and is starting her steroids for a week. She is still taking her Methotrexate, 6MP, and Bactrim. The last time she had the Vincristine and Dexamethasone is when her jaws ached so bad this summer and she felt bad. We are hoping that she won't go through any of that this time. Things are different all the time with her medicines so maybe she won't.

She is ready for school tomorrow and all of her upcoming activites she has to look forward to. She'll be going to the Children's Theater and the pumpkin patch next week. Her daddy's birthday is this week and my Scarlett loves a party. So we'll have cake and celebrate a lot this week I'm sure.

I'll keep you posted on how she is feeling and how her week goes.

I still haven't gotten the pictures developed from our trip. I'll update those soon.

Thursday, October 6, 2005 5:07 PM CDT

Scarlett had another great day at school and was so happy to be with her friends. She stayed today for Bible Club that they have on Thursdays and she loved it. I didn't get to pick her up until 4:00. Long day without her!!!!

She took some of the dolphin pictures with her for show and tell and couldn't wait to show her friends. As you can see from the pictures, it was amazing. The three of us swam out in the middle of the water and waited for the dolphin to come and "pick us up". David went first so he would be there to hold her when she got there. I couldn't believe how fast it took off with him and was very concerned that she wasn't going to be able to hold on. What an amazing animal, though, it sensed her being small and was so gentle and slow. Same with me, it went faster than with Scarlett but nothing like David. Not that I am small by any means! I think it sensed I was pregnant.

We have a busy weekend planned with birthday parties and going to have lunch with her sister, Savanna, at her sorority house in Tuscaloosa. We hope to be able to go to the farm for a day and enjoy the weather that is finally cooling off a bit.

Thank you for your continued prayers. They are working. Scarlett is having great days and feels so good.

Wednesday, October 5, 2005 4:19 PM CDT

Thank you all for checking in. I'm sorry it has taken me so long to tell you the inevitable ......... IT WAS GREAT! Scarlett had a great time and we enjoyed watching her so much.

Give Kids The World Village is an amazing place and Scarlett had as much fun there as she did at the parks. I think it will be a while before any of us want any ice cream. We had it every day and sometimes more than once - or twice! Of course, it was the baby wanting all those banana splits, not me!!!! There was an ice cream shop that was open from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and you could eat as much as you wanted.

The village has a mayor named Mayor Clayton and his wife Mary. One night Scarlett got tucked in my the mayor. She thought that was really cool.

We went to Sea World, Discovery Cove, Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. At Sea World we fed and touched the dolphins and sting rays, had dinner with Shamu, saw all the shows, etc. At Discovery Cove we swam with the dolphins and snorkled with the most amazing fish and sting rays everywhere. We did everything there was to do at Magic Kingdom. One of her favorite things is getting her face painted. So we got it painted once and then at the end of the day we went and washed it off and got it painted again. She bought EVERY stuffed animal that she wanted and then some.

I could go on and on about every detail, but I'll let Scarlett tell you about it one day. I promise I'll update pictures very soon. I haven't gotten them developed yet, but hopefully by tonight I'll have some of her swimming with the dolphins. I have a disk of that.

Thanks for checking on Miss Scarlett. She feels great and couldn't wait to get to school today to see her teacher and friends.

Tuesday, September 27, 2005 4:26 PM CDT

Tomorrow we are leaving for Orlando!!!! We haven't mentioned it to Scarlett in fear of her developing a fever or illness and not get to go. We will tell her when we get to the airport tomorrow.

Every child with cancer gets a "wish" from Magic Moments. Scarlett's wish was to go to Disney World and to swim with the dolphins. So we will be going to Sea World, Discovery Cove and whatever Disney park she wants to go to (Magic Kingdom, I'm sure). They have a 50-acre village near all the parks called Give The Kids The World. That is where we'll be staying. From what I have heard, it is as wonderful and magical as the parks.

She is still stuffy and has a cough but feels great. I kept her home from school yesterday and today so she should be free of all potential sickness - until we get to the airport! Yuck!

We are so excited to have this time with Scarlett before the baby comes. She definitely deserves it, and we can't wait to watch her beautiful face light up with joy with no fear of needles or the hospital.

I'll update next week and tell you all about our week. Keep Scarlett in your prayers that she will stay well and have the time of her life.

Saturday, September 24, 2005 7:23 AM CDT

Scarlett is great but had a couple of bad days this week. Thursday they called me from school and said she had thrown up. When I got there she looked fine. I brought her home and she got sick one more time and then immediately started eating. We rode bikes and played outside. I thought it was her medicine making her sick. She has done that occasionally.

Then Friday morning she got up and was dressed and ready for school and had eaten breakfast. As soon as she took her medicine she got sick again. I still felt like it was her medicine making her sick but she was terrified that it would happen at school so I let her stay home. She was a little pale for maybe 30 minutes and then she was fine the rest of the day.

The highschool cheerleaders came to her school and let whoever wanted to be in a cheer camp a couple of days last week. They got a t-shirt and shorts and were able to go and cheer with them at the varsity football game last night. She now thinks she is a Rebel cheerleader. She loved it and had so much fun.

I finally updated some pictures of Scarlett at the Light the Night walk. I am having a hard time lately. It would be nice if I would put the pictures on at the same time I am telling you about events, I know. I'll try to do it. Sometimes it comes to me and sometimes it doesn't.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett. She is feeling great and having great days. I have just been instructed to put her tent up in the den so I better get busy.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005 11:46 AM CDT

Scarlett is at school and doing great. She felt pretty good all weekend. She is still on antibiotics until Monday and is back on all her chemo medicine. We started back on that last night.

On Mondays I have the hardest time opening my hand to give her her medicine. Last night she had to swallow eleven pills. She is getting so good, though, that she will put more than one on her tongue at a time so she doesn't feel like she is taking that much. She is my hero!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for checking on Scarlett. We feel very blessed that her last fever wasn't more than it was.

Saturday, September 17, 2005 6:31 AM CDT

Scarlett rested good last night. I feel sure that she will get better much quicker at home than if we had to have stayed. I'm praying now that her fever will subside and when we go for labs that her counts haven't lowered any resulting in the three-day minimum stay that we always dread so much.

I don't know how many of you are aware of the desperate need that Children's Hospital has often of blood and marrow donors. In February of this year there was a shortage and Scarlett was in need of a transplant daily for over a week. Thanks to so many of you who immediately went and donated blood and platelets for Scarlett we never had to wait over three hours for her to get what she needed. It was very scary and until it hit home, I had never thought about it.

Children's is having a "Call to Caring" blood and bone marrow registry drive on Monday, September the 19th and Tuesday, September the 20th from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm in the Bradley Lecture Center, Children's Harbor, at the hospital.
They need people to donate blood and to register to participate in the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). There will be a series of additional questions asked and an additional blood sample will be taken while you are donating blood. It will not require a separate venipuncture. You can do this even if you have donated blood recently.

The Janie Sims Foundation is one of the sponsors of the event. For those of you who know the Sims family, I know you are as touched and amazed as me at how much good they do with Janie's Foundation. I don't know if I would have the strength to do all Dan and Janet do, but it sure opens my eyes and makes me want to help in any way I can. I'm sure you feel the same.

As of right now, Scarlett doesn't need to have a bone marrow/stem cell transplant. We have no idea what the future holds and pray that she never does. I'm asking all of you to participate in the drive because there are so many children who are like Scarlett and wake up one day and need a transplant finding it very hard to find a match. I know so many of you would go in a second to see if you could be a match for Scarlett if need be. Don't wait until we are desperate for you. Because you may or may not be a match for Scarlett, but there is a child you do match and could save their life.

Friday, September 16, 2005 4:42 PM CDT

We had a long afternoon so I'm going to make this entry short.

The Light The Night Walk was a lot of fun. Thank you all for coming and walking for Scarlett. It meant a lot to her to have all of you there.

I know after seeing her dance and walk (very fast and long) that it will be hard for you to imagine that she is sick today. I checked her in at 9:00 because she was tired from last night. At 11:30 her school called and said that she was just really tired. When I got there and kissed her lips I couldn't believe that she was so hot with a fever. I immediately took her to the nurse and asked her to check it. It was 102.6. So off to clinic we went. I thought for sure that we would be there for minimum of three days.

They did a chest x-ray and saw streaks that didn't look like pneumonia but more viral. So they gave her a strong IV antibiotic in clinic and sent us home with an antibiotic. We get to stay here unless she looks and acts worse until Monday for recheck on her counts. Her counts are borderline, but high enough for us to bring her home and watch her until more labs on Monday.

We are heading upstairs for lots of rest and movies. I'll update any changes.....hopefully not until Monday.

Monday, September 12, 2005 12:27 AM CDT

Scarlett is doing great. We went to clinic this morning for labs. I don't have the results yet, but I feel sure they are great going by how she feels. She had a busy weekend doing a lot of playing.

Saturday night we went to bed late (9:00) and when we got in bed she wanted to watch the beginning of the movie Holes because she just got to see the last part earlier that day. So I agreed since it was the weekend for her to watch the first 30 minutes of it. Well, lucky for Scarlett her mom is really tired because I fell asleep waking up at 10:45 realizing she was still watching the movie wide awake. I couldn't believe it and couldn't stop laughing. At that point how could I not let her finish. So she told everyone she saw on Sunday that she went to bed at 11:00.

I mentioned the Light the Night walk in my last journal entry but didn't put a time - sorry. It is at the Hoover Met, Thursday, September 15th. Registration starts at 6:00 and the walk will start at 7:00. Thank you to all who have donated and all who are coming to walk. I think it will be a lot of fun. I started really late with the details and putting together a team. It's kind of how I operate these days, bear with me.

We'll see most of you on Thursday. Thank you for all your continued support and prayers.

-----------------------------------

I just checked messages and the girl from the Leukemia Lymphoma Society reminded me that they want Scarlett to do her dance the night of the walk. For those of you who have seen her shaking it, I know you'll want to see it again. For those who haven't, it is definitely something to see.

Monday, September 5, 2005 8:34 AM CDT

Hope everyone has had a great holiday weekend. Scarlett's grandparents are here (her favorite playmate in the world) so needless to say she is extremely happy and having so much fun.

She has her usual allergy stuff going on right now, a little stuffy, but not bad. She feels great and is having great days.

I wrote the other day about the Light the Night walk that Scarlett made a commercial with Pam Huff advertising. I am enclosing a web site address that you can visit if you want to donate, sign up to walk, or both. It is September the 15th and the Hoover Met.
www.active.com/donate/ltnagc/scarlettswalk

I did this kind of late, but it's never too late to come and walk. We plan for Scarlett to be there.

Thank you for always checking on Scarlett and praying for her.

Thursday, September 1, 2005 9:04 AM CDT

I didn't realize I hadn't updated in a while and I started getting phone calls about her counts on Monday. Thank you for checking and being concerned.

I am happy to say that they were great and she is great. Her dose on Mondays of Methotrexate went from 6 1/2 to 7 pills. Not a large increace. She is growing so much. I can't believe how much taller she is from a year ago. Now her weight is true weight, not a side effect from the steroids.

We go back on the 12th of September for more labs. Until then I hope to only be able to update about her great days.

She is still loving school and looks forward to going every morning. If she is resting good, I let her sleep in and check her in. Usually she wakes up on her own and is ready to go. So if she is still asleep, I know she needs it. The first thing she has in the morning is P.E. so if she has to miss anything that's not so bad. Her teacher is incredible and I know without a doubt she was meant to be Scarlett's teacher. We are very lucky!

Hope everyone is doing good after the storm and all of your loved ones are okay. Our oldest daughter, Anna, is a student at Tulane. Thank goodness she hadn't moved all her belongings in yet and she is home safe and sound.

Thank you for your care, concern and prayers.

Saturday, August 27, 2005 9:08 AM CDT

Scarlett had a great week at school. Her energy is still amazing and she hasn't gotten up at all saying she wants to stay home. What a great feeling to see her so happy being "normal" again.

There is a virus that is going around. I know of three children that have it, stomach ache, sore throat, fever. So far I haven't heard that it has turned into strep. I'm holding my breath that she is able to fight it off. I know illnesses and viruses are only going to get worse in the months to come and I am trying my best to take it as it comes and not focus on it daily. Very hard, though.

What I would give to dread her getting sick because she doesn't like taking medicine for 10 days or because we have a vacation coming up or just hate for her to feel bad. Now, it's quite the opposite. She already takes endless amounts of medicine daily, goes to the hospital regularly for blood drawn and needles poking in her in various places. And a little virus that should only affect her for a couple of days or an illness that she should only have to take medicine for for ten days means that she is in the hospital with IV's and the strongest antibiotics they have with daily blood cultures, etc., etc.
So there really is a reason for me to freak out thinking she might get a fever to put her in the hospital or a virus that will send her counts crashing only to mean she will eventually be in the hospital with us not knowing if she has a virus or if she is out of remission.

But today.... she is great, looks great, feels great and hasn't stopped smiling since she woke up giving me the greatest hugs and kisses ever. I told someone the other day that my jaws actually ache at the end of the day from similing so much. She is such a burst of sunshine!

Be looking for her beautiful face on 33/40 starting Monday. Scarlett has been named the Leukemia Lymphoma Societies Honor Child/Patient. Pam Huff made a commercial advertising the Light the Night Walk that the Leukemia Lymphoma Society Hosts annually with my little angel by her side. When I get the packet of info. about the walk, I'll post it. Maybe a lot of you would like to go walk for Scarlett and all the other children and adults who are affected by this horrible disease.

Thanks for everything. Your support and prayers mean so much to us.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 12:17 AM CDT

Scarlett LOVES being at school! Yesterday she was really tired so I let her sleep until she woke up, which was about an hour longer than she had been sleeping. So I checked her in when she woke up and ate breakfast. She did not like being checked in. She is such a rule follower it bothered her. So this morning she was ready to go when I said let's go. Her daddy did have to wake her up around 7:00. He said to her, "we love you very much". And she raised up her head and looked at him and said, "then why did you wake me up"? Too funny.

She decided that she didn't like peanut butter and jelly anymore so she didn't eat yesterday. So this morning I went to Honey Baked Ham and bought ham and took her a homeade lunchable. She loves to eat the circle ham and cheese and crackers. I just can't feed her that all the time. I think the preservatives that is in that kind of meat is so bad for her. So I took a knife with me and cut her ham in circles, gave her Ritz crackers and sliced cheese. She should be happy and eat well today.

It will be a year tomorrow that she was diagnosed. Everyday when she is at school I have a real hard time pulling myself together. I never get the thoughts and fears out of my head about her disease and what the future could hold, but when I have her within reach to kiss and smell and hold, I can cope better and it is easier for me to just be thankful for today and that moment with her. When she isn't with me, I can't make my head stop racing and it is safe to cry because she isn't there to see me. Today I just keep telling myself that we are a third of the way there before her chemo ends and a year closer to the five-year mark when we can really take a deep breath.
At the moment I have an hour and twenty minutes before I get in carpool line to see her precious face, and I'll be counting down the minutes.

Thanks for checking on her! I finally put some pictures of when she got to be "duck master" at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis.

Sunday, August 21, 2005 7:35 AM CDT

Scarlett had an amazing week and is looking forward to this one. She loves her teacher and being at school. By Friday she seemed to be a little tired when I picked her up. One of her closest friends, Mary Cate, is in her class and that really helped her I think.

Scarlett has an angel named Karen from Texas who sends her surprises (big, great surprises!). This past week she got a big box from her and when she opened it up, it was a huge box of candy with more candy than you can imagine. Scarlett's eyes lit up so huge and she (and Mommie) had a lot of fun eating lots of candy that day. (THANK YOU KAREN!)

We get to skip clinic this Monday and go the next Monday for labs. That will also help this week.

I'm having trouble with the picture part of her website. As soon as I figure it out I'll post more pictures.

Thank you for your continued care, concern and prayers. It is a great feeling when I'm able to post nothing but positive updates to you!

Tuesday, August 16, 2005 5:44 PM CDT

Scarlett's teacher is Mrs. Patterson. We arrived at 8:00 this morning and she was so excited. She loves her room and didn't want to leave. She can't wait until tomorrow. She's been wearing her backpack all afternoon and we have been pretending I'm her teacher calling her name.

Parents of kindergarten children have an option to walk their children into school the first week but my Scarlett told me that that's okay, she can do it by herself. I love her spunky independent attitude. Needless to say, I'm not crying, but very happy for her that she is so excited to start "big school"!

Monday, August 15, 2005 4:02 PM CDT

Our visit today at Children's went fine. Scarlett's spinal tap was clear. We have just been relaxing today since we have been home. It is really draining. I always feel so sorry for Scarlett's daddy when he has to go put in a full day's work after we've been at the hospital for procedures.

Scarlett is excited about meeting her teacher and she is in high hopes that it is Mrs. Patterson. Even though she has never met any of the other teachers, all she has talked about is Mrs. Patterson. Last year, Mrs. Patterson would get the children in her class to color Scarlett pictures and one of the mothers would bring them to the hospital for Scarlett to have a colorful, decorative room. So she has this attachment to her. From what I understand, all the teachers are great and she will love whoever she gets. I'll be sure to post how her day went tomorrow and if her wish comes true!

We get to skip next week for labs and go the week after. Thank goodness!!!!! So hopefully, Scarlett will stay well and get to enjoy her first couple of weeks at her new school.

Thanks to everyone!!!!!

Thursday, August 11, 2005 7:17 AM CDT

Scarlett had a great time with her grandparents and cousins last weekend. She still feels really good and has been having a lot of great days.

Thank goodness we had Monday off from clinic. It made all the difference in the world this week for her.

Tuesday we went to her new school's playground for a popsicle party for all the kindergarten children. Most of the children sought out familiar faces and played with just them, but I'm sure it will help to see the other children on Tuesday when she starts. She seems to be gettting excited about it. Tuesday we just find out who her teacher is and then she starts on Wednesday for a half day.

She was exposed to strep throat on Tuesday so we are holding our breath that she doesn't end up with it. A few days in the hospital won't be the greatest way for her to start school.

It is so hard to just "live" and let her be a child when every time she is in public places or with children, you know she is potentially and more than likely getting exposed to some kind of illness. The days of just giving Motrin and waiting it out are over. Any fever and she is in the hospital. No matter how good she looks, feels or acts, she has and will have for two more years low counts, and it is dangerous for her to get sick. She really has done great so far so hopefully this year will continue to be.

We go on Monday for a spinal tap. She does fine with the proceedure thanks to "magic milk". She actually looks forward to being put to sleep. I just think it should be mandatory that all parents get a little (A LOT) of that medicine along with their children. It makes for a long day and she is sometimes sore afterwards. But we get to come home, and that's a good thing!

I'll post after Monday and let you know her counts and how she did.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your continued prayers and support for our angel!

Thursday, August 4, 2005 10:21 AM CDT

Scarlett is continuing to feel really good. We still play pretty hard one day and take it easy the next. The other day she stayed up late playing with her cousin and the next day she was pale and layed in front of the TV all day. By about 8:00 that evening color came to her lips and it was obvious she was refreshed. So the next day she was ready to play. Her friend came over and we went to the pool for three hours. It was great to see her swimming like a fish and shaking those hips at the end of the diving board.

