History

Thursday, December 28, 2006 11:00 AM CST

Hi Friends,

Veronica finished her chemo yesterday and is feeling much better. Now that she is off chemo she doesn't need the 3 anti-nausea drugs and benadryl that make her so sleepy and out of it. She is keeping busy by cross-stitching and doing other crafts. I'm always so happy to have my old Veronica back!

As usual, she has lost weight, so now it's my job to push lots of foods on her so she can regain the weight so that the drs. don't put her on TPN (liquid nutrition). She gets full very easily and doesn't want much to eat.

Otherwise, we're just waiting for her blood counts to drop and then come back up. She needs blood transfusions every few days until her bone marrow begins producing. This is when I begin worrying about germs and viruses. I hear so much coughing and sneezing up here on the floor from the staff and patients/families.

Nicollette & Sherilyn have gone to the beach with my sister and their cousin for 3 nights. They said the weather is beautiful and there are lots of pretty shellsto be found. If I could only transport me and Veronica there too :)

Enjoy your week! We are counting our blessings that Veronica has tolerated another round of chemo so well. Please continue to pray for her to get through the next 3 weeks without viruses or infections.

Love, Laura

Monday, December 25, 2006 10:06 AM CST

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

I hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful Christmas with their families.

Veronica is on day 4 of her chemo. The new chemo drug is making her sick every day and she pretty much feels icky all day. She woke up late this am and opened up 2 stockings...one from me and one from Duke. She enjoyed doing that. She doesn't want to eat at all while on chemo, but I'm getting her to drink tea and juices. Dustin is driving up here later with Nicollette and Sherilyn to spend the day here with us. Veronica has to receive 2 units of red blood cells and will most likely sleep all day, but at least we can hang out as a family, even if it is in this little room.

My kids went over to my sister's last night and had a nice dinner and slept over and had breakfast with her. She's coming up later with turkey sandwiches for us :) which I am really looking forward to.

Last night a local church from Cary brought us a wonderful Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. It was so nice of them and I enjoyed every bite of it. Veronica wouldn't eat anything, but slept most of the day. She did wake up last night and we watched A Christmas Story.

I hope everyone has a wonderful, joyous day!

Love, Laura

Monday, December 25, 2006 10:06 AM CST

Thursday, December 21, 2006 8:32 PM CST

Hi Friends,

Veronica went in this am with her dad for her spinal tap and bone marrow aspirate. As usual, it was a very long day for them. She didn't get into her room until about 6pm. As we've learned at Duke, you can hope for surgery to be on schedule or for a quick admit, but it rarely happens. On the rare occasion that it does occur, you count your blessings.

She will begin chemo tonight for 6 days, but as usual, she will remain in the hospital for about one month. This is a more intensive round than the previous ones and she will have one new chemo and one that she has had before.

Everyone is out of school finally, so hopefully there will be a little less stress while I'm at the hospital. My shift begins tomorrow and lasts 7 days. Unfortunately, I'll be missing most of Nicollette & Sherilyn's Christmas break. Hopefully Veronica will feel up to having visitors, but it's doubtful while she's on chemo.

Please continue to pray for Veronica's strength to get through another round of chemo. I could use a few prayers to get me through as well. It is really difficult to go back to Duke after 2 weeks of normalcy.

Love, Laura

Monday, December 18, 2006 8:35 PM CST

Hi Friends~

Veronica continues to enjoy her time at home. She was able to go to the beach for a day with Sean and has been able to spend some time with her friends who are home from college. Dustin finished his finals today and will be coming home for about 3 weeks tomorrow :)

Nicollette & Sherilyn went to Kentucky with their Dad for the weekend for their annual Christmas tree hunt. Unfortunately, they both came home sick. Sherilyn had a fever of 101.4 and Nicollette had a terrible headache and was dizzy....turns out to be a stomach virus. I've been doing laundry like mad and chloroxing everything over and over again. I'm trying to keep them from getting near Veronica. Everyone is crying for me...I'm not kidding...it's insane!

On the plus side, I had one day to myself...honestly, I can't remember the last time this happened. After getting caught up on laundry, I baked Christmas goodies, went to Shelley Lake and walked 5 miles with my sister, had dinner with Dustin (just the two of us), and saw 3 movies, including The Nativity with a friend, and Charlotte's Web with Veronica.

Veronica went to Duke today for labs and an echocardiogram. Her platelet count went up but her hemoglobin went down, which explains why she is getting tired so easily. She will be admitted on Thursday for her next round and a bone marrow aspirate and spinal tap with chemo.

Please pray for Nicollette & Sherilyn that they get over their illness quickly and don't pass it to the rest of us.

Love, Laura

Thursday, December 14, 2006 7:49 AM CST

Hi Friends~

Veronica was supposed to be admitted today for her fourth round of chemo. Her labs this morning indicate her platelet count isn't high enough to begin this round or to do the bone marrow aspirate and spinal tap with chemo. So we go back Monday am for labs and she will probablly be admitted on Tuesday. Unfortunately she will probablly be getting chemo through Christmas now. It just goes to show you that you can't really plan at all.

Sherilyn has been home sick with a nasty cold and cough, but, thankfully, her new immune system is doing a good job fighting. I sent her back to school today, because the longer she stays home, the harder it is to get her readjusted to school. She's stay home with me forever if she could. She continues to have a hard time adjusting to a "normal teenage" lifestyle. She is totally content staying home and not going out at all with friends. I really have to push her to be social and lately I haven't had time to do anything but take care of Veronica. I feel horrible for Sherilyn, Dustin & Nicollette because I'm just not there for them like I should be.

Nicollette continues to struggle with her grades, esp. science and math. She isn't motivated at all and I'm not around much to check up on her schoolwork. Dustin is in the middle of final exams and will be finished next Monday.

Our family has been dealing with leukemia since Feb. 2003 and it has really taken a toll on us in so many ways.
I am thrilled that we get a few more days at home with Veronica. I know we could all use a few more days of "normalcy".

Thank you for your continued love, prayers & support.

Love, Laura

Saturday, December 9, 2006 7:39 PM CST

Hi Friends~

We are enjoying our days at home with Veronica!!!

Last night we had a small holiday get together at our house. Veronica's boyfriend Sean, his brother and parents came as well as Emily (her college roommate), Dustin & his girlfriend, Nicollette & Sherilyn each had a friend over and a few others. We made tons of food and had the house all decorated and even a fire in the fireplace. It was a lot of fun!

This am we all needed to sleep in, with the exception of Nicollette, who was up at 6:30 am to look in her stocking. Thankfully, she wasn't too upset that I needed more sleep! (Santa was up until 1:00 am) We ate a wonderful turkey dinner with all the trimmings thanks to my wonderful neighbor, Barbara who provided our delicious cooked turkey and friends who made delicious stuffing and cookies.

Tonight Dustin invited his girlfriend Elle, his college roommate and another friend over for turkey sandwiches and then they all went bowling. Veronica and her boyfriend went to his brother's house for another small get together and will be back later to eat turkey sandwiches. Thank you again Barbara!!!

The rest of us spent the day playing with presents, watching movies, and eating lots of good food.

We are all so very thankful for each and every one of you. We have been blessed in many ways.

Love, Laura

Thursday, December 7, 2006 11:24 PM CST

Hi Friends,

It was a long day at clinic today. Even though Veronica didn't need any blood, we had to wait a long time for the medicine to work on her central line. She got her counts back and they still aren't high enough for her to go out in public.

She is enjoying her time at home.

Thanks for caring!

Laura

Thursday, December 7, 2006 11:24 PM CST

Thursday, December 7, 2006 7:40 AM CST

Hi Friends,

Veronica has been home since Tues. afternoon. She still has a cold and has to lay low because her counts are very low. We go to Clinic today for blood counts and potentially to get platelets and/or red blood cells. Also, one of her lumens on her central line is not working so they will probablly have to give her some clot-busting medicine into her line and hopefully that will work.

I'm frantically trying to finish shopping and begin baking for this weekend. We are celebrating Friday with a few friends on Friday and Saturday we will have our Christmas dinner and open presents (I hope).

To top it all off, my dishwasher is broken and my dryer is not working properly. After Veronica came home on Tues. I had about 6 loads of hospital blankets, sheets and clothes to wash and for every load of laundry it look 3 cycles to dry....not the best timing!

I'll let you know how clinic goes today.

Love, Laura

Thursday, December 7, 2006 7:40 AM CST

Monday, December 4, 2006 9:11 PM CST

Dear Friends,

The good news is that Veronica's bone marrow is recovering sooner than expected and her doctor is probablly going to discharge her tomorrow, allowing her to rest at home while her counts continue to rise. Because he is letting her come home before her ANC (absolute neutrophil count...the fighter white blood cells)is 500, she won't be able to do as much outside of the house.

The bad news is that she will have to go back to Duke around Dec. 14th for round #4 and won't be home for Christmas. I guess I'll be spending 2 out of the last 3 Christmas at Duke.

I was not expecting her to come home this early. Now I have a little over one week to finish my Christmas shopping (thank goodness I started early and am almost finished), plan an impromptu Christmas party (at Veronica's request), and prepare an entire Christmas dinner early, as Veronica wants to celebrate before she goes back to Duke. Wow, is all I can say :) :) :)

I am just so thankful that I can do this for her and put smiles on her face while she's home. My children are my biggest blessing in life.

Love,
Laura

Sunday, December 3, 2006 8:41 AM CST

Hi Friends~

Veronica's counts are beginning to come in. She has a few neutrophils (fighter white blood cells). This is great news because she was beginning to cough and I don't want it to go into her lungs. It'll probablly take a week to 10 days for her counts to be up so that she can come home. Then we are HOPING that she will be allowed to stay home for 2 weeks including Christmas. This would be so wonderful!!!

I've had a great few days at home with Nicollette & Sherilyn. Yesterday we did some Christmas shopping and went to our favorite restaurant Mellow Mushroom. Today we are going to visit Veronica at the hospital.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.

Love, Laura

Tuesday, November 28, 2006 9:13 AM CST

Hi Friends,

Veronica has come down with a nasty cold. There's not much they can do except wait for her immune system to come up and fight the virus. She's not sleeping well because she's sneezing and has a runny nose and headache. She had been steadily gaining weight this week until she got the cold, but now she has lost weight for the past few days because she doesn't want to eat.

She is on day 20 today and her counts should be back up in the next week or so. She received platelets yesterday because she was down to 10 (normal range 150-450) and she had some red dots in her mouth as a result of her low platelet count.

We have been lucky enough to go outside the past 3 days and enjoy the nice warm weather!!! For this we are very thankful.

Thank you for your continued love, prayers and support.

Laura Adams

Sunday, November 26, 2006 10:27 PM CST

Hi Friends,

Veronica has been fever free for several days now, but will remain on the 3 antiobiotics for 10 days. She is feeling well and eating good. Her doctor has let her go outside for the past few days and we have thoroughly enjoyed the break and this beautiful weather!

Veronica pretty much slept through Thanksgiving Day. She was pretty tired and received 2 units of blood. But she enjoyed having some of her friends visit her over Thanksgiving break.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Love, Laura

Wednesday, November 22, 2006 7:02 PM CST

Hi Friends~

Veronica is on day 14 of her 3rd treatment. On Monday she developed a fever and they started her on 2 antiobiotics and drew blood cultures. The fevers have continued so they began a third antiobiotic yesterday and did more blood cultures. No bacteria has grown as of yet. She continues to get blood and platelet transfusions about every 2 days. She is having headaches and intermittent stomach pain. Her blood counts are not expected to come up for about 2 more weeks, therefore she is at risk of developing viral and bacterial infections.

Please pray that the doctors can figure out the source of Veronica's fevers and target it with the right meds. Please pray for all of the kids and their families that will be spending Thanksgiving at the hospital.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Love, Laura

Sunday, November 19, 2006 6:49 PM CST

Dear Friends,

Veronica has been off of chemo for a few days and feeling good, with the exception of a stomach ache. Her counts have dropped and she is now on the neutropenic diet (no fresh fruits or veggies or flowers in the room). She received a transfusion a few days ago and will most likely need one again tomorrow with the way she feels.

I have enjoyed my few days at home with Sherilyn and Nicollette, and today Dustin stopped by after work and watched a movie with us and ate dinner :)

I am so thankful for my family and friends who have been there for us these past few months. When I am having a really bad day, God always puts the right person in my path to pick me up. I have been blessed with so many good people in my life...and I am so thankful for all of you!

"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your
right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help
you." Isaiah 41:13

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not
on your own understanding; in all ways acknowledge
him, and he will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:5-6

Love,
Laura

Tuesday, November 14, 2006 9:32 AM CST

Hi Friends,

Veronica finished her chemo for round 3 at 10am. On the 4th day, they finally found an anti nausea med that worked for her. It is called Reglan and given with Benadryl, so she slept pretty much the last 2 days. She ate toast and macaroni and cheese yesterday, which I was thrilled about as she hadn't eaten anything for days. She even took a walk around the hospital last night, although she was very tired.

Her counts have dropped alot and she will probablly get a transfusion of red blood cells today. Hopefully this will give her some much needed energy. Veronica has been keeping in touch with Erin, an 18 year old girl with AML from Fayetteville who is also being treated here. She is being admitted today for her 5th and final round of chemo. She's glad they're going to be here at the same time again.

Tony finished his shifts at the hospital this morning and is coming today to switch places with me. I'm looking forward to going home to see Sherilyn & Nicollette, and hopefully Dustin at some point, but am sad to be leaving Veronica. It's so hard to leave.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We really appreciate all of you!

Love, Laura

Saturday, November 11, 2006 12:17 AM CST

Hi Friends,

Of course we picked the busiest day EVER to be readmitted. We got to clinic around 10:30am and they did the spinal tap with chemo soon after. We were told Veronica was the 7th admission for the day and that it would be a long day. Well, that was an understatement! Finally at 6:30 she was admitted, not to the Peds floor, but the 7th floor. It was horrible! The nurses didn't know anything about Veronica's care or protocol and had to call the 5th floor a "million times" for directions according to the nurse. Veronica was very upset. The room didn't have a bed for me, a VCR or a refrigerator (and of course we brought some perishables). They didn't start her chemo until 9:30 pm and didn't give her the anti nausea meds on time in the middle of the night, so of course, she was pretty miserable and sick. Needless to say, it was a very long 2 days before Veronica got moved to the Pediatric unit. We were never so happy to be back to 5100. We are back in the big room-5131 which is GREAT!

Veronica is getting chemo 2x a day and sleeping most of the time. They are still having a difficult time finding the right mix of anti nausea meds and she is both sick and has body aches. She is not eating much at all because she is so nauseous. Good news: her spinal tap was clear, which means there is no leukemia hiding in her central nervous system.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers.

Love, Laura

Wednesday, November 8, 2006 9:25 PM CST

Hi Friends~

We have had a GREAT time at home this past week and a half. Veronica has been able to do everything she wanted to. She shopped, went to a movie, went to NCSU and visited her brother and friends, went to the NCSU game until she got too cold, ate good food and shopped some more!!!! The R&R and family time has done wonders for the entire family which makes it even harder to have to go back tomorrow am.

We received GREAT news that Veronica's bone marrow aspirate on Friday showed NO blasts (leukemia), so she remains in remission. Dr. Rosoff said it looked perfect! Tomorrow she will get a spinal tap with chemo and be readmitted for round 3 of chemo.

On Sunday we put up our beautiful Christmas tree since Veronica won't be home again until the middle of December. Our wonderful friends, the Actons, generously gave it to us last year when we couldn't have a real tree because Sherilyn was recovering from her bone marrow transplant. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to put it up all by myself, but it was very easy to do and the best part is that it is pre-lit...YEAH!!! It's the gift that keeps on giving. Dustin came home, so the whole family was here. I got up early and made chili in the crockpot while the girls made the cookies :) :) :)

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Love, Laura

Thursday, November 2, 2006 5:17 PM CST

Hi Friends~

Veronica is enjoying her time at home! Today she had to go to Duke for blood work and preop for a bone marrow aspirate, scheduled for late morning tomorrow. This is to determine if she is still in remission. Dr. Rosoff thought she looked great and all of her bloodwork came back good. But...the GREAT news is that Veronica doesn't have to be readmitted until next Thursday, instead of Monday like we had previously been told! On Thurs. she will get another spinal tap with chemo and also begin her third round of chemo.

We are all very excited about the 3 extra days at home!!!

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support.

Love, Laura

Tuesday, October 31, 2006 10:30 AM CST

Veronica is HOME!

We packed up her hospital room in a hurry and got home yesterday around noon. It was great because her sisters didn't have school and we all went out to lunch and to Target. That was what Veronica wanted to do her first day home. She is feeling great, just tires a little easier.

She goes back Thurs. for preop and labwork and Friday for another bone marrow biopsy. She will most likely be readmitted Monday am for her 3rd round of chemo.

She is happy to be home for Halloween so she can hand out candy and help her youngest sister get ready.

HAPPY HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Love, Laura & Family

Thursday, October 26, 2006 8:00 AM CDT

Hi Friends~

Veronica continues to do well. Her counts are coming up, but she will have to remain in the hospital until Tues. because of the antiobiotics needed for the bacterial infection. So it looks like she will come home on Halloween! She continues to get blood and platelet transfusion about every 2 days. Yesterday she had an ultrasound and x-ray to rule out a blood clot or to see if her central line had moved. She is eating well and in good spirits :) She will get a CAT scan in a few days to see if there is any remaining infection in her body. When her white blood cells come up, they will stage a fight at the sight of any infection. They need to make sure she is infection free before beginning her 3rd round of chemo.

Thank you for caring!

Laura

Sunday, October 22, 2006 7:14 PM CDT

Dear Friends~

Veronica's blood cultures came back positive for a bacteria that is naturally in our GI tract. This commonly occurs with Cytarabine, one of the chemo drugs that she received. She was put on 2 antiobiotics and she had a reaction to one, so from now on will have to have the IV medicine (Vancomycin) given over a longer period of time and she will be premeded with Benadryl. Also, her stomach began hurting so they wouldn't allow her to eat anything for a day, not even water. And they began 2 more antibiotics. Today, since she wasn't any worse, they have allowed her to have a clear liquid diet. She received her Pentamadine breathing treatment tonight, which reduces the chance of her getting a pneumonia that leukemia patients are more likely to get. I took Nicollette & Sherilyn to visit Veronica today. She was in good spirits and seemed to be happy we were there. I will be going back to stay with Veronica tomorrow.

Thank you for all of your prayers. They are definitely working!

Love,
Laura Adams

Friday, October 20, 2006 8:24 AM CDT

Dear Friends~

Veronica had a great birthday! She nearly had a heart attack when she awoke to a fully decorated bathroom of streamers, party hats and horns. When she finally woke up, she noticed her room, door and IV pole were also decorated by her nurses. The doctors came by with a balloon and beannie baby horse. The staff brought her a Target gift card and birthday cake and sang Happy Birthday. I came up early afternoon and brought cake and cupcakes and her favorite mustard dip w/pretzels. She enjoyed a full day of family and friends. Even her brother surprised her by coming in the evening and having pizza with her friends.

Unfortunately, she developed the dreaded, but expected fever last night and into the morning. Her doctors started her on IV Vancomycin, a broad spectrum antiobiotic. She had a reaction to it and they had to slow it down and give her Benadryl. Her white blood count is not expected to come up for 2 weeks. They have cultured her blood to identify the cause of the fevers (ie. bacteria) so that they can give her the right antiobiotic to fight the infection until her immune system can do the job. Veronica is pretty bummed right now.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

Love, Laura

Wednesday, October 18, 2006 10:13 AM CDT

HAPPY 20TH BIRTHDAY VERONICA!!!

Veronica is feeling really good today. Yesterday she received platelets and 2 units of red blood cells. Her bone marrow is still down from the chemo and the doctors expect it to be for another 2-3 weeks.

Her aunt is bringing her breakfast today. I made her birthday cupcakes this am, at her request and am bringing them up this afternoon with lunch and presents. Sean is coming this afternoon and her roommate and other friends are coming up this afternoon and tonight to spend the day with her :) I am so glad she is feeling so well. She has been keeping busy with crafts and movies and taking walks.

Some of her DNA tests came back and all of them were negative. One of them was to see if she was more prone to cancers and thankfully she is not. She is going to participate in a John Hopkins study on AML to determine if there are similarites/differences in her DNA compared to others with AML. This should be interesting.

Thanks to my sisters, I was able to come home Monday for dinner for Nicollette's birthday and again last night to see Sherilyn perform in her first high school choral concert. It did my heart good to see Sherilyn singing last night.

Thank you again for all of your support and prayers. Veronica has really enjoyed all of the cards she has received. She really enjoys her mail!