Her counts were still good on Monday when we went to clinic so we get to skip next Monday. We will feel like we are on vacation. Finally, a week without a "poke"!

She had her medicine Pantamodene (not spelled correctly) that she takes as a breathing treatment. She was so brave. I am not able to stay in the room since I'm expecting and she told me she would be fine alone. So I left her with the respiratory therapist and she was through in about 10 minutes. The last time it took about an hour. It taste really bad and makes a lot of children throw up. They have to take frequent breaks and get a drink and spit. She was so proud that she took two breaks to spit without even drinking! I'm in the waiting room crying because she is in there without me and I was so afraid that she was scared and needed me. Not so, she amazes me more and more each day.

We are going to visit her grandparents for a few days and get in all the fun we can before school starts. So it will probably be Monday or Tuesday before I update again.

Thank you for continuing to check on our angel!

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 10:40 AM CDT

Scarlett had such a good time in Memphis. Of course, she was so beautiful and grown-up as a flower girl. She and the 11 bridesmaids had a great time - ages ranging from 20 - 27, she fit right in and made lots of new friends.

We stayed at the Peabody Hotel Thursday - Sunday. For those of you who are familiar with that hotel, she was dubbed "Duck Master" and got to go to the ducks suite on the top floor and escort them down to the red carpet. Of course, Scarlett fit right in walking the red carpet as royalty! I'll have pictures soon of that to post.

She had rehersal on Friday night and attended the after-rehersal dinner. With approximately 120 guests, she stood in the middle of the room and made a toast to the bride and groom - and it was the best toast given, I might add, out of the probably 24 given. Nothing intimidates my baby!

The wedding was magnificent. It was at an old cathedral downtown Memphis with about 600 guests. She LOVED walking down the aisle with all 1200 eyes on her. Imagine that. If only they let flower girls dance, huh.

We were so glad that she felt so good and was able to enjoy herself so much.

I'll change the pictures often because there is a lot to show.

Thank you so much for checking on Miss Scarlett.

The Cowans

Monday, July 25, 2005 3:39 PM CDT

We went to the hospital today for labs. I don't have the results back yet, but I'm sure they are fine.

Scarlett doesn't have to go back to the hospital for labs again until the 8th, as for now. That's a good thing. We have been going every week for the past month and a half. Her little arms need a break.

We are leaving for Memphis, TN Thursday morning. Scarlett is going to be a flower girl in her cousin's wedding. She is very excited.

I finally have the pictures of Scarlett and Miss America the day they made the commercial. Two beautiful girls!

There is a family that goes to our church and lives in our community that lost a child two-and-a-half years ago to the same type of leukemia that Scarlett has. I pray for them daily and check their website often. Today I checked to see how the family was doing and her entry (like always) is incredible. She knows how to express her feelings so well. She has lived the pain that we are living and so much more. Sometimes I try to explain to people what Scarlett goes through when I hear the most common words "oh, she looks so good. Is she still in remission." I know everyone means well and are in hopes that everything in Scarlett's world is great since she "looks" great. Well, if you want a sample of Scarlett's life, just read what Janet posted. http://www.caringbridge.org/al/janiesims

Thursday, July 21, 2005 7:08 AM CDT

Scarlett is feeling really good. Yesterday was probably the first time I have seen her play the way she used to.

We went to Homewood Park, which was the park that I scooped her up from last August and told my friends that I was taking her to the doctor that I knew she had leukemia. I called the office on the phone in the car and told them I was bringing her. They asked for her symptoms. I said, "I don't really know, there is just something wrong." I asked her doctor to do a mono test thinking that any bloodwork at all would show what was wrong not knowing that it only showed if she had mono. I asked him if she had leukemia and he told me, no. He was so convinced that she just had a virus that he even told me that I was paranoid and to go home and live.

I took her home and prayed he was right, knowing he was wrong. I went back on Sunday and then again on Tuesday, each time saying, "I know she has leukemia." She was so sick by Tuesday that they finally did a CBC (complete blood count) and they knew at that point it was either leukemia or a virus in her bone marrow.

Don't ever as a parent not trust your instincts. I asked Scarlett's doctor after she was diagnosed how I knew on Friday and they didn't. He said as honest and simply as he could, "you are a mother".

Back to her feeling good... she ran and skipped all over that park. We had a picnic and then played on the playground. It was so hot and she was dripping sweat and still wouldn't stop. I had to talk her into leaving and going swimming. Then we went and swam for a couple of hours. Great day!!!!! I have learned to truely enjoy the day for what it is because tomorrow or next week is always a totally different story. No such thing as plans that you intend on keeping. They are always, we would love to, but I'll let you know that morning.

She is still sleeping this morning. My guess would be it will be a low-key day since she had such a big one yesterday, but we never know.

Thank you for checking on us and your continued thoughts and prayers.

Saturday, July 16, 2005 7:20 PM CDT

Scarlett has been continuing to feel really good and having fun playing with her toys and friends. She went to a pool party this afternoon for a boy that was in her class last year and got to see all her classmates. She had a lot of fun.

We will go to Children's for labs on Monday and she may be starting back on her chemo at 100% dose.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support. We appreciate you more than you will ever know.

Monday, July 11, 2005 5:55 PM CDT

We went to the hospital today for labs. Scarlett's counts are still very good. We even went to Chuck E. Cheese. I almost had a panic attack thinking of all the germs, but she enjoyed herself immensely!

I remember last September when she was first diagnosed being in the hospital bed and a Chuck E. Cheese commercial coming on TV and her asking when she could go. I think she has asked me every month since and I kept telling her that they were closed until summer. Today a light bulb went off in her head and she said, "is it summer"? I couldn't resist after that. We were there for two hours and she couldn't tell me thank you enough. I have a feeling we won't make it through the week without going back!

I can't believe we only have a month before she starts school. I have to say, I am not happy about it at all. I just can't imagine her going to school for a full day. I know as soon as I see her big, beautiful brown eyes and that angelic smile telling me how much she loves it I will then be excited for her, but not until. It's amazing how much I have to tell myself to be a "big girl" and not my children. They seem to be really big! I need to practice what I preach (obviously well).

They put Scarlett back on her medicine last week half dose and this week they want her to take 75% and then hopefully next week 100%.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.

Saturday, July 9, 2005 9:49 AM CDT

Scarlett is feeling really good and enjoying her days very much. We were gone all last week visiting Scarlett's Grandmother. She played like she used to. She told me to write that she learned to jump rope - 30 times! That was a huge accomplishment. Not only that she finally got the rhythm, but that her body was strong enough and she had enough energy to keep practicing. It's been awhile since I have seen that side of her. Very refreshing!!!!!

We have a birthday party to go to today and she is really looking forward to that.

Scarlett told me that she is ready to make a lot more bookmarks. So in a couple of days, we will have a large selection again. They are still selling quite well. I don't know the latest total, I think around $10,000. I know I have $500 in checks to turn in to Children's. I'll post the new total when I get it.

Thank you for checking on Miss Scarlett. I am so happy to be able to report nothing but good news.

Thursday, June 30, 2005 3:15 PM CDT

Scarlett's appointment went great today. Her counts have soared and she started back on her chemo.

We celebrated by going to the Galleria. Build-A-Bear was her first stop and then food court.

We are ready to have fun and see our friends. Hopefully, we will make it to the pool this weekend.

Thank you for your prayers!

Wednesday, June 29, 2005 8:34 AM CDT

Scarlett is feeling better than she has felt in a month. It's amazing how different her energy level is just being off all meds for a couple of weeks.

We feel sure her labs will look great tomorrow. If so, she will start back on her chemo at that time. We are ready to get back on schedule, but dread watching what it does to her. We just have to keep telling ourselves that we are that much closer to being through. And let me tell you, we are going to throw some kind of party in two years! It'll be the biggest event Birmingham has seen in a long time so get ready for it.

Thank you for all your prayers and support. Hopefully, by this weekend we'll be out and about and Scarlett will be swimming and feeling great again!

Monday, June 27, 2005 8:58 AM CDT

Scarlett is home and feeling much better. Her counts are slowly on the rise. We go back to clinic on Thursday for counts, and if they are still going up, I think they are going to try to put her back on her chemo then.

Thank you for all your prayers. I'll keep you posted on how she is doing.

Friday, June 24, 2005 4:28 PM CDT

Yesterday started out as Scarlett said, "this is the best day of my life". She got to meet, hug, talk to and make a commercial with Miss America. She was so excited and stuck to her like glue. Charter Cable made a commercial with kids that have cancer and Deidra Downs to promote the Curing Childhood Cancer car tags. I'm not sure when it will air, but I will let you know - or better yet, you will see it very soon.

Scarlett felt really bad the whole time we were there. When we came home I felt like she had a fever, but when I took it it didn't show up yet. Well, of course, it decided to show at 5:30 when clinic was closed and she had to go through the ER to be admitted. Very traumatic!!!!!
We got to our room about 11:00 last night. Her counts are still really low and dropping and she has a fever, but other than that, she feels good and looks good. She got a red blood transfusion at about 3:00 a.m. and her headaches have stopped and those beautiful Snow White lips are red again.

We don't know how long we will be here. There is no way to tell when this happens, but I will keep you posted on her progress. We can't have visitors right now due to her low counts and inability to fight infection.

We really appreciate your prayers and support. Thank you so much.

Wednesday, June 22, 2005 1:18 PM CDT

We just got home from Scarlett's appointment. Her bone marrow test was clear, which means she is still in remission. We are stopping all medicine this week and will go back on Monday for lab work to see where her counts are and talk about what to do as far as her medicine goes.

Her counts are extremely low, white count of 700 and ANC 70, which is nothing. She has no fighting cells. I don't know how this tough little girl has remained fever free. If she does run a fever, she will be in the hospital a while, just like last time. So we are going to lay low and hopefully her counts will pick back up.

Needless to say, her parents haven't slept or taken a deep breath in a few days so we are exhausted and relieved. There is no way to describe the fear we have been feeling but will one day learn not to second guess our little angel. She is tough and has pulled through every time.

Thank you so much for your prayers!

Tuesday, June 21, 2005 11:15 AM CDT

We had a good trip to Destin but Scarlett wasn't feeling too great from her medicine she got last week. It gives her jaw pain and aches. But we had moments that she was able to enjoy herself. I'll have some pictures to upload soon.

I did upload a picture of Scarlett's baby brother. Can you believe after three girls we are going to have a boy running around? She was so excited watching the sonogram. She can't wait to be a big sister. She told me that she didn't like her brother, she loved him.

We had our clinic visit yesterday and her counts were still too low to give her medicine this week. We are going tomorrow for more tests to see what could be causing the drop. They say that they see it all the time, and possibly we'll have to have some adjustments on her dosage and maybe even a different medicine. This is the season also for fifths disease (virus) and who knows if she has had a little virus. We'll try to update as soon as we can tomorrow. Please continue to keep Scarlett in your prayers. It's easy to forget that she still has such a long road ahead of her when you see her and she looks so great.

Thank you for your continued support.

Tuesday, June 14, 2005 8:10 AM CDT

We had our appointment yesterday at clinic. Scarlett got her vincristine injected into her port and started taking steroids for a week. She was so upset when they were going to access her port. It took me back to the very beginning when she was so terrified. It is really hard for her to go every now and then as opposed to when it was her regular routine. Now that we have that behind us, when we go back on Monday for the same treatment she won't be as upset.

Her counts dropped to 410 so she does not get her methotrexate for this week. They hold off treatment and will check her next Monday. If they are 500 or above, she will start back on her weekly dose then.

We are all looking forward to going to the beach on Wednesday. Scarlett can't wait to have her daddy all to herself.

I probably won't update until we get home, there won't be much to tell other than Scarlett is really hungry and really grumpy from her steroids. Thank goodness it will be over as quick as it starts.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support.

Sunday, June 12, 2005 7:32 AM CDT

When I got to camp there was a huge crowd and Scarlett was in the middle of it. She saw me before I saw her and she jumped up so excited and ran to me. When I bent down to hug her she hugged me so tight and was fighting back tears. She looked at me and said, "my throat hurts a little because I'm trying not to cry I'm so happy to see you Mama." Oh, my goodness, I haven't felt anything so good in so long to see my baby.

She had a great time and came home with lots of treasures. They had the pirate dance again, and the DJ Oz gave her a t-shirt for dancing the best at a song. She was really happy about that. She got to shoot a bow and arrow and hit the target twice. Buck Masters gave some goodies so she got a couple of magazines and a hat that she can wear with her daddy at the farm. She made a cool tye-dye towel, a CD holder, a painted board with the name, Iron Hearted Malta painted on it, which was her pirate name for the dance. She made me a picture frame that says, I Love Mamma, a light switch cover, a ceramic heart -- goodness I don't know if I can remember it all. They had so much fun. She said that she had a whole year before she was seven and thought about doing it again, but that she wanted to go back.

She made a lot of friends, which I know doesn't surprise anyone. She came home with a stack of names, addresses and e-mails. Her counselor said she took a lot of pictures so I will have a lot to share with you.

As we were leaving Scarlett told me that she shared her cups that she rinsed her mouth with with a friend. And on the last night there was only one cup and so Scarlett gave it to her. She said, "see, Mama, I can cup my hand and put water in it but she can't, so I gave her the cup." Kellie told me it made her cry. She is so sweet to notice something like that. My sweet angel.

Scarlett's sweet daddy is sick and so he went to the farm yesterday so Scarlett wouldn't catch it. She really misses him and wants to see him. I told her that he was a very unselfish daddy to be able to do that. I'm not sure that I would have been able to. I can't imagine how his heart is aching knowing she is here and he hasn't gotten to hold her yet. Hopefully, he'll start feeling better real soon. Scarlett's counts are fairly low right now, (as of last weeks blood work her ANC was only 600), so we really don't need her sick.

Well, she is yelling for more pancakes so I'm going to feed her. We'll update soon.

Saturday, June 11, 2005 9:57 AM CDT

I get to go pick up my baby!!!!!!! I think today is the first day that I can actually take a deep breath. I have missed her so much there is no way to describe it. I am so happy for her, though, that she was able to stay the whole time. I know she is going to feel so proud of herself. As hard as it is to let your children be independent, it is such a good feeling to watch them grow up and have self confidence.

It seems like I haven't seen her in forever, but actually this week has gone by really quick. Considering I accomplished not one task and was very nonproductive. I just had to stay gone away from home. I would grocery shop very slow, go to lunch, walk around the mall, and couldn't wait for it to be time to go to sleep so I would be one day closer to picking her up.

I have prepared myself not to expect to be greeted with open arms. I'm sure she is going to be sad her fun-filled week is ending. I get to get her at 1:00 and then they will have a closing ceremony at 1:15. I know a lot of you are anxiously awaiting to hear Scarlett's perspective on camp and what all she has done, but I will not be touching this computer until tomorrow, sorry. I will update you in the morning before Scarlett wakes up.

Thank you for checking on us.

Wednesday, June 8, 2005 10:10 AM CDT

After dinner last night David and I got a call from Camp Smile-A-Mile. Scarlett is fine, but they said she is a little home sick. My heart felt so sad thinking that she was crying. But when I asked Lynn if she was real upset, she told me no that at the moment she was dancing and singing karaoke. She told me that Scarlett told her counselor that she really needed to go home to be with her mama because she was the love of her mama's life and she couldn't make it without her. How dramatic and funny is that?

So we told Lynn to tell her that I am fine and as long as she is having fun I am not sad at all. We told her to tell her that we sent a really cool present and she needed to be there tomorrow to get it. I assume it worked because they didn't call me back. Of course, if she is still sad today they will call and we will go get her. So I will update you with whatever news I get.

Tuesday, June 7, 2005 6:28 AM CDT

Well, yesterday was quite a tear-jerker! We will make it, though.

I'll tell you some postive news! We are constantly humbled and touched by so many wonderful people and their selfless gestures. Three boys from Vestavia, Corbin Potter, Davis Rickard and Matt Meherg, had their birthday party and received only donations for Scarlett's research fund instead of presents. These boys are going in the 6th grade and will be going to Pizits next year. They raised $890.
It amazes me that they are so willing and happy to do something so wonderful. Thank you so much, boys. You are very special young men.

The second thing: I don't know if you remember seeing the picture and me writing about our good friend Stanley Boyd who has Hodgkins Lymphoma and was training for the Century Bike ride (100 miles) with Scarlett being his honoree. He completed it!!! I have no idea how he did it, but his determination is unbelievable. Stanley goes on Thursday for a PET scan. Please keep him in your prayers.

I am trying to post pictures of Corbin, Matt and Davis and Stanley. Having computer problems with the pictures. Maybe I'll figure it out soon.

Friday, June 3, 2005 5:19 PM CDT

Scarlett, Savanna and I went to Gadsden for a quick visit yesterday. We actually swam this morning for a little while and it was freezing. It's amazing how it doesn't bother children.

We are still packing and getting ready for next week.
David and I are still wondering how we are going to make it through the week. As much as we are going to miss her and our hearts are going to ache, we are as equally happy that she is healty enough to go and feels like having fun.
It was just a few months ago that we never anticipated her doing so good.

I will update sometime next week when I hear how she is making it at camp. I'll try to only be positive and tell you the happy things she is doing and not how sad I am.

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 9:10 AM CDT

We had our visit yesterday to Children's. Scarlett has been so good about not dreading getting arm pokes lately, but yesterday it hurt her really bad. Who knows why. We had on her numbing cream and the same lady did it who always does. She cried so bad it broke my heart.

The good thing is that her labs were good and she was able to take her methotrexate on time yesterday.

It will be another month before we have to get blood from her arm drawn. On the 13th of June we will go and she will have her port accessed and get vincristine (chemo that will be administered in her port) and start dexamethasone (steroid) for a week. It will make her a little moody and a little hungry, but as soon as she starts feeling bad it will be over, thank goodness.

She is still looking forward to going to Camp Smile-A-Mile on Monday. We went yesterday and got her Care Bear sheets and shorts. All she wears is dresses and skirts so finding seven pairs of shorts in Scarlett's wardrobe wasn't going to happen.

I still have no idea how I'm going to make it next week. I'm sending my baby (Savanna) to college on Saturday and my other baby to camp on Monday. I think David is working real hard to find a case to try far away! I don't blame him. And for those of you who know me, I know you don't either!

Thank you for everything! I can't tell you enough how much we appreciate all of you.

Monday, May 30, 2005 3:35 PM CDT

We just got home from a wonderful stay at the Grand Hotel in Fairhope. Scarlett doesn't like the sand so it is the perfect vacation for her. She would swim all morning, eat very good for lunch, rest and then swim all afternoon.

One set of her grandparents live about two miles from the hotel and the other set went with us so she had a lot of fun with her grandparents. One of her aunts lives in Gulf Shores and she came for a visit, so she was getting lots of love while having lots of fun!

Sorry I haven't updated any pictures but I am a bit behind getting them developed. Although, what could be cuter than her in that red cap and gown?

We go to the hospital on Tuesday just for labs and then back home for two more weeks if they are where they should be.

Thank you for checking on Miss Scarlett and for your continued prayers!

Monday, May 23, 2005 6:30 AM CDT

Scarlett and parents had a wonderful time at Camp Smile-A-Mile. It was hard to imagine what it was going to be like. There really isn't anyway to anticipate it, you just have to be there to understand. I can't say enough good things about the staff, counselors and children visiting. Scarlett didn't want to leave and is planning on going back to the week session in June (without parents), that's how great it is. Needless to say, we are all tired. They keep you busy every second.

If you want to get a sample of Camp Sam you can visit the website at Campsam.org and click on the view video icon at the top. I think they will have pictures posted of the weekend sometime in a couple of weeks.

We got home yesterday around noon and Scarlett had fallen asleep in the car so we left her there to rest before her big debut at the Alabama Theater. She woke up in time to eat a sandwich and get dressed. Once again, there really isn't anyway to describe her in action, you just have to see it to believe it. She is awesome in every way!!!!!!
She was very proud of herself and we were more than proud of her.

I should be getting pictures of both events today and will do my best to post them soon.

David and I continue to be overwhelmed by the love, care and support from each of you. Thank you so much.

Friday, May 20, 2005 6:34 AM CDT

We are leaving for Camp Smile-A-Mile this afternoon. We are all looking forward to it. Scarlett has seen pictures in pamphlets of Camp SAM and saw all the different activities that people did there. The one she picked up on the most and is saying she is going to do is shoot a bow and arrow. That just cracks me up. She hasn't talked about riding in a boat, canoe, trying to water ski, etc., just shoot a bow and arrow.

She had her dress rehersal yesterday and did very good, of course. Nothing is intimidating to her. We got stuck in traffic so we were a little late. We ran in the door, got her costume and changed backstage behind the curtain. She walked up, went right on stage and started shaking it!!!!

I will update on Sunday about our fun-filled weekend and how wonderful she dances!!

Thank you!!!!!!

Thursday, May 19, 2005 7:08 AM CDT

We had our visit to the hospital yesterday for Scarlett's spinal tap. Everything went good and we were home by 12:30.

She was very tired after getting her "magic milk" and it took her a couple of hours to bounce back to Scarlett. She had a good afternoon and played a lot of pretend with her grandmama.

Tonight we go to the Alabama Theater for her dress rehersal. She is excited about that, oh how she loves to perform! Her recital is Sunday at 2:00.

Thank you all for visiting Scarlett's website!

Tuesday, May 17, 2005 7:04 AM CDT

Well, Miss Scarlett is exhausted from her pool party yesterday. She started swimming at 12:30 and at 7:00 I had to make her get out. She came home and ate two peanut butter sandwiches and drank a glass of milk. That would never happen unless she was taking steroids!

This morning we have her graduation. I will be posting pictures as soon as I get them. We love her school so much and it is hard to leave this year. But we are just so thrilled that she feels like being there for these fun occassions that we didn't foresee her getting to do seven months ago.

Those of you who keep up with Scarlett's friend, Cassidy, please keep them in your prayers. Suzie's parents and her son, Cade, were in a car accident on Sunday. Cade is fine, her mom is critical and her father was killed instantly. I can't imagine how much more they can take. I heard that Cade was able to tell the ambulance drivers that his mom and dad were at Children's.

Thank you for checking on Scarlett and caring so much!

Saturday, May 14, 2005 7:59 AM CDT

Scarlett has had a really great couple of days. I have had to give her Zyrtec and Sudafed for her allergies the past couple of weeks and I think it has been making her feel bad. So I didn't give it the last two days and it has made a world of difference in how she feels.

She woke up yesterday morning telling me about all she did at her popsicle party and how much she was going to love going to school there. She just didn't feel good the day we went.

So we are on to new allergy medication to see what will help her and not make her feel bad.

We are looking forward to next week. She has her pool party and her graduation. She has been practicing her songs that she is going to sing and is very impressed that she gets a cap and gown like Savanna is going to wear.

I will try to update the pictures soon.

Thank you!

Thursday, May 12, 2005 5:39 PM CDT

Today was a big day for Scarlett. We went to Vestavia East (her new school next year) and had an orientation and popsicle party. She came to me and got in my lap and said, "I don't want to come here next year". But at this point she doesn't want to go anywhere that I am not. So I feel sure that in three months she will be very excited.

I think it's just hard for her to jump back into things when she virtually missed an entire year of school and she has been used to going since she was two. It's just taking a little while to get any kind of normalcy back after all we have been through and still doing.

Although our treatments are at home every night and go to clinic every other week, it's almost harder on her right now because she gets used to being able to forget about it and then when that day comes around it brings back all the other memories for her. When we were going every week, that was her normal. This too will be her "normal" it's just not been long enough yet.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support. We appreciate you all so much.

Tuesday, May 10, 2005 6:42 AM CDT

Scarlett has been wanting to loose a tooth since a few of her friends did last year. Bless her heart, it just isn't happening for her. She has played tricks on the tooth fairy by putting small beads in her tooth box hoping to get some money. At times I would just wiggle a tooth and make her think it was loose.

Well, she has really had a tooth loose for about two months but it won't come out. The tooth growing in is behind it and it's not giving it any help at all. Yesterday and the day before we spent probably an hour pulling and tugging and twisting that tooth. I am really pulling hard and it just isn't budging. Maybe it won't be too much longer.

We have a busy month of May. This Thursday Scarlett gets to go to a popcicle party at East (the elementary school she will be starting next year), she has her pool party with her class on the 16th, her graduation (with cap and gown) from Ascension on the 17th. We leave for Camp Smile-A-Mile on the 20th and come home on the 22nd for her solo in her dance receital. On the 24th her sister Savanna graduates. And on the 26th we are going to Fairhope to the Grand Hotel to finally relax and visit with Scarlett's grandparents that live there.

We feel so blessed that we are able to plan and really attend all of these things. It wasn't long ago that we never imagined we would be doing this good.

Thank you all for your continued prayers. Please keep them coming. We have two years left of everyday treatment.

Monday, May 9, 2005 8:17 AM CDT

We hope everyone had a great day yesterday. My family was certainly surprised at our news ........ Scarlett is going to be a big sister. She is so excited and is already bossing me around telling me what I need to eat because the baby will like it and it is healthy. She is talking to my stomach wanting the baby to hear her voice so it will "love her the most" when it's born.

Those of you who know me well know that I was born to be a mother. I love it more than I could ever describe. I get the sweetest comments from so many of you about the type of mother I am, and I appreciate hearing it so much. I know what I feel in my heart, but knowing that other people see it has to mean I am doing an okay job of it.

But I have to say, it is easy for me to be the way I am (totally consumed every second of everyday loving my girls) having a husband like David. He is the most unselfish husband I think there is. If I never cooked or cleaned or got things done because I was playing, holding, loving, etc., my girls, there wouldn't be one complaint from him. We are very lucky that he is who he is and loves all his girls so much. Those of you who know David know that he is very private and he might not care too much for me sharing this with you - but I am bragging about him and there is a comment he made that sums up what kind of husband, father he is that makes it so easy for me to be the kind of mother I am. I said to him that I was sorry, that I felt like I was failing him by being so consumed with fear and pain while Scarlett was initially so sick, and his reply was, we have plenty of time for us, when you love my children, you are loving me.

Needless to say, our house needed a happy distraction and we have it. Scarlett can't stop smiling and talking about it. Anna and Savanna are the greatest big sisters ever so this baby is very lucky already.

Thank you all for checking on us. Scarlett is going to school today for an end-of-the-year party with pizza and then having her friends Mallory and Connor over for a little while this afternoon.

Sunday, May 8, 2005 1:22 PM CDT

Scarlett is having a good day and loving it being Mother's Day. She loves special occassions.

Yesterday we went swimming at our neighbor's house and the pool was freezing cold. It didn't stop her. She swam for three hours and was upset when I told her we had to get out. She came home and fell asleep in the chair she was exhausted. We are looking forward to a great summer!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms.

Tuesday, May 3, 2005 7:14 AM CDT

We went to clinic yesterday for labs and they were good so she got to take her medicine last night as planned.

Scarlett made some T-shirts for all the people who take care of her in clinic and on 4-tower and she gave them to everyone yesterday. It was really sweet. She drew a picture of an angel and wrote love Scarlett underneath and that was on the front of the shirt. And on the back she wrote in quotes, "The people who take care of me on 4 Tower are angels" and then for clinic it said Clinic 8. They were really excited to get them. Of course, there were some tears! Scarlett and parents really appreciate their dedication and love for their patients. They know what they are doing and we are very lucky to have them.

We go back to the hospital on Wednesday, the 18th, for a spinal tap so she won't take that particular medicine at home that week since she will be getting it in her spine.

Thank you all for your continued support and prayers.

Saturday, April 30, 2005 8:57 AM CDT

Yesterday was the big Skate Party! Scarlett had a lot of fun. She seems to have a really grown-up understanding about what people are doing for her. I am still amazed and overwhelmed at the huge hearts of so many children. They were beaming as they told me that they had counted $1700 that they had raised for Scarlett's research fund yesterday. All the children that came (about 75) were all so excited to see her and meet her.

I am adding a picture that they used for the invitation to the photo album.

Thank you, Connor, Andrew and Will for your sweet, kind hearts, and thank you to all your friends who were all so happy to contribute.

Wednesday, April 27, 2005 6:09 PM CDT

Scarlett is still doing great. She has lots of full days and then needs a day to rest. She appears (even when mom knows better) to have endless energy, but that's not always the case. I let her do as much as she wants to do and then I know when she needs to lay low for a day. Today was one of those days. We didn't make it to school and she stayed in her p.j.'s until after lunch. Tomorrow she will be ready to go again.

We finally cleaned off the "happy birthday" in bright pink letters off the garage and played with sidewalk chalk for a little while. She went to a neighbors house and played for about an hour this afternoon.

I'll have to tell you about her neighbor (Connor). Those of you who read the guestbook entries remember reading many posts from Connor. He is a fourth grader who decided that for his birthday this year he wanted to tell his guests not to bring him presents, but to donate to Scarlett's cancer fund. The next thing I know, two of his friends have joined him, Will and Andrew. They are combining their parties and came and took a picture with Scarlett for their invitations which asks for donations in lieu of gifts. I am so amazed at the huge hearts of these children. I am going to post a picture of them in the next couple of days so be looking for it. Needless to say, Scarlett has grown very attached to Connor, his sister, Mallory, and their mom. And she is very excited to get to know Andrew and Will better.

I will update in a couple of days and tell you how the party went. Scarlett is the "star guest" for their skating party. And let me tell you, she feels it!!!

p.s. If anyone reading this knows who gave Scarlett three cans of silly string and/or the Angelina Ballerina DVD, please let me know. Tags got lost!

Monday, April 25, 2005 8:57 PM CDT

We are finally recovering from all the fun we had on Saturday. Scarlett woke up at 9:00 that morning and started playing outside and stopped at 7:30 that night. She was exhausted!

Sunday morning she woke up vomiting so we thought she picked up a stomach virus. She was sick until about 2:30 that afternoon and then wanted to go to the store to buy chex mix and ice cream. She has been fine ever since.

This morning we went to school and had a field trip to Bud's Best Cookies. It was a lot of fun.

I have about 500 pictures from her birthday party. I guess I'll update new pictures about every day so you can see how much fun she had.

Our next hospital visit is Monday for labs only. Yeah!

She is continuing to do very good and hopefully we will have many, many more of these days.

Thank you so much for all you have done and continue to do.

Saturday, April 23, 2005 1:56 AM CDT

Scarlett had a relaxing morning and then we went ice skating for a birthday party. She had never been and loved it.

I have to tell you a funny story. I saw an outfit one time that I wanted to buy but they didn't make it in her size. So I copied it somewhat and got fabric of my taste and at the last minute asked a dear friend to sew it for me. (Thank you so much Ms. Cindy! We love you) Well, it is overalls dolled up with a birthday hat and cupcake and fun trim and and fur on them in various places. They are precious. Scarlett really likes them, but in her mind since she wanted a "dancing disco room" at her party, it's just not quite the outfit for her dancing.

So tonight we were singing with the microphone and having fun and talking about her party. She says to me, "well, everybody else can dance but not me." I asked her why not, that that is something she wanted to do and that's why I made the disco room. She said, "well, I'll dance only if it's, like, fun music and not my kind of dancing music because blue jean overalls aren't made for that. I mean, can you just have music like she'll be coming around the mountain?" How funny is that????? She is hysterical!
I don't have she'll be coming around the mountain, but I bet she'll find a way to make those overalls look good once she hears the music.

I will update probably on Sunday about her fun-filled day tomorrow and add some pictures as soon as I get them.

I did put some new ones on there tonight so check out the photo page.

Friday, April 22, 2005 9:10 AM CDT

Yesterday was Scarlett's 6th birthday. She woke up very excited and told us that she didn't really feel any different, just a little taller. Her daddy gave her a diamond necklace and ring, wow, was that special to her. She is definitely her daddy's princess!

We went to a birthday party yesterday for one of her classmates. While I was standing watching her, I noticed that she had absolutely NO color in her face or lips. Immediately, my body went numb and I felt so sick. I called her over and started looking under her eyelids and they were white too. A nurse was standing beside me and saw what I saw, I wasn't going crazy. So after moving in slow motion and feeling like I couldn't even walk, we came home and after a while she looked fine. All color was back. Who knows. It's just such a different way of living, being so terrified of any abnormal but familiar look. I assume that I will get used to that too, somewhat.

But, my angel is great today and is looking so forward to her big birthday bash tomorrow. We are not going to school today so she can rest up and feel great tomorrow.

Thank you all so much! We love you!

Monday, April 18, 2005 3:58 PM CDT

Scarlett had a good visit today at the clinic. She was glad to get to see Dr. Nicole, but as always a little anxious about being there. She was such a big girl getting her labs drawn. It's amazing how still she sits for them to "poke" her arm.

She was able to start her maintenance phase tonight, which consist of chemo by mouth once a week in addition to her every night chemo she is already taking now just a larger dose.

We go back in two weeks for blood work.

We got to see Scarlett's friend Cassidy's parents. She is in the process of having a stem cell transplant right now. They said she is doing good. I know most of you know about Cassidy from Scarlett and have been praying for her.

Thank you for all your prayers. They are definitely being answered. Scarlett is a strong, brave girl and is enjoying her days of feeling good.

Wednesday, April 13, 2005 7:04 AM CDT

Scarlett is still feeling great and enjoying every minute of every day. Although, yesterday morning she woke up and started immediately telling me reasons that she shouldn't go to school. By the way, she is REALLY good. I can't imagine what it is going to be like when she is a teenager.
So, I bought into it, and we did have such a good day at home together. She knows right where to get me in my heart, "I just really want to spend the day with only you, Mama".

I know most of you check everyday and I'm sorry that I haven't been updating like I used to. Just smile, though, because it means that she has me busy playing and she's not feeling bad laying around watching TV.

We go back to clinic on Monday the 18th to see the doctor and start our maintenance phase if her blood work is good. The maintenance consist of chemo by mouth every day (6MP) and then once a week she will take by mouth the chemo that was administered to her in the hospital when we had to have overnight stays (Methotrexate). She will go to clinic once a week and have her blood drawn to see if her levels are good to take that particular chemo for that week. (Meth.)

She will go about every seven weeks for a spinal tap and injection in her spine of chemo, injection of a different chemo in her port (Vincristine), and the steroid for seven days.

All of this will take place for two years. By no means is her fight over or does it mean that she will feel this great always, but it's a lighter road than we have been on for the past seven months.

There will be times that her levels will drop and more than likely have hospital stays, but hopefully, that's far and few! And as of now, we are happy thinking about the fact that we don't have planned hospital stays just probably some unexpected.

The last two times that we were in the hospital there was a five-year-old little girl there with leukemia that is three months away from being through with her two-and-a-half year treatment. I couldn't believe that they still battle low counts and week-long hospital stays. But it was good for me to see, because I can prepare myself that that can happen.

One thing is for sure with this disease, there is no way to predict ANYTHING! Just because one child does great, doesn't mean it holds true for yours and vice versa. Statistics are a number, not your child. It's very hard to read and hear about "statistics" and then be at the hospital and see what all goes on there. As soon as you feel good about things and hear so many good stories and results of treatment for leukemia, you are walking out of the hospital and hear that a seven-year-old girl just died from it.

So, please don't forget Scarlett in your prayers, her battle is really just beginning.

Thank you all so very much for all you have done and continue to do.

Friday, April 8, 2005 7:40 PM CDT

Scarlett has been feeling great! She has been going to school and playing nonstop. It is so great to have her back! She feels better right now than she did a year ago.

We just enjoy every second of every day and hope that we have many, many more.

Thank you all for your continued support and prayers!

Sunday, April 3, 2005 1:15 AM CST

Scarlett went to school on Friday and had a great day.

Today she played all day so hard that by tonight her legs were so tired that she started crying when she was getting in bed. It is so wonderful seeing that old "Scarlett energy"!

We are going to the farm on Sunday to have some fun with Daddy, so we will miss school on Monday, but plan to be there the rest of the week.

I got an e-mail from someone telling me about a special organization called Cancer Warriors. So many of you have expressed that you have always wanted to help children with cancer but don't have any idea how to. Check out their website, www.cancerwarriors.org, and see if it might be for you.

Scarlett is continuing to sell a good many bookmarks. The hospital has now gotten onboard with selling them and put them in a flyer that they mail out to I think it's 12,000 people. There has already been a good response from that. The last I heard, she had raised over $4800. That's a lot of $3 bookmarks.

We have a visit scheduled for April the 18th, so we have a nice little break again. Please say a prayer that we'll have no fevers!

Thank you all for your many ways of supporting Scarlett and her family!

p.s. added new photos

Wednesday, March 30, 2005 3:35 PM CST

Scarlett made her levels and we are home. She slept today until 10:30 and then was busy making arts and crafts in the activity room until it was time to leave. I actually had a hard time getting her out of there.

We don't have to go back to the hospital until April the 18th unless she runs a fever or her cough turns into something else. I'm sure it's just her usual seasonal allergy stuff bothering her.

Thanks so much for checking on her. Hopefully, we'll just be updating fun stories about Scarlett for the next couple of weeks.

ALSO.....

The Curing Childhood Cancer car tags are now available at every tag office in the State of Alabama. If you have already purchased your tag for the year, all you have to do is take it and swap it in. The tags are $50 and $41.25 go directly to the pediatric cancer research conducted by the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Children's Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama.

Did you know that 95 percent of children with cancer in Alabama are treated at Children's? I had no idea that Children's is such a special wonderful place until I was faced with this disease personally. When you think of children with cancer, you think of all the commercials about St. Jude and the precious bald-headed children on TV. We live in Alabama with a hospital that treats so many of our children right here in our state who get the EXACT same treatment as they would if they were at St. Jude. The people in Alabama need to know about Children's and the care and treatment that is given there. It is a huge misconception that St. Jude is the place to be. I'm not saying it's not wonderful, it is. But we have a hospital full of children that needs support and funding right here in our state. People in Alabama donate millions each year to St. Jude and I think it's an injustice that it's not going to our hospital here in Alabama. And I think the reason is that so many people just don't know.

I could go on and on and one day when I'm not so tired I probably will.

But please join in the fight to help cure this disease. If you need further information about the car tags, you can call Curing Childhood Cancer at 205 218-7452 or go to the website, http://curingchildhoodcancer.org.

Tuesday, March 29, 2005 1:52 PM CST

Scarlett did fine with her bone marrow and spinal tap yesterday. She developed a little cough that got worse through the night. They heard a little something in her right lung but are not concerned. She is taking Robitussin and they are just going to watch her for now and order a chest x-ray if need be later.