Love, Laura

Wednesday, October 18, 2006 10:13 AM CDT

Tuesday, October 17, 2006 8:48 PM CDT

HAPPY 20th BIRTHDAY VERONICA!!!

Veronica's special day is going to begin with her Aunt Coleen bringing her breakfast, followed by me coming up with lunch, cake, and presents. Her friends are going to be stopping in throughout the day to spend it with her. She is so happy that she is feeling so well!

Today she received platelets and 2 bags of red blood cells as her bone marrow has not recovered from the chemo. The doctors expect it to take another 2-3 weeks for her counts to come up. Good news is that all of the DNA tests sent to Cornell have come back negative. One of them was to determine if she was more susceptible to cancers and it came back negative. She is going to participate in a John Hopkins Study that will also look at her DNA against others with AML to look for similarities/differences.

Thanks to my sisters, I was able to come home last night for a few hours to have birthday with Nicollette and again tonight to go to Sherilyn's first high school choral concert. All day I looked forward to seeing Sherilyn perform tonight. They performed at a local church because their school auditorium is not completed yet. The concert was beautiful and it did my heart good to see Sherilyn singing :)

Thank you all for your support and prayers. Thank you also for all of the cards that you are sending to Veronica. She really enjoys her mail!

Love, Laura

Tuesday, October 10, 2006 8:22 AM CDT

Hi Friends~

Veronica continues to tolerate the chemo and is feeling good and eating. Yesterday she received red blood cells.

Today she moves into a bigger room. It was a room that Sherilyn spent a lot of her good time in :) (relatively speaking, of course).

Nicollette is feeling better and wants to go to school today. I'm taking her later this am, allowing her to sleep in and rest a little more. I wanted her to stay home, since I'm home, but she insists she's ready to go back. I can't argue with a child who wants to go to school :)

I will be going back to Duke this afternoon for 8 nights. Nicollette's birthday is next Monday and Veronica's is Wednesday Oct. 18th.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support,

Laura

Sunday, October 8, 2006 9:42 PM CDT

Hi Friends~

Veronica is doing great! Sherilyn & I visited with her today for a few hours. She is taking Marinol which is an anti-nausea drug and appetite stimulant and it is working very well. She is on day 6 of chemo and will be finished Wed. am for this round, her counts will drop and she will have to wait for them to come back up before she goes home (approx. 30 days). She didn't have a fever today and nothing has grown from her cultures. Her doctors are pleased with how well she is doing :)

A dear friend of mine surprised me with 3 tickets to the Lion King on Friday. I took Nicollette & Sherilyn and we had a wonderful night! We ate dinner downtown at Cafe Luna, and rode the Streetcar around downtown before the show. Our seats were awesome and we could see all the details of the characters and costumes. The show was fantastic!

Nicollette is sick, most likely with strep throat. I will be taking her to the doctors tomorrow. Veronica is on antiobiotics, so she should be covered.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support.

Love, Laura

Friday, October 6, 2006 9:33 AM CDT

Veronica is trying to sleep through her chemo. I was worried because she is not getting up and walking at all or eating much at all, but the doctor said he's not worried, and that she can do all the walking after 8 days when the chemo is done. On the transplant floor, the doctors have a different mentality. Patients only get one "free" day when they can choose not to walk, otherwise, they must "move it" each day.

Yesterday she sat up a couple of times and even ate a little. She is still getting sick and getting lots of meds to help this, which also make her very sleepy.

Veronica just called and said she wasn't feeling good and that her dad had gone downstairs to get her some sherbert ice cream, b/c she was craving it. I talked to Tony and he said that she has spiked a fever last night and they started her on 2 antiobiotics and did blood cultures. Her pulse was high so she is having to wear the pulse/oxygen monitor. Also, her white blood count has gone up the last 2 days, when it should be going down. This could indicate a bacterial infection.

Please keep Veronica in your prayers today.

Love, Laura

Monday, October 2, 2006 7:27 PM CDT

Hi Friends~

VERONICA IS IN REMISSION!!!

Thank you God!
Thank you friends for all of your prayers!

Veronica and Sherilyn went to Duke today. Sherilyn had her 3rd set of immunizations (5 shots) and had labwork. All of her labs looked fantasic!

Veronica had a bone marrow aspirate and spinal tap under general anesthesia. This time it took 2 sticks for the spinal tap vs. 3 sticks the previous 2 times. Veronica is a bit sore, but other than that, she is doing great. We received a phone call from her doctor about an hour after we got home with the good news that both her spinal tap and bone marrow were free of leukemia!!! This is great news for her overall prognosis and we are so very thankful. She is 20hrough her treatment, beginning Induction II tomorrow. She will receive chemo for 8 days, but remain in the hospital for at least one month until her counts come back up.

Veronica decided not to go to the concert tonight. I'm happy with her decision, b/c I think she needs to rest and Sherilyn goes to bed at 9:30 in order to get up at 5:45am. This band plays again on a Friday night in November in Charlotte and Veronica has calculated that she will probablly be home then. The lead singer is a recent survivor of ALL (leukemia) and a bone marrow transplant.

Thank you so much for all of your continued prayers and support, including contributions for the Light the Night walk, the many cards and notes, the beautiful mums and pumpkin that mysteriously appeared on my front porch Saturday night :), the lawn being mowed, the mall gift card for Veronica, the gift cards to local restaurants have really come in handy, and the many goodies provided for our family. All of your love and support mean so much to all of us. When I'm really feeling down and out, someone does something so nice, and lifts me up again. I appreciate all of you and I couldn't do it without you. Thank you Kris for watching Nicky today while we went to Duke. She had a great time!

Love,
Laura

Saturday, September 30, 2006 10:08 PM CDT

Dear Friends~

We have had a wonderful week at home! Veronica & I went to the beach for the day on Wednesday and had a great time. We got there around 11am, set up our chairs and umbrella and enjoyed the beautiful weather and gorgeous water (it was the most beautiful shade of aqua/blue-green) and so calm. We saw schools of dolphins. We took a long walk and enjoyed the empty beach. Before leaving we ate at fun little restaurant and got home around 6:30pm.

Thursday we went back to Duke for labs and to see her doctor. Her white blood count is high enough so she doesn't have to receive shots anymore. On Friday, we went to NCSU and picked up Dustin and took him to Mellow Mushroom for lunch. On Sat. Veronica went back to NCSU with her roommate and another friend to hang out for awhile. She went out with Sean both Friday and Saturday night. It has really been a fun-filled week and Veronica has done everything that she wanted to.

Nicollette & Sherilyn are thrilled to have us home. On Monday there is no school and both Sherilyn & Veronica have appts. at Duke. Sherilyn will be getting her 3rd set of immunizations and Veronica will have a bone marrow aspirate to determine if she is in remission and a spinal tap with chemo. Then Veronica will come home for the night and be admitted on Tues. am. Veronica & Sherilyn are planning to go to a concert in Greensboro Monday night. Her doctor has given her the ok to go. The band Jack's Mannequin's lead singer had a bone marrow transplant a little over a year ago b/c of leukemia. My girls have liked this band for years. I will go with them and sit in the car and read.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Love, Laura

Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:35 PM CDT

VERONICA UPDATE:

It's so good to have Veronica back at home!!! She had her special dinner on Sunday night. Monday and Tuesday we went to Target and the mall, as Veronica wanted to do some shopping. She was so happy to wear regular clothes and put on some makeup and her contacts. She looked like a model with her cute new hats and wisps of remaining hair. She gets pretty tired after a few hours of shopping.

Tomorrow she wants to go to the beach so we are going just for the day and coming back around 5pm.

She has been getting her shots, from our neighbor who is a nurse, and Sherilyn has been helping her flush her lines each day.

We haven't received the results from her Monday labs as we went to LabCorp in Raleigh and it takes them 24-48 hrs. to get the results to Duke. We couldn't believe this...we never would have gone...what if she needed blood products. Next time we'll go to Duke where they get the results in less than 30 min. usually. Thursday morning we go back to Duke for labs and exam.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society emailed me that our team, Adams Angels, has raised $16,211 so far. Thank you all for supporting us. We couldn't have done it without you. Apparently, there are several teams (including us) that have close totals. They are accepting money until Nov. 1st. We're crossing our fingers that we'll be the #1 Team for the 4th year in a row.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We appreciate all of you.

Love,
Laura

Saturday, September 23, 2006 8:57 PM CDT

Hi Friends~
Veronica is coming home TOMORROW!!!

Her ANC (absolute neutrophil count) jumped from 90 on Friday to 500 on Saturday. She gets to come home for 8 days. She will have to get shots each day at home, flush her central line, and change her central line bandage while at home. She has to get labs on Monday at Labcorp and at Duke on Thurs. and get blood products, if necessary. She will go back to Duke the following Monday for a bone marrow aspirate under anesthesia, come home and then be admitted next Tuesday for chemo. Her bone marrow biopsy will reveal if she is in remission and can continue with Induction II.

I spent Friday cleaning for her arrival back home. Veronica has asked for a special meal tomorrow, London Broil cooked on the grill, steamed broccolli, garlic bread and chocolate pie. I spent today grocery shopping, making the marinade and pie :)

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society emailed me that our team, Adams Angels, has raised $16,211 so far. Thank you all for supporting us. We couldn't have done it without you. Apparently, there are several teams (including us) that have close totals. They are accepting money until Nov. 1st. We're crossing our fingers that we'll be the #1 Team for the 4th year in a row.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We appreciate all of you.

Love,
Laura

Thursday, September 21, 2006 11:51 AM CDT

VERONICA UPDATE:

Hi Friends~

Veronica is doing well, going outside each day and waiting for her counts to come up. Yesterday, her doctors decided to begin giving her Neutropen IV to stimulate her white blood cells. They weren't going to do this originally, b/c it is not the protocol for the British study treatment that she is on. There is some controversy with this drug, because if they stimulate her marrow to produce them (unnaturally), that if there are leukemia cells hidden, that it will cause more of them to grow as well. I was a little bummed that her bone marrow was taking so long. I'm not so worried now b/c she is doing so well, but if in the future, she gets infections, we want her counts to come up faster. I know the more treatments that she gets, the tired her bone marrow will become.

I came home yesterday afternoon. I was feeling totally sad and sorry for myself yesterday when I left Veronica. I cried the whole way home. But, thankfully, it was a happy sight when Sherilyn ran outside with her arms outstretched for a big hug:) Nicollette still spends most of her time mad at me for some reason or another, but I keep trying to make her understand. This morning I took Sherilyn to school and then Nicky was complaining of a tummy ache, so we both went back to bed for a few hours and then I took her to school. While I was at her school, I talked to her Guidance Counselor, who is going to pull her out of class for a few minutes once a week to talk with her. All my kids have gone here and know her well :) I told her, "We need a village here!"

I took a walk with my friend last night and again this morning and I feel so much better. Oh, I miss my walks with my friend.

I have Open House for both kids schools tonight at the same time. Like I said, I need a clone! I'll do my best, b/c that's all I can do.

Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers.

Love, Laura

p.s. Veronica REALLY enjoys receiving cards. If you'd like to send her one the address is always on the Home Page of the Caring Bridge.

DUMC
Veronica Adams
Room 5131
Erwin Rd.
Durham, NC 27710

Here is the link to the recent article in the N&O:

http://www.newsobserver.com/138/story/486061.html

Monday, September 18, 2006 12:48 AM CDT

VERONICA UPDATE:

Hi Friends,

Veronica is feeling much better. They are unhooking her from her IV pole from 1-8pm so she can walk around without it. She said she feels "almost" normal. We took 3 long walks yesterday and even did some stairs. She is eating well. Today her doctor said she can go outside!!! She is soooo excited about this. It's been 29 days since she has been outside.

She has figured out how to listen to her cds on the portable dvd player we have in the room. She is doing so now while making a collage out of pictures she has been cutting out of magazines.

We met another girl, Erin, who is 18 and has AML. She is on her 4th round of chemo. They live near Fayetteville. She has had a really rough time and has been in the PICU during each treatment. Veronica and I thought she looked pretty good for having been through all of that. We also met the parents of a little girl, Amber who was diagnosed with AML just before Sherilyn relapsed. She recently relapsed and is now on the bone marrow transplant unit awaiting a cord blood transplant.

Please keep Nicollette and Sherilyn in your prayers. They are really having a difficult time with me not being at home. Nicollette is having Mean Girl experiences at school and she is very sad about this and the fact that I'm not around. Sherilyn is having a very difficult time with me not being around as we have been inseparable for a very, very long time and she is adjsting to this and school again. Both of them are calling me everyday crying. My heart is breaking more than you can imagine!

Please keep these girls in your prayers as well as my children and all of the kids suffering from life threatening diseases.

Love,
Laura

Monday, September 18, 2006 12:48 AM CDT

Friday, September 15, 2006 4:02 PM CDT

VERONICA UPDATE:

Dear Friends~

Last night was the Light the Night walk and we had over 50 walkers on our team! It was wonderful to see so many familiar, and unexpected supporters :) The weather was great! So far, I think we've raised over $10,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Thank you everyone who joined us for the walk and also for supporting the L&L Society financially. It was great to have you there. Together, we will make a big difference!!!

Veronica is at day 23 (beginning her first day of chemo) and they don't expect her counts to come up until about 28 days. She is feeling well, other than chronic headaches. She is still on 3 antiobiotics, but is no longer on TPN (IV nutrition). She's sleeping until about 11 am, walking a couple time a day, getting on the computer, watching dvd's, or looking at magazines. She's got several friends coming to visit this weekend. Sean is with her now.

My sister is here from Albequerque, NM and is staying at my house for a week. This takes the stress off of me and my other siblings. Thank you Julie!

Other than that, thank you for continuing to pray for my family. We appreciate all of your support.

Love,
Laura

p.s. Here is the link to the newspaper article that was in the N&O yesterday:

http://www.newsobserver.com/138/story/486061.html

Friday, September 15, 2006 3:44 PM CDT

Monday, September 11, 2006 8:59 AM CDT

VERONICA UPDATE:

Hello Friends~

Yesterday, Sherilyn, Nicollette & I picked up Veronica's roommate and her mother and went to visit her. She was in good spirits. The girls hung out for awhile and then Emily's mom, a hairdresser, cut her hair. First, she cut it in a short style, then just below the ears, and they settled on a really cute "Natalie Portman" style, parted on the side and very short. It really looks adorable & artsy. Veronica said it was actually fun! Then the girls played Hello Kitty Uno for awhile and the moms went down to the cafeteria to get food for the girls. We settled on freshly made grilled cheese sandwiches and just made french fries and Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Veronica has lost more than 10f her weight and they are putting her on TPN (IV nutrition). She ate her sandwich and most of the fries and saved the donuts for later :)

The doctor came in while we were there and told us that her spinal tap was clear (no leukemia). She will probablly go home in about 2 weeks when her white counts come up. She will have a second bone marrow aspirate before she leaves to determine if she is in remission from the first phase of chemo. Please pray for her remission. Then she will be able to go home for about 1 week and come back for phase 2 which begins with a spinal tap w/chemo. The 2nd round will be exactly the same as the first one IF she is in remission.

Veronica is already making a list of things she wants to do when she comes home. I remember Sherilyn always did this too :)

Ruth Sheehan, a columnist for the N&O is writing a follow up story on Sherilyn/Veronica and it will be in this Thursdays newspaper or the following Monday.

Remember, Thursday is the Light the Night Walk. Registration begins at 5:30, followed by a light dinner, fellowship, team picture, a 2 mile walk, and cake afterwards. We are trying to get our team picture taken at 6:40, so please be ready. We want everyone in this year's picture! If you haven't signed up, please do so in order to have a head count for dinner.

www.lightthenight.org

Click on Register/Select Team/Adams Angels/

If you can not attend and would like to make a tax deductible donation, you can do so on line at:

http://www.active.com/donate/ltnRaleig/1850_LAdamsLTN1

Veronica's and Sherilyn's favorite color is pink, so if you have a pink shirt please wear it. Maybe the guys can wear red for NCSU, Veronica's school.

I look forward to seeing you on Thursday! Keep up the prayers, they are working!

Laura

Sunday, September 10, 2006 9:30 PM CDT

VERONICA UPDATE:

Hello Friends~

Yesterday, Sherilyn, Nicollette & I picked up Veronica's roommate and her mother and went to visit her. She was in good spirits. The girls hung out for awhile and then Emily's mom, a hairdresser, cut her hair. First, she cut it in a short style, then just below the ears, and they settled on a really cute "Natalie Portman" style, parted on the side and very short. It really looks adorable & artsy. Veronica said it was actually fun! Then the girls played Hello Kitty Uno for awhile and the moms went down to the cafeteria to get food for the girls. We settled on freshly made grilled cheese sandwiches and just made french fries and Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Veronica has lost more than 10f her weight and they are putting her on TPN (IV nutrition). She ate her sandwich and most of the fries and saved the donuts for later :)

The doctor came in while we were there and told us that her spinal tap was clear (no leukemia). She will probablly go home in about 2 weeks when her white counts come up. She will have a second bone marrow aspirate before she leaves to determine if she is in remission from the first phase of chemo. Please pray for her remission. Then she will be able to go home for about 1 week and come back for phase 2 which begins with a spinal tap w/chemo. The 2nd round will be exactly the same as the first one IF she is in remission.

Veronica is already making a list of things she wants to do when she comes home. I remember Sherilyn always did this too :)

Ruth Sheehan, a columnist for the N&O is writing a follow up story on Sherilyn/Veronica and it will be in this Thursdays newspaper or the following Monday.

Remember, Thursday is the Light the Night Walk. Registration begins at 5:30, followed by a light dinner, fellowship, team picture, a 2 mile walk, and cake afterwards. We are trying to get our team picture taken at 6:40, so please be ready. We want everyone in this year's picture! If you haven't signed up, please do so in order to have a head count for dinner.

www.lightthenight.org

Veronica's and Sherilyn's favorite color is pink, so if you have a pink shirt please wear it. Maybe the guys can wear red for NCSU, Veronica's school.

I look forward to seeing you on Thursday! Keep up the prayers, they are working!

Laura

Friday, September 8, 2006 12:52 AM CDT

VERONICA UPDATE:

Hi Friends~

I took Dustin to the doctors today for blood work and his counts looked great!!! What a relief that was. He's up at the hospital visiting Veronica now, as he only has 1 class at NCSU and has to work Sat. and Sun. Last night Nicollette, Sherilyn and I picked him up from his dorm and took him to Mellow Mushroom for an early dinner and then stopped by his dorm and brought him some homemade cookies, and drinks. We even spoiled him by bringing his dirty laundry home and washing it :)

Veronica is doing fine. She is feeling ok...a little nausea, feeling hot/cold, and basically sick and tired of being at Duke. Her head is starting to hurt and her hair is beginning to fall out. The doctor thinks her counts will begin to come up in about 10 days.

I'll be going up to the hospital in the am, hopefully with her roommates mom, to cut her hair short so that it won't be as painful/traumatic when it comes out.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Laura

Wednesday, September 6, 2006 10:13 PM CDT

VERONICA UPDATE:

Dear Friends~

Spinal taps are just not Veronica's thing. This am she went to the OR under anesthesia, for her spinal tap with chemo (after 3 unsuccessful attempts yesterday under mild sedation), and on the third attempt today they got spinal fluid and gave her chemo. Needless to say, her back is sore from all the attempted taps. We should get the results tomorrow. Her chemo is now done for this cycle and we are waiting for the gradual growth of white blood cells...GROW CELLS GROW!

Veronica was moved to a big room today, as they had a discharge and we were first on the list. We happily moved all of her stuff. They have a cot in there....no more sleeping on a fold out chair....YAHHHHH!!!! This room is a palace compared to the tiny one we had for the first 16 days. I am home tonight for a few days and catching up on mail, email, etc. It's so nice to be home with my 2 younger kids. As you can imagine, this is extremely difficult for them, esp. Nicollette. I felt like she was just beginning to heal from the last few years. My son is at NCSU and I called him tonight and he said he went to Student Health and has a UTI...Oh my God you can imagine....my heart sunk. This is how Veronica was diagnosed 16 days ago. I told him he had to go back and get a blood test. Tomorrow I'm picking him up for an early dinner and I will definitely be making an drs. appt. for him. The worrying never ends....plus I am a worry wart by nature....got it naturally from my mother.

Tonight was Teen Night at Duke and they order pizza/cheesebread for the kids and they can watch a movie. It is also Pet Therapy night. I talked to Veronica and she ate cheesebread and a beautiful Laborador Retreiver came to visit with her and sit on her bed:) She was in much better spirits than earlier today. Blessings :)

Please continue to pray for Veronica and all of the suffering children at Duke.

Also, please donate blood and platelets as they always have a shortage. Last week they didn't have enough platelets on hand when Veronica needed them and she only received 1/2 unit.