They started her med. on time last night at 8:00 and she'll finish tonight at 8:00. We are keeping our fingers crossed that she makes her levels tomorrow. Although, she informed me when I told her she had to drink water if she wanted to go home tomorrow that she really didn't want to go tomorrow. She said it will be fine if she needs to spend a little more time there. She has grown quite fond of the nurses and doctors. They make Children's a fun place, if you can imagine that.

We hope all of you are doing well and we look forward to enjoying this beautiful weather with you all very soon!

Sunday, March 27, 2005 9:04 PM CST

HAPPY EASTER!

We had a lot of fun at the beach. Scarlett was worried that she wasn't going to remember how to swim, but, of course, she was the little fish she has been since she was two. She will swim nonstop for four hours straight without ever stepping out of the water. It was really great seeing that energy that we didn't see last summer.
I expected her to fall asleep early and be exhausted, but she went strong until 10:00 and 11:00 every night.

Mom had a hard time watching all the looks at Scarlett and the questions about ten times a day from children, "are you a boy or a girl?" I know how completely innocent and natural that is, but it was such a constant reminder that she has cancer that it made me physically sick.

Scarlett has always had such an awesome personality and a magnet for whoever she meets. She would go into an unfamiliar situation or place and have a playmate in just a few seconds with no intimidation at all. But this trip, I would watch her ask children to play with her and they would say no. The first few times she just said, "oh, okay." Then finally she looked up at me with her big, wet brown eyes and said, "I know why she won't play with me, it's because I'm different. And she needs to learn that being different isn't a bad thing." Such a mature thing coming out of such a young mouth. Of course, I assured her that that had nothing to do with it and asked her what she meant by she was different. She said, "because I don't have any hair and I have lukeenia (as she pronounces it)." I told her that no one knows that she has leukemia and what is she talking about, she has all kind of hair on her head. Then we started making funny faces and I started dunking her and she never thought anything else about it.

We went to the track in Destin and she had so much fun. I know most of your mouths are open that I took her to such a public place. Me too, but believe me, we went through a very large bottle of germX. We went out to eat, went to ice cream shops and toy stores. She had a great time and felt great.

The Easter Bunny came to see her at the beach and she just couldn't stop asking how he knew to come there. Finally, I told her that I saw a 1 800 number on the television for anyone who was going to be somewhere other than their home on Easter and wanted to tell the Easter Bunny where to come. She thought that was really neat. I thought I was safe and we could change the subject, but then she wanted the number because she just wanted to call him. You can't change a subject with Scarlett until she is satisfied in her mind. This conversation lasted no less than 30 minutes. I love watching her brain work!

We are going to be admitted tomorrow. One of us will update you as soon as we get a chance. Being that she is getting magic milk tomorrow and a spinal and bone marrow, it will be a long, exhausting day so it might me Tuesday before we post.

We appreciate you all so much. We hope you had a blessed Easter!

Monday, March 21, 2005 2:20 PM CST

Scarlett had her treatment today and everything went fine. Today is her last day of steroids for a while!

She got to go visit her friend, Cassidy, who is in the hospital right now. Then they went to the lobby and had fun at a carnival that they had for the children. Scarlett got her face painted like a bunny and Cassidy got hers painted like a dog. I took pictures of them and will post them as soon as I get them developed. Hopefully, it will be tonight.

We are going to the beach in the morning until Sunday. Scarlett is real excited. I'm a little nervous being that far away, but they said she has great counts and plenty of germ fighting cells so we are going to have fun.

We will be admitted on Monday when we get home. She will have a spinal injection and bone marrow aspiration that morning and then she will start her IV drip that last for 24 hours that night. And like last time, we'll have to see if she makes her levels on Wednesday for us to come home. It could be Thursday again.

We hope you all have a great spring break! I'll post when we get home!

Love to you all!!! The Cowans

Friday, March 18, 2005 2:37 PM CST

Scarlett has been doing great. The steroids have definitely been affecting her mood and appetite already, but we are counting down the days.

She went to school on Wednesday, Thursday and today. When I left her at school today I went to get in my car and Mrs. Harris came running outside to stop me because Scarlett started crying silently for another hug goodbye.
I don't know what other teacher would chase a mother down in the parking lot to make a sad child happy. We are so lucky to be at Ascension.

I'll update this weekend.

Thank you so much for checking on Scarlett and keeping her in your thoughts and prayers!

Wednesday, March 16, 2005 7:51 AM CST

Well, things have been a bit crazy at the Cowan house the last couple of days. On Monday when it was time to go to clinic, Scarlett threw up and said her tummy didn't feel well. So I e-mailed her doctor to see if they wanted me to wait another day (terrified that she is going to be behind schedule again) or wait a little while. While I was waiting on her reply, Savanna woke up white as a ghost and said her throat was bleeding and then fainted. So I called her doctor and they said for me to get her to the ER. If she was actively bleeding they would put her in the OR for more surgery.

By this time Scarlett seemed okay so we all went to Children's not knowing what would happen for either of them. While one of us waited in the car for the other to park and come around and get Scarlett, she got sick again. So I ran in clinic and asked her doctor if she wanted to see her anyway and she said yes. So they went to clinic and I took Savanna to the ER. If none of you have visited the ER on a Monday morning - GOOD FOR YOU! Thank goodness our cousin works in the ER and got us special treatment. Finally, Savanna was examined and she wasn't actively bleeding just a fresh blood clot. They gave us the option of spending the night for observation and I practically shouted at the poor doctor NO!

So we went back to the front of Children's and I ran in to clinic to check on Scarlett. She was accessed and they did give her her treatment.

We all finally just started laughing! Laughter really is the best medicine (well almost). But when there is nothing else to do but be frustrated or laugh, I just laugh. It works!

I talked to one of my friends who thought she was having a hectic day and I made her feel sooo much better. Maybe I have made you feel better too by sharing with you just one of the many Cowan stress-filled days.

But today, we are all good and Miss Scarlett is going to go to school, her sister is a little better, and parents are happy to have today hectic or not.

Sunday, March 13, 2005 11:13 AM CST

I just wanted to update and let everyone know that Scarlett is continuing to have good days. She went to school on Friday and even stayed for lunch bunch.

We will go to clinic tomorrow for her treatment and she will start her steroids. We are hoping that she won't get too cranky with her friends and teacher so she will get to go to school the rest of the week and enjoy the parties.

I updated some pictures of her at school a couple of weeks ago when they had their patriotic party.

And the picture of her and the man on the bike is a great friend of ours, Stanley Boyd. He has Hodgkin's Lymphoma. He was diagnosed in 1996, had treatment and was in remission for five years and then it returned in '03. He has been battling this disease ever since including a stem cell transplant, more chemotherapy and radiation. He will have a PET scan in May to see if his last treatments finally defeated this horrible disease. Please keep Stanley and wife, Kendra, in your prayers. Stanley is riding in a Century Bike Ride (100 miles) on behalf of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training Program with Scarlett being his honoree.

It's the people with cancer who have a right to complain and feel down in the dumps constantly who show me what courage, determination and happiness is all about. They are the ones who smile even when they don't feel good and live each day to it's fullest. The little every day stresses like not being able to clean, can't find a particular shoe, having a bad hair day, etc., etc., are certainly put in their place when you live with someone like Scarlett and know someone like Stanley.

Thursday, March 10, 2005 5:35 PM CST

Scarlett made her levels and we are now home. She had a fun morning playing in the playroom so the day went by quickly before we got our good news.

We are usually so tired when we get home from the hospital that Scarlett doesn't want to do anything for a couple of days. So I don't know if she will make it to school on Friday or not.

On Monday she has to start taking the steroid (dread) for a week. A week is definitely better than a month, but it really affects her quick and takes a while to get out of her system. So the next couple of weeks will be a bit hectic. She also gets the injection of Vincristine on Monday as well. That chemo makes her feel achy and sore. She will get that for the next two Mondays.

We are very glad to be home and hope to get a little rest.

Thanks for checking on my angel!

Wednesday, March 9, 2005 8:48 PM CST

Scarlett didn't make her levels today so we are staying another night. They will draw her levels in the morning and hopefully we will be home before lunch.

Savanna did fine with her surgery. She is very sore and swollen but is resting a lot.

Parents are tired and feeling very stretched! No matter how old your baby is, they are still your baby. It's hard not being able to be with both of them at the same time when they feel bad.

Thanks for everything!

Tuesday, March 8, 2005 12:57 AM CST

Scarlett is doing just fine and having fun with her nurses. She loves them all as much as they do her.

They started her chemo last night on schedule at 8:00 and she will finish up tonight at 8:00. Hopefully, home tomorrow after her 2:00 med.

Scarlett's sister, Savanna, is having her tonsils out in the morning at Children's South. I don't know how much more David and I could stretch ourselves. Not enough sleepless nights and stress, I guess! So we will be busy when we get home taking care of a 5 year old and 17 year old. (Don't tell Savanna, but Scarlett is MUCH easier to take care of)! Scarlett makes fun of how much of a baby Savanna is getting her finger pricked and shots. Savanna about faints and WHINES big time, while Scarlett now sticks her little arm out so big for them to draw blood. They are individually perfect, though.

I will update you on the patients (and parents) tomorrow.

Sunday, March 6, 2005 10:33 PM CST

Sorry I haven't updated in a few days. We spent some time with Scarlett's Grandparents the last few days before going to the hospital tomorrow. Scarlett had a great time. The weather was perfect for staying outside all day. She had energy today that I haven't seen in a very long time. She ran and jumped rocks for hours straight.

We will be admitted in the morning for her two-night stay. It's always been just two nights so we hope that doesn't change. It's a very mentally and physically exhausting three days for Dad, Mom and Scarlett so I can't promise we'll update but will do our best.

Thank you so much for checking Scarlett's site and posting. It helps us all so much to know we have so many people who are praying and thinking of us.

Tuesday, March 1, 2005 4:51 PM CST

Scarlett had a great day at school today. She has had a couple of people ask her if she is a boy or a girl (even with a dress on) and it bothers her. But she bounces back and enjoys herself.

We went to a friend's house and played all afternoon. She is tired so we are going to bed early tonight.

She is enjoying her time off from the hospital. She is still taking chemo every night by mouth and she will continue to do that for the next two years. We will be admitted again on Monday the 7th for two nights and hopefully come home on Wednesday after 2:00 if she makes her levels.

We feel your prayers and support! Thank you so much!

Sunday, February 27, 2005 7:33 PM CST

We have had a great weekend. We took Scarlett to a birthday party across the street on Saturday and she had a ball. A clown was there doing tricks and painting faces. She never left her side.

Saturday night she had her cousin, Regina, spend the night with her. She used to be here at least every other weekend before Scarlett was diagnosed. So it was a big treat to have her visit overnight for the first time since August!

We plan to send her to school tomorrow. She had a great time there last week, but she would rather be home. She still gets tired easily, but hopefully that will get better for her as the days go on.

We'll update tomorrow on her fun-filled day at school.

Thank you for checking on her!

Thursday, February 24, 2005 7:36 PM CST

Scarlett has had three great days at school. She enjoyed being a lunch buncher on Wednesday but has decided that she probably doesn't want to do that anymore. When she went back into her "normal" schedule, she dove in head first and is really tired. But she has enjoyed her friends soooo much. We have had a play date everyday for the last six days on top of going to school the last three.

Today when we got home from school she decided that she wanted to eat two donuts for lunch. Mom told her, "you can have two donuts after you eat some lunch." She said, "well, Hannah Christie said that when you are sick you get everything you want." Mom said, "but Scarlett, you aren't sick." She said, "I know, Mom, but my blood is." Mom said, "not anymore." Then she said, "well, remember this summer when my hip hurt and I couldn't walk and I got everything I wanted and you had to carry me everywhere? Well, this hip is starting to hurt like that again."

She didn't quite win the battle. She decided she would have mac and cheese. So after eating two bites, Mom gave her her two donuts.

We have a feeling that she is going to keep us young a really long time. Anna and Savanna were (are) very compliant and didn't debate with us in their entire teenage years what Scarlett is already giving us. We LOVE her spunk!

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Tuesday, February 22, 2005 7:34 PM CST

Scarlett had a great day today. She went to school and all of her friends were so happy to see her. She has decided that she wants to be a "lunch buncher" tomorrow so that she can be around her friends a little longer. She told us all about how some of the boys in her class were plotting to ask some of the girls out on a date. Scarlett and her friends made mud pies "to keep those boys from thinking about making us go out on dates."

Mom had a rough day today. It is difficult to let go of the little control we have over her life. But, this will get better every day and we are so thankful Scarlett is well enough to even think about going to school. We know that we have been blessed.

Please keep praying! Thanks.

Saturday, February 19, 2005 5:15 PM CST

Everything is still going great with Miss Scarlett. She got to go play with a friend yesterday and she had so much fun. They played non stop for 5 hours.

Today she went outside and swang, climbed trees, rode her bike, scooter, played hop scotch, played in the neighbors backyard and had a ball. Her energy is definitely coming back.

The plan is to start back to school on Tuesday. She still says she wants to stay home. But all of that will change once she is there for a couple of days and comes home and has her nightly playtime with her daddy. Then that will be her normal routine again and she'll be sad when it's the weekend.

We'll update you on Tuesday and let you know how her big day went.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2005

I added some pictures in the photo album and I wanted to tell you what they are about. When Scarlett was diagnosed the very first day a Child Life Specialist whose name is Miss Angela came in with her friend, Clay. Clay and Angela read a book to Scarlett to take her mind off of all the confusion for a minute. Scarlett was very interested in how all that worked. So we told her about it and she decided she wanted to be a ventriloquist.

One day after Dr. Nicole had taught her all about the blood and showed it to her under the microscope we were staying overnight for treatment, and we went for a walk and outside in the hall she saw Clay on a wagon sitting right in front of the doctors station. She picked him up and began teaching Dr. Watts all about the blood cells (white, red and platelets) and what part they play in your body. She was great! So for Christmas Scarlett got a puppet and named her May. She is now Clay's girlfriend and she and Clay have a good time singing songs and talking. Clay even made May a necklace and hairbow that is blue because he is blue.

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 3:59 PM CST

We are home! Everything went fine at the hospital with her treatment and she made her levels just fine.

So we are happy to be home and she is playing Barbie in her playroom with her grandmother as I am writing this.

We have another in-stay visit on March 7th. It's the same treatment she just got.

She is feeling really good. We are hoping to go back to school next week as long as there aren't any chicken pox, shingles or flu going around Ascension. She is a little apprehensive about leaving Mama and changing her routine of being home, but I'm sure she will get back in the groove in no time.

Scarlett's bookmarks are still selling really good. I need to find out from Children's her total as of now.
If I have not sent anyone their boomarks, please let me know. We have them and can fill orders, I have just had a couple of really bad months and my mind has not been quite with it. So please let me know if I have missed your order.

We appreciate all of you so much! Thank you

Tuesday, February 15, 2005 11:05 AM CST

We had a long day yesterday getting admitted and in our room. We didn't get admitted until about 2:00. Scarlett got to go to the activity room and play for an hour before they started her IV fluids. She started her med. at 8:00 and will finish tonight at 8:00. She also started back on her chemo by mouth last night.

She is doing good. All the med. made her feel a little dizzy and yucky this morning, but she is still smiling and watching TV.

We are hoping that she makes her levels in the morning and we will stay for her to get a medicine at 2:00 p.m. and then head home.

I'll update you tomorrow and let you know.

Thank you!

Sunday, February 13, 2005 10:52 AM CST

Yesterday Scarlett got to go to the race and run and play with her friends. She hasn't seen any of them since the first part of December. It was such a great feeling to watch her being a "normal" child again. It's been so long since she has felt so good. Scarlett's classmates worked really hard running and preparing for this race. It's amazing how their little hearts are so huge with love for Scarlett.

When we got home she got to go to my sister's house and see her cousins, John Henry and Regina, who are more like her brother and sister than cousins. She couldn't wait to have good counts so she could go to their house. And after a long month and a half, it came true.

We are going to the hospital to be admitted for hopefully only two nights. She'll be getting her medicine that takes 24 hours to be administered through an IV drip and then make counts on the following day to get to come home. In the past when we have had this treatment, she has made her counts fine and we were only there for two nights and home on day 3. So we are hoping to follow the same pattern this time.

Scarlett and parents really appreciate all of your love and support! Thank you!

Friday, February 11, 2005 5:09 PM CST

Scarlett enjoyed her visit with her grandparents yesterday. We went to clinic this morning and her counts are all up so we will continue with her treatment on Monday.

We are certainly glad that she is able to get back on schedule with the treatments that will save her life, but we sure do hate to have to start her back on all the chemo. She feels so good right now. She has been chemo-free for two-and-a-half weeks now and it has been really nice!

She had a dance lesson this afternoon with Ms. Cindy. I have a lot of good video footage. When we get to have her 2 1/2 year party, I'll be sure to have them playing for all of you!

We appreciate all of you! The Cowans

Wednesday, February 9, 2005 9:40 AM CST

Scarlett is continuing to have fun-filled days and feeling great.

We are going to visit my mother in Gadsden for a couple of days.

We will come home Friday morning to go to clinic and check counts and see where we are for her next treatment.

If you are in your car or around a radio today, Luka on 107.7 is going to be talking to Scarlett on the air about her bookmarks in the 5:00 hour. She has called her a few times in the last few weeks to be on her radio station and Scarlett says one of Luka's lines "buckle up your safety belts". Scarlett loves to talk to her and can't wait for her counts to go up so she can go and visit her at the radio station.

Also, when her numbers are up, Fox 6 is going to come and do an interview with her. I'll keep you updated about that as well. It should be within a couple of weeks.

Thank you for keeping Scarlett and her family in your thoughts and prayers!

David, Lana, Anna, Savanna and Scarlett

Monday, February 7, 2005 8:20 PM CST

Sorry it's taken so long to update. We have been busy playing every second since we got home.

Scarlett's counts are slowly improving. They hadn't gone up enough to have her next treatment. So we will be going back to check the numbers and hopefully we won't be too much behind schedule before she is able to continue.

She is feeling so good and she looks great. I'm anxious for all of you who love her so much to get to enjoy her too. Hopefully, it won't be too much longer.

Thanks again. I can't say it enough!

Saturday, February 5, 2005 9:12 PM CST

We have had a great couple of days. The weather has been great and we have spent a good bit of time outside. It's hard for us to see our friends across the street playing and not be able to join them. But it is still great to see their face and get to yell back and forth across the street.

I have a real good feeling that Monday we are going to get really good results and it won't be long that we can join our many friends. Scarlett is acting so much like herself right now, it has to be a good sign.

Thank goodness that our experience with the lab on Friday was a good one, and she won't be dreading going on Monday as much. We were attached to one particular nurse who didn't hurt her or scare her and then she left. The last time we were there, I wouldn't let the nurse touch her that hurt her one time before. So I was hoping we could find a new face that Scarlett trusted. Well, we did and I am thrilled. These children are constantly getting needles poked in them and watching blood go in and out of their little bodies so much there is no way any of us can imagine what it is like for them. I think one of the things that keeps me strong is knowing that I am the only one there to protect her and make it easier, if at all possible. So Mama Bear comes out quite frequently!