Love, Laura

Tuesday, September 5, 2006 6:11 PM CDT

VERONICA UPDATE:

Hi Friends~

Reality is setting in and Veronica is really getting emotional about being stuck in the hospital for so long. She enjoyed seeing her friends this weekend, who were home from college, but that probablly made her sad too, because she wants to be going back to school just like them. So she cried as Sean left and woke up crying this am. I'm so sad for her and what she is feeling. It hasn't been that long since Sherilyn cried the same tears.

Today she was supposed to have her third spinal tap with chemo, but after 3 attempts in, they couldn't get any spinal fluid. It was very traumatic for her because she could feel the needles. Eventhough she was put on morphine and versed, she can still feel the procedure, but versed is supposed to make them loopy and forget it afterwards. Well she didn't and she was crying and asking me why she could feel it. It was very heartbreaking for me. Tomorrow they are going to put her under and try it in the OR. I hate that she has to go through the procedure again, it's just another risk I hate for her to have to endure. After her unsuccessful spinal tap, she was starving and ate Reese peanut butter cups that one of her nurses brought her with some movies and popcorn. Then she ate a kid's meal from Taco Bell and is looking forward to eating another cupcake that her friends Andrea and Jualiana made for her.

Michelle, from Childlife was finally able to help Veronica connect to the internet and she is enjoying catching up with some of her friends. This should really help lift her spirits.

Thank you for all of your prayers and continued support for our family. I really appreciate every one of you.

Love, Laura

Monday, September 4, 2006 1:43 PM CDT

VERONICA UPDATE:

Hi Friends~
Veronica is finished with the chemo from the Induction Phase of her treatment. She is now neutropenic and just waiting for her white blood cells to begin growing. She is most prone to infection during this period.

Veronica was really looking forward to visiting with her friends that are home from college this Labor Day weekend. Sean visited on Friday, Lenneka and Kersti on Sunday and today she is visiting with Andrea and Juliana and Sean. Her friends had been calling her all week to come and visit, but she wasn't up to it until she was off chemo and feeling better, so she made plans for the weekend and enjoyed hanging out with her friends. On Saturday I got Mellow Mushroom pizza for her friends and Veronica ate an entire piece! Her dad's parents and sister also visited Sat. and Sun. while her friends were there. In the future I ask that all friends
and family call beforehand and arrange a visit suitable for Veronica's plans. This will help to spread out the visits.

Other than that, no more fevers, and they are discontinuing her anti-nausea meds and have taken her off a few antiobiotics, hoping to help with her crazy sleep patterns.

I got to go b/c they are closing the Ronald McDonald room.

I'll update tomorrow.

Love, Laura

Sunday, September 3, 2006 1:50 PM CDT

VERONICA UPDATE:

Hi Friends~

Veronica has been without a fever since Thursday night. I can't tell you how happy this makes us. I was so worried about her undiagnosed fevers because she is now neutropenic (without any WBC). Yesterday was an awesome day!!! She slept until early afternoon, but was awake for the remainder of the afternoon and evening. Sean surprised Veronica with a shaved head. She thought it was cute. He spent most of the day/evening with her. They watched movies, walked and talked, while I went out to the gardens and soaked up the sun.

Sean and I went to the cafeteria to get him some dinner and we lucked out with pizza. Veronica had chicken noodle soup. She is eating something everyday which is great!

Veronica's second spinal tap with chemo came back clear and her CAT scan was normal. Praise God for all of His blessings. Please continue to keep Veronica in your prayers. We know they are working, just as they have for Sherilyn.

Love,

Laura

Friday, September 1, 2006 1:58 PM CDT

VERONICA UPDATE:

Dear Friends~

Veronica is continuing to have high fevers and they are doing every test imaginable to figure out why. She had a CAT scan last night of her whole body, but we haven't gotten the results yet. Her spinal tap from Wed. came back negative for leukemia, which we expected since she received chemo in the initial spinal tap.

She ate a little breakfast this am, but is still feeling lousy overall. I will be with her tonight until Wed. afternoon since Tony will be working.

Please pray for her fevers to go away and for her to stay infection/virus free as she has no white blood cells to fight infections at this point.

Love,
Laura

Thursday, August 31, 2006 8:59 AM CDT

Hi Friends~

Veronica is on 1 chemo 2x a day for days 6-10 and she seems to be tolerating this much better than the 3 chemos from noon to 2am that she received days 1-5.

We found out why there was so much confusion with the leukemia in the central nervous system. The first spinal tap (with chemo) was not a clean tap (they got blood in it from the needle stick). You should only get clear spinal fluid, but they nicked a blood vessel and contaminated it). Well, we know there is leukemia in her blood so when the blood mixed with the spinal fluid they can not determine if it ever was in her CNS or just a result of the blood. Therefore, they are being conservative and treating her as though it is in her CNS. I am so sad about this b/c she may not have it here but we will never know and she will be treated by getting spinal taps every week with more chemo. than she would have originally gotten without the CNS diagnosis. Yesterday she had her 2nd one and they had to stick her twice. The first time they got blood again and had to do the second stick.

Veronica was very hungry yesterday, but couldn't eat until after 7pm because of the spinal tap. She wanted Chick-Fil-A fries so I got those and she ate half of them. She is continuing to have fevers and they culture her blood daily to try to determine if she has an infection. They also have done a battery of viral tests, none of which have come back positive???

Please keep Veronica in your prayers.

Love, Laura

Tuesday, August 29, 2006 2:11 PM CDT

Dear Friends~

It was a very long night. Veronica began fevers of 103 around 8 pm and reached 105 around 2 am. I stood up for hours holding icey washcloths on her forehead and giving her ice chips. Then her blood pressure dropped (hypotensive) for a period of time and I was remembering the same episodes with Sherilyn that sent her to the PICU on several occasions. They were able to stabilize her with boluses of fluid, platelets and red blood cells. Today she has only had one episode of hypostension and she has had a temp. no higher than 103. She is actually in good spirits, she only complains of being hot and feeling pretty yucky during chemo. We took a nice walk this afternoon to the big window so she could see outside. We watched tv together for hours. I am really thrilled with how she is looking/feeling, in spite of her high fevers!

Yesterday she had a peice of skin taken off her back and a single stitch put in, to be used in DNA testing. A group from Infections Diseases is following Veronica closely to make sure that she is on the right antiobiotics. They also swabbed her mouth sore which has developed to check for a Herpes virus, which can spread and become mucositis. They began Acyclovir, a antiviral med to cover viruses, or shorten their duration.

Please keep the prayers coming. We will get through this because as a fellow transplant fathers always says, "We Win In The End".

p.s. Sherilyn said today wasn't too bad, she sat down with some girls at lunch that she didn't even know....Go Sherilyn!

Love, Laura

Sunday, August 27, 2006 9:50 PM CDT

Dear Friends~

Veronica started the day off with a fever of 102.9 and fainted when they took her for an x-ray to check her pneumonia. They think it might be a result of one of the meds they gave her called marinol (which is an anti-nausea med and appetite stimulant) and have stopped that for now. She is on yet another antiobiotic. She also received platelets again. Her boyfriend came to see her again today on his way back to school and a good friend came to visit her last night. She slept most of the time. I got her to walk with me and Sherilyn tonight and take a bath and put on a new robe and pjs. She felt pretty lousy when we had to leave and it was hard to go, but Tony has to go back to work tomorrow so I needed to get some rest.

We withdrew her from NC State and her roommate and boyfriend's family helped to move her stuff out of her dorm. This was such a huge help to us...plus I would have been too emotional to handle it.

My heart is overwhelmed with sadness and pain for Veronica and what she is going through. Dustin began his freshmen year at NCSU and thankfully I got to see him this weekend because he had to work. Sherilyn had a horrible first day of school and doesn't want to go back. She hasn't been to school in so long and only has one friend that goes there that she has kept in touch with. She is totally overwhelmed with the first homework. Nicollette called me at the hospital crying that she couldn't go through this again. I don't get a break from stress ever. I'm either at the hospital with major stress or at home trying to do everything for everybody as a single mother of 4. I really need to be cloned!

Please pray for my strength and for Veronica to tolerate the chemo and for her fevers and pnemonia to go away.

Love, Laura

Saturday, August 26, 2006 8:39 PM CDT

Dear Friends,

We got the good news today that Veronica's MRI was NORMAL. This is a HUGE relief after being told that she had leukemia in her CNS and that she had shadows on her brain (meninges?) that could be tumor clusters. Praise the Lord!

Yesterday and today the doctors heard crackles in her lungs and the chest x-ray revealed fluid in her lower lungs. Therefore, they are treating her for pneumonia, She is on 5 very strong antiobiotics for pneumonia, UTI, and persistent fevers. Today she received platelets and 2 bags of red blood cells because her counts were low.

Sherilyn began day 3 of 10 of chemo today and we finally found an anti-nausea medicine that works for her. She has not gotten sick since late last night. She is sleeping most of the day and not eating at all. She is neutropenic and cannot leave the room without a mask. We have to be very germ-conscious now!

I have heard that there are many, many prayers being said for Veronica. Please keep them coming...we need another miracle. Thank you for your love and continued support.

Love,
Laura

Friday, August 25, 2006 3:32 PM CDT

Dear Friends,

What a bittersweet day today has been. This am I took Sherilyn to school for the first time since 12/6/04. I cried tears of happiness for her and tears of sadness for her sister Veronica who is now battling AML too. It is still so surreal to us.

Veronica is in better spirits today. Her boyfriend came to visit her today and they are watching movies right now. She's gotten sick a few times today. Her calcium is low and they are making her drink some chalky drink which hasn't set well with the chemo and all the other meds she is taking. Also, the new pink/green pajamas and slippers from her Aunt Maureen definitely perked her up.

We got news today that the "final" spinal tap results(reviewed by the MD) showed no evidence of leukemia in her central nervous system. This is great news, but her CAT scan showed shadows on her meninges? They will be meeting Monday am to discuss this and decide where to go from here. A MRI will most likely be ordered next.

The nurses and doctors are wonderful as usual and I feel comforted that I know the routine. Veronica really likes her doctor, Dr. Rosoff, Head of Pediatric Hemotology/Oncology, and I am thrilled to have him as her doctor.

On a happy note, Sherilyn got her driver's permit today. My good friend took her and her daughter, Sherilyn's good friend to the DMV and they both passed, and most importantly, took awesome pictures.

Please continue to pray this disease away.

Love, Laura

Thursday, August 24, 2006 9:19 PM CDT

Dear Friends,

For those of you who haven't heard, on Monday, Sherilyn's oldest sister Veronica, was diagnosed with the same type of leukemia as Sherilyn. We are all reeling with the shock of this news and asking for your prayers.

Veronica began feeling bad about 3 weeks ago. It started with a sore neck and headache and progressed into a sore throat. I took her to the doctors and they told us it was viral. She continued to feel bad and started with symptoms of a UTI last weekend. She wasn't getting any better so I took her to Urgent Care on Monday. She had a UTI and her blood work was very similar to Sherilyn's when she was diagnosed in 2003. Her white blood count was very high and her platelet count was very low. They knew something "bad" was going on. I immediately called Duke and talked to Sherilyn's bone marrow doctor. We went to Duke ER and after several blood tests, confirmed that she had AML.

Veronica had a bone marrow aspirate, spinal tap w/chemo and had her central line placed yesterday. Today we were told that her spinal fluid showed that she also had leukemia in her central nervous system. Sherilyn never had leukemia in her CNS. Due to this, she will have to have spinal taps every week to check for leukemia until 2 consecutive taps are clear. She began chemo today and had a very rough day. Her treatment will last about 7 months and she will only be able to go home for a few days each month. Like Sherilyn, she will be at Duke for about 1 month at a time, then go home for a few days and start all over again. This treatment is a little longer than Sherilyn's initial treatment and somewhat less toxic they say.

On a happier note, Sherilyn begins school tomorrow. She is very excited and nervous too.

Thank you for your continued love, support and prayers for my family.

Love, Laura & Family

Tuesday, August 22, 2006 9:30 PM CDT

Dear Friends~

Words cannot express the pain in my heart at this time. Yesterday, Sherilyn's older sister Veronica, was diagnosed with AML, the same type of leukemia as Sherilyn. She is being treated at Duke. Please pray for Veronica tomorrow morning as she undergoes a bone marrow aspirate, spinal tap with chemo and surgery to put in a central line. She is 19 and was to begin her sophomore year at NCSU tomorrow. We are all in shock as is the medical community. They are going to test our immediate family. This is not supposed to be hereditary. They want to test us every month for the next 5 years. We really need your prayers.

Sherilyn is to begin school Friday after so long and I'm not even going to be able to be here for her. I am going to need a lot of strength to get us all through this. Please keep Veronica and the rest of our family in your prayers.

Love,
Laura

Wednesday, August 16, 2006 9:25 PM CDT

Hi Everyone,

Summer is almost over and soon our lives will be back into a routine we haven't seen in several years.....SCHOOL & WORK!!! Hopefully with some much needed normalcy!

Sherilyn went to her high school today for a "new sophmore orientation camp". She fixed her schedule and is taking Honors Biology, Geometry, Digital Communications and Mixed Chorus, first semester. She has been tutored some this summer in Geometry and will keep this up during the school year. She missed so much math while at Duke and has really had to play "catch up". School begins next Friday.

She finished driver's ed and we are going to get her permit early next week. YIKES!

Friday we are meeting with our Make-A-Wish team to do the paperwork for Sherilyn's wish trip to Hawaii. We are hoping to go the week after Christmas!

I'm asking for your prayers for a girl that we know from Raleigh who has AML and has relapsed from her bone marrow transplant. Her Caring Bridge site is:

www3.caringbridge.org/nc/rebecca

I know she would appreciate some encouraging words.

Live Life
Laugh Often
Love More,

Laura

Thursday, August 3, 2006 11:15 AM CDT

Hi Everyone!

Life is so good!!! We had a super time at the beach. Much better than last year when Sherilyn couldn't be out in the sun or water because she was on too many meds and still had her central line. It was really hot though. Heat index hit 113 degrees one day. We were all inside that day. We went to the acquarium in Pine Knoll Shores, but stayed at the cottage the rest of the time and played games, read and ate good food.

Sherilyn went to Duke on Monday for her checkup with her transplant doctor, Dr. Martin. All of her counts looked super. She received 4 more immunization shots. Her doctors couldn't believe how GREAT she looked. We got the results of her bone density tests and they were considered in the low normal range. This just means that she needs to be very good about taking her calcium twice a day.

Sherilyn is actually DRIVING this week for Driver's Ed. She was very nervous and asked me the night before to take her out driving, so we went to a parking lot and practiced. When she was getting into the driver's seat, she said, "This just isn't right...I shouldn't be driving." Of course, I felt the same way as I tend to "baby" her much more because of what she's been through. But I realize it's very important for her to be doing the "normal" things teenagers her age are doing. She is excited and nervous about upcoming school. We are thankful that her high school is being very helpful in the adjustment. She is going to a "new sophmore" camp the week before school where she will meet her teachers, tour the campus, walk to her classes and get her schedule and locker. This is going to be great for her.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Laura

Friday, July 21, 2006 5:25 PM CDT

Hi Friends,

Summer is just flying by!!! I want it to slow down. Both Veronica & Dustin will be at NCSU next year. Dustin had orientation a few weeks ago. I can't believe 2 of my 4 children will be in college (Yikes, I am getting old!). I have really enjoyed this summer...it's nothing like last summer :) Sherilyn is doing awesome. I have really enjoyed spending so much time with her. The other day she told me she was really going to miss being home with me when she goes to school. It's going to be an adjustment for both of us, but we will both be busy with our new schedules: Sherilyn @ school all day and me back to work.

Sherilyn finished the classroom part of driver's ed and was called for the driving part, but we are leaving for the beach this Sunday for a week. We are so excited about the BEACH. Last year she couldn't swim or be in the sun at all. This year is going to be a completely different scene :) We'll update when we get back!

Love,
Laura

Tuesday, July 11, 2006 6:30 AM CDT

HAPPY 15th BIRTHDAY SHERILYN!!!

Today is Sherilyn's birthday. What a tremendous year it has been for all of us!!! Sherilyn is healthy and living life to the fullest. On Friday, I took Sherilyn and a few of her friends to Mellow Mushroom for lunch and to see Pirates of the Caribbean II. Our friends Charlotte, Harry and Doug of Six Forks Cinemas were very happy to see Sherilyn and her celebrity photos with Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Kiera Knightley. They even had a big bag of Pirates of the Caribbean M&M's waiting for her. The staff have become our friends over the past year :)

Sherilyn began driver's ed on Monday from 8-2:30 with a good friend of hers. This is a huge adjustment for her as she hasn't been to school in almost 2 years. It was a very long day for her, but I think this will be a great way to ease her back into school. She is very bummed that she has to spend her birthday in school :(

Nicky, Veronica & I spent the evening (Sherilyn went to bed early) decorating for her birthday. We put balloons, confetti and banners in the kitchen and hallway. Nicollettte did a fabulous job with the streamers! We made chocolate muffins and got Hello Kitty plates, napkins & cups. Hopefully this will put her in a good mood before a long day at school. :)

We are so thankful to be celebrating another year in Sherilyn's life. We know how blessed we are and that God is responsible for all of this.

Love,
Laura

Tuesday, June 27, 2006 11:23 PM CDT

Hi Friends,

As you can see Sherilyn (and the rest of us) had a FANTASTIC trip to California. She was able to meet Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom briefly on the red carpet premiere of the Pirates of the Caribbean in Disney Land. They both signed her and her sister's autograph book. Sherilyn had drawn a picture of JD and he signed it, as well as a picture of her in the hospital holding up a JD poster. Orlando Bloom took my digital camera and had his bodyguard take a picture of the 2 of them. They both talked to her briefly and put their hands on her and told her to "stay well". A moment she (or her sister) will never forget. What an experience for all of us!!! I'm still trying to figure out how to load more pictures on this site. We met a lot more stars and the girls got their autographs too.

We flew into San Diego for 3 days and went to Sea World, the zoo, and the Wild Animal Kingdom. Then we took an all day tour bus to Ensenada, Mexico, a quaint fishing town. We ate lunch there, took a boat out to see sea lions, and then walked around for several hours. The scenery was beautiful on the way as we drove along the coast. Then we went to Laguna Beach and San Clemente, CA where we went to the beach and swam for awhile. We had never seen the Pacific Coast. The next day we drove into Hollywood and stopped at the Chinese Theatre and saw the Walk of Fame. We found Johnny Depps hand/footprint in the sidewalk. Then we spent 3 days in Disney Land. We didn't have to wait in any lines as Sherilyn received a Pass to go directly on the rides. What an awesome vacation!!!!!!!!!

I am so thankful that Sherilyn was able to take this vacation and get her wish to meet Johnny Depp. We know how blessed we are by her good health and the many blessings that we have in our lives. What a difference a year makes! God has blessed us abundantly.

Love,
Laura

Saturday, June 17, 2006 9:09 PM CDT

Hi Friends~

CALIFORNIA HERE WE COME!!!

We are leaving in the am. Sherilyn is so excited about this trip. It's been so long since she's had a vacation...she really deserves this one! Our first stop is San Diego where we will go to the Zoo and Sea World. Then we are going to take a boat into Mexico for a day and then drive to Los Angeles and maybe spend a day at Catalina Island, before heading to Hollywood and DisneyLand. We will be in DisneyLand 3 nights. The last night we are hoping to see Johnny Depp.

Sherilyn had a bone density test at Duke on Thursday and the results will take about 10 days.

I better get to bed. We have to leave at 6:20am.

Thank you for checking in on Sherilyn. We appreciate your love and support.

Laura

Tuesday, June 6, 2006 11:23 AM CDT

Hi Friends~

Sherilyn went to Duke last week to begin all of her immunizations over again. She got 6 shots and will be going back many more times to finish them all. She will go back to Duke next week for a bone density test as radiation and chemotherapy are harmful to the bones.

She is finishing up her 2 on-line classes and has finished her Algebra I class. Her math teacher will continue over the summer, although less frequently, to begin Geometry. She went to Millbrook for Open House and will be signing up for Fall classes soon.

The BIG NEWS is that we are going to California June 18-25th. We are going to San Diego to Sea World and the Zoo and taking a one day cruise to Mexico. Then we will go to Los Angeles and see Hollywood/Pacific Coast, and on to DisneyLand for 3 days. The last night we are there Johnny Depp will be promoting Pirates of the Caribbean and we are hoping to see him on the red carpet. I have written to Oprah, Johnny Depp's Business Mgr. and the DisneyLand Hotel where we are staying to find out how we can meet him or at least get his autograph. Keep your fingers crossed!!! Sherilyn would be so excited if this could happen!

Love,
Laura

Monday, May 22, 2006 2:11 PM CDT

Hi Friends~

The new pictures are from the Rainbow of Heroes Walk, benefiting the Duke Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. The lower picture is Sherilyn and Dr. Martin, her Bone Marrow Doctor. We really enjoyed this event! It was great to see some of the kids we had met over the past several years and how well they are doing now.

Sherilyn has been transferred back to Millbrook. We went to Open House last Thursday and Sherilyn got information on Chorus, which she plans on joining in the fall. We talked to the Principal and she is helping to make the transition back into school easier. Sherilyn hasn't been to school since Dec. 4th, 2004 when she relapsed, and missed 1 1/2 years before that when she was initially diagnosed.

Sherilyn got her top braces today :) She will get her lower ones in a few months. She did really well and doesn't seem to be in any pain.

She will begin immunizations at Duke on Monday.

Have a Wonderful Week!
Laura

Wednesday, May 17, 2006 2:08 PM CDT

Hello Friends~

Sherilyn is doing great!!! She has been very active lately. Her sweat glands are finally working and she can do the things she use to do before leukemia. She is walking or getting on the treadmill nearly every day. Riding her bike with her older sister who is home from college, jumping on her mini trampoline her dad just bought her, and doing abs exercises every day!!! She is an inspiration.

There has been alot of confusion over Sherilyn's on-line classes and this has really stressed her out! Her instructor told her final tests would be on-line, but her school said she had to come to school and take EOCs with the class for 1st and 2nd semester courses. She has never been to this school and finals would count as 25 percent of her grade. Needless to say, the past week I have been doing a lot of emailing and calling the school. Today I met with the principal and they are going to exempt her from the final exams for medical reasons. Sherilyn was very happy about this! I have sent in the paperwork to transfer her back to her base school, since renovation is nearly complete. The principal has been wonderful and is working to make sure the transition back into school next year will go smoothly.

Sherilyn will be beginning her immunizations all over again later this month. The doctor said she would be a "pin cushion" every month until her shots are up to date. She still can't have any live immunizations or be near anyone who has. Today she went to the Orthodontist for spacers and she will be getting her top braces next Monday. She is excited b/c she has had to put this off for 3 years, but her doctor finally gave her the ok.

Thank you for checking in and please continue to keep Sherilyn in your prayers.

Live Well
Laugh Often
Love Much

Laura

Tuesday, May 16, 2006 8:00 PM CDT

Hello Friends~

Sherilyn is doing great!!! She has been very active lately. Her sweat glands are finally working and she can do the things she use to do before leukemia. She is walking or getting on the treadmill nearly every day. Riding her bike with her older sister who is home from college, jumping on her mini trampoline her dad just bought her, and doing abs exercises every day!!! She is an inspiration.

There has been alot of confusion over Sherilyn's on-line classes and this has really stressed her out! Her instructor told her all of her final tests would be on-line. But her school said she had to come to class and take End of Course tests and/or final exams for last semester and this semester, with the class (she had never been in this school), and that the finals would count as 25 percent of her grade. Needless to say, the past week I have been doing a lot of emailing and calling the school. Today I met with the principal and they are going to exempt her from the final exams due to medical reasons. The principal is going to give her similar tests to take on her own to see where she is. Sherilyn was very happy to hear this! I have sent in the paperwork to transfer her back to her base school, since renovation is nearly complete. The principal has been wonderful and is helping to make the difficult transition easier.

Sherilyn will be beginning her immunizations all over again later this month. This will take a long time to get her up to date. She still can't have any live immunizations or be near anyone who has. She is getting braces this month too. We have had to put this off for 3 years, but her doctor finally said she could get them! She is even excited about it :)

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society called me last week because WRAL wanted to do a story about Sherilyn and her struggle with leukemia, but we declined b/c Sherilyn just wants to be a normal kid.

I am having a hysterectomy May 23rd, so it may be awhile before I update.

Thank you for checking in and please continue to keep Sherilyn in your prayers.

Saturday, May 6, 2006 6:11 PM CDT

Hi Friends,

Today we participated in the Rainbow of Heroes Walk at Duke. It was a beautiful day, sunny & about 80 degrees. We were able to visit with some of the transplant families we have met over the past several years, as well as the doctors and nurses. It was a day to celebrate, but it was a day of sadness too, as we saw several families whose children did not make it. I can't imagine how difficult that was for them. There was a Memory wall on display with posters of the kids from transplant, lots of activities for the kids, and food. We all let go of a balloon at the same time, in remembrance of our heroes as "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" played. It was a beautiful tribute.

We continue to thank God for His blessings.

Love, Laura & Family

Monday, April 24, 2006 9:59 PM CDT

Hi Friends~

The top pictures were taken recently when we went to the beach with another transplant family from Duke. It is Sherilyn on the left, Parker's brother in the middle, and Parker on the right. The bottom two were taken last Wednesday at my friend's farm. There were 2 babies that were just born a couple of weeks ago. We had so much fun and are already looking forward to going back!

We are still waiting on the results of Sherilyn's immune function tests. We had to go back to Duke on Monday to have this test repeated as the last test never came back. Once, her immune system is at a certain level, she will begin her immunizations all over again.

Sherilyn continues to do well in her classes and is trying to decide which High School to go to in August. It looks like our neighborhood high school's renovation will be complete, and therefore, she can go there if she wants to. It's a big decision since she has missed almost 2 1/2 years of school.

Please continue to pray for Rebecca as she has relapsed and is receiving chemo and, eventually, a second bone marrow transplant.

Thank you for continuing to check in on Sherilyn. She always enjoys her messages in the guestbook.

Laura & Sherilyn

Wednesday, April 12, 2006 9:42 PM CDT

Hi Friends~

We had a wonderful time at the beach with our California friends. Sherilyn and Parker built sandcastles in the sand one day. On Sunday we went to Harker's Island and drove to the very end of the island to see Cape Lookout. It was too windy to take a boat over, but it was a beautiful day for a drive and the view was awesome!

Beside restful waters He leads me;
He refreshes my soul.
Psalm 23:2

We are having my family over for Easter dinner. There will be 16 of us...everyone but my sister in New Mexico and brother in Virgina will be here :) Last year (2005) on Easter, Sherilyn's cells began to grow (her donors bone marrow engrafted in her bone marrow). Easter 2003, Sherilyn was discharged from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit after a very scary infection with complications. Easter brings miracles.

Enjoy the miracle of Easter this year by giving thanks to God for all that He has given us.

Love,
Laura & Family

Tuesday, April 4, 2006 10:43 PM CDT

Hi Friends,

We had a wonderful spring break. We left for the beach on Thursday and returned on Sunday. The weather was PERFECT and we had a lot of fun! Sherilyn and I are going to the beach again this weekend with our transplant friends from California. Parker received a transplant at the same time as Sherilyn and is at Duke for his one year checkup. We are looking forward to spending a few days with our friends and showing them the NC coast.

Other than that, all is going very well. Sherilyn still has her rash, but Dr. Martin says it's probablly from the virus she had last week.

Please pray for Rebecca, who had a transplant in Dec. 2003 for AML and has relapsed. She will be getting a central line placed next Monday, then chemo and another bone marrow transplant. She also had an unrelated donor transplant, just like Sherilyn did.

Thanks for checking in. Have a wonderful week!

Laura & Sherilyn

Thursday, March 30, 2006 10:10 AM CST

Hi Friends,

We decided to wait a few days to go to the beach until Sherilyn felt better. Her doctor decided she had a virus since the strep and flu tests came back negative and her sister was having similar symptoms. Last night she developed a rash all over her body, but after talking to her transplant doctor, he said it was most likely a result of the virus she had and to go on to the beach, and to call him if she developed a fever or the rash got worse. So we're heading to the BEACH....YAHHHHH!

Sherilyn's feeling better, we're going to the beach with our good friends, the weather is going to be GREAT, and it's my birthday today! I couldn't ask for a better day :):):)

Have a great weekend!

Love,
Laura & Sherbear

Monday, March 27, 2006 10:39 PM CST

Dear Friends~
HAPPY SPRING!!!

We had a SURPRISE phone call from Sherilyn's bone marrow donor on Thursday! He lives near San Angelo, Texas and is a Southern Baptist Minister. He moved to Texas from Kansas last September. He is 44 years old and will be celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary in July. He and his wife do not have any children. He shared with me a remarkable story, a life-changing event, that happened to him in 1988, after which he went into ministry full-time. He was in a car accident and was told he had a ruptured aorta and was Life Flighted to a larger hospital. He told me "something" happened on the flight and he began to feel much better. When the doctor examined him, he only had some broken bones and the doctor said "God must have had His hands on you". I believe God had His hand on him that night, saving his life, so that he could save Sherilyn's life. He will forever be an Angel in our eyes. We had a wonderful talk and when Sherilyn talked to him she was so shy she didn't say half the things she had planned to say...she said she's not good on the phone and wants to talk to him in person. I completely understand....how can you put into words what he has done for her/us over the phone. We are looking forward to talking to him again and eventually meeting in person.

Sherilyn woke up today not feeling well. She has a sore throat and low grade fever and body aches. Please say a prayer for her as she is so excited about going to the beach with our friends over Spring Break. We are to leave Wednesday and come back home Sunday.

Have a good week!

Love, Laura

Thursday, March 23, 2006 10:30 AM CST

Hi Friends,

We got a call from Sherilyn's doctor to let us know that her Chimerism test revealed she is still 100 PERCENT DONOR CELLS!!! God is so good. Sherilyn was blessed with a bone marrow donor who matched so well that she hasn't had any problems with rejection (Graft vs. Host Disease). I do not know of a single child that we have met on transplant who hasn't had problems with GVHD. We are very thankful for Sherilyn's donor and are looking forward to talking and meeting with him.

Spring Break begins on Monday and we have been invited to go to the beach with a very good friend of mine. Her daughter is Sherilyn's best friend and she has 2 sons, one of whom went to school w/Nicollette. We are all looking forward to the BEACH!

Please pray for our friend Viesta who's twin daughter, Jessie, underwent heart surgery this week and has had some complications...she coded on Wed. Her other twin, Frannie was on transplant with Sherilyn, and died last fall. Her family needs our prayers.

Love,
Laura & Sherilyn

Thursday, March 16, 2006 9:19 PM CST

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY/GRANDPA!!!

Dear Friends,

Sherilyn's clinic appointment on Monday went great! Her echocardiogram and pulmonary tests came back good. Her counts looked great. We are waiting for the other tests. The best news is that Dr. Martin took her off of ALL transplant related MEDICINES. All she takes daily now is calcium and a multi-vitamin and her 2 hormone pills. Dr. Martin said there was a 50 percent chance she will develop Shingles in the near future because he took her off the anti-viral med, but she knows the symptoms b/c she had it after her initial treatment 2 years ago. Dr. Martin also took away ALL food restrictions and told her she could start being a "normal teenager" i.e. go out in public!!! (with the exception of weekends in crowded places). This is HUGE and Sherilyn is so excited!

Beginning in about 1 month, Sherilyn will begin all of her vaccinations all over again. Otherwise, she doesn't have to go back to Duke for a checkup for 4 months.

We got word that the donor was from Indiania, but has moved (we don't know where), but that he wants to talk with and meet with us. We can't wait!

Sherilyn's Grandpa turns 70 on St. Patrick's Day and we are planning a party for him.

May the road rise up
to meet you
may the wind be
always at your back
May the sun shine warm
on your face
And the rain fall soft
upon your fields
And until we meet again,
May God hold you
in the palm of his hand.
�an old Irish Blessing

Love, Laura & Sherilyn

Sunday, March 12, 2006 11:18 PM CST

Hello Everyone,

Sherilyn had a wonderful one year celebration. It began with lunch at P.F. Changs with 3 of her aunts. We then proceeded to Southpoint Mall for a day of shopping, making up for the past year. As we were leaving, Sherilyn hugged me and said, "This is the best day of my life". While I hardly agree, it was great to see her so happy and full of life. Later we had a party with family, her favorite nurse, and 6 of her friends. At 7pm a gentleman rang the doorbell with a balloon and a rose for Sherilyn as a black limousine awaited outside. We all rode around for 3 hours, stopping at Crabtree and Ulta (a new cosmetics store). We all had a blast!

Tonight we went to Durham to eat dinner with a fellow transplant patient, Michael and his mother who were in town for his checkup. It was great visiting them again, especially under much better conditions.

Tomorrow Sherilyn goes to Duke for her one year testing. She will get an echocardiogram, pulmonary (lung) function testing, an x-ray, and a lot of bloodwork. They will test her immune system and check to make sure she is still 100 percent donor cells and leukemia free. Please pray for her tests to be good and for her continued recovery.

Thank you for your continued prayers and kindness,

Laura & Sherilyn

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 7:24 AM CST

THE PICTURES ABOVE ARE FROM THEN (3/8/05) AND NOW (What a difference one year makes)

TODAY IS ONE YEAR POST-TRANSPLANT!!! LET'S CELEBRATE LIFE!!!

Dear Friends~

As I reflect on this past year, I have so many emotions. I am overjoyed that Sherilyn has come this far and is getting stronger every day. I have been very blessed to be able to stay home with her as she recovers...I enjoy every day that we have together! She is my bright star, my miracle, my blessing. Unfortunately, the worries and the ups and downs remain constant in my life. A day doesn't go by that I don't worry that Sherilyn will relapse. I know that her life is in God's hands and I just have to trust Him, but I'm still scared. As we celebrate today, my joy is bittersweet as I have seen so much pain and suffering these past 3 years. I am filled with sadness as I remember all of the beautiful children that we have met this past year that are no longer with us. My heart breaks for their families.

I found this verse at Hallmark yesterday and thought it appropriate for today. It reads:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old one has gone, the new one has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

REJOICE in the new life Christ has given you!

Love,
Laura

p.s. Thank you for those of you have sent Sherilyn cards as it means a lot to her.

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 7:10 AM CST

THE PICTURES ABOVE ARE FROM THEN (3/8/05) AND NOW (PRESENT)
What a difference one year makes

TODAY IS ONE YEAR POST-TRANSPLANT!!! LET'S CELEBRATE LIFE!!!

Dear Friends~

As I reflect on this past year, I have so many emotions. I am overjoyed that Sherilyn has come this far and is getting stronger every day. I have been very blessed to be able to stay home with her as she recovers...I enjoy every day that we have together! She is my bright star, my miracle, my blessing. Unfortunately, the worries and the ups and downs remain constant in my life. A day doesn't go by that I don't worry that Sherilyn will relapse. I know that her life is in God's hands and I just have to trust Him, but I'm still scared. I have seen so much pain and suffering these past 3 years. I am filled with sadness as I remember all of the beautiful children that we have met this past year that are no longer with us. My heart breaks for their families as we celebrate Sherilyn's life tomorrow.

I found this verse at Hallmark yesterday and bought it for Sherilyn. It couldn't be more perfect. It reads:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old one has gone, the new one has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

REJOICE in the new life Christ has given you!

Love,
Laura

p.s. Thank you for those of you have sent Sherilyn cards as it means a lot to her.

Tuesday, March 7, 2006 8:30 PM CST

TOMORROW IS THE BIG DAY!!!
ONE YEAR POST-TRANSPLANT!!!

Dear Friends~

As I reflect on this past year, I have so many emotions. I am overjoyed that Sherilyn has come this far and is getting stronger every day. I have been very blessed to be able to stay home with her as she recovers...I enjoy every day that we have together! She is my bright star, my miracle, my blessing. Unfortunately, the worries and the ups and downs remain constant in my life. A day doesn't go by that I don't worry that Sherilyn will relapse. I know that her life is in God's hands and I just have to trust Him, but I'm still scared. I have seen so much pain and suffering these past 3 years. I am filled with sadness as I remember all of the beautiful children that we have met this past year that are no longer with us. My heart breaks for their families as we celebrate Sherilyn's life tomorrow.

I found this verse at Hallmark yesterday and bought it for Sherilyn. It couldn't be more perfect. It reads:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old one has gone, the new one has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

REJOICE in the new life Christ has given you!

Love,
Laura

p.s. Thank you for those of you have sent Sherilyn cards as it means a lot to her.

Wednesday, March 1, 2006 10:04 PM CST

Hi Friends~

Sherilyn's big day is approaching and she is so excited about it! She wants to go shopping for clothes (IN A MALL...still waiting on the ok from her doctor for this one), get a manicure, go to lunch at P.F. Changs, and eat cake from Edible Art. This is a huge milestone for her!

Sherilyn went to Duke on Monday for some additional testing as a result of a problem she was having. It happens to be intermittent and then resolves itself. If it happens again, her doctor wants her to come in as soon as it starts and get an ultrasound. Let's hope it doesn't. She has to keep a journal and keep track of her medicines to see if there is any correlation. Sherilyn is now OFF her Cyclosporine....the wean if finally over for her anti-rejection medicine. She hasn't had any problems weaning this medicine at all, which we feel very fortunate about. Most transplant kids deal with Graft vs. Host at some point during the wean. Sherilyn's 1-year visit is March 13th and she will have major testing on her lungs, heart, x-ray, immune testing, and the Chimerism test which shows if she is still 100 percent donor.

We found out today that the Charity, Smiles for Little Faces, is most likely a scam. I made some phone calls to The Ronald McDonald House Corp. and Children's Miracle Network, both of whom were listed as charities that support Smiles for Little Faces. Neither had ever heard of them and were getting their lawyers to draw up a letter to send to them. I think that this so-called Charity used the Duke fundraiser in order to get exposure for their so-called scam. What a disappointment for the 10 children who were HOPING to fulfill their wish. Sherilyn has never been to Disney World or Disney Land and was really looking forward to going over Spring Break. At least now, we will prevent them from doing this again.

Enjoy this spring like weather!

Love, Laura

Wednesday, February 22, 2006 7:13 PM CST

Hi Friends,

Our trip to the beach was wonderful! On Friday it was in the mid 60's and Sherilyn & Nicollette splashed in the water and found lots of seashells. Sherilyn found a "prized" sharks tooth that was still white. The rest of the time was freezing. We woke up to snow on Monday morning and it was so beautiful! It completely covered the roads, trees, and sand and school was even closed. The Currituck Lighthouse was a few miles from the cottage and we walked around the grounds/sound. It is one of my favorite N.C. lighthouses. We also went to the N.C. Aquarium just before closing when only a few families were there. Otherwise, we played lots of games, watched movies and read alot.

Back in October, a Charity called Smiles for Little Faces, presented Sherilyn and about 7 other children with a teddy bear and a certificate for a "Wish", at a local benefit. Sherilyn decided she wanted to go to Disney Land/World. We met the founder of the Charity at the benefit and told him we were a little concerned about flying commercial b/c of the germs. He said he could fly us corporate and Sherilyn got really excited! Then Sherilyn's doctors told her she couldn't go b/c her immune system was too low. We contacted the charity and told them we had to put her wish on hold. At Sherilyn's 9 month appt., we were thrilled to hear that her immune system was much better and asked the doctor if Sherilyn could travel to Disney Land and he said that she could go for Spring Break in late March. Much to our dismay, the Charity will not respond to emails or telephone calls. We have discovered that none of the 8 children have taken trips or had any response from Smiles for Little Faces. We are all planning to contact the BBB and the Attorney General's office.

http://www.smilesforlittlefaces.org/index.htm

Sherilyn's one year anniversary/birthday is fast approaching!!! We are planning an exciting day for her...to be revealed at a later time :) :) :) Her one year will be on March 8th. If you'd like to send her a card/note, I know she'd really appreciate it.

Please pray for all of the transplant children, especially Parker Bocktrop who has relapsed from his bone marrow transplant and awaiting another transplant.

I hope you have a good weekend!
Love, Laura

Thursday, February 16, 2006 4:19 PM CST

Hello Everyone,

This is a picture of Sherilyn telling her story at the Mix 101.5 Radiothon. It's been playing on the radio all week to the tune of Rascal Flatt's song "Skin". I hope you had the chance to hear her. She sounded so grown up! I helped answer the phones on Valentine's Day and was interviewed by Dr. Alan Mask live for WRAL. The spot was on Tues. & Wed. at noon. We had a lot of fun!

Sherilyn is busy with her 3 classes. She is taking the second part of Algebra, Earth Science, and Civics & Economics.

Tomorrow we are heading to Corolla for 4 nights. It's going to be cold. But that's OK, we are really looking forward to the change of scenery. Veronica and Dustin are both bringing friends, so there will be 8 of us.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love, Laura

Sunday, February 12, 2006 10:19 PM CST

SHERILYN AT THE L&L SOCIETY HOLDING HER PICTURE TITLED "PAINT MY FUTURE", WHICH WILL BE TAKEN TO CONGRESS IN WASHINGTON, DC, HOPING TO ALLOCATE MORE FUNDS TO CANCER RESEARCH.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

Today Sherilyn and I went to Duke so that we could share her story for the Mix 101.5 Duke Children's Radiothon. She did a wonderful job! Everyone who saw her remarked on how wonderful she looked. Make sure to listen to the Radiothon this week on Mix 101.5 and you're sure to hear her.