Thanks to all of you who are always remembering Scarlett and her family in your prayers, the notes, love, dinners, support, etc. You are all wonderful and we appreciate you so much!

Friday, February 4, 2005 11:18 AM CST

We are home from the hospital and Scarlett didn't have to get any transfusions today. Her counts are all still really low but they aren't getting any lower, so that's good. It will take some time, but we are patient! We'll go back on Monday to recheck her counts again. She is scheduled for her in-stay Methotrexate visit on Monday, but there is no way she will be able to do that. So we hope her counts go up throughout the next week and we can have her next treatment on the 14th and only be a week behind schedule. This doesn't concern her doctors so we try not to let it concern us. I think a delay at some point in two-and-a-half years happens to most patients.

We are going to be praying hard for her gums not to bleed and no fever this weekend. We don't want to visit the ER.
And Scarlett deserves a weekend at home with no "pokes"!

Thank you for checking on her. We'll keep you posted.

Wednesday, February 2, 2005 3:18 PM CST

We had a good day at home yesterday. Caught up on some much needed rest and playing with toys.

Last night when I gave Scarlett a bath and brushed her teeth I saw more bruising and her gums bled a good bit. So I knew we would be getting platelets at clinic today. We went and got a platelet transfusion. She did fine and was glad we got to come home.

Her ANC (fighting cells) counts aren't any higher but not really any lower either so that was good. We hoped to see them really high and improving, but we will just have to be patient. But at least we are at home waiting for them to go up, up up and not in the hospital.

We go back Friday to see what her counts are. Hopefully, we'll see an improvement.

Please pray for no fever. That's an automatic admission again.

Monday, January 31, 2005 9:12 AM CST

We were disappointed Sunday morning when the results came back. Scarlett's counts had gone back to zero. So going home yesterday wasn't an option.

She feels great and looks good so it makes it even harder to be here.

We are waiting on the doctors to tell us what is going on for today. Her counts did go up a little so one good thing is no transfusion today. They may let us go home and go to clinic throughout the week to check counts and get transfused if need be.

I will update later this afternoon and let you know.

Thanks!

MONDAY - NOON

We are home!!!!! Scarlett's counts are still extremenly LOW so we will still be isolated for a while longer. For anyone who knows what the numbers mean, her ANC was 0 yesterday and 75 today. For those of you who don't, 0 and 75 aren't really any different other than they didn't stay at 0.

We are praying for no fevers so we don't go back for another week stay. We are going to clinic on Wednesday to see how she is holding up and if she needs more transfusions.

She looks great and feels great and is so happy to be at home. I thought she was going to kiss everything in her room. As you can imagine, Mom and Dad are just a little excited Ha Ha!!!!!! There is going to be some major snoring in the Cowan house tonight.

We love all of you. Thanks for everything.

Saturday, January 29, 2005 3:33 PM CST

Scarlett is having a good day today. Her white counts went up a little from yesterday, which is what we have been waiting on. Her red blood and platelets are still low so she got a red blood transfusion today and is getting a platelet transfusion tomorrow. If her white counts are still recovering in the morning, we will probably go home tomorrow and then back to clinc on Wed. or Thurs. for a check on her counts and then transfusion if we need one. But she hasn't had a fever the last few days so things are looking good.

Her doctors have been telling her to do the white cell dance. So tonight, we will be dancing like crazy!!!!! We are ready to be home. But we are so fortunate to have this hospital. Her doctors and nurses are WONDERFUL and make this nightmare we are forced to live with easier.

So a BIG thanks to the hem/onc doctors and 4 tower nurses.

Thank you for all your prayers and concern. We appreciate you so much.

Wednesday, January 26, 2005 8:51 PM CST

Update from Wednesday night. Scarlett felt really bad all day. However, she received a transfusion at 7:00 p.m. and for the first time, seemed to perk up. She ate some cereal, Toast Crunch, that the doctors had to look everywhere to find! Then, she ate some chewy lifesavers and drank a half glass of water. This is the first food/drink of any substance since Saturday, so we hope she is on the mend. All of the doctors say that what Scarlett is going through is completely normal after having the Ara-C shots. Apparently, this medicine really brings all of the counts down. They think she has bottomed out and hopefully is going the other way now.

We'll update again when we can. Thanks to all who are donating blood. Until we experienced this, we had no idea how hard it is for the hospital to get and keep platelets. If Scarlett can't use them, there are many at Childrens now who need it. Just last night, they were completely out, so all of you "donators" have really helped out. We really appreciate what everyone has done for us.

Tuesday, January 25, 2005 8:43 PM CST

Lana wrote a long update today at the hospital and the computer promptly lost it--so I'm filling in again! First the good news: Scarlett has no fever today and the culture is not growing any bacteria yet. They will watch the culture for 5 days just to be sure, but so far so good. Scarlett does not feel good and is still very weak. She had a bloody nose today due to low platelets. As we spoke they were wheeling in more platelets for another transfusion. Lana said they were also waiting on a complete blood count and Scarlett may get another red blood transfusion too. Back to good news: her white blood count is inching up--slowly! Lana said, "Anything is good!" Scarlett will be able to go home when they start seeing her white blood counts go up and she has been fever free for 2 days.

Miss Scarlett and Lana were busy today with several arts and crafts projects. She made Mardi Gras masks with feathers! Her friend Cassidy (see her Caringbridge link below) came by and brought Scarlett a gift. Of course she could not go in to see Scarlett, but she stood at the door and they waved at each other. Lana said this was as much protection for Cassidy as it was for Scarlett!

Scarlett is in good spirits even though she is weak. Lana said it is easier to be in the hospital with a sick child than with a healthy one who is ready to get out and go home! Hopefully she'll have the latter very soon!

Wednesday

Just a quick update about her night. She did fine with her platelet transfusion and slept really well last night. She woke up at about 5:00 and wanted a drink of water which is HUGE! We haven't been able to get her to sip or eat anything in days.
Her red blood count as of 11:00 p.m. last night had not changed since that morning so that is good. David is with Scarlett now and I came home for a quick shower and to get more entertainment - mainly her red wig and puppet.

I will probably call Laure again late tonight so she can give the great updates that she gives. Thank you so much!!!!!

Monday, January 24, 2005 8:44 PM CST

Lana reports: Sunday they headed back to the emergency room because Scarlett had a fever. She was admitted to the hospital; all of her counts have bottomed out! She got a platelet transfusion yesterday and a red blood transfusion.

Monday she got another platelet transfusion. Lana said she expects to spend most of this week in the hospital waiting on her white counts to recover and build back up. They are currently waiting on test results-- cultures of her blood, to see if anything more serious is causing the fever.

Please continue to pray for Scarlett and all of the Cowans. I'm sure she'll have the entire hospital charmed by the time she leaves! I hope to speak to Lana soon and will update this site when I know anything new.

Saturday, January 22, 2005 5:27 PM CST

This morning as soon as Scarlett woke up she asked me if we could bake cookies. So, of course, I said yes and we got busy. After doing a lot of finger licking, she looked up at me and smiled and I saw something in between one of her teeth. And just as I suspected, blood, which meant her platelets had hit bottom.

So we spent our day in the emergency room all day getting a platelet transfusion.

Her red count was 25 today and it was 23 last Monday before we got the transfusion. So we are going to call them on Monday and see if they want us to come Monday or Wednesday to check it and more than likely get another red blood transfusion.

Her white count is still VERY low (10) so we are being even safer (if that's at all possible). I guess now I will be saying no one can come in or even come in my yard. Ha!

I will update you on Monday and let you know what is going on for her next week.

Right now she is feeling fine and we have been playing hit the baloon (keeping it in the air) and not getting off the rug because of the alligators.

Thank you! David and Lana

Friday, January 21, 2005 9:40 AM CST

We are having a good morning again. She slept good last night and is feeling better. We soak up every minute when she feels like this because it is so unpredictable. The last two nights we have gone to bed at 10:30 because she was so busy playing with her Grandmama.

I have been giving her her nausea medicine about an hour before I give her her shot and it has really seemed to help with her nausea. She is not real hungry (but she never has been other than when on steroids) but she is eating and drinking enough that we aren't worried about dehydration.

We will go Monday for blood work and probably another transfusion since she has been getting Ara-C (shots) again this week. More than likely it will take a couple of weeks for her counts to start going back up.

But as for today, and that is all we think about, she is feeling good and having fun and smiling.

Thank you for checking on her. I know it makes you feel good to read this entry.

Thursday, January 20, 2005 9:00 AM CST

Scarlett got sick last night but woke up feeling better this morning. We have two more days of shots thank goodness.

I have always enjoyed every second of her days since she was born. I am so sentimental when it comes to my children and every stage of their life. And it's hard not to be sad when you see them getting older and reaching a new one. But since she has gotten sick, I have looked forward to every thought of her growing up. I told myself that I was going to enjoy every second of every day and refused to let myself be sad and scared and take away from that. Obviously, easier said than done, but I have done better than I thought I would. We have great days together even when she is not feeling good and I cherish each second I am given with her.

I had to go to a funeral in Gadsden Tuesday afternoon for an eight-year-old little girl. Anything that involves a child is the hardest thing in the world to me. My heart broke for that mother and daddy. I can't imagine what they are going through, and it reiterated to me what I have been telling myself since the begining of this nightmare of how much I need to treasure every second with my girls.

Now that I have rattled on about my feelings ........

Scarlett is continuing to do good. What a tough little girl she is. Hopefully in a couple of weeks we will see her counts rising and stay that way for a while.

Thank you for keeping her in your prayers.

Wednesday, January 19, 2005 11:13 AM CST

Sorry I didn't update yesterday when we got home. It was a long day.

Scarlett did fine getting her red blood. She is so funny, though. Every child in there getting a transfusion was knocked out after a few minutes of taking benedryl. Oh, not Miss Scarlett. I told the nurse to give it in her port so she would rest quicker. Her eyes were so heavy, but as soon as they would close, she would pop them open. She was determined not to go to sleep, and she didn't.

It's amazing how quick she pinked up. She was never tired with low blood (or that she would let anyone know). She was just so restless from feeling bad that she appeared to be hyper. But she has been playing a lot since her transfusion and you can tell she feels better. She hasn't even asked to watch TV any this morning since we got up. We went straight to her playroom and started playing this morning.

She will get the same medicine this week in her shots so I doubt that will be the only transfusion she gets. I will keep you posted on how she is feeling.

We appreciate all of you so much!

Monday, January 17, 2005 5:00 PM CST

Well, Scarlett's counts crashed. We are going back in tomorrow for a blood transfusion. It takes about four hours so we will be there quite a while.

We continue the shots tomorrow, which is the medicine that is depleting all of her counts, white, red and platelets. We have until Friday to give them and then we'll go back in on Monday to see where her counts are and get more blood if needed.

Obviously, we will not be able to let anyone around Scarlett until her counts recover. I will continue to update throughout the week.

Thank you for your prayers and concern.

Sunday, January 16, 2005 11:55 AM CST

Scarlett didn't get sick anymore after that one day. The next day before I gave her her shot, I gave her a Zofran tablet (nausea med) about an hour before and it seemed to help. Her appetite is still not good and she is still quite moody from coming off the steroids but she feels better day by day.

She is counting down the days before Tues. She really gets anxious about having to get more shots. But we have made it halfway through it.

We go in on Monday for a spinal tap and injection and then back home. I look forward to go so I can see what her counts are. That sounds crazy, but it makes us really nervous to be around people if we don't know what her counts are. They can change so drastic so fast.

She is still enjoying her bald head. The wig doesn't get quite as much attention as in the beginning. I think she realized that it's much more comfortable w/o it on. She will still put it on to perform a dance move throughout the day, though.

We'll post tomorrow after our visit.

Thanks!

Friday, January 14, 2005 9:28 AM CST

Scarlett was nauseated yesterday and was vomiting. Thank goodness her little body responds to the nausea medication. She got sick and I gave her the medicine and about five minutes later she got sick again. Thank goodness too much time didn't go by so I was able to regive it to her immediately and that time she was able to keep it down. She is so tough. Three hours after being so sick she was up putting on her red wig and dancing for me.

The medication these children get are not predictable. Just because she reacts one way one time doesn't mean she will the next.

We really appreciate all of you. Thank you for checking on her.

Wednesday, January 12, 2005 4:27 PM CST

We made it through two of the eight shots. My sweet little brave baby! She sits there so brave and watches as I jab the needle in her leg. She doesn't feel the poke because of the numbing cream but as soon as I start to push the medicine in, she screams. I tried to make myself believe (hope) that since the needle wasn't real big and it wasn't going in her muscle that it wouldn't hurt her. But I was wrong. And if you think about it, it is chemotherapy that if you touch with bare skin it will burn you. Just imagine how it feels going under her skin. I have had people say to me that it would be like an allergy shot or a diabetes shot, but it's not. The needle is similar, a little larger but not much, but it's the medicine that is painful for her, not the size of the needle.

She is having a good day. But the medicine makes her not have an appetite. She isn't nauseated, she just doesn't want to eat much. Drastic change from the last month.

Her teacher brought by the new book that they are reading right now at school. I'm so proud of her. She hasn't been there to be introduced to any new words, but she just grabs that book and sounds out the words. She loves to read and loves to learn anything. Not only does she look like her pretty daddy, she got his brains as well!

Last night she ran and played with her dad just like always. It was great to have those same sounds and laughing in this house!

Tuesday, January 11, 2005 3:24 PM CST

We got home around lunch today. Scarlett and Mama made it through the first of eight shots I have to give her. There were a lot of tears! I thought at the last minute she would feel how uncomfortable I was and change her mind about me being the only person she wanted to give them to her. But she hung in there and only wanted mama. I never in a million years would have thought I could have done something like that. It's amazing what you can do when "mama mode" kicks in.

She has had two injections of Zofran (nausea medication) and she is still eating and doing fine. Her attitude is more like Scarlett today than we have seen in a month. She is very glad to be at home.

Treatment for this week will be chemo by mouth (6TG) every night and a shot (Ara C) Wed. Thurs. and Fri., and then her usual weekend medicine.

Thank you for all the prayers. Scarlett is doing a great job. She is a tough little girl.

Tuesday, January 11, 2005 3:23 PM CST

Monday, January 10, 2005 6:51 PM CST

Scarlett is doing fine. We got to the hospital this morning at about 8:15 and she had her spinal tap and did fine. Got admitted around 12:30. She's been getting IV fluids and has had her medication. She will receive a couple of more medicines in the morning and we hope to be home by lunch or shortly thereafter.

She is in good spirits and we are playing games and watching cartoon network.

Thanks to the Janie Sims Foundation I am in the Parents Lounge able to post on the computer they provided.

Thank you for all your prayers. I will post tomorrow when we get home.

Friday, January 7, 2005 8:27 AM CST

Scarlett is doing good and coming off the steroids gradually. Yesterday was the first day that I could see a difference at times. It was the first day that she actually walked up the stairs alone and didn't complain about hurting as bad. When we went for the wig, I had to put her in a stroller to go in a store five feet from the car because she said she didn't feel like walking.

Speaking of wig, she is still loving them. The red one is her favorite - all 20 pounds of it! She loves to sling it over her shoulder. Last night I talked her into letting me pull it up on one side like I used to fix her hair. She added a pink clip with a jewel on it and likes it. What a mess she is. She still won't let me rub her head. She says it is tender. But I sneak in kisses quite often.

She said that now she is a twin of her new friend Cassidy. She is glad that their heads look alike.

I have noticed the last few days that she is getting stuffy again. We haven't been around anybody so I don't know how in the world she could have a cold. I hope it's just her usual allergy stuff. It seems like it always happens a few days before she is supposed to have a spinal tap so I worry myself sick that she is not going to get a treatment. Although, I keep being reminded it's not a big deal and almost every child has to miss a scheduled treatment at some point.

I will update you soon. Thanks for visiting her web site.

Wednesday, January 5, 2005 12:38 AM CST

Today was the day for us to go wig shopping. Scarlett couldn't wait to go and find her red and blonde wig.
She tried on a few and knew exactly which ones she wanted. And oh, did she feel so BEAUTIFUL! She is such a priss anyway, and with this long red flowing hair, you can tell she knows it.

I added a picture of her as the red-head. Be sure to check out her photo page.

I told her how much I loved it and I think I'll go and get my hair dyed that color. She told me not to do that, that I could borrow her wig any time, just to let her know.

Scarlett just told me to please put under her picture with her red hair "staring and styling"!

Tuesday, January 4, 2005 2:56 PM CST

Well, today has been an interesting day. Scarlett wanted me to shave her head! And I did.

I have been telling her from the first round of treatment that that she had when they said most children lose their hair about how I was excited about it so I could see my little baby again, and how great it would be, no tangles, no washing, drying, putting in hair bows, etc.

So this time when we talked about it and how it still might come out she was saying how she couldn't wait because she wants to wear a red wig. So she has been saying for the last couple of weeks that she wanted to go and shave her hair off. I told her to wait and if it started coming out we would. Well, she ran her fingers through it today and some was in her hand. The last couple of nights there have been a couple of hairs on her pillow and she doesn't like it. So when she saw them in her hand, she told me to come on we were shaving her hair.

Well, after trying to find ways to change her mind, I realized that I was going back on everything I had been telling her about how much better it would be and how beautiful she would look, etc. So I got out the scissors and trimmers and we shaved her hair. We have done a lot of laughing! Of course, she is even more beautiful and does it ever take me back to that little bald-headed baby.

It was getting real thin on top but who knows if it would have all come out or not. I guess we'll know if the peach fuzz goes away or it starts growing more. But as long as she is happy, we are going to have as much fun with it as we can.

Her daddy is going to come home to a mini him for sure now!

Monday, January 3, 2005 5:15 PM CST

What a great morning it was to wake up and not hand Scarlett pills to swallow right after breakfast! Especially the steroid! We are looking forward to her slowly getting back to normal. Maybe tonight we will only get up once to eat instead of twice. Bless her heart. She is more swollen than the first time and is just as miserable. She has to have help getting up and wants me to carry her everywhere. And I am strong, but......... goodness is she ever heavy!

We have had very quiet and restful days this last week. She has NO energy and sleeps a good bit during the day.

We have the week off from all medicine until Friday and then she will take her "weekend" medicine again. We will go in Monday for a spinal tap and injection and then be admitted for a new chemo overnight and then home on Tuesday. On Tuesday we will be giving her shots at home through Friday. Then the following week we will go Mon. for the spinal tap and then home and then repeat the shots that week as well.

She is still doing very good considering all her little body has to go through. What a strong little angel she is!!!!!!

Thank you for everything and your continued prayers, especially.

Wednesday, December 29, 2004 11:04 AM CST

Scarlett did fine with her treatment yesterday. It was a very long day and she was real tired. They had to repeat her lab work so it took a lot longer. Nothing was wrong, but her blood clotted and they weren't able to spin it so they had to re-draw it and send it back to the lab. But she is fine and glad to be home.

The steroids have her feeling really yucky. She is swollen a lot again and she has to work so much harder to even breathe so she stays so tired. We have until Monday
to keep taking the dexamethasone. It usually takes about two weeks before she feels totally normal.

Our next visit and treatment will be January 10th. At that time she will have a spinal tap injection and an overnight stay for a chemo treatment and then the following four days we will be giving her shots at home.