On Feb. 14th I will be answering the phones for the Radiothon with several of my friends. Please call and pledge to help the kids at Duke. You can even pledge in honor of Sherilyn!!! Check out the link below for more information. (just click on it).

On Feb. 15th West Millbrook Middle School (on Strickland Road) will be having a blood drive in the Multipurpose room from 3:00-7:30pm. If you would like to donate, please email Stephanie Blocher at (sblocher@wcpss.net). I will be there at 3pm.

On Friday, we are heading back to Corolla (NC Outer Banks) for 4 nights. Jon is graciously allowing us to stay at his beach cottage free as we did back in October. We are so excited!!! We are all planning to go since school is out on Monday & Tuesday.

Have a great week!
Love, Laura

Thursday, February 2, 2006 4:26 PM CST

HAPPY GROUNDHOGS DAY!!!

Hi Friends,
The new picture of Sherilyn was taken Wed. at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. She is holding a picture she drew for their Spring Mission titled "Paint my Future". She drew a picture of herself as a teacher. It really turned out great! Our local chapter of the L&L Society will be taking this picture to Washington, D.C. before Congress as they ask for more funds to be allocated for cancer research. Afterwards, they will present it to our local Congressman.

Sherilyn has not started her on-line classes 2nd semester because Wake County has been extremely slack with their Homebound Program. I cannot tell you how frustrated we are with the Homebound Program!!! This happened last semester also and she was almost 4 weeks behind when they finally got the classes on-line, and was expected to catch up which really stresses her out. She continues to be tutored twice a week in Algebra and is doing very well in this class.

Sherilyn continues to walk with me 2 miles 5 days a week and is also doing Yoga, weights, and has begun trying a new Pilates DVD.

Sunday, February 12th Sherilyn will be telling her story on Mix 101.5 for the annual Duke Children's Hospital Radiothon. Then on Feb. 14th I will be answering the phones for the Radiothon with several of my friends. Please call and pledge to help the kids at Duke. Check out the link below for more information. (just click on it).

On Feb. 15th West Millbrook Middle School (on Strickland Road) will be having a blood drive in the Multipurpose room from 3:00-7:30pm. If you would like to donate, please email Stephanie Blocher at (sblocher@wcpss.net). I will be there at 3pm.

Thanks and have a good week!
Laura

Thursday, February 2, 2006 3:35 PM CST

HAPPY GROUNDHOGS DAY!!!

Hi Friends,
The new picture of Sherilyn was taken Wed. at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. She is holding a picture she drew for their Spring Mission titled "Paint my Future". She drew a picture of herself as a teacher. It really turned out great! Our local chapter of the L&L Society will be taking this picture to Washington, D.C. before Congress as they ask for more funds to be allocated for cancer research. Afterwards, they will present it to our local Congressman.

Sherilyn has not started her on-line classes 2nd semester because Wake County has been extremely slack with their Homebound Program. I cannot tell you how frustrated we are with the Homebound Program!!! This happened last semester also and she was almost 4 weeks behind when they finally got the classes on-line, and was expected to catch up which really stresses her out. She continues to be tutored twice a week in Algebra and is doing very well in this class.

Sherilyn continues to walk with me 2 miles 5 days a week and is also doing Yoga, weights, and has begun trying a new Pilates DVD.

Sunday, February 12th Sherilyn will be telling her story on Mix 101.5 for the annual Duke Children's Hospital Radiothon. Then on Feb. 14th I will be answering the phones for the Radiothon with several of my friends. Please call and pledge to help the kids at Duke. Here is the link for more info:

http://www.ingageinteractive.com/album2/

On Feb. 15th West Millbrook Middle School (on Strickland Road) will be having a blood drive in the Multipurpose room from 3:00-7:30pm. If you would like to donate, please email Stephanie Blocher at (sblocher@wcpss.net). I will be there at 3pm.

Thanks and have a good week!
Laura

Tuesday, January 24, 2006 9:03 PM CST

Hi Friends~
Sherilyn is completely over her cold and has been for about a week. It lasted about twice as long as her sister's cold, but was never so bad that we had to go back to Duke after the initial 2 visits. Sherilyn doesn't have to go back to clinic until March 13th for her 1 year post transplant checkup. She continues to feel great and has been walking between 1-2 miles 4-5 days a week with me in the afternoon. I am so proud of her! She has really picked up her pace and distance since she began. She started out on the treadmill, b/c the heat caused her skin problems, but the cooler weather has allowed her to get outdoors.

Tomorrow is our weekly day to go out to lunch. We have been picking up her sister, Veronica from NCSU, at 10:30 and going to Mellow Mushroom for an early lunch before the crowds and sitting in the outside part that has heaters. Sherilyn really looks forward to this. We also have been going back to the movies at Six Forks Cinemas for early shows. Recently we saw Chronicles of Narnia, Memoirs of a Geisha, and Walk the Line. The managment at Six Forks is always very happy to see Sherilyn and how GREAT she looks.

Sherilyn's dad has moved from Kentucky to South Hill, Virgina recently, so that he can be closer to our 4 kids. He is an ER doctor at the local hospital. Sherilyn will be able to see him more often now, but unfortunately will not be able to stay at his house for awhile b/c he has a 1 year old boy. Dr. Martin still does not want Sherilyn to be around preschool aged children, b/c of germs and I think he will be going to daycare soon.

Have a great week!
Laura

Tuesday, January 10, 2006 8:31 PM CST

Hi Friends~
Sherilyn's clinic visit went well. All of her labs are within the normal range, although her WBC was low normal. We're very happy with the results. Dr. Martin heard some wheezing in her lungs from her cough, but the viral tests came back normal. They will continue to let the cultures grow for 1 month, as some of the respiratory viruses apparently are very slow growing. Sherilyn is still coughing, but not feeling any worse. Nicollette has picked up the cough and stayed home from school today. It's kinda funny how worried I have been about Sherilyn picking up something from one of us and Nicollette probablly caught the cough from Sherilyn.

Sherilyn & I brought boxes of fleece blankets, books/crafts, and toys to give to the transplant kids. We had been collecting them and had some leftover from last year when neighbors/friends brought wrapped gifts to our house, but I was unable to deliver them b/c Sherilyn was so sick. Hopefully, they will make the kids on transplant happy:)

Sherilyn's been busy with her studies. Dustin has a case of senioritis and is looking forward to being exempt from his exams next week. He will only have to go to school 1 day. Veronica is back at school...classes started at NCSU yesterday. It's not the same around here without her :( Dustin was accepted to NCSU, but is still unsure of where he wants to go.

They forgot to send us our Holiday honey baked ham meal over Christmas, and are sending it this week. We are looking forward to it :)

Have a wonderful week.
Love, Laura

Sunday, January 8, 2006 9:39 PM CST

Hi Friends~
Sherilyn has had a good week and hasn't gotten any worse...thank God. She still has a bad cough and is more tired, but no fevers. Sherilyn began 2 new meds last week as a result of seeing an Endocrinologist. So far, she has tolerated them well. Tomorrow am she goes to Duke to see Dr. Martin and get labs drawn. They reduced her cyclosporine (anti-rejection meds) again a few weeks ago, and they will be checking this level to make sure it is within their limits. She has not had any GVHD (Graft vs. Host Disease), just some scalp issues, which are a result of decreasing these meds. Other than that, she hasn't had any skin reactions. She really was blessed with a REALLY good bone marrow match 12/12 from her donor. This is why she has had very few issues with GVHD. I have not talked to any other parents whose children have had as few issues as Sherilyn. We feel very fortunate to have been blessed with such a good match and Sherilyn is looking forward to thanking her donor in person one day.

Have a good week!
Laura

Tuesday, January 3, 2006 10:01 PM CST

Hi Friends~
Dr. Martin examined Sherilyn and put her on some antiobiotics. They also did respiratory tests, but he did not seem to think she needed a chest x-ray. He said because this is her first sickness post-transplant that it could be worse than usual and take twice as long to get over. Thank goodness she doesn't have a fever, just a bad cough and runny nose. If she develops a fever, we'll have to go back in. Dr. Martin wants her to come back on Monday to be seen again and have labs drawn.

The GREAT news is that her 9-month immune tests came back today and (drum roll!!!) Sherilyn's immune system is pretty much back to normal! Dr. Martin was VERY surprised by the results as her 6 month tests showed that her immune system was EXTREMELY low. Also, he said this was unusual for an unrelated donor transplant b/c it usually takes longer for it to come back. But, I have to say nothing has been "normal" about this transplant. Sherilyn has really been blessed and we are looking forward to her one year anniversary and the possibility of meeting her donor.

I hope you have a nice week.

Love, Laura

Tuesday, January 3, 2006 9:42 AM CST

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2006!!!

Good Morning Friends~

Sherilyn has developed a nasty cough and so we are off to Duke for respiratory testing, per doctor's orders.

She doesn't have a fever, but just a bad cough and runny nose. Since she has a history of lung problems while on treatment, and she is post transplant, they wanted to see her right away.

We'll let you know how the appt. goes.

Love, Laura

Tuesday, January 3, 2006 9:42 AM CST

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2006!!!

Good Morning Friends~

Sherilyn has developed a nasty cough and so we are off to Duke for respiratory testing, per doctor's orders.

She doesn't have a fever, but just a bad cough and runny nose. Since she has a history of lung problems while on treatment, and she is post transplant, they wanted to see her right away.

We'll let you know how the appt. goes.

Love, Laura

Saturday, December 31, 2005 6:13 PM CST

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE!!!

Hi Friends~
Our family had the most wonderful Christmas. It couldn't have been any better...unless according to Sherilyn...it had been a white Christmas! We've been enjoying the time together with the whole family, as Veronica is home from college. Sherilyn got a new game called Conga and we have had a lot of fun playing it. She has been working on her on-line classes, but won't have her math teacher come until Jan. 9th. She is behind on her online classes, but on target for Algebra.

Sherilyn wanted PF Changs for dinner as she hasn't had it since we were living in the apartment in Durham, so we ordered take-out. She was pretty excited about it! We have our sparkling cider and Sherilyn & Nicollette plan to stay up until midnight to toast the New Year!

We wish all of you a very Happy and Healthy 2006!!!

CHEERS,
Laura, Veronica, Dustin, Sherilyn & Nicollette

Wednesday, December 21, 2005 11:09 AM CST

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Dear Friends~
As I reflect on this past year, I know that our family has truly been blessed by God. We have so much to be thankful for. On March 8th, a 43 year old man that we don't even know, gave his bone marrow to Sherilyn, saving her life and giving us all HOPE. For months, doctors, nurses and Childlife staff took wonderful care of Sherilyn as we anxiously awaited for her donor's bone marrow to make it's way to Sherilyn's bone marrow and begin to grow new healthy cells. Sherilyn, defied the odds, even with 3 frightening trips to the PICU, she fought to stay alive. She is a MIRACLE and will always be my HERO. Thanks to God and her doctors, Sherilyn is home this year for Christmas.

I also want to thank the many people who helped us get through this difficult time. My parents and siblings who made it possible for me to be with Sherilyn during this time. Without them, I would not have been able to stay at the hospital with Sherilyn like I did. They completely took over my job, providing love, meals & help with transporting my kids. They also came to the hospital often to play games with Sherilyn, distracting her from her pain and isolation and allowing me to take a much needed walk in Duke Gardens. My neighbors, co-workers, and friends, who helped often with meals, prayers & support. Many thanks to Doug Cooper, Charlotte, and Harry from Six Forks Cinema who allowed Sherilyn to have private viewings of movies this summer. I also feel very blessed to have met the Mintel family from our church, who checked in with my family on a regular basis, prayed religiously for us, and provided us with some awesome meals. This family has taught me a lot about God's purpose for us here on earth...to give back to those who are less fortunate. God is shining through them as they help victims of Hurricane Katrina and migrant workers in N.C.

This past week, we have had several more blessings. Kohls Department store allowed Sherilyn to come shopping at 7am. They followed her around making sure no employees had colds or weren't feeling well. They also gave her a Kohl's t-shirt, some Livestrong bands and a 10ff certificate, in addition to the 15e already had. Sherilyn had a lot of fun shopping for herself and for Christmas.

The Cure Leukemia Foundation is sending us an entire Honey Baked Ham Christmas dinner this week. We really appreciate their generosity.

Lastly, on October 1, 2004, Sherilyn was the honoree for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Dream Home. Lallie Harding, PR and Marketing Director for Tarte Cosmetics, flew in from New York City to do our makeup for the big event. She has kept up with Sherilyn's CaringBridge website and knew that Sherilyn had to dispose of all of her Tarte costmetics after transplant. She emailed me this week and asked for all of us to make out a WishList for Tarte costmetics. She will be sending our "goodies" in time for Christmas!

In our happiness, we cannot forget the children that we have met who will not be here on earth this Christmas. We pray that their families will be comforted by their memories and knowing that they are in heaven with God and that they are pain free. Please pray especially for Micah who will be put to rest on Thursday....the 1st birthday of his baby sister Lydia, who was to be his 2nd bone marrow donor as he relapsed from his first transplant. Sherilyn really liked Micah and admired him for his Strength and Faith.

Love,
Laura, Veronica, Dustin, Sherilyn & Nicollette

Wednesday, December 21, 2005 9:34 AM CST

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Dear Friends~
As I reflect on this past year, I know that our family has truly been blessed by God. We have so much to be thankful for. On March 8th, a 43 year old man that we don't even know, gave his bone marrow to Sherilyn, saving her life and giving us all HOPE. For months, doctors, nurses and Childlife staff took wonderful care of Sherilyn as we anxiously awaited for her donor's bone marrow to make it's way to Sherilyn's bone marrow and begin to grow new healthy cells. Sherilyn, defied the odds, even with 3 frightening trips to the PICU, she fought to stay alive. She is a MIRACLE and will always be my HERO. Thanks to God and her doctors, Sherilyn is home this year for Christmas.

I also want to thank the many people who helped us get through this difficult time. My parents and siblings who made it possible for me to be with Sherilyn during this time. Without them, I would not have been able to stay at the hospital with Sherilyn like I did. They completely took over my job, providing love, meals & help with transporting my kids. They also came to the hospital often to play games with Sherilyn, distracting her from her pain and isolation and allowing me to take a much needed walk in Duke Gardens. My neighbors, co-workers, and friends, who helped often with meals, prayers & support. I also feel very blessed to have met the Mintel family from our church, who checked in with my family on a regular basis, prayed religiously for us, and provided us with some awesome meals. This family has taught me a lot about God's purpose for us here on earth...to give back to those who are less fortunate. God is shining through them as they help victims of Hurricane Katrina and migrant workers in N.C.

This past week, we have had several more blessings. Kohls Department store allowed Sherilyn to come shopping at 7am. They followed her around making sure no employees had colds or weren't feeling well. They also gave her a Kohl's t-shirt, some Livestrong bands and a 10% off certificate, in addition to the 15% we already had. Sherilyn had a lot of fun shopping for herself and for Christmas.

The Cure Leukemia Foundation is sending us an entire Honey Baked Ham Christmas dinner this week. We really appreciate their generosity.

Lastly, on October 1, 2004, Sherilyn was the honoree for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Dream Home. Lallie Harding, PR and Marketing Director for Tarte Cosmetics, flew in from New York City to do our makeup for the big event. She has kept up with Sherilyn's CaringBridge website and knew that Sherilyn had to dispose of all of her Tarte costmetics after transplant. She emailed me this week and asked for all of us to make out a WishList for Tarte costmetics. She will be sending our "goodies" in time for Christmas!

In our happiness, we cannot forget the children that we have met who will not be here on earth this Christmas. We pray that their families will be comforted by their memories and knowing that they are in heaven with God and that they are pain free. Please pray especially for Micah who will be put to rest on Thursday....the 1st birthday of his baby sister Lydia, who was to be his 2nd bone marrow donor as he relapsed from his first transplant. Sherilyn really liked Micah and admired him for his Strength and Faith.

Love,
Laura, Veronica, Dustin, Sherilyn & Nicollette

Thursday, December 8, 2005 10:57 PM CST

Hi Friends~

Sherilyn's Doctor called on Monday to tell us that she is STILL 100 PERCENT DONOR CELLS!!!!!!!! Thank you God.

Unfortunately, her IG level (immune globulin) was low and she needed to go in for a transfusion, so we went to Duke on Wednesday for about 5 hours and she got IVIG. She hasn't needed this since June, so she has been fortunate. Thankfully she didn't have any reactions this time!

Have a great weekend!

Love,
Laura & Sherbear

Sunday, December 4, 2005 10:35 PM CST

Hi Friends~
Sherilyn had another good week. She went to see an Endocrinologist this week because some of her tests came back indicating that she was post-menopausal. This was not a big shock as we knew the chemotherapy and radiation would probablly affect her hormones. She will be getting a bone density test and begin hormone replacement therapy to ensure her bones continue to grow strong.

Today Sherilyn's Grandmother, 4 Aunts, and Cousins came over and we made Christmas ornaments and then had a nice dinner. Sherilyn made cookies and Chex party mix for it. She enjoyed hanging out with her cousin Megan. After dinner, we all sat around the Christmas tree and just talked. One year ago today, we found out Sherilyn relapsed. We have so much to be thankful for!

Every day is a gift!

Have a wonderful week!

Love, Laura

Monday, November 28, 2005 6:48 PM CST

Hi Friends~

9 MONTHS POST-TRANSPLANT....YAH!!!!!!!

Sherilyn spent most of the day at Duke today for her 9 month testing. So far, we know her heart and lungs are normal. Early next week we should get the results of the Chimerism test, which tells if she is still 100 percent donor cells in her bone marrow. We will have to wait 4-6 weeks for the immune function tests. All of her labs looked good. Dr. Martin will not lift her restrictions of going out in public until her immune system is much better than her 6 months tests. We are hoping they have improved since then. At one year, if her immune system is within normal range, she will begin her immunizations all over again, since her immunity was wiped out w/transplant. Dr. Martin was very pleased with her labs today and has decreased her Cyclosporine (anti-rejection drug) from 4 pills/day to 3 pills/day. She started w/12/day and hasn't had any problem with Graft vs. Host with the reduction.

We are enjoying our beautiful Christmas tree from the Actons and are looking forward to a much less stressful Christmas season this year. We know how blessed we have been this year!

Love,
Laura & Sherilyn

Sunday, November 27, 2005 6:42 PM CST

Hi Friends~

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving day at my parents(Sherilyn's grandparents). It couldn't have been better! We all took our annual walk to the park after dinner to feed the ducks and play on the playground. We played games after lunch and stayed for turkey sandwiches for dinner.

Our good friends, The Actons, surprised us and brought over a brand new artificial tree for us on Wed. and set it up for us. It is prelit and looks VERY REAL!!!! We all agree that it is the prettiest tree we have ever had!!! On Friday, we decorated our Christmas tree and put up decorations.

Tomorrow is a big day for Sherilyn at clinic....her 9 month tests!!! She will have an echocardiogram, pulmonary function (lung) tests, x-rays, chimerism test (to determine if she is still 100onor cells), immune function tests, labs, etc. Dr. Martin will decide if she needs the 3 hour immune globulin transfusion, as her immune function labs have decreased for the last 5 visits.

We'll update with the results as soon as we get them.

Love,
Laura & Sherilyn

Monday, November 21, 2005 11:36 AM CST

Hi Friends~

Sadly, our friend Bryce became an angel on Thursday. He also had AML, but developed a virus that attacked his lungs. Please keep his family in your prayers during this difficult time. Micah is home from the hospital, with the help of a hospice nurse. Please pray for his healing & comfort.

Sherilyn is very excited about the upcoming holidays. We are going to my parents house for Thanksgiving, where we will all enjoy our many blessings. On Friday, we will put up Christmas decorations. Sherilyn put up her little Christmas tree in her bedroom that her friends brought her in the hospital last year. We are sure happy to see it in this room!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING. WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR OUR MANY BLESSINGS:

For our family and friends who have been there for us these past several years.

For the talented and dedicated doctors, nurses & staff who have cared so wonderfully for Sherilyn these past years.

For the gift of bone marrow that Sherilyn's donor's gave to her so unselfishly.

And most of all for God's love and healing in Sherilyn and all of us.

I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS WITH YOUR LOVED ONES AND COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS TOO.

Love,
Laura, Sherilyn, Veronica, Dustin & Nicollette

Thursday, November 10, 2005 8:48 AM CST

Hi Friends~

Sherilyn continues to feel really good and is working hard on her 3 classes. She just took her math midterm this week and is waiting for the results.

A family friend has generously offered to buy us an artificial tree, since Sherilyn cannot have the real thing this year because of her immune system. We are very thankful for their kindness. Sherilyn is so excited about Christmas this year. It will be more special than ever since last year she was in the hospital and lost her hair on Christmas.

Please pray for Micah who is in the hospital and fighting an infection. He relapsed and chemo is not working and his bone marrow is 80% leukemia now. He really needs a miracle so that he can go home & be comforted by his family. Praying for a miracle. Parker is finally home from the hospital and beginning to feel better. Our friend Bryce, who also has AML has been diagnosed with CMV and is in the PICU with serious breathing/lung issues. Please pray for these kids who were on transplant with Sherilyn and are struggling with complications.

When Sherilyn heard about these kids whom she knows, she said "It could happen to me too....they were all fine before just like me". It breaks your heart, but it is such a wise statement. We can never let our guard down and really relax. Every day is a blessing with my angel Sherilyn.

Love,
Laura

Monday, October 31, 2005 3:54 PM CST

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had a spooktacular time at the beach (hahaha)!!! We had to deal with Hurricane Wilma on Monday and experienced 40mph gusts and heavy rains, but it was very cozy in the cottage. We saw a family of 4 wild mustangs every day roaming our neighborhood and one was just a baby. It was so much fun!! We also saw a lot of deer (babies too), fox and a red wolf (we think). Corolla is beautiful! We were able to take my car and drive onto the beach where the wild mustangs live. We even got up at 5am with Sherilyn's Grandpa to see the sunrise, only to have it rain on us. But that was ok, because we got a really close look at the horses. It wasn't crowded at all, so Sherilyn got to go into some of the shops and outlet stores. This was a huge bonus for her as she hasn't been able to do this in a LONG time! We also went to the NC Aquarium at the end of the day when there were very few tourists. We drove to Cape Hatteras and saw the lighthouse at it's new location (Sherilyn had not been since she was 3 yrs. old). We also stopped at Bodie Island Lighthouse. The Currituck Lighthouse was within walking distance of our cottage and we toured the grounds surrounding this and Grandpa and I walked to the top and waved to Grandma, Nicky & Sherilyn below. We had a GREAT time and Sherilyn did not want to come home.

On Friday evening Sherilyn developed a bad stomachache and got sick in the middle of the night, but thank goodness she is feeling much better. Parker (who is in the picture w/Sherilyn) is still in the hospital with an ulcer and some graft vs. host causing his internal organs to be enlarged and causing him a lot of pain. Please pray for Parker and especially for Micah who was just told that 80% of his bone marrow is blasts (leukemia) and that they cannot go forward with his second transplant. He needs healing prayers. Both Parker & Micah had transplants at the same time as Sherilyn.

Every Day Is A Blessing!!!!

Love,
Laura

Sunday, October 23, 2005 10:18 PM CDT

Hi Friends~
Sherilyn and I are off to the beach tomorrow morning. We are heading to Corolla (north of Nagshead). The Make A Wish Foundation contacted us and offered us a week at the beach, thanks to a man who offers his cottage to families who have to put their child's wish on hold. We are pretty excited about getting out of the house for a change of scenery! My parents will be coming up Thursday with Nicollette for the weekend.

I was able to enjoy a nice visit with Mary (Michael's mom) this weekend when I went to the mountains with my 3 sisters. Michael had his 1st bone marrow transplant on March 8th, just like Sherilyn. He has ALL and is recovering nicely from his 2nd transplant. Mary met us at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville. It was so good to see her in a setting other than Duke.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Love,
Laura & Sherbear

Saturday, October 15, 2005 10:33 PM CDT

Hi Friends~

We are thankful for another good week. So far, Sherilyn has not had any problems with decreasing her meds. We FINALLY received the results of her 6 month immune function tests today. Unfortunately her immune system is still EXTREMELY LOW....it is lower than her 3 month studies. The doctor said she cannot go out in public....no restaurants, malls, amusements parks, etc. If she must go out around people (other than family), she must wear a mask. She cannot be around young children, around leaves and dirt, or outside (unless she has a mask on) on windy days, no plants inside, etc. She is not very happy about this, because we were doing a few more things lately because she is 7 months out. But we know flu season is approaching, and that we need to be more germ conscious, so this just reinforces it.

Please keep Sherilyn and the other children pre and post transplant in your prayers. Please pray, especially, for Parker (boy in picture w/Sherilyn above) who is in the hospital in California with stomach issues (possibly GVHD), Micah who has relapsed and receiving chemo so that he can undergo a second transplant, and Michael who is recovering from his second transplant and has developed diabetes. All of these kids have leukemia and were on transplant with us.

p.s. We have to get an artificial Christmas tree b/c of the mold & spores in real trees. If anyone hears of any good sales, please drop me an email. Thanks!

Love,
Laura & Family

Saturday, October 15, 2005 6:27 PM CDT

Hi Friends~

We are thankful for another good week. So far, Sherilyn has not had any problems with decreasing her meds. We FINALY received the results of her 6 month immune function tests today. Unfortunately her immune system is still EXTREMELY LOW....it is lower than her 3 month studies. The doctor said she cannot go out in public....no restaurants, malls, amusements parks, etc. If she must go out around people (other than family), she must wear a mask. She cannot be around young children, around leaves and dirt, or outside (unless she has a mask on) on windy days, no plants inside, etc. She is not very happy about this, because we were doing a few more things lately because she is 7 months out. But we know flu season is approaching, and that we need to be more germ conscious, so this just reinforces it.

Please keep Sherilyn and the other children pre and post transplant in your prayers. Please pray, especially, for Parker who is in the hospital in California with stomach issues (possibly GVHD), Micah who has relapsed and receiving chemo so that he can undergo a second transplant, and Michael who is recovering from his second transplant and has developed diabetes. All of these kids have leukemia and were on transplant with us.

Love,
Laura & Family

Monday, October 10, 2005 4:42 PM CDT

Hi Friends~

We spent a good part of the morning at Duke. Sherilyn's labs are finally on an upward trend after a scary downward trend for several checkups. Her immune function is still very low. Dr. Martin said this is due to the fact that her bone marrow was from an unrelated donor. He said if her bone marrow was from a sibling, her immune function would be close to normal. Dr. Martin did not make us wait to get her IG level labs back, but said if her level dropped below 450 (it was 499 last visit; 661 visit prior to that) he would call for her to return to Duke for the 3 hr. immunoglobulin transfusion. Her doctor lowered her Cyclosporine (anti-rejection meds) to 50mg. 2 times a day. Hopefully this won't bring on Graft vs. Host Disease.

When we went to Sherilyn's 6 month checkup, Dr. Martin told us that Sherilyn could take a trip after Christmas. She was going to fly Corporate to Disney World, but today he told us she can't go anywhere until at least March with her immune function being so low and the threat of a bad flu season. We're a little sad, but we'd rather be safe than sorry. When Sherilyn does get her trip, it will be that much sweeter!

Also, we'll need to get a fake Christmas tree due to mold and spores that grow on live trees. If anyone knows of any good sales or discounts, please let us know.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support. We couldn't have made it through without you guys!

Love,
Laura & Sherilyn

Thursday, October 6, 2005 7:40 PM CDT

Hi Friends~

These are the kids who were recognized at the Road to Life fundraiser on September 24th. The fundraiser made over $27,000 for Duke!

Sadly, yesterday two more children from transplant became "angels". Please pray for their families. You get to know these children during transplant or through some of your transplant friends and you all become one big family, praying for each other; and when one doesn't make it, you grieve with them. Then you thank God for giving you another day with your child and count your blessings. Unfortunately, the worrying never ends.

Sherilyn has been really busy with her 3 classes. She hasn't been to school in almost a year. She had very little schooling at Duke because she was so sick and weak. She is handling it pretty well. She continues to do very well with her Math teacher. I have to say he is one of the very best math teachers I have ever come across. He comes 2 days a week for 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Sherilyn made a 91 on her first test and an 86 on her second. She hasn't done quite as well in her on-line World History class. She reads a lesson & takes a quiz and after about 6 lessons takes a test (multiple choice questions). Well, she didn't know she could take notes and it's difficult to go back and review. Hopefully she'll do better with the remaining lessons.

Other than that, all is well. She continues to feel really good!

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Love,
Laura

Sunday, October 2, 2005 10:22 PM CDT

Hi Friends~

The Road for Life fundraiser raised over $27,000 for Duke's Children's Cancer Ctr. Way to go Allison & Howard!

What a wonderful weekend it was...fall is finally here!!! One of the families we met while on transplant, the Fritsch's, flew in from California for their son, Parker's 6 months tests. They came to our house and visited with us and we went out to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants (Lucky 32). It was a beautiful night to sit outside and "catch up" with our friends. Parker looks awesome and talked our ears off...and I enjoyed every minute of it!

Sherilyn will go back to Duke next Monday for her regular clinic checkup. I talked with her doctor on Friday and her immune studies still aren't in from her 6 month checkup, but her IG levels had dropped from 661 to 499 so she may need the 3 hour IVIG transfusion next week to help boost her immune system. She hasn't had this since her 100 day checkup in June.

Thank you for keeping Sherilyn in your prayers. Every day is a blessing!

Love,
Laura

Sunday, September 25, 2005 3:16 PM CDT

Dear Friends~

The ROAD TO LIFE fundraiser was fun. It was in Dunn, NC. They had huge tents set up, a moonwalk, pony rides, face painting, and other activities for the kids, and an auction. There was lots of food: barbecue, hot dogs, homemade potato chips, funnel cakes, Hawaiian ice and more. The 10 children that were recognized and their families got to do everything free. They all got t-shirts and a medal and were recognized in front of everyone. There was a big surprise for the kids. Each child received a "Wish" of their choice from a charity called Smiles for Little Faces. The owners of the charity gave each child a teddy bear w/the certificate. Thank you Allison for organizing such a wonderful fundraiser for Duke Children's Cancer Ctr. We had a lot of fun!!!

Love,

Laura & Sherilyn

Sunday, September 25, 2005 3:16 PM CDT

Saturday, September 24, 2005 11:24AM CDT

HAPPY FALL!!!
Today we are going to a ROAD FOR LIFE fundraiser to help the Children's Cancer Center at Duke. They will be telling Sherilyn's story and introducing her, alongwith several other children. They will be having all sorts of activities for kids and their families. We'll tell you more later.

Hi Friends,

Thank you again for everyone who walked with our team and supported the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society last week at the Light the Night walk. It was a lot of fun and I'm glad that everyone got to see how good Sherilyn looks!!! We don't know the final tally yet because people are still turning in their money. But thanks to all of you, we have made over $12,000 so far! Thank you so much for your generous time and support for our cause.

Please take a minute to sign Sherilyn's guestbook, even if it's just to say "hi". She really looks forward to reading these entries as she's feeling pretty isolated from her friends.

Love,

Laura & Sherilyn

Thursday, September 22, 2005 5:31 PM CDT

Hi Friends,

Thank you again for everyone who walked with our team and supported the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society last week at the Light the Night walk. It was a lot of fun and I'm glad that everyone got to see how good Sherilyn looks!!! We don't know the final tally yet because people are still turning in their money. But thanks to all of you, we have made over $12,000 so far! Thank you so much for your generous time and support for our cause.

Please take a minute to sign Sherilyn's guestbook, even if it's just to say "hi". She really looks forward to reading these entries as she's feeling pretty isolated from her friends.

Love,

Laura & Sherilyn

Saturday, September 17, 2005 10:13 PM CDT

Hi Friends~

On Thursday night, we participated in the Light the Night Walk for the 3rd year. We had 30 people on our team this year....last year we had quite a few more, but due to the event being on a school night, a lot of our friends couldn't make it. We had a lot of fun...even if it was really hot!!! Sherilyn came for the pre-event activities, but left when we began the walk because of the heat. I was so glad that all of our friends could see how GREAT she looks! Our team raised a lot of money thanks to very generous family and friends. We are waiting to see if we are the #1 money making team for the 3rd year in a row. Thank you everyone for supporting Sherilyn and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Together we will make a difference!!!

Love,

Laura & Sherilyn

Tuesday, September 13, 2005 9:00 PM CDT

Hi Friends~
Sherilyn continues to be very blessed with good health. The cooler weather is allowing her to go outside and she is loving it! On Sunday, Sherilyn & Nicollette hula hooped and ran in the sprinkler. On Monday we packed a picnic lunch and went to Shelley Lake. We fed the ducks and took a very short walk as the sun was out and Sherilyn should not be in direct sun from 10am-5 because her skin gets very red and rashy and this can bring on Graft vs. Host Disease. Last week we took a walk at Shelley Lake and she got very red in a very short time. Transplant kids have a lot of skin issues and get hot quickly because their sweat glands are not working properly.

Sherilyn has been enjoying her Algebra I class 2 days a week. Her teacher comes to our house for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. She will have her first test this Thursday. Wake County has not been to our house to set up her on-line classes. She will be taking English and World History.

Thursday night is the Light The Night walk. It begins at 5:30 with dinner and the walk begins at 7:00. If you haven't signed up and want to join us, you can just show up at the walk. Call me if you need directions or a ride.

Have a great week!

Laura & Family

Tuesday, September 6, 2005 9:54 AM CDT

Good Morning Everyone!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day weekend!!! We had a family cookout on Monday at our house. Sherilyn's grandparents came as well as Aunt Maureen & Uncle Alan, Megan & Patrick and Aunt Coleen. We cooked out hamburgers, hotdogs & italian sausage and had lots of other good food. We couldn't have asked for better weather and even ate outside on the deck. Sherilyn can't tolerate the heat at all so the cooler weather was a big treat!

Chili's restaurant is having a special promotion for St. Jude's Hospital. If you go to Chili's on Sept. 26th all the proceeds go to St. Jude's. That is huge!!!! Also, you can color a pepper for $1 and that $$$ will also be donated to St. Judes. You can also color a pepper online FREE and dedicate it to Sherilyn if you want.

Here is the site: www.createapepper.com

Also, don't forget about the Light the Night walk on Sept. 15th. Sign up now if you want to join us and be counted for dinner beforehand.

Love, Laura & Sherilyn

Friday, September 2, 2005 6:44 PM CDT

Hi Friends~

SHERILYN IS 100 PERCENT DONOR CELLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IT CAN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE ARE CONTINUALLY BLESSED BY HIM

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS

This is bittersweet because on Aug. 31st Queen Maddy became an angel, due to complications from AML. She is followed by Ryan and Frannie, all of whom we knew from transplant. Also, Micah has not been able to get into remission and will be admitted to the hospital for a new chemo. Please pray for the families of these courageous kids as they are dealing with their losses.

BLESSED,

Laura & Family

Friday, September 2, 2005 6:34 PM CDT

Hi Friends~

SHERILYN IS 100ONOR CELLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IT CAN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE ARE CONTINUALLY BLESSED BY HIM

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS

This is bittersweet because on Aug. 31st Queen Maddy became an angel, due to complications from AML. She is followed by Ryan and Frannie, all of whom we knew from transplant. Also, Micah has not been able to get into remission and will be admitted to the hospital for a new chemo. Please pray for the families of these courageous kids as they are dealing with their losses.

BLESSED,

Laura & Family

Monday, August 29, 2005 6:00 PM CDT

Hi Friends,

It took about 6 hours today to get all of Sherilyn's tests in and to see the doctor. Her labs were about the same as last month. Hg=12.1, Plt.=122 (a little lower than before), WBC=3.0 (were 3.1 before). Although the platelets and white blood count are out of range (low), the doctors said it is ok and that he is not worried. He lowered her cyclosporine (anti-rejection meds) down from 4 pills 2x a day to 3 pills 2x a day. Hopefully, this won't cause any Graft vs. Host Disease, but it's a possibility Dr. Martin said. It takes a long time to wean the transplant kids off these meds. Sherilyn is on very few meds compared to other kids I've talked to and we are very, very thankful for this, as there are a lot of side effects.

Her pulmunary function tests were very good (93-95 her x-rays were great, echocardiogram was good. We have to wait until Friday to find out the results of the Chimerism test (to determine if she remains 100onor), and 4-5 weeks for the immune function tests.

The best news is that we don't have to go back to clinic until OCTOBER 10th!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE ARE BLESSED,

Laura & Family

Sunday, August 28, 2005 4:27 PM CDT

Hi Everyone,
Tomorrow is a big day for Sherilyn. She will be undergoing lots of tests for her 6-months checkup. She will have a Chimerism test which will let us know if she is still 100onor cells, an echocardiogram, pulmonary function tests (PFTs), immune function tests, as well as lots of labs. I will let you know the results as we get them. Her tests begin at 9am Monday.

Please keep Sherilyn in your prayers as she undergoes these tests tomorrow. Also, please pray for the kids who are battling cancer & other life-threatening diseases and for the families of those who have lost their battle. Please pray especially for Ryan who died last week after a courageous fight, Micah who has relapsed and has not been able to get into remission, and Leigha who needs our prayers.

Love,

Laura & Sherilyn

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 9:41 PM CDT

Hi Friends~
This am I received a phone call from Ann Hooker, Area Asst. Superintendant for WCPPS. Sherilyn will be going to SANDERSON High School!!! Ann apologized and said that she should never have been denied in the first place. She also called Millbrook to let them know this and even called Sanderson to get the Homebound Program started. You see, I had been told to enroll her in the Homebound Program at Millbrook b/c she had been denied and had begun that process. What a runaround! We are really excited that this is settled and Sherilyn can begin classes on-line next week.

We only have 17 people signed up for the Light the Night walk on Thurs. Sept. 15th. By this time last year, we had 40 people. This year is a CELEBRATION year for the SHERILYN ADAMS's TEAM!!!! Plus it's a lot of fun. Dinner is provided just before the walk. Everyone carries a red lit balloon and the cancer survivors carry a white one. The walk is 2 miles and it's a fun, family event. We hope you can come out and join us. The link is below. You have to sign up soon so that they know how much food/drinks to provide for this event.

When you sign up, click on "state=N.C." , "team=Sherilyn Adams" and "location=Research Triangle Park/EMC Corporation" Sept. 15, 2005. If you have any questions, please call me at 848-6079. If you need directions and/or a ride, please let me know and I'm sure we can arrange something. If you want to donate to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for this event, any amount would be appreciated. Thank you so much for those of you who have already donated. We hope to be the #1 fundraising team again this year.

We hope you can join us on Sept. 15th.

Laura & Sherilyn

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 9:13 PM CDT

Hi Friends~
This am I received a phone call from Ann Hooker, Area Asst. Superintendant for WCPPS. Sherilyn will be going to SANDERSON High School!!! Ann apologized and said that she should never have been denied in the first place. She also called Millbrook to let them know this and even called Sanderson to get the Homebound Program started. You see, I had been told to enroll her in the Homebound Program at Millbrook b/c she had been denied and had begun that process. What a runaround! We are really excited that this is settled and Sherilyn can begin classes on-line next week.

We only have 17 people signed up for the Light the Night walk on Thurs. Sept. 15th. By this time last year, we had 40 people. This year is a CELEBRATION year for the SHERILYN ADAMS's TEAM!!!! Plus it's a lot of fun. Dinner is provided just before the walk. Everyone carries a red lit balloon and the cancer survivors carry a white one. The walk is 2 miles and it's a fun, family event. We hope you can come out and join us. The link is below. You have to sign up soon so that they know how much food/drinks to provide for this event. If you have any questions, please call me at 848-6079. If you need directions and/or a ride, please let me know and I'm sure we can arrange something. If you want to donate to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for this event, any amount would be appreciated. Thank you so much for those of you who have already donated. We hope to be the #1 fundraising team again this year.

We hope you can join us on Sept. 15th.

Laura & Sherilyn

Tuesday, August 23, 2005 8:40 PM CDT

Hello Friends,
Sherilyn's doing great! She's been sleeping about 10-11 hours at night. We returned to the movies this week because Nicollette is feeling much better.

I received a letter from WCPSS saying that Sherilyn was DENIED in our request for a transfer from Millbrook to Sanderson, due to overcrowding. Needless to say, I am appealing their decision. I went to Millbrook today to get the paperwork needed for the "Homebound" program. The school is in the middle of a MAJOR construction project. It is a huge mess! I can't believe the kids are on campus during this renovation. I just hope noone gets hurt as there are HUGE cranes moving steel girders on the 3 story building being built.

We heard some bad news this week with some of our friends at Duke. Sherilyn's friend Leigha, who we've known since Feb. 2003 had something show up on her scans last week. She had a transplant last summer. Also, Ryan who was in the room next to us during transplant is in the PICU. Please pray for Micah who has relapsed and has been fighting an infection, and Michael who is recovering from his second transplant and doing very well. Please pray for all of these kids.