Thank you for all your continued prayers and support. This is an incredible long road we have,and it sure helps knowing so many people are there for us.

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Sunday, December 26, 2004 1:47 PM CST

Miss Scarlett had a good Christmas. We celebrated at home Christmas Eve with just our girls and opened presents from Mom, Dad and sisters. Then we woke up and she was oh so thrilled that Santa brought every single thing she asked for and then some. She thinks that her mom told him to bring her the extra stuff. Then we went to Gadsden to Grandmama's and Granddaddy's house for a few hours. She had a good time, but the steroids started making her feel bad early afternoon. We almost made it through Christmas day, but no one is complaining. We got to celebrate with family much more than we thought we would a month ago.

I don't doubt that any of you who read David's entry doubted him at all. But I know it is hard to believe that any child can be as perfect as Scarlett REALLY is. So I thought I would share with you something she did.

She found a pretty Fitz and Floyd Christmas plate and said
she wanted that to be the plate for Santa's cookies and milk. So she sent her dad to the store to buy two big snowman cookies for Santa. While he was gone, she looked at me with those big, beautiful eyes and said, "you know, Mom, it's so sad to me that Santa brings all the children so many presents but he doesn't get anything but cookies and milk from them. So I want to give him a present this year." I told her how wonderful she is (of course) and asked her if she wanted to make him something or buy him something. So she told me she was going to think about it. The next thing I know, she has gone and gotten out her scissors and got one of her 4x5 school pictures and had markers to write on the back asking me how to spell "to Santa, a present for you". Needless to say, Santa was thrilled and wrote her back a note telling her how special she is.

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Thank you for your many prayers.

We go to the hospital again on Tuesday. We will update you then.

Monday, December 20, 2004 6:34 PM CST

I thought I would give Lana a break today (not that she wants it)and do the posting for her. Scarlett received another round of therapy today via her port. Dr. Nicole gave us good news in that Scarlett's blood counts have actually gotten better over the last week or so. That makes us all feel better; although, we still have to be very careful. Hopefully, we will get to see a few more people during Christmas.

When the doctor told us about her counts today, I started wondering how in the world Scarlett had managed to do this. Then, I started thinking about how Scarlett has handled all of this ordeal, and I've thought about it all day. What is it about her that allows her to face getting "poked" in every part of her body, all the while keeping a smile on her face? What is it about her that makes her want to give her doctors and nurses Christmas presents as she did today, all the while watching them as they force toxic concoctions through her tiny vessels? How can this five year old baby try her best to "count" her way through the deep, muscular injections that she received last week until the pain becomes unbearable and then, and only then, give into tears? How can she know that her hair is going to fall out, but still want to be the first in line for a red-haired wig? How can she be so sick, and still entertain an entire family at Christmas like she did this weekend?

I don't know the answers. You have to be as strong, brave, courageous, kind and loving as she is to understand, and I'm not, so I don't. She never ceases to amaze me, and at the same time, she constantly humbles me by demonstrating how much better of a human being she is than her dad. One of the goals of any parent is to have children who are better than they are. Well, Scarlett is overdoing this a little bit!

I do know one thing, though. In an age where we are all scared to have a hero for fear of being disappointed or embarrassed, or we refuse ourselves heroes simply out of cynacism, I've found mine. And, she doesn't have to do a thing to keep me. She doesn't have to solve any of the world's problems or anything of the kind. All she has to do is look at me and smile and say"hey, daddy." With that alone I know that I will never be disappointed. She is my lifetime hero.

Thursday, December 16, 2004 5:49 PM CST

Scarlett has had a good day. She has had a couple of sleepless nights. I called her Miss Chatter, Chatter, Chatter at about 4:00 yesterday morning and she called me Miss Laughy, Laughy, Laughy! She cracks me up. I have so much fun with her in the middle of the night. I just wish I could do it w/o getting tired the next day! She talks sooooo fast when she is taking the steroids.

Her appetite is quite large and she has started her cravings. I'm sure I will have more funny stories to tell about what all she has eaten.

This morning before she took her med. we cast a little hocus pocus spell on it so it wouldn't make her feel "starving, angry, sad" -- I can't remember what all she said. It was really funny. Who knows, mind over matter? Maybe it will work.

Well, I'm going to go get her ready for dinner and bed.

I'll update you on Sunday. We are going to the farm for the weekend.

Tuesday, December 14, 2004 12:38 AM CST

We are home and Scarlett is feeling good. The shots were painful and she cried really big tears (so did her mama, daddy and aunt lynda)! But, it's over and she is glad to hear the news that she doesn't have to get that kind of medicine again!!!!!

She got the Rudolph and friends from the Build-A-Bear store as a surprise along with the Rudolph movie and that was a good and quick diversion.

Her white cell count isn't real good right now so the doctors said she doesn't need to be in crowds. So the Cowan's won't be seen until January at the earliest.

I will update in a couple of days and hope it's the same news, she is feeling fine!

Thank you for all your prayers!

Monday, December 13, 2004 4:27 PM CST

Scarlett did fine today with her visit. We were actually home around 12:30. But she was very upset that we left her port accessed and she wasn't going to get it off her mind. So at 1:00 we went back to clinic and had them take it out. She said that she didn't mind having to do it again, she just didn't want it in her when she was at home.

We are going back tomorrow for the leg shots and then she will be monitored for two hours and then we will be able to come back home.

Thank you and we will update again tomorrow.

Sunday, December 12, 2004 7:58 PM CST

Tomorrow we go to clinic for more treatment. We have had a great break for two weeks. She will go in the morning and have blood work to see if her counts are good. If so, she will have a spinal tap, injection of methotrexate in her spine, an injection of Vincristine in her port, start back on Dexamethasone (steroid) and a chemo called Dauonmycin that she hasn't had before in her port that will be administered over 15 - 20 minutes. The chemo, Daunomycin, has more side effects than any she has had thus far. Hopefully, she will pull through it with very little.

She will come home with her port still accessed because on Tuesday we have to go back for leg shots in the muscle of a chemo called PEG Asparaginase. She has to be monitored for a while afterwards. Then we will get to come back home until next Monday to repeat what we are doing tomorrow. She will do that every Monday for three weeks.

I will update when we get home tomorrow. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Friday, December 10, 2004 4:21 PM CST

Well, I know most of you are wondering how the interview went.... GREAT, of course, it was Miss Scarlett!!!!! She is quite fond of Ms. Ladun and thinks she is really pretty so she couldn't wait for her to get here. She talked about her bookmarks and showed them how she made them. She has been telling me that when she grows up she is going to "talk on TV", so she learned from the best!

Brenda is going to let me know when it will air next week and I will be sure to keep you posted.

I JUST GOT A MESSAGE SAYING THAT SCARLETT WILL BE ON 33/40 TONIGHT AT 10:00.

Thursday, December 9, 2004 2:19 PM CST

Scarlett is turning into quite the celebrity! Be sure and tune in to Fox 6 news at 5:00 on Friday the 10th to see her interview. I don't know if I have told about her classmates training to run in the Mercedez Marathon in honor of Scarlett to raise money for the Leukemia Society. It's in Feb. (I think) and they run at school and will accumulate their miles and then run the last run in the race with everyone. They have uniforms that one of the mother's in Scarlett's class donated. --(her boyfriend's mother, Valerie McLean. She owns the Track Shack in Homewood and on 280 if you need any athletic apparel). Valerie has gotten all this up and running and is doing so much to help raise money. They are also involved in the Pennies for Patients. Each child has a big jar that they have decorated with Scarlett's picture and are raising money in honor of Scarlett for the Leukemia Society that way too. They are wonderful and Scarlett loves her friends very much!

Tomorrow is the day that Brenda Ladun is going to interview her about her bookmarks. I'll post when I know it will air. I know it will be next week I just don't know the day and time.

If I haven't gotten you your bookmarks or it's been a while since you ordered, please e-mail me and tell me. I think I'm doing pretty good at keeping up but I'm really not sure.

Thank you! Lana

Sunday, December 5, 2004 9:53 AM CST

Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I took Scarlett on Friday to Children's and they did a chest X-ray to make sure her lungs were fine, and they were. I am giving her Zyrtec and Sudafed to help with her congestion and to try to dry her up. She is still coughing but feels good and should have no trouble getting her treatment next Monday the 13th.

We have been busy decorating for Christmas putting out Scarlett's nativity scene and her Dicken's Village. She LOVES putting out the snow. So does her mama -- MESSY! She has a couple of dancing Santa's that her Granny gave her when she was a baby so we have been shaking it to Jingle Bell Rock quite a bit. Those of you who have seen her dance and shake her hips know what I am talking about!!!

Scarlett told me to just hide her presents up under my bed before I wrapped them and she wouldn't even look at them. I think I'll stick some Christmas socks or something under there. She'll really think she has done something!

I am being called to check out a commercial on TV so I can be sure to get her that for Christmas. I think Daddy will have to buy a new house so we'll have room for all the toys.

Thank you for all your continued prayers and support.

Much Love! Lana

Wednesday, December 1, 2004 4:12 PM CST

Scarlett and I have been busy today making cookies with her new cookie cutters and changing her web page appearance. She had me go through every option on there. She wanted to have her page look like her new friend Cassidy's page. (www.caringbridge.org/al/cassidytierce)

She still has a yucky cough but it is not any worse and she doesn't have a fever.

Thank you for all your continued prayers and support.

Tuesday, November 30, 2004 3:39 PM CST

Today was picture day at Scarlett's school. I haven't been taking her to school because of her cough and the many illnesses going around. But today we put on a mask and went for pictures.

Then we went to Do-It-Yourself Crafts and Scarlett picked out ornaments that she wanted to paint and give as Christmas gifts to her aunts and grandparents. She knew exactly who she wanted to have what. So they gave us take-home paint and brushes and we have been busy all afternoon painting ornaments.

While we were painting the phone rang and I had walked out of the room for a second. On my way back in, I heard her saying, "This is Scarlett. Oh, yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am, I remember. Well, do you want to talk to me on TV or about me on TV?" Then I realized that she was talking to Brenda Ladun. When she finally gave me the phone, Brenda said they were having a big conversation. I wonder how much they will have to edit of Scarlett talking. I don't think they will allow her story to last the entire hour of news. (although, with Scarlett being on there, I know their ratings would certainly go up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
She is coming to talk to Scarlett on Fri. Dec. 10th. I will let you know when to be watching for my precious angel on TV.

Scarlett's bookmarks are still selling like crazy. I put on the front of her webpage how much they cost, who to make the check out to and where to send it. Let me know if I need to add anything else.

Thank you so much!

Sunday, November 28, 2004 6:19 PM CST

We came home today from a great visit in Gadsden. It takes a few days to catch up on rest after the hospital stay. Scarlett said on Thanksgiving that she was thankful for everything.

She is really glad for our break from treatment and medicine. I hope she can stay that way, though. She has a really bad cough. We are just hoping it doesn't turn into more and she will be rid of it by the 13th.

We made over 300 bookmarks while at Grandmama's. She is very proud of herself.

We have already put up the tree and she is as excited about Christmas decorations as she was Halloween. She has already informed her dad that the golf cart will be painted green and red. She has wanted every tacky thing she could find to go outside for her "decorations." Don't be surprised what you might see when riding by the Cowans' this year.

Wednesday, November 24, 2004 3:10 PM CST

We are just getting home from the hospital and boy are we glad. When we got there on Mon. she had to have a spinal tap (and it was clear) and then we got admitted to our room. They started her med. at 8:00 pm. Tuesday morning she got sick and didn't eat or drink anything all day. I was very worried that she wasn't going to be hydrated enough to come home. But, of course, she pulled through like always. She was in very good spirits this time. I think visiting the hospital that day I took her when she didn't really have to be there helped a lot.

She continued to make the nurses fall in love with her. I have got to do a better job of saying thank you when people compliment (speak the truth) Scarlett. I am really bad about saying, I know, isn't she!!!!!!

We are going to have a break for two weeks and then I will have to tell you as we go what is in store for her b/c it is too much to tell right now.

She turned in $981.00 to the Foundations Dept. at Children's yesterday for her bookmark sales. I have not been clear, I don't think, about where the money is going. I posted one time Cancer Society. The Cancer Society is wonderful but from my understanding the proceeds go more towards adult cancer and we want the money Scarlett raises to go directly to Children's Hospital of Alabama for the reasearh of pediatric cancer.
If anyone wants to write a check make it payable to Children's Hospital of Alabama. They will send you a receipt for your donation. She has been selling them for $3 a piece. For those of you out of town, e-mail me with your address if you want me to mail them to you.

Thank you for all your prayers.

Sunday, November 21, 2004 6:32 AM CST

We have had a lazy weekend just enjoying being home. Scarlett and parents always get anxious the week before we have to go spend the night at the hospital and get more chemo.

We are looking forward to Thanksgiving and hope Scarlett and her family stays well so we can all be together.

Scarlett earned $700 in a week selling her bookmarks. She has a large order to fill that will earn about $150 more. I had a meesage from Brenda Ladun (those of you who aren't in the area, she is a well-known reporter on a local TV station) that said she would like to talk to Scarlett. Who knows, Scarlett just might get to the $1 million mark after all.

Well, my Scarlett is waking up so I will update you later.

Thursday, November 18, 2004 6:26 AM CST

Scarlett went to school yesterday and had her Thanksgiving feast. The 5's get to dress up like Indians and dance for the 3's and 4's. She has been waiting for two years for that. I have to say, she was a great Indian.

She continues daily to sell and get orders for more bookmarks. I have always known that one day Scarlett would make a difference in this world, I just never imagined it would be when she was 5.

So many of you tell me all the time to write about me, David, Anna and Savanna because you all want to hear how we are too.

Well, Anna is very busy in school and is loving Tulane. Anna is such a bright girl and is taking a lot of classes. I talked to her the other day and she had three labs and is loaded down with tests. At Tulane they don't have rush until the second semester so she has that to look forward to, maybe. Scarlett misses her very much and can't wait to see her next week. She has a picture of her by her bed and she kisses it and tells her goodnight.

Savanna's three choices of colleges were Ole Miss, Auburn and Alabama. She has been accepted to all three and has chosen Alabama (which for the past two years was her last choice). So she is ready for college but her sister isn't. Scarlett gets in her lap and cries and tells her she doesn't want her to go. So they now talk about having slumber parties in T-town and eat ice cream out of the carton. Scarlett is already practicing on that.

What a lucky girl Scarlett is to have two sisters who love her so much.

As for David and me, we look at our beautiful girls and know how incredibly blessed we are. We get through the day. There is really no way for me to try to explain how we feel. I know that everyday when David leaves for work my heart breaks that he has to leave. I can't imagine how hard that is for him. I tried to explain to someone the other day that the only way -- unless you are personally faced with this -- to even begin to imagine how it might be for a second would be imagining the feeling you feel in your WORST nightmare that something horrible is happening to your child and how you feel like you can't breathe. And when you finally wake up from what feels like forever, you are just so glad it is a dream. Well, we can't wake up. We every second of every day can't forget or really catch our breath. Sleep? What's that? I lay in bed at night and get as close as I can to her and smell her breath and would give anything if that horrible disease would come into my body and out of hers. I could go on and on. We are fine and will be fine. Our little angel makes us smile all day no matter how terrified we are.

Thank you for caring. Thank you for praying. Thank you for everything you do. It helps us so much knowing you
are there and that you care so much.

Tuesday, November 16, 2004 8:17 PM CST

Scarlett is continuing to have some really great days. Having a break from the hospital has been wonderful.

We went to the Jackio O'Neal studio and had a dance lesson yesterday before the classes started. She is really working on her solo. After she had her lesson, she called each of us in individually to watch her. And, of course, she was great!

Her bookmarks have really been selling. Thank you! We have been busy, busy, and are loving it!

She is looking forward to this weekend. Her grandparents from Gulf Shores and Gadsden are coming to see her. Scarlett LOVES those visits.

I added some new photos.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support.

Friday, November 12, 2004 7:23 PM CST

We went to Children's today to take a gift and visit while Scarlett was feeling good and not needing any treatment. We stayed from 12:00 to after 3:00. Needless to say, Scarlett had a good time. She got to see her favorite doctor (Dr. Nicole), saw her new friend, Cassidy, and played in the activity room with Ms. Beverly the rest of the time. I'm glad we had a two-week-off span to have the opportunity to do that.

Wow, from reading the guestbook it sounds like Little Miss Scarlett needs to get busy making some more bookmarks. She has enough made to fill the orders so far and she got really excited when I told her how many people wanted them already. I talked to the Foundation Department at Children's today and they told me to have checks made out to Children's Hospital (it will be tax deductible). I will turn in the money every couple of weeks and then they will send out gift receipts. She encouraged me to sell them for $3.00 a piece. I attempted to put a picture of a few of them on her photo page. It was kind of hard to take a picture of, but you can get the gist of them.

Thank you for supporting Scarlett's desire to help and the Cancer Society (who has come so far with their research but has so much further to go).

Please say a prayer that Scarlett remains well and able to stay home this next week too. We are really blessed to have had and continue to have some really good days.

Thursday, November 11, 2004 5:15 PM CST

Yesterday morning Scarlett woke up and we snuggled up in the chair in the den and Good Morning America was on the Television. They were showing clips of a girl named Alex who had cancer and started selling lemonade to raise money for cancer research. It showed her success of earning $1 million. Scarlett was very interested in the show especially the girl with a form of cancer and with her hair gone like she is used to seeing at Children's. She asked me what they were talking about and I explained it to her. She told me that she wanted to sell lemonade and raise money for cancer research too. I told her that we needed to come up with something that she could do since Alex already did the lemonade.

We thought about cookies or pictures - then she said, "I know, I will just get a big piggy bank and go to my neighbors and they will fill it up and I will take it to Dr. Bryant and Ms. Beverly and they can use it to cure cancer." Then we talked some more and came up with the idea of a bookmark that she made in the activity room with Ms. Beverly our last hospital stay. She made me one and I love it! Knowing her little hands made it and drew the face on it is priceless!!!!!

So I went to the store that morning and bought the supplies and we got busy and made about 20 in one sitting. I help her a little with the yarn but she does everything else. And guess how much money she made in two days???? $38.00!!!!

We went to the farm yesterday afternoon and came home today at about 3:30. Right when we walked in the door she asked where her things were and we got busy making more. I am excited that she has such a great spirit and heart at such a young age. I feel like this is going to be a really good diversion for her.

I think it is important for her to go to Children's when she is feeling good too and not just her hospital stays
when she is so upset and anxious about having to be there. So, we are planning to go to Children's tomorrow and visit a little girl named Cassidy who has been there for over a week. She is 5 like Scarlett. We bought her a couple of gifts and Scarlett is excited to go give them to her. We talked a lot last night about the different types of cancer and how they affect everyone in different ways.
She is really mature when it comes to wanting to learn what is happening to her and other children and understanding what she is told.

I'll take pictures of Scarlett's bookmarks for those of you who aren't around to see them. Who knows, Miss Scarlett just might raise $1 million also -- or more!

Monday, November 8, 2004 2:15 PM CST

Scarlett is sleeping really good these days. What a change! From the day she was born she has never been a good sleeper. I have so many videos and pictures of us up playing in the middle of the night.

This morning when her dad asked her if she was going to school today she said, no. I thought she would change her mind especially when her dear friend, Samantha, talked to her on the phone this morning and asked her to come to school, but she told her no too. She just didn't want to go so she didn't. Instead, she and I played imaginary friends all morning. Our friends' names are Casper Leigh and Casper Anne. They are silly ghosts that only she and I can see, and they love to eat her dad's food at night when he isn't looking. We ran and danced and colored, etc., I really need some of her energy! When we are at the hospital, I need her magic milk, and when we are home, I need her energy! She is so much fun and WOW what an imagination she has!!!!!!

She is really excited that she doesn't have to go back to the hospital or clinic for two weeks. We go back the Monday before Thanksgiving. And if all goes like it has the last two visits, we will be going home on Wednesday and able to have the traditional Thanksgiving dinner with our family. She is already talking about everybody being at Grandmama's on turkey day so I hope it works out.

Thanks to all of you for everything. And thank you to Children's Hospital, the wonderful nurses on 4 Tower and Clinic 5 and Scarlett's great doctors for taking such good care of us!

Saturday, November 6, 2004 5:32 PM CST

Miss priss is doing great. She has been in very good spirits, and I can see today that she isn't emotional like she has been the last couple of weeks.

When we got home from the hospital, her dance teacher had been here and left her pictures of Miss Alabama and Miss America they had signed to Scarlett. She was so thrilled. I realized that we had never watched a beauty pagent and so I had to explain to her what it was. She knew she liked the fact they were beautiful and loved their crowns. And so after I explained to her what a pagent is, she decided that that is exactly what she was going to be when she grows up. I know as soon as she starts public school and hears of a pagent, we will definitely be enrolled. I will come in a room and she will be smiling and waving real slow and proper (like in the movie Princess Diaries) and when I ask her what she is doing, she tells me practicing becoming Miss America and Miss Alabama. I have no doubt that if that is what Scarlett wants, she will get it.

When we went to school on Friday, I learned that a mother in the classroom had taken charge and put together T-shirts and hats and shorts (and most important of all, the girls have sports bras) for the kids at Ascension and they are all going to participate in the Mercedez Marathon. They have been practicing running 1/4 of a mile at school. The shirts read, Team Ascension, Running for Scarlett. They all tried them on and took a practice run out in the parking lot - Scarlett running right with them. It takes two laps to make 1/4 mile and after Scarlett's first she was VERY tired, but when she saw that everyone else ran two, she took off and ran that last one with the biggest smile on her face. It touches my heart so much to see all those children being so sweet to Scarlett and cheering her on. I asked her what she thought about her friends wanting to run for her and wearing their yellow bracelets and she said, "It makes me feel very, very happy inside".

There is no way David and I can express how much we appreciate all of you.

Thursday, November 4, 2004 3:14 PM CST

We just got home. Scarlett is very excited to be here and is already drawing pictures and coloring. When we were getting ready to come home the nurse had to take out the needle in her port. It usually doesn't hurt but this time it did and Scarlett screamed and cried the biggest tears. The nurse felt so bad that she kept hugging Scarlett and telling her she was sorry. It made no difference to her at all. She was mad. So the nurse asked her if they were friends. Scarlett glared at her like, ask me tomorrow. The next thing you know, Scarlett had been given a dollar. We cracked up and a nursing student told her she didn't know that you gave them money when you hurt them. And the nurse said, "oh, but she is so pretty I had to."

She responded good to the medicine. It didn't make her sick. Hopefully, she will do as well as last time and not get any mouth sores.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

Tuesday, November 2, 2004 4:42 PM CST

We got admitted to the hospital and Scarlett has already made two things in the activity room.

She is sporting her white cowboy boots and prissing around the halls making everyone laugh.

The plan is to start her medicine at 8:00.

I'll update you tomorrow.

Sunday, October 31, 2004 10:45 AM CST

What a great Halloween my Scarlett had. Her cousin, Regina, came. They started out really excited and got too hot, then she pooped out for a while. The Halloween golf cart was the ticket!!! Some would say what spoiled children, I say what spoiled adults!!! We stayed outside with the neighbors until about 9:30. I think she would have stayed until midnight if I could have held on that long!

She started out as a ghost, and since no one could see her face she gladly told them, "Hello, I am Scarlett Cowan. This is my cousin, Regina." Then she shed the costume completely and had me go to a door with her bag to tell them, "This is for my daughter, Scarlett Cowan, she is too tired to come." After coming home and eating pizza and handing out candy, she disappeared to her playroom to come down in a black skirt, striped shirt, dress shoes and a sequene jacket with a pink boa and came out the front door prissing and said, "oh, hello. I'm the 80's." She got that from dressing up in the poodle skirt and me telling her that's how they dressed in the 50's. She is too cute!

Saturday, October 30, 2004 2:54 PM CDT

We just got home from the farm. What a great time we had. Miss Scarlett kept us very busy riding the golf cart, roasting hot dogs and marshmellows, fishing, looking for turkeys and deer and playing cards. We never saw any turkeys but we took a late night ride and Scarlett spotted a deer laying down and was so excited. She also saw an armadillo and said she wanted it for a pet that it looks like a big roly-poly. A little trip out to the country was much needed for the Cowan family!

We are READY for trick-or-treating. I have never seen a child so excited!

We will be admitted to the hospital on Tuesday for her next treatment. She isn't dreading it and has a really good attitude about going. I will get my friend to update you all again while we are there.

Thanks again for everything.

Friday, October 29, 2004 3:27 PM CDT

Scarlett went to school today and enjoyed the Halloween party. She went in her ghost costume and it took everyone a while to figure out who it was. She loved that.

I don't know if we will make it until tomorrow night to trick-or-treat she is so excited.

She only complained a few times yesterday about her back and hips being sore. She slept really good the last two nights and is in great spirits.

Thank you for all your prayers. Please keep them coming!

Wednesday, October 27, 2004 12:19 AM CDT

We just got home from clinic and Scarlett did just fine. It was very crowded and she does not like that at all. So for the first few minutes, I had to stand and hold her beside a column in the middle of the room. But when we got back to the exam room, her sweet, special spirit came out. Dr. Berkow examined her and said she was doing great. He said this week after having her second treatment of Vincristine that she might feel achy, sore back, tingling - the same side effects she had during the first month. But she made it fine the first time and those feelings didn't bother her too bad with little Tylenol. We finished her week of steroids yesterday! Yeah! She does not like the way it makes her feel.

Scarlett has always been very interested in the human body and how it works. Long before she was diagnosed with ALL we would spend hours reading about the brain, blood, muscles, and looking at pictures. So when I was explaining to her about Leukemia and what it was and about her white count and fighting cells, she understood it. The last couple of times we have gone to clinic she has voiced that she really wants to look at her blood in a microscope. Last week, we weren't able to and this week when the nurse told her that only the doctors do that and they were gone, she cried tears! So Ms. Cristie went and found Ms. Kelly (her nurses) and they figured out how to turn on the microscope and show her what blood looks like. She was sooo thrilled.

On the way home she asked me to take her to the school that you learn to be a doctor. I told her that we were right by it and I explained to her what UAB is. So she said, "Well, what are you waiting on? Take me there." I explained to her that she had to be older. She informed me that she is older she is five-and-a-half now, not just five and she really wants to learn to be a doctor. I have a feeling that looking in the microscope will be part of our weekly visit to clinic now.

We are about to take a ride in the halloween trick-or-treating mobile. I plan to put new pictures on tonight so look for them tomorrow!

Thanks and love to all of you!

Monday, October 25, 2004 1:42 PM CDT

Scarlett had a good weekend. We played outside a lot and climbed trees. She got to visit some of her friends and family. Her Aunt Lynn from Gulf Shores popped in and surprised her Sunday morning, which she loved.

Today she went back to school. She had a great time and stayed until time to go to the playground. She didn't want to do that. She got to bring the class bear, Homer, home for her turn. They take pictures and do two pages in a scrapbook about their time with Homer. We have already climbed trees and taken pictures. She wants Homer to go to clinic with her Wednesday and take pictures with her and the nurse.

We only have a couple more days of steroids thank goodness. She is EXTRA weepy today.

Thank you all for visiting the web site and for your prayers.

Friday, October 22, 2004 6:59 AM CDT

Scarlett had a good day Wednesday when we went for her treatment. She gets a little anxious at times but does great and is very compliant with the nurses and doctors. She started the steroids that day but thank goodness for only a week this time.

Last night I could already see a difference in her mood. Those of you that saw us at the carnival might could have too. We had fun though, and she won her cake (Thank you)!!! We stayed about an hour before the crowd got too large. She was absolutely the cutest doctor I have ever seen!!!

Thank you for your continued prayers!

Tuesday, October 19, 2004 9:35 AM CDT

I had to write and tell what miss priss said last night. I got her out of the bath and dried her hair with her towel so it was really messy and big. She was dancing and singing "I think I love you" and looked in the mirror and saw her hair and said, "oh, mom, I LOVE my hair this way. Can I wear it like this everyday?" So I told her that we had to brush it and get the tangles out but I would mess it up again. Well, I didn't quite get the look back and she was a little upset with me. I teased and teased it and got close. So I told her that if her hair had of come all the way out, it might have come back in a different color or really curly (knowing the possibility is still there). She looked at me and said, "Are you serious?" Oh, my goodness, please, oh please, oh please, let my hair fall out! This is the most joyful I have ever been! She is a mess. I don't know where in the world she gets dancing and singing and wanting big hair from. It has to be her daddy!!!!

We are waiting on Ms. Cindy to call. We hope to have a dance lesson today. She is feeling great! She has her old energy back and personality (EVEN MANNERS!)

I'll update you tomorrow after our visit to Children's.

Monday, October 18, 2004 8:00 AM CDT

Scarlett had a great day yesterday. She has never been so excited about Halloween. Her daddy has a golf cart that we painted bright orange and decorated it with lots of "spooky" stencils. We will definitely be seen Halloween night in Countrywood!

Yesterday, I ran in Target to try to pick up pictures to update the web page of her in the hospital last week and drop off a role, but they weren't there. Also, Scarlett had her heart set on a water baby that a friend gave her money to buy, so I picked her up and told her to stick her face in my neck and went to the toy department as fast as I could. After looking down one isle where the babies were, I told her they didn't carry them and we left. All I accomplished that trip, I think, was an ulcer from taking her in there and a headache from looking around back and forth like I could see a germ. I know David's friends and family are reading this laughing with him saying, poor David! The thought of germs and Scarlett in the same sentence has always freaked me out, now I am just making everybody else crazy with the germX!

Scarlett and I talked about her hospital stay yesterday and she told me that it wasn't so bad. She isn't really scared to go back in two weeks. My big, brave girl! She told me there was only two things that were bad about it, me running over her heel with the IV pole and she couldn't remember the other one so she would tell me later.

I will update the pictures as soon as somebody other than me and Scarlett go pick them up.

Thank you for reading her web site. We love hearing from you.

Saturday, October 16, 2004 10:05 AM CDT

Scarlett slept until 9:15 today. She is catching up on her sleep. She hasn't had an appetite at all for the last few days. When she woke up we decided to make colorful waffles, red, green, pink, blue and orange. She has actually eaten half of one so I am thrilled.

Last night was homecoming at the high school. Scarlett LOVES to be with Savanna and her friends (our other 7 daughters who we don't pay taxes on) so we went to the house they were getting dressed at and took pictures and sang happy birthday to Katie. She felt really glamerous and grown up. Thank you to Meredith, Laura, Katie, Lauren, Lisa, Blair and Ashlan for always loving and including miss priss!

We are hoping all goes well with Scarlett's levels this week as she gets back on steroids and has another Vincristine injection. There is a lot of activities she would love to be a part of. I figured out how to get her to the East Halloween carnival. I got her a doctor's outfit so she can wear a mask and be protected without feeling different. So unless she is just feeling too bad to go, we will be the happiest doc there Thursday night.

We are hoping to spend a couple of days with Grandmama and Granddaddy in Gadsden this week too.

We love you all. Thank you very much!

Friday, October 15, 2004 11:03 AM CDT

YEAH!!!! We are home! Scarlett rested very well last night. It took her a while to wind down she was so excited to be here. She has turned into a professional TV watcher, and much to my surprise she didn't ask to watch anything all afternoon. She stayed in the kitchen and played with her toys and arts and crafts for hours.

She was anxiously awaiting the arrival of her sweet daddy. He got home and we played the usual things we did before she was diagnosed. Every night we would go through the same ritual before she could go to bed: fight over me, pull off the bed, sack of potatoes, tickle me, she and her dad would play simba and nala and he had to tell her stories of when he was a little boy -- it lasted for about an hour-and-a-half to two hours. We have not enjoyed those games since August 25th and it was wonderful that she felt like doing it again!

She did so well with the medication she received in the hospital. She had really good spirits and only cried to be home a couple of times. We stayed really busy in the activity room. Those of you who live at Children's like us know that it is a wonderful thing to have there. Ms. Beverly and all the volunteers for that service are really a blessing to the children and their parents.

We are going to go back on Monday for a visit to the clinic for a treatment and then back home. She will have to take the "wicked" medicine for a week starting Monday. Hopefully, it will be over for her before it starts to make her head feel "noodley"!

God has blessed us with all of you and by answering the many prayers. Please continue to pray that every new treatment and day that is to come Scarlett will handle it and respond as well as she has thus far. We have a long two + years ahead of treatments and ups and downs. Thank you so much for everything! The Cowans

Thursday, October 14, 2004 9:27 PM CDT

I was not able to speak to Lana today, but I just spoke to David briefly. Scarlett was able to come home today!! YEAH!! Both Scarlett and Lana are exhausted and are in their own beds, safe at home. I'm sure Lana will update everyone soon.

Laure (friend of Lana)

P.S. To Aunt Florence--thank you! I did take notes and tried to write the updates as Lana would have.

Wednesday, October 13, 2004 9:54 PM CDT

Lana reports: Scarlett has had a great day! There have been absolutely no signs of nausea and she has done great! Hooray!! They should see signs of the awful mouth sores (one of the yucky side effects) within one week if they’re going to appear. Scarlett’s spinal tap was clear and she got a good report.

Scarlett had fun today visiting the activity room and made a pillowcase, a purse and some “nunchucks.” Apparently Lana’s nephew takes karate and Scarlett has heard him talking about numchucks! Scarlett’s are made out of purple foam and she has been throwing them around all day. They have put together puzzles, played memory games and read books.

The nurses are very amused by Miss Scarlett—they told Lana she’s 5 going on 15! Lana informed them that one of her sisters is the same way, wonder which one???? When the nurse took Scarlett to weigh her she let her pick up her urine output container, which was brand new and held her lotion and soap. Scarlett now knows exactly what that is for and was totally grossed out by the fact that she was expected to hold it! When they reached her room Scarlett threw it in the door and informed the nurse, “And I am tired of touching that! And by the way, it has a big crack in it.” As her IV drip gets low it starts to “ding,” so the nurses told Scarlett to press the Call button and sing, “Ding, dong, the witch is dead…” She LOVES doing this and Lana said she can hear her voice echoing down the hall as she screams into the Call button!

Apparently the doctors and nurses at Children’s are very blunt and use lots of words that Lana does NOT allow at the Cowan home. Scarlett is really enjoying tormenting her mother with, “I’ve got to PEE!” Lana informed her that there will be no more “potty mouth” when they get home!

Lana is not sure when they’re going to be heading home. They’ll start checking Scarlett’s levels in the morning. They have to know that the chemo is out of her system before she can leave. Everyone please pray that they get to go home tomorrow!

Now, how are the parents of little Miss Scarlett holding up? David has a sinus infection and had to fly today. Lana said it broke her heart to watch him leave because she knew how hard it was for him to leave Scarlett, plus he felt terrible! Lana described the moment they hooked the chemo up—she said it looked like a big bag full of Mountain Dew, about three times the size of a normal IV bag. She said she had to tell herself to breathe because she thought she was going to pass out. “It made me so sick to think of all that toxic mess they’re pushing into my baby.” However, Lana also told me how blessed they feel to be at Children’s Hospital. They are only 10 minutes from home and many, many people there have traveled from far away, left loved ones and siblings at home, to receive treatment.

I will talk to Lana sometime tomorrow and try to update—or better yet, maybe she’ll get to go home early and give everyone a “real” update!

Tuesday, October 12, 2004 9:57 PM CDT

Lana reports: Lana did not tell Scarlett about her hospital visit until last night. Scarlett was, of course, scared and there were some tears, but she was okay. This morning when they arrived at the clinic she had to have some blood drawn—NO TEARS from Scarlett! What a big girl!

They arrived in Scarlett’s room about 11:30 this morning. She was so excited to learn that Nurse Judy (one of her favorite people) had been assigned to her! Lana made her bed up with Hello Kitty sheets and Scarlett has been prancing around in Bratz cheetah pajamas. Lana says her spirits are very good! She has visited the craft room and made a spider and a poster for her door. She even got to see Santa Claus and he gave her a teddy bear. Lana’s mom brought Scarlett a Primp and Polish Barbie head and they’ve stayed busy all day styling hair, applying makeup and polishing fake nails!

Scarlett began her chemo treatment around 8:45 p.m. this evening. There was some delay so when Nurse Judy arrived to access Scarlett’s port she was greeted with, “Uh, hello, how about attaching my IV here!” Lana said they all cracked up! Dr. Nicole arrived just in time to order that some “Doritos in the blue bag” be sent down from another floor. It seems Princess Scarlett is running the hospital now! Or as Lana puts it, “Scarlett’s spark of personality is really lighting up the floor!”

One of the doctors they saw today told them that he “usually” sees nausea at the tail end of treatment (which would be tomorrow night), but there is no “usual.” Every child is different. Scarlett will continue to receive this chemo for 24 hours and should finish up around 9 p.m. tomorrow night. Tomorrow morning around 9 a.m. she will be put to sleep and have her spine injected with chemo. Lana is still hoping to go home Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.

I will update again tomorrow. Please continue to pray for Scarlett and her family!

Saturday, October 9, 2004 10:06 AM CDT

Scarlett slept really well last night and her congestion in her chest is better! Thank goodness! I was a wreck yesterday worrying about her receiving her treatment on time. She is in good spirits this morning.

She is just now enjoying the gifts that she got at the hospital. She will look and get so excited like she is just seeing them for the first time. She is staying really busy, thanks to all of you! Everyday she is asking for new things that she sees on TV. I said to her that if she keeps sending me to Toys R Us for toys that she isn't going to have anything for Christmas. She said, "don't worry, Mom. They make new toys everyday"! We have had some really great days playing.

We'll be going in the hospital Tuesday morning and she will start getting fluids and then that night at 8:00 she will start receiving her chemo that will take 24 hours to be administered. The next morning she will be given her injection in her spine. If all goes well, it is possible she could come home as early as Thursday afternoon. I have a dear friend who is going to update the web site for me while we are at Children's.

Thank you for your continued prayers. We are anxious about what is to come for the next six months.

Thursday, October 7, 2004 7:08 PM CDT

Scarlett has had a stuffy nose for a couple of days. We went to the doctor to see Dr. Smith and he is treating her for a sinus infection. We are hoping she won't be congested by Tuesday or they won't be able to put her to sleep for her spinal injection. I never thought I would be glad about going to the pediatrician's office, but it felt good to not have to be going to Children's.