Love,

Laura & Family

Thursday, August 18, 2005 8:14 PM CDT

Hello Everyone~
Sherilyn continues to do very well. She's getting pretty bored being stuck at home. She didn't get to go to a movie this week because Nicollette wasn't feeling well. She came home from Kentucky on Monday and was up Tues. am at 4:30 with a bad belly ache. It hurt so bad she was crying and couldn't sleep and it lasted for hours. So I called her pediatrician and they thought it might be appendicitis and told us to go to the ER. 8 hours later, an IV and 2 CAT scans and they couldn't see her appendix. All of her labs were normal so they sent us home to follow up with her pediatrician. 2 days later she's still sick and noone knows what it is. She hasn't eaten in 2 days and hasn't slept much????? Her doctors think it is a virus or Guirdia (sp?...a parasite) so I have to bring in a stool specimen. OK, enough drs. and hospitals....I think we've had our share and then some!!!

I'm trying to get Sherilyn transferred to Sanderson High School b/c of all of the construction going on at Millbrook. She won't go to school at all 1st semester, but there is a slight possibility she could go 2nd. Millbrook will be building for another 1 1/2 years. Due to the Sherilyn's circumstances, I can't believe I'm getting resistance from the school system. She will be doing "homebound" which in on-line classes, but can only take 2 a semester. This will put her behind an entire semester. I am very disappointed that she can only take 2 classes a semester.

Sherilyn has been reading a lot and getting on the treadmill about 3 days a week. Her next clinic visit will be August 29th for her 6 month studies.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Love, Laura

Monday, August 8, 2005 7:54 PM CDT

Hello Friends,

Sherilyn went to clinic today and thankfully her labs looked good. Her platelets dropped just a tiny bit to 131, her WBC remained about the same at 3.1, and her hemoglobin was 12.1. We were thrilled with these labs. Yesterday Tony noticed petechiae on Sherilyn's legs and this worried us b/c it can indicate low platelet count. She had this on her legs when she was first diagnosed in Feb. 2003. Her doctors told us when leukemia patients relapse it is usually the same way it presented itself. Needless to say, we were very happy when we got back the good results. We also got the results of her immune function tests that were performed at her 100 day checkup. Her immune system is only about 5r "extremely low" as Dr. Martin said. He also said this is to be expected at this time. She has been very blessed that she has not gotten any infections or viruses and the doctor said it's due to her being isolated from people, good hand washing and that it is summer. Because Sherilyn's immune system is so low, we must continue to be very careful.

Sherilyn goes back to clinic for her 6 month studies August 29th. On this day she will have another Chimerism test indicating her percentage of donor (male) cells in her bone marrow. She was 100onor cells in June and that is what we want her to be from now on. She will also have an echocardiogram, as well as pulmonary function tests.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. Please pray for all of the kids battling cancer and life threatening diseases.

Thursday, July 28, 2005 6:36 PM CDT

Hi Friends,

Here is the link to the article in today's News & Observer:

http://newsobserver.com/news/sheehan/story/2633731p-9070303c.html

What a wonderful story! Thank you Charlotte, Doug & Harry for giving Sherilyn something to look forward to this summer. You're the best...we love you guys! Thank you Ruth for writing such a nice story.

Laura & Family

Tuesday, July 26, 2005 3:30 PM CDT

Hi Everyone,

Sherilyn continues to do very well. Her next clinic date is August 8th. This will be a long visit as she will be getting labs, seeing the transplant doctor, and receiving her 3 hr. IVIG transfusion. I am hoping that her white count and platelets have gone up as both were lower than usual.

Sunday was a sad day for us as our little friend Frannie became an angel. This is what they say when one of the children dies. I went to see her Sunday to say my goodbye and visit with her mother, Viesta. She has a twin sister, an older sister & 2 brothers. She died peacefully a few hours later with family singing and praying to her. I also met a father of a girl with AML who relapsed after 10 months and is on her 2nd transplant. She is in the PICU with a collapsed lung. Also, our friend Micah needs your prayers. We knew that his leukemia had relapsed, but they had hoped that taking him off one of the medicines would cause him to get Graft vs. Host which would then become Graft vs. Leukemia and destroy all of the bad cells (blasts) in the bone marrow. This has not occurred and there are more blasts than before. Please pray that God gives the doctors a plan to heal Micah of these bad cells.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers. Please pray for all the the kids at Duke who are suffering and just wish that they could lead normal lives.

Love,
Laura

Wednesday, July 20, 2005 9:00 PM CDT

Hi Friends,

It's been a good week for Sherilyn. Tuesday she & a friend saw Charlie & The Chocolate Factory and then had Mellow Mushroom takeout, to celebrate her birthday. Ruth Sheehan, a columnist for the News & Observer joined us to write a story on Sherilyn. Her column will appear next Thursday, July 28th.

Today Sherilyn participated in a fun event at Duke. As I wrote in an earlier journal entry, Hyundai contributed "Hope on Wheels" to Duke. This vehicle travels across the country collecting handprints from children who have battled and won cancer. Today, Sherilyn put her handprint on the Hyundai Santa Fe. News 14 was there as well as a reporter from the Durham Herald Sun. They asked lots of questions and took lots of pictures. Afterwards, all the kids got t-shirts, bands (similar to the LiveStrong ones), and ate cake.

As you may remember reading in an earlier journal entry, I mentioned a young man, Mario Suarez, who attended our church. He was from Mexico and was in N.C. to work as a Migrant Worker. Sadly, he died on July 16th of complications of AML. He never got his transplant. He was a husband and father of 2 small boys. I met Mario and his mother several months ago at church. Please keep his family in your prayers. Also, please pray for the children at Duke who are undergoing treatment. Several of the children that were with us during transplant are going through a very rough time. They really need your prayers.

If you are interested in signing up for the Light the Night Walk, the link is below. Also, I added a link to a PHOTO ALBUM of pictures of Sherilyn during treatment and after.

Have a great week!

Love, Laura

Friday, July 15, 2005 10:07 PM CDT

hello Friends,
Sherilyn's week began with a visit to the clinic for labs and checkup with her transplant doctor. Thankfully her white blood count went up from 2.5 to 3.0, her hemoglobin remained about the same, and her platelets dropped from 175 to 136. The doctors were satisfied with these counts. We received a phone call a couple of days later from the nurse practitioner saying that her immune levels dropped 300 and that Sherilyn would need an IVIG transfusion her next visit. Unfortunately, this is a painful 3 hours transfusion without a central line. They will have to put an IV in Sherilyn, and from past experience, this is not pleasant. At least, she knows what to expect this time around.

Sherilyn saw 2 movies this week. When we arrived at the movies on Tues., there was a Build-A-Bear waiting for Sherilyn in her seat, thanks to the wonderful, caring staff at Six Forks Station theatres. It was dressed up like a pirate and named Captain Jack Sparrow (i.e. Johnny Depp) who most of you know Sherilyn is quite fond of:)

Sherilyn was invited to participate in a fun event at Duke next Wed. Hyundai, a major sponsor and substantial donor to Duke Children's Hospital donated a Hyundai Sante Fe to Duke. It is called "Hope on Wheels" and it travels across the country collecting handprints of children battling and beating cancer. Sherilyn will have her handprint scanned and made into a colorful decal with her name on it.

Lastly, we are signing up participants for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Annual Light the Night Walk. This will be the 3rd year for the "Sherilyn Adams Team". The past 2 years, we have been the biggest moneymaking team. We would love to have as many people sign up and join us in our walk to battle blood cancers. Here is the link, if you are interested. We will be walking Thursday, September 15th at EMC Corporation. Sign up under Team: Sherilyn Adams Team.
http://register.lightthenight.org/default.aspx

Thank you for your continued support for Sherilyn.

Laura & Family

Monday, July 11, 2005 10:35 PM CDT

Hi Everyone!
Thanks for all of the wonderful messages on Sherilyn's Caring Bridge today for her birthday....she loved reading them all! Sherilyn had a wonderful birthday. We know how BLESSED we are that she is here and doing so well. We thank God every day for his blessings.

Sherilyn's clinic visit went very well. Her white blood count came up from 2.5 to 3.0, hemoglobin is 11.4, platelets went down from 175 to 136. The doctors say she looks like a "million dollars".

Please continue to pray for all of the children and their families at Duke, especially our friend Micah, who has relapsed and Frannie who is still in the PICU. Please pray that God will heal them and give them strength.

Love, Laura & Family

Monday, July 11, 2005 12:00 AM CDT

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SHERILYN
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SHERILYN
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SHERILYN
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE LOVE YOU SHERILYN
WE LOVE YOU SHERILYN
WE LOVE YOU SHERILYN
WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

S SUPER
H HEALTHY
E EXCITING
R RADIANT
I IRREPLACEABLE
L LOVING
Y YIKES...14 YEARS OLD!
N NICE

WE HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL BIRTHDAY TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MOMMY, VERONICA, DUSTIN, SHERILYN, & NICOLLETTE

Monday, July 11, 2005 12:00 AM CDT

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SHERILYN
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SHERILYN
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SHERILYN
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE LOVE YOU SHERILYN
WE LOVE YOU SHERILYN
WE LOVE YOU SHERILYN
WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

S SUPER
H HEALTHY
E EXCITING
R RADIANT
I IRREPLACEABLE
L LOVING
Y YIKES...14 YEARS OLD!
N NICE

WE HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL BIRTHDAY TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MOMMY, VERONICA, DUSTIN, SHERILYN, & NICOLLETTE

Saturday, July 9, 2005 5:50 PM CDT

Hi Friends,
We had a wonderful trip to the mountains. The weather was so nice, with the exception of Friday when it rained about 8 inches. We stayed in a really nice cabin the first night free because the hotel we had booked a reservation in didn't have a room for us. It had a huge jacuzzi in the middle of the room, so Sherilyn and I put on our bathing suits and took a dip. We made "angel" crafts, played cards, and read. The weather was beautiful on Sat. and we went into Blowing Rock and got ice cream. Tony, Dustin & Nicollette joined us as they were about an hour away visiting relatives. We hiked a little, drove on the Blue Ridge Parkway, climbed the rocks in Blowing Rock, and lots more. Then we went back to our hotel and ordered Mellow Mushroom pizza :)

When we got back today, I checked our friends at Duke's Caring Bridge websites and was saddened to hear that our friend Micah, who is 15 and had relapsed with leukemia and had a bone marrow transplant from his younger sister, has relapsed. Also, our friend Frannie is still in the PICU with breathing issues. Please pray for these children as well as all of the families at Duke.

Sherilyn goes back to clinic on Monday, her birthday.

Thanks for your continued prayers and support.

Laura & Family

Tuesday, July 5, 2005 8:56 PM CDT

Hello Everyone,
I hope you all had a nice, relaxing holiday weekend. Sherilyn & I went to see the fireworks with my sister Katie last night and really enjoyed them. It's just Sherilyn and me at home this week as Dustin & Nicollette are in Kentucky with their Dad and Veronica is at the beach with her boyfriend's family. Sherilyn and I are heading to the mountains tomorrow for 3 nights. She needs a change of scenery and a reprieve from this heat. She can't stand the heat and turns red and itchy if she's outside for 5 minutes. Trips are a little easier now since she doesn't have a central line. We don't have to pack all the medical supplies to flush the lines, and do dressing changes :) She still can't go inside restaurants or stores or even Tweetsie Railroad the doctors said, but we can drive around and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Thanks to the wonderful management & staff at Six Forks Cinemas, we saw another movie today...Bewitched...and enjoyed it. One of our favorite nurses, Stacey, joined us for the movie, and then we stopped and got take out and brought it back to our house. We try to keep in touch with Stacey as often as possible. She's been a big part of our "Duke" life for the past 2 years and will always be a part of our family.

Sherilyn's birthday is Monday. She will be 14. Unfortunately, we have to go to Duke that day. We are anxiously awaiting her labs as her white blood counts have dropped the last 2 visits and are lower than they've been since she was on the transplant floor. If you have the time, please remember Sherilyn on her birthday Monday by signing her Caring Bridge site or sending her a card (her address is at the bottom).

Thank you again for your prayers and support. Please pray for all of the children and their families at Duke.

Love, Laura & Family

Wednesday, June 29, 2005 8:58 PM CDT

Hello Friends,
Sherilyn is line free!!! We had to wait 7 hours for her to get called into surgery. There was a 1 day old baby who had to have emergency surgery and everyone was delayed. We were the last ones out and didn�t get home until 8pm. Sherilyn hadn�t eaten since 8pm the night before and was starving, so we stopped at one of her favorite restaurants, Bahama Breeze, and got take out. About an hour later, she noticed her shirt was bloody at the site of the catheter, and I was running around trying to find sterile gauze and a dressing. Luckily I found some, cleaned her up and had her lay down. She is a bit sore, but in bed reading now.

We thank God for watching over Sherilyn today. Please keep all the children at Duke and their families in your prayers.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday weekend!

Laura & Family

Tuesday, June 28, 2005 3:04 PM CDT

HiFriends,
Thanks to the management & staff at Six Forks Station, Sherilyn saw another movie today. She really, really looks forward to these weekly movie outings.

Tomorrow is the big day for Sherilyn. She gets her central line out!!! She is so excited about this. She has had this procedure 3 times since 2003 and will be put to sleep. She is excited, but anxious about it. Please keep Sherilyn in your prayers tomorrow. A new surgeon to Duke will be removing her line. She is used to Dr. Rice who has been her surgeon in the past.

Please keep all of the transplant kids at Duke in your prayers. There are several kids who were on the floor with us who need your prayers. Every week we are getting news that someone else has relapsed, gone to the PICU, gotten infections & fevers, or are just worried that their child's counts are dropping and they don't know why. All of these kids are recovering from bone marrow transplants and the recovery is long & slow. Their immune systems are very suppressed and prone to infections and other issues.

Thank you for your continued prayers & support.

Laura

Monday, June 20, 2005 9:36 PM CDT

Hi Friends,
On Thursday, Sherilyn made it to 100 days, post transplant. This is a huge milestone! Acute Graft vs. Host Disease (GVHD) occurs the first 100 days and can be life threatening. Sherilyn has jumped this hurdle with flying colors!!! She's only had to deal with minor skin rashes, requiring creams. Chronic GVHD can occur up to 2 years. Today at clinic, we received the results of more of her 100 day study tests today and all were good. We are still waiting for her immune function test which will take weeks. Unfortunately, her red blood count was a bit low and her white blood count was lower than it has been since she was on the transplant floor (WBC 2.7). The doctors said that both Septra and Cyclosporine, which she is taking, can cause the counts to be down. We just have to be more vigilant about washing hands, germs, etc. than before. We've become lax about this, as she looks and feels so good. Her weight and blood pressure are stable and she did not have to have her 3 hr. immunoglobulin transfusion. We also had an appt. with preop today for the June 29th removal of Sherilyn's central line. She is so excited about this!!!

We visited the transplant floor today and saw 2 of the families that were there when we were there (and unfortunately are still there). We brought them gifts and goodies. They were all shocked to see Sherilyn's hair, which is coming in quickly. Please keep Michael in your prayers as he recovers from his second transplant and Frannie as she overcomes issues with her heart and breathing. Just recently, 2 more children on the floor received their "angel wings". Please pray for these families.

Tomorrow we are going to our "private viewing" of Star Wars at 10 am. We are so thankful for the generosity of the management of Six Forks Station movie theatre. This really gives Sherilyn something to look forward to.

Thank you for your continued support, Laura

Wednesday, June 15, 2005 9:59 PM CDT

Hi Friends,
We didn't make it out to eat Monday night as it was too hot and Sherilyn was too tired. Instead we had Dr. Megan (our favorite doctor, Stacey (our favorite nurse) and another mother whose son has leukemia over for lunch today. It was very nice to be able to talk....no beepers or patients to interfere. I made chicken salad, lemon poppyseed muffins, fruit, and lemon squares (one of Sherilyn's favorites). Sherilyn wrote Dr. Megan a beautiful letter and drew her a picture, which we framed. We had a very nice time. We will see her again on Monday and then she is moving :( Duke is losing a GREAT doctor and the hospital in Cleveland is very lucky that she is joining their team. She will really be missed.

Sherilyn continues to do very well. This is the first full week since the beach that we haven't had to go to clinic or drop off labs. Sherilyn goes back on Monday to see the doctor and have labwork. We are enjoying our private viewing movies on Tuesday. This week we saw The Longest Yard w/Adam Sandler. I wasn't that excited about going to see this one, but it was funny and we both enjoyed it. Next week we are going to see Star Wars.

Tuesday night was Nicollette's first swim meet of the season after a 2 year hiatus (due to Sherilyn's illness) held at North Ridge Country Club. She swam well. I was very proud of her! It's nice to see her back on the team she had been on for 4 years.

Thank you for your continued prayers. Please pray for all of the children pre and post transplant. Many of them are not as lucky as Sherilyn and have many health concerns.

Laura & Family

Monday, June 13, 2005 9:48 AM CDT

Hi Friends,
We got good news last night....Sherilyn is still 100% donor cells!!! This means that her bone marrow is all the donors cells (Sherilyn's new bone marrow) and that her bone marrow is not producing any of her old (leukemia) cells. We are thrilled!!!!

Tonight we are going out to dinner with one of Sherilyn's favorite doctors who is leaving Duke and going to Cleveland, Ohio. She has followed Sherilyn since her diagnosis and we are really going to miss her. We are going with another family (their son Tim just finished treatment for ALL (leukemia), and a favorite nurse of ours, Stacey, who we keep in touch with. We are going to eat at an outside restaurant, Maggianos.

Have a great day! Laura & Sherilyn

Saturday, June 11, 2005 0:20 AM CDT

Hello Friends,
Sherilyn has had a good week. We've only gotten a few of the test results back. Sherilyn's thyroid is fine (radiation can damage this), x-rays are good, and her echocardiogram was normal although there is some valve insufficiency. We are awaiting the Chimerism test which will tell us if her bone marrow is still 100% donor cells, and her immune function tests, as well as the pulmonary function tests. She will have all of these tests done every 3 months for 2 years. The side effects of the chemo and radiation that Sherilyn has had since Feb. 2003 can cause any number of problems with her organs or can cause future cancers, and she will be monitored very closely for a long time.

Sherilyn was able to go to a private viewing of "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" on Wednesday. She read the book. One the way to the theatre she told me there would be a sad part in the movie....what she failed to tell me was that a 12 year old girl died of leukemia. Needless to say, I cried. Other than that, it was a good outing....we don't get a lot of those these days.

Nicollette restarted our neighborhood swim team this year after missing the last 2 years. She and Sherilyn swam for the last 4 years. She's off to a good start as I watched her at time trials today. I hope next year Sherilyn will want to swim again.

Sherilyn is scheduled for preop for removal of her central line on June 20th and removal on June 29th. This is a huge step towards her freedom and independence. Plus a big relief to me as I still flush her lines, draw labs, and change her bandages (and worry about infection).

I was able to go out with 16 of the women in my neighborhood this week for dinner, as we were saying goodbye to one of our neighbors who is moving to Atlanta this summer. This is the first time in a really long time that I've been able to do something like this. It was great to visit with my friends.

I can't tell you how thankful I am for all of my family and friends for the countless hours they spent staying at my house, all the meals that neighbors and friends cooked, the West Millbrook fundraisers, April's Angels, the many gifts, cards, and emails that we received. Without all of your prayers and support, we wouldn't be where we are today. Thank you so much.

Love, Laura & Family

p.s. I put new photos in. If you want to view them just click on "view photos".

Friday, June 10, 2005 11:55 PM CDT

Tuesday, June 7, 2005 8:44 PM CDT

He Friends,
Well, we're all having a little bit of a letdown after our long awaited beach vacation. It was so nice being together as a family, with no place to go and nothing that HAD to be done. Sherilyn's illness has brought us all a lot closer together. We will go to the beach again in October as Make-A-Wish has offered us a week in Corolla. This does not take the place of Sherilyn's wish to go to Hawaii. She will still be able to do this when the doctors give her the ok.

Yesterday Sherilyn completed her 100 day post transplant tests. On Friday we should get the results of her Chimerism test. This will reveal if her bone marrow is still 100% donor cells. She also had a test on her immune function, but won't get the results back for about 3 weeks. We have not gotten any feedback on her x-rays, pulmonary function tests, or echocardiogram as of yet. Sherilyn received her IVIG transfusion yesterday also. They ran a battery of blood tests. Her white blood count was lower than it has been in a long time. Her cyclosporine level was high and they adjusted her meds. She was taking 11 of these pills/day, but reduced her to 10. This is the anti-rejection drug. Sherilyn has shown very little sign of Graft vs. Host Disease....just a rash that comes and goes. She uses a lotion for this. Her doctor discontinued her anti-fungal medicine and prednisone, but added Septra for pneumonia (in place of her breathing treatments) and hydrocortisone in place of Prednisone. This should help reduce the swelling in her cheeks and belly.

We continue to be so thankful that Sherilyn is doing so well. We know how lucky we are! Please continue to pray for Sherilyn's continued improvement. She has been through so much and her body has a lot of recovering yet to do.