We didn't get to have the dance lesson today because she didn't feel too good. Maybe we can get another one in before next week.

Scarlett really hasn't said anything about missing school. I think that she needed to see her friends and feel like she was going to school, but she really doesn't have a concept of time, thank goodness!

I wish I had the time to thank each of you invidually for everything you have done, but I know you understand I wouldn't be able to take care of Scarlett if I did - there are so many of you! We greatly appreciate everything!

Tuesday, October 5, 2004 3:30 PM CDT

Scarlett had a dance lesson today in front of her new mirror and had a ball! She was really clogging and jazzing it up today. We plan to have another on Thursday and hopefully she will let me take a picture and I'll post it. Today she refused!

After dancing we went to the movie to see Shark Tales. We had the whole place to ourselves so we could talk out loud and dance in the isle.

She had such a good time feeling a part of her class at school. We feel very fortunate that she got to go this soon. We really thought it being the season for so much sickness that she wouldn't go until January. There is a stomach bug going around now so we are going to have to wait a while. And selfishly, I want her home to myself while she is feeling better.

I really haven't seen any side effects from the medicine she is taking now. The common one is a decrease in the number of red and white blood cells and platelets but would be within 2 to 3 weeks and we are just a week and a day into it. The occasional side effect is loss of appetite (she is still eating A LOT of nuggets) nausea, and mouth sores. There are more but those would be the visible ones. I hope she does as well in the hospital next week with the new chemo she will be given (Methotrexate).

Thank you for your prayers!

Sunday, October 3, 2004 9:04 AM CDT

We are having great days! I cannot tell you how good it feels to have my Scarlett somewhat back again. We are doing lots of laying in the floor laughing, dancing, playing games, etc., the "normal" kind of day.

Yesterday was the first day I could really see a difference in her being so swollen. Today her tummy has gone down a good bit. I think her face and neck will take longer. It makes her uncomfortable so I hope it doesn't take too much longer for her to get back to normal size. But I have to admit, having that much more of her to hug, squeeze and kiss is kind of nice!!

Yesterday, Scarlett and her daddy went to pick out "a" pumpkin. They came home with 4. She painted one solid green, two with faces and carved one with bats. She is so excited about Halloween this year. She really wants to be "spooky". She said she is going to be a ghost and scare people. She found lots of decorations that she can't wait to receive from the UPS truck: a witch, skeleton, and face to hang on a tree. It's really going to be funny because she will be so scared she won't be able to go in the front yard but she thinks right the opposite.

Thank all of you for viewing and posting on the web site. I love it and I get on it probably five or more times a day. I read every posting every time from beginning to end. It makes me feel like I am communicating with you all who care so much. (I say "I", I should say "WE". I am speaking for David and I both!) We appreciate you more than you will ever know and it helps us very much.

Friday, October 1, 2004 12:01 AM CDT

We went to school for a little while again today. She is so excited to be there. It makes her really tired so today she told me she just wanted to do her work and have snack and then leave. Imagine her wanting to stay for snack!!!!! She told Ms. Harris that she didn't know why but she was just hungry for another cookie. Her friends are so sweet to her. I watched from the hall and the outside window (I know, I'm every teacher's nightmare) and they would just pat her back and rub the hat she was wearing. It makes me melt!

She has lost some hair but no one would know it but me. I think if anything it's just going to be thinner on top. She still has more hair than most. We still joke about her "shedding" and me wanting her to lose her hair so I can pretend she is my "bald-headed baby" again. She has been given so many hats and she loves them. She was picking from four this morning.

We are hoping that she can go to school all next week too and visit with as many WELL people as she can before October 12. I know it won't be long before almost every child has a runny nose and we won't be able to be around them.

We love you all. Thank you so much for everything! Lana

Thursday, September 30, 2004 6:55 AM CDT

Since Monday Scarlett has not had to take her Dexamethazone (wicked medicine)! She is slowly starting to be herself again. Tuesday night she entertained us with books and songs and we all laughed until about 11:00 p.m. It was so good to hear her laugh like that. She is still eating more than normal but not near as much. For example, instead of having 5 pancakes, 2 toaster strudels, a bowl of spaghetti and ice cream sandwiches, she had yesterday morning a bowl of cereal and one toaster strudel and two push-ups. We'll see what today holds.

Yesterday was a big day for her. We actually went somewhere in the car other than Children's. We went to school and she saw her class for the first time. She was a little apprehensive and her friends didn't quite know what to think about her looking so different. They just stared and were very quiet. We stayed for about ten minutes. She sat in her desk and did a worksheet, put a bottle of GermX on her desk and left. But as she was leaving she waved and said, "bye, see you tomorrow"! When we got to the car she told me she was glad we did that and we were going back tomorrow. So that's the plan today. I don't know what she will say when she wakes up.

She is resting better at night. I hope she can catch up on some sleep before we are admitted the 12th and get little sleep at all. She doesn't know anything about her hospital stays for the next six months. Her anticipation is great so I will tell her that morning. We are hoping she continues to feel good this next week and a half while her counts are up and stays well so she can have a somewhat "normal" life. She is taking chemo by mouth every night at home and it doesn't drastically make her white counts drop like some of the other chemo ahead will. So we really don't know what's in store for us after her stay at the hospital as far as needing to keep her away from crowds again.

Thank you for your continued prayers. We have had prayers answered this past month and will need many more for the next 2-and-a-half years. It's a long road with many, many treatments ahead. Our family is so blessed to have your support and prayers!

Monday, September 27, 2004 3:44 PM CDT

Scarlett had her visit at Children's today. She had blood work and a marrow biopsy. We are thrilled to report that she is officially in remission! Also, her cell study came back and it revealed that what she has is called ALL involving the "TEL" and "AML1" genes. This places her in a low risk category for treatment failure, with a five (5)year survival rate at around 80+%. Both Dr. Bryant and Dr. Berkow were pleased with how Scarlett has done and were very happy with the test results. We had a very good day and, for the 1st time in a month, we are able to take a full, deep breath.

For the next phase of treatment, Scarlett will go to Childrens once every three weeks for a 4-5 day hospital stay. She will get her treatment over a 4 or 24 hour period (this hasn't been decided), but she will have to stay in the hospital to be monitored while this is done. Apparently, she has to be "well hydrated" before the treatment, and then have blood work done after the administration is completed. This 3 week cycle will last 6 months.

The second best news of the day is that Scarlett gets to quit taking the steriods! Maybe we can have our old Scarlett back, but we will take her any way we can get her. We hope she can have few visitors in the next week or two, and maybe she can go to school for an hour or two. We will let you know.

Thanks for all of your prayers, and keep them coming. ALL fails remission in 15-20% of all cases; that's 1 in 5. So please keep up the good work. Obviously, all of you are doing a great job. Thank you so much.

Monday, September 27, 2004 3:44 PM CDT

Saturday, September 25, 2004 3:17 PM CDT

Scarlett really enjoyed going to her Grandparents house in Gadsden. It did her good to have a change for a few days. She didn't feel too good Wednesday and Thurs. She was having leg and back pains. The drs. said it was probably from her treatment last Fri. I gave her a little Tylenol and by Fri. she was feeling much better. We went to the Falls and she fed the ducks and had a picnic on the rocks. She giggled at the ducks. We had a GREAT day! I had my Scarlett back for a little while. She didn't rest too good last night so today she is pretty restless but happy to be back home.

We go Monday for all the reports. We should know everything mid afternoon and I will update you as soon as we get back home.

Thank you for all your continued prayers!

Wednesday, September 22, 2004 6:39 AM CDT

Yesterday afternoon Ms. Cindy came for another dance lesson in the garage. Scarlett had a good bit more energy this time than last. She really enjoyed it. About an hour later, Over the Mt. Glass came and installed a big mirror in the garage for Scarlett. She is really excited for her next lesson now. Scarlett plans on doing a solo in the recital this year. We asked her if it could be a duo with her and mommie and she said, "no, thank you".

Then later that evening thanks to Tangles Scarlett and mom had some girl power at the salon. They let us come when they had closed and wiped everything down for her and gave her a new cape. Ms. Jennifer washed, cut and styled her hair. She loves getting her hair cut. They always put sparkles in her hair and this time they put blue beads. She was so excited!

Scarlett's daddy loves to tease her and always whistles at Cinderella, Jasmine, Barbie, etc. She runs to find Mom and tell on him. In the hospital after having his mouth taped, fingers and hands painted, dance and whatever else he could think of to make her laugh, he started whistling at the nurses. Scarlett didn't only tell Mom this time she told every nurse that came in the room! Anyway, so when she came home last night from getting her hair cut she walked in and looked at him and said, "don't even think about whistling at me". She was feeling mighty sassy!

Love to all of you!!!!

Tuesday, September 21, 2004 9:11 AM CDT

So many of you wonderful people have voiced to me that you check this web site every day for updates. I'm sorry that I haven't in a couple of days. I guess you should always know that no news is probably good news.

Scarlett is very excited that she gets to skip this Friday's appointment. It's pretty sad how she had to learn the days of the week and exactly how many days from each are Friday, huh?

She is doing great, but I really don't see how her little tummy and cheeks are going to make it to the end of the steroids! Hopefully, we only have until Monday for that and her little body can get back to normal. It's hard for her to get out of the floor sometimes by the end of the day her tummy is so swollen. They warned me, but you have to see it to believe it! Those steroids are wicked! My sweet, sweet little angel who never (and those of you who have always known her know) had to be corrected she was so perfect, has turned into the girl on the movie the Exorcist! She is smiling one minute and her head is spinning the next. It's pitiful!!!!!

She can't stand the way she feels, she told me at about 1:00 a.m. (that's when we do our best talking) that her head feels all "noodlely" inside. I tried to explain to her that it's her medicine and it's not her fault. She said she was going to try to say things more "sweetly." For example, earlier that night my mother had gone in the room and after forcefully placing stickers in her sticker book without saying a word, she finally said, "I DON'T WANT ANY VISITORS!" And my mother told her that she wouldn't talk to her she would just sit in the room quietly. Scarlett repeated herself with a little more umph, "I SAID I DON'T WANT ANY VISITORS!" So I came upstairs finding sweet Grandmama sitting quietly at the end of the hall. She remembered doing that and told me that maybe she could remember to say "uh, no thank you, I really don't want any visitors, please." She continues to crack us up.

We are going to go to my parent's house in Gadsden for a couple of days on Wednesday for a change of scenery so I won't have access to a computer to update you until at least Friday.

Thank you again for all you have done and your continued prayers!

Sunday, September 19, 2004 11:35 AM CDT

Scarlett had a really good afternoon yesterday and last night. We were pleasantly surprised! She really has handled her chemo really well so far.

Her sister, Anna, came from Tulane to see her and brought her a cotton candy maker. What a great thing since cotton candy has been one of her lastest cravings. She also got to visit with her grandparents from Gulf Shores and it really lifted her up.

We all miss all of you so much. It will be great when Scarlett is able to be around crowds again, but there is no way to predict that.

Your prayers are obviously working. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

We love you! The Cowan Family

Friday, September 17, 2004 3:52 PM CDT

We went for our appointment today and all Scarlett's blood work was good. She took Fishy and her big sister, Savanna, with her and it helped her spirits. She was quite anxious this morning and talking and coloring with Savanna and looking at her fish seemed to help while she was getting her port accessed (usually, you can't peel her off of mama). After it was all over and she got some great hugs from her doctor and all the attention she gets from the great nurses and staff, she told me she thought she was kind of getting used to that place.

We are not scheduled to go back until Monday the 27th. Then we will have another bone marrow test to see if she is in remission. And from there we will know what the next six months holds for us.

We have been waiting since the first bone marrow test for the results of a chromosome test they do that will place her at low risk, standard, high or very high. We will also get those results on Monday. Please pray we hear she is low risk.

Thank you again for everything!

Wednesday, September 15, 2004 9:46 PM CDT

As I was laying beside my beautiful little puffy cheeked angel, I was thinking about her waking me up at 5:00 this morning (After just dozing off at about 3:30) and I thought you would all get a kick out of what she said. I felt her scratch my head and say, "I love you as much as life." And I said, "I love you more!" She said, "oh, Mom, I had a dream I had a pet fish. Could I have a pet fish?" And I said, "yes." She said, "oh, you are the best mom ever. Could it be green, because I want to name it leafy. And if you can't find a green one, you can just get any color because I have a lot of cool names." So, I told her I would do my best but she needed to go to sleep. Well, needless to say she couldn't sleep at all and we were in the kitchen at 6:00 making pancakes (which she ate 5 big ones of.) I called my sister, Lynda, and asked her how quick she could take her kids to school and bring Scarlett a fish? She was here about ten minutes after the pet store had opened. Scarlett was so thrilled. Fishy is her name. She is red and greenish blue. I told Scarlett that she can go with us to clinic for her treatments. I feel sure her pet fish will comfort her. I am going to put a picture of her and Fishy on the web page soon.

Her spirits and energy level started getting better yesterday. She is doing her homework her teacher brings and sitting up more than she is laying down now. She takes one to two naps a day (making up for the NO naps as an infant and baby).

We hope to make it to our Friday appointment if the weather permits. If not, we are going Monday. I will let you know the results as soon as I get them.

Thank you for everything. Lana

Tuesday, September 14, 2004 12:08 PM CDT

Yesterday we had to go to Children's for lab work to see if Scarlett's blood count was going up. Her HGB was 8.2 on Friday, which is borderline, so Dr. Bryant wanted to see if she needed a transfusion on Monday. Thankfully, it was 9.2 on Monday. So after the dreaded arm poke (as Scarlett calls it) we got to come home instead of a four hour transfusion. She is still very tired. Putting together two puzzles is enough to make her have to lay down for a while.

Scarlett is still adjusting to all of the visits at the hospital. She just sits and tells me "this place is horrible" the whole time we are there. Her new friend Jennifer (Child Life Specialist) really helps a lot. She meets us in the clinic on our visits and makes Scarlett smile! We all love her.

Our next visit is Friday. She will have her port accessed for blood to be drawn and her chemo treatment. Then if all numbers are still good back home for another week. She won't dread this visit quite as bad because she will be able to eat and she won't be "starved".

I'll update you between now and then for her funny stories. I know it helps all of you to laugh too.

Much love and many thanks! Lana

Sunday, September 12, 2004 1:06 PM CDT

I have always heard the old saying laughter is the best medicine. Leave it to Scarlett Leigh and her great wit to make us laugh. I had decided not to discuss with her about her loosing her hair until she noticed it. So yesterday it was noticeable to her. She would pull at a knot and a pretty large amount would come out, and then constantly she was getting them off her shoulder and each time no matter how much would hand it to me. I kind of said oh, my, you are shedding. Then we kept working puzzles. Finally, she asked me why was her hair coming out. I explained to her about side-effects of medicine and that that was going to be one of hers. I said to her let me get a brush and get all of that out, meaning what was hanging on her shoulders. She said, what? You want me to be bald? I told her that I would love it! She would look just like my little baby again. She said, well all my friends will think I'm a photo or something. ( I assume she meant freak ). We had that talk about how they are all different and they love her for her not what her hair looks like. After all of that we just kept playing and I thought the discussion was over for a while. Then her daddy came in the room and asked her if he could kiss her on the top of the head (we have to ask for kisses) and she sat there with the most serious but funny look and said, yeah, if you want hair in your mouth. We could not stop laughing. He told her that would be fine. I told her to let him and he would cough up a fur ball like a kitty. She thought that was funny and we haven't had any more hair discussions yet. She is so wonderful.

She is still doing good from her treatment on Friday. Usually she is kind of nauseated on Sunday but so far today she isn't. Keep your prayers coming and thank you so much!

Saturday, September 11, 2004 10:14 AM CDT

I thought those of you who have ever taken Scarlett to eat or watched her would get a kick out of her daily meals. The Scarlett who was too busy wanting to play and eat one or maybe a half of a chicken nugget is now eating more than her mother (yes, she really is) and daddy combined. For breakfast she had: a kid cuisine, three slices of salami, a muffin, angel hair pasta and now she is eating chips and dip (her third helping). It's funny but really sad. It's crazy what side-effects medicine has on people.
We plan on cooking with the easy-bake oven and making pretzles. She wants to make one for her favorite doctor, Dr. Bryant. We love all of you. Thank you for everything and please keep praying. Scarlett woke up just a minute ago from a nap and was telling about her yummy dream. She said, double chocolate chip cookies are stuffed with gum drops, and the sun was really gum drop mountain with a lot of noodles, and the candies were donuts and you could eat them all day, double chocolate chip sandwich cookies and ice cream bars, popcicles were full of yummy yummy gum drops, the trees were apple bars and it was a great dream.

Friday, September 10, 2004 1:37 PM CDT

Scarlett and parents went to Children's this morning for her 4th treatment and another bone marrow biopsy. The treatment went well as Scarlett had very little pain with accessing her port. Scarlett was really dreading this treatment because of the pain she had during last week's treatment. Today, everything went great, so we hope she will not dread the rest of her treatments as bad as she did today. Scarlett's needed today's biopsy because the results from the one done last Friday were not satisfactory to her physicians. At that time, 27% of her bone marrow cells were cancerous (the doctors wanted 25% or less), so we had to re-check the marrow today. Before we received the results, Dr. Bryant said she wanted less than 10% positive cells today. Actually, she said she hoped for 0%, but "that is not realistic". Well, Miss Scarlett decided to prove Dr. Bryant wrong and shock us all -- today, she is at 0%! What does this mean? She is not in remission, but Scarlett has no positive/cancerous cells in her bone marrow today (she went to 0% positive cells in her blood last week). Next, we need for Scarlett to avoid producing positive cells as she continues with her treatment. We have to go back Monday for blood work, and then on Friday for another treatment. Thanks to the doctors and nurses at Children's, especially Dr. Bryant, Scarlett is doing well. Please keep praying -- we can't let up now. Your prayers are working and there are many potholes ahead. Many thanks to our friends for all that you have done. We'll update next week.

Wednesday, September 8, 2004 3:04 PM CDT

We are having a great day today. Scarlett went outside to swing and lasted about 30 minutes before wanting to go eat something. I went to Target and got her a lot of Easy Bake Oven things. She really is into cooking now that eating is her 2nd favorite hobby.
Still no fever!!!!! We have made it half way through the week and are praying we don't have to go for blood work before her scheduled Friday appointment. Friday she will have routine blood work, be put to sleep for a bone marrow test, given her weekly chemo treatment and hopefully, if all levels are good, back home again for another week. She has really done well with her treatments with very little nausea so far. She is a tough little girl and still has her great spirit. Thank you so much for all your prayers and concern.

Tuesday, September 7, 2004 12:04 PM CDT

Lana reports that Scarlett is tired today, but very hungry! Apparently she wants to eat everything she sees on television--David had to run out at 8:00 the other night for a cheese burrito following a Taco Bell commercial! All of this eating is amusing her family because Scarlett never liked to eat anything before.

Scarlett is missing her friends terribly, but still cannot have any visitors yet. She did get to have a private dance lesson the other day in the garage. Lana is going to set up mirrors and a portable ballet barre so that Scarlett can take dance when she is feeling good.

Artwork and letters, postcards or notes from her friends would be greatly appreciated!

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