Laura & Family

Sunday, June 5, 2005 5:20 PM CDT

He Everyone!

We had the most amazing and wonderful week at the beach! We really didn't want to come home. The cottage was oceanfront and 2 of the bedrooms overlooked the ocean w/screened in porches. Sherilyn loved this as she could read and see/feel the ocean all at the same time. The weather wasn't great, but that was ok w/us since Sherilyn couldn't be out in the sun. We read a lot and played games. Tony came up on Thurs. for 3 nights. Friday we went to Harker's Island and took a speedboat over to Cape Lookout. This was so much fun. It was just the 7 of us (Veronica's boyfriend tagged along). The captain stopped the boat in the middle of the ocean and dolphins were all around us. When we got close to the lighthouse, there were wild ponies in the marshy islands. We got very close to 3 of them and took some good pictures. Then we docked at the island and walked to the lighthouse. We packed a picnic lunch and ate outside :) Afterwards, we even got to eat outside at a nice restaurant. This is the first time since Sherilyn had her transplant that she has actually been able to eat AT a restaurant, as the Dr. allowed eating at an outside restaurant.

It was great seeing Sherilyn have so much fun putting her feet in the ocean. We took short walks on the beach most mornings and some nights. We found a starfish which we named "Starry" and kept it for a few days and then released it back into the ocean. We found the most beautiful shells that we have ever found. All in all, a super super time.

Tomorrow is Sherilyn's 100 day checkup! It will be an all day event. She will have X-rays, pulmonary function testing, echocardiogram, IVIG and breathing treatments. Just before going to the beach, I found out that several of the children on transplant w/Sherilyn our having problems. One has relapsed already, one has gotten infections in his lines and had to have emergency surgery, 2 others who went home ended up in their local hospitals w/fevers. Another 15 year old boy with AML (a different variation than Sherilyn's) received his 1st transplant at the same time as Sherilyn, needs a 2nd transplant as well. The donor changed his mind a week before the intended transplant. He was admitted Monday for a cord blood transplant (as they always have a backup plan). Please pray for these children, especially Michael as he undergoes his 2nd transplant June 9th.

Thank you for your continued prayers, Love, Laura & Family

Saturday, May 28, 2005 4:12 PM CDT

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!
WE'RE OFF TO THE BEACH SUNDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Sherilyn drew this picture on my desktop so I thought it would be cute to put on her website. We went to Duke this am for a checkup before the BEACH. We haven't received any phone calls yet, so I assume all her labs looked good.

We made it through a busy week filled with graduations. Tony was here and able to attend all 3 graduations. Nicollette's 5th grade graduation, Sherilyn's 8th grade, and Veronica's 12th grade. WOW!!! We had a nice get together Thursday night after Veronica's graduation. Tony and his Mom were here as well as most of my family. My mom stayed w/Sherilyn. Sherilyn slept through the entire party. She has been sleeping a lot lately, but the doctors said this is normal.

We pray for an uneventful and fun-filled, relaxing week at the beach. Thank you for continuing to keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. Laura

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 9:48 PM CDT

Hi Friends,
Tony & I attended Sherilyn's graduation this morning. Sherilyn is our third child to graduate from WMMS. I had not planned on attending the graduation b/c it would be too emotional without Sherilyn. I am so glad that Kay Evans, the Principal, called me yesterday and urged me to attend! As soon as Mrs. Whittemore's Concert Choir began singing "You Raise Me Up", I started crying. Sherilyn should have been there singing with them!!! This is one of my all time favorite songs.

Sherilyn received two awards which I accepted on her behalf. She got a standing ovation, which made it very emotional for me to speak. The students in her class held a Teen Idol Contest a few weeks ago and raised money for Sherilyn. They raised $940 for her!!! I can't tell you how much love & support the teachers, students & parents at WMMS have given to Sherilyn this past year. We are very fortunate to be surrounded by so many kind and generous people :)

Sherilyn's close friend, Kara Johnson, picked up her yearbook and got her friends to sign it. Sherilyn is having fun reading the notes from her classmates/friends.
The last page of the yearbook is a tribute to Sherilyn. There are pictures of her classmates making a quilt for her. The Team teachers and each student in Sherilyn's English class made a square of the quilt. Her teacher brought it to the hospital in December. There is a picture of Sherilyn & her teacher with the quilt (Go to "View Photos" in the top of the homepage).

We are thankful for your prayers and continued support, Laura

Monday, May 23, 2005 10:00 PM CDT

Hi Friends,
Sherilyn had a good clinic visit today. She received her IVIG transfusion in about 3 hrs. Her blood pressure went up from 113/69 to 131/90, but did not require medicine to lower it.

Tomorrow Sherilyn's class is graduating from Middle School. She is very sad that she can't be there to graduate with her friends. Her principal called me today and asked if I would attend the graduation. Sherilyn is going to receive some awards. I am looking forward to going, but it is bittersweet without Sherilyn. Tony will be coming in to town late tonight and will be able to come to the graduation too :)

Sherilyn continues to do well medically, but psychologically she is pretty down. She has difficulty sleeping because of some of her meds, she is upset her face is swollen due to the steroids, and she is still very tired. She gets really bored sitting around at home. She gets very emotional and says she "just wants to be normal!" Hopefully our week at the beach will help change her mood.

Yes, you read right....her Doctor is letting her go to the beach1 She can't get in the sun at all because it can bring on Graft vs. Host Disease (where the body rejects the transplant). But before 9 and after 5 she can sit under the umbrella and put her feet in the surf. She can't get in the water b/c of her central line. So, we have planned lots of fun crafts, games and books. Sherilyn has become quite a bookworm since she's been home :) We are leaving Sunday May 29th. We rented an oceanfront house on the beach w/a screened in porch so she could enjoy the view without the sun/bugs. My parents and sister's family are going at the same time, but staying in another cottage. We are really looking forward to a much needed vacation!

Thanks for caring, Laura

Thursday, May 19, 2005 2:46 PM CDT

Hi Friends,
We went to clinic this am to drop off labs. Then we drove over to Duke Gardens and took a walk. The flowers were absolutely beautiful...the roses were at their peak! I took lots of pictures of Sherilyn and the flowers. But, the best part was the baby ducks! Oh my gosh they were so cute:) We saw several mommy ducks nesting ready to hatch and lots of tiny baby ducks swimming around. We fed them nearly a whole bag of stale bagels...which they loved. As we were getting into our car, the minister of our old church saw us and ran up to us to say hi. He was taking a tour of the gardens with a group of senior citizens from his church (Asbury Methodist). What a wonderful morning!

I hope all of you are enjoying this beautiful day! Laura

Wednesday, May 18, 2005 5:50 PM CDT

He Everybody,
Sherilyn's clinic visit on Monday went well. She received her IVIG transfusion and her labs were good! She asked her Dr. if she could go see a movie early in the day before the theatre got crowded. He told her she could if there were only a few people there and she didn't touch anything (ie doors, etc.) So we brought the antibacterial wipes/soap and headed to see Monster in-law. There were only 5 others in the theatre. We couldn't get popcorn or an icee as Sherilyn likes, b/c she can't have anything from machines like that. So, we popped our own and brought it in. I explained our situation to the person selling tickets. When we came out of the movie, she stopped us and told us that the Manager of Six Forms Staion theatre said he would give Sherilyn private showings any time this summer since she can't be in crowded theatres!!!! Wow was she excited. This was the first thing we've done since she's been at home. She stays home all day or wants to get out of the house and drive around for fun.

Sherilyn has had sleeping problems ever since she's been home and on so many medicines. She wakes up frequently in the night crying b/c she can't sleep. Last night she scared me b/c she had a bad headache. I know it doesn't sound like much, but a 12 year old girl with AML who was on the transplant unit w/us had severe headaches for a few days and died of a stroke. I continue to worry about her blood pressure as it has been up consistently the last several visits.

Please continue to keep Sherilyn in your prayers. She still has a long road to full recovery.

Thank you, Laura & Family

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 7:34 PM CDT

Hi everybody,
This is Sherilyn! I'm doing great at home being with my family. Thank you sooo much for writing all the time and praying for me! Your prayers and support are what has gotten me through. So many people have prayed for me I don't know how to thank you all. I miss you guys so much! I can't wait until I can see everybody! Until then, please keep praying that I continue to do great!

Love Ya,
Sherilyn

Tuesday, May 10, 2005 10:16 AM CDT

Hi Friends,
Sherilyn had another good clinic day yesterday. All of her labs came back good. She received her weekly IVIG transfusion to help boost her immune system. Her blood pressure went up during this, but not high enough to need meds to bring it down, unlike the past 2 weeks. We go back again Thursday.

Sherilyn has had a difficult time adjusting to being back at home. Although she's thrilled to be back in her own home, she is sad that she can't do the things that everyone else is doing. It's been very emotional for her. She says she just wants to be "normal". At the hospital/apartment, she was like all of the other kids....undergoing treatment, etc. Normally when Sherilyn gets to come back home she can go to movies, shopping, even trips to Target or eating out. She can't do any of that for a REALLY LONG time! Also, now she has to share me and her Dad with her siblings, instead of having our sole attention. She can't eat a lot of the foods she likes. She really wants ice cream for instance. She still can't eat a lot of fresh fruits or veggies, deli meats & cheeses, etc. These are all of the things we take for granted. Imagine if we couldn't do these every day things. I know I would be depressed. She has been taking short walks in the evening to increase her energy level and she has been reading the "Shopaholic" series of books that our favorite nurse got us hooked on.

We had a wonderful weekend and change of scenery. We went to my sister Maureen's house for a WONDERFUL brunch. I had planned on having a quiet cookout at home, but Sherilyn wanted to go. My sister had the most delicious homemade salads, all with fresh herbs and greens from their garden. I can't tell you how nice it was.

Thank you for your continued prayers, Laura

Friday, May 6, 2005 9:50 AM CDT

Hi Friends,
Sherilyn has had a great week. She went to clinic 3 days this week. She continues to eat well and feel good. She's lost a little bit of weight and is pretty tired, which of course, is not unusual. Every day that goes by is one day closer to her getting all better. It has been so nice for all of us to have Sherilyn back at home.

Yesterday we all went and moved everything out of the apartment. We were so glad to get that behind us....we had accumulated ALOT of STUFF! Then we came home and ordered pizza (just like the good ol' days).

She's happy she gets to see Veronica get all dressed up for the prom and to be home for Mother's Day :) I know I couldn't have asked for a better present :)

Have a wonderful weekend & HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO EVERY MOM! Love, Laura

Monday, May 2, 2005 9:32 PM CDT

Hello Friends,
Today was Sherilyn's long day at clinic as she receives IVIG (to boost her immune system) and sees her transplant doctor. The transfustion caused her blood pressure to get pretty high, but they quickly gave her medicine to lower it. Today Sherilyn had planned on asking her Dr. if she could go home this Friday to see her sister Veronica dressed up for the prom and/or for Mother's Day on Sunday for a few hours. Her Dr. was inpatient in the bone marrow unit and wouldn't be seeing her today, so Sherilyn asked the nurse practitioner who said shedidn't think so until day 100 (which would be June 16th), but that she would page Dr. Martin.

Well, about an hour later she and another one of our favorite Drs. came in and said, "Dr. Martin said you could LIVE AT HOME NOW!!!" Sherilyn and I had to take a doubletake!!! WE ARE STILL IN SHOCK!!! We got home about 4pm. She goes back to clinic tomorrow and Thursday this week. But, we are HOME SWEET HOME!!!!

Our prayers have been answered over and over again. Thank you everyone for your continued prayers. I know Sherilyn is here today because of all of your prayers. Love, Laura

Wednesday, April 27, 2005 11:30 PM CDT

Hi Friends,
Sherilyn continues to get better every day. Today is day 50!!! Monday she was taken off all IV medicines and now takes lots of pills in the morning and evening. No more 12 hour TPN (IV nutrition) that Sherilyn had to be hooked up to all night!!! She is enjoying sleeping in on the days she doesn't have to go to clinic...she only goes Mon., Wed., and Fri. now. The steroids completely stopped her nausea and got her thinking about food again. She is eating very well. She walks every day and is even taking the stairs up to the 5th floor clinic :)

Sherilyn wrote a beautiful letter to her donor, as she was anxious to let him know how well she is doing. She told him "Thank you so much for saving my life!! I thank God every night for finding me a perfect donor...You!"

That pretty much says it all! Love, Laura

Sunday, April 24, 2005 10:07 PM CDT

Hi Friends,
It's been a wonderful weekend! Sherilyn's labs looked better on Friday. I brought the kids to visit her at the apt. on Saturday and Sunday. She wanted me to cook for her. She has been eating very well and hopefully will be taken off TPN (IV nutrition) next week. This would be a huge step as she has been on this since the day of her transplant. Tomorrow is her long day at clinic as she receives IVIG (immunoglobulin) which helps to boost her immune system every Monday.

Tomorrow April's Angels, a very new, nonprofit organization that decorates bedrooms of chronically ill children, will begin work on Sherilyn's room. Someone from Duke nominated Sherilyn and they visited w/her before transplant to talk w/her & get ideas of what she wanted. This will be the 2nd room they will do. Sherilyn is very excited! We are very thankful for April's Angels. Sherilyn can't wait to come home to a brand new "girly" bedroom.

Today, my family had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful, young man from our church who is fighting AML. He is from Mexico and has been working in N.C. He has a wife and 2 small children in Mexico. Unfortunately, he has not found a bone marrow match and will be leaving for Mexico early this week. Please pray for him that he can get the medical care that he needs in Mexico and that a "perfect" match will be found for him, just like Sherilyn.

Thank you for you continued prayers, Laura & Family

Thursday, April 21, 2005 10:14 PM CDT

Hi Friends,
Sherilyn has had a great week. Our clinic visits have been short. The only lab that didn't look great today involved her liver enzymes. Since she is not having any symptoms, her doctors will repeat the labs tomorrow to see if there is any change. If they remain high, they will most likely adjust some of her medicines. At least 2 of her medicines can be hard on the liver.

She's been working hard with schoolwork. She and her teacher have been concentrating on Math to get ready for End of Grade tests coming up soon. Her appetite continues to improve. She's been eating lots of bagel bites, pizza and even tacos :)

Thank you for continuing to keep Sherilyn in your prayers. It means so much to me and my family. Love, Laura

Saturday, April 16, 2005 5:07 PM CDT

Hi Friends,
No news is good news! Sherilyn continues to do very well. Her doctors began giving her steroids 2x day beginning Friday, hoping to alleviate some of her costant nausea & vomiting. It seems to have helped some. Otherwise, not much has changed. We still go to clinic 7 days a week, but it could be worse. We're just so happy to be out of the hospital 24/7.

Thank you for your continued prayers & support. Love, Laura & Family

Tuesday, April 12, 2005 10:00 PM CDT

Hi Everyone,
We are getting used to life at the apartment. Initially it was hard for Sherilyn and she wanted to go back to the hospital, but I think she's enjoying her freedom and space now. We get up and go to the clinic every morning. Some days we're only there for a few hours, but yesterday we were there for 8 hours! I'm feeling much more confident with caring for Sherilyn. It took a few days to get a routine down. She's still very nauseous and gets sick every day. She has been having one good day and then one bad day for the past week. She still hasn't eaten anything since Easter, but drinks water. She gets IV nutrition for 12 hrs a day. The doctors say this is normal and that it will be a gradual process as her bone marrow grows new cells.

Today, after clinic, we went to Duke Gardens and walked around for a little while. There were not many people there as it was overcast and chilly and not windy. She has to wear a mask and can't be around people. It was great exercise and great to be outside! Sherilyn fed the ducks and we enjoyed the beautiful flowers. Then her teacher came to the apartment and they worked on math.

Last night Sherilyn's choir had their spring concert and her teacher, Mrs. Whittemore, dedicated one of the songs to Sherilyn. It was about "miracles". I was told she also spoke about Sherilyn and they collected money for Sherilyn at the door. I am so overwhelmed by the love and generosity surrounding Sherilyn and our family. I only wish I could have been there. I am looking forward to watching the videotape :-)

Thank you for your continued love & support. Laura

Saturday, April 9, 2005 10:48 PM CDT

Sherilyn continues to do so well!! (Laura and Sherilyn don't have a computer at the apt, so this is Coleen updating....) Her typical schedule this week has been one good day, one bad day, and so forth, but they are thrilled for the good days in the apartment. Today was a GREAT day. Test results from the clinic visit showed that Sherilyn's bone marrow now has 100% donor cells! This is great news...it means her cells aren't growing anymore (which is good since they were cancerous) and that the donor's cells are happily growing in Sherilyn's bone marrow. After receiving this great news, Sherilyn and Laura drove around for a bit... I went to visit for the afternoon and was thrilled to go for a walk with Sherilyn in the sunshine - she even did a few minutes of exercise in the apartment complex gym! It was a nice change of pace and she felt good all day. Here's to hoping for more days like today - thank you all for caring!

Wednesday, April 6, 2005 9:09 PM CDT

Hi Friends,
What a busy few days it's been! Sherilyn was released yesterday afternoon....with a party of confetti as she walked out of the unit :) It was very happy, but emotional too. Sherilyn had a really good afternoon. A nurse came by to train Tony and myself on the IV pumps and stayed for about 3 1/2 hrs. Then we found out at about 8pm that the pharmacy didn't have some of Sherilyn's meds and Tony had to run back up the transplant unit. Sherilyn has 4 different IV pumps and lots of oral meds to take. It's pretty scary being a nurse w/such little training. I know it will get easier with each day, but the past 2 days have been so hectic!

As we were leaving the hospital yesterday, we found out that a 12 year old girl with AML that we had befriended on the unit died of a stroke. We literally ran into her Mom crying on the way out. Needless to say, this upset us all.

Sherilyn had a rough morning today. She's very nauseous and got sick a lot today. We went to clinic and got back to the apt. about noon. She has to take so many oral meds, but can't keep them down...then you have to repeat them so it seems like I'm giving her pills all day long. Her doctor reassured her that she was doing great and that she would have some good days and some bad days and that it would be a very gradual process. He's such a great doctor and so good w/Sherilyn (he also had 3 teenagers :) so he can relate to her very well).

Tony is leaving tomorrow to go back to work so I will be by myself with Sherilyn for the next 5 days. He will continue to come down in between his ER shifts until she comes home.

Please pray for all the children with cancer. There is so much pain and suffering. It is so hard to see this everyday.

Love,

Laura & Family

Monday, April 4, 2005 11:24 AM CDT

Hello Friends,
Sherilyn went outside yesterday! She was apprehensive at first, but I told her we could just drive around for a little while and go back to the transplant unit when she was ready. As soon as she got outside and she saw the beautiful blue sky, she perked up and said she wanted to go see the apt. We stayed out all 4 hours. She watched a couple of movies and played a little. She got sick twice while we were at the apt., but that didn't seem to upset her too much.

I'm going to get the apt. in order....food, cleaning supplies, linens, etc. today so that it will be all ready for moving in tomorrow :-) I'm so excited, but a little apprehensive myself. Beginning Tues. we will be responsible for Sherilyn's IVs after clinic. We trained for 3 days, but it's still a little scary. I'm comfortable with changing her central line dressing, caps, flushing her lines, and drawing labs, but IV meds I've only dealt with once at home. Sherilyn is a really good guide and is very helpful in walking us through some of the procedures :-)

Have a wonderful day! Tomorrow is Sherilyn's BIG DAY. We are so excited to be on the ROAD TO RECOVERY!

Laura & Family

Sunday, April 3, 2005 11:50 AM CDT

Hi Friends,
Sherilyn continues to be blessed with good labs and counts. Her white blood count has remained 11.1 for the last 2 days. She is not needing red blood cells as frequently, but still needs platelets every day. Since her cells have come in so rapidly, she has not felt good. She is mostly nauseous and hasn't wanted any popsicles since last Sunday, but is drinking water. She is very, very tired and sleeps most of the day. The doctors have assured me that this is very normal. All those cells growing really tires the body out :-) The sleeping is also an expected result of the radiation she received over a month ago. She has been given passes to go outside for a few hours, but so far, has been too tired to use them. I'm hoping today she will go out and drive around for a little while. I want her to see the apt. and see the beautiful blue sky and new flowers.

Sherilyn is still expected to be discharged Tues. to her apt. and will go to clinic every day for the next 20 days. After 20 days, if all is going well, she will not have to go to clinic as often.

Thank you for your continued support, Laura & Family

Thursday, March 31, 2005 7:03 PM CST

Dear Friends,
Sherilyn continues to do very well. Her white counts are up to 13.7. Therefore, I get my central line out tomorrow morning. She doesn't need my granulocytes anymore...YAH!!!

We found an apartment closeby today and signed on. We will begin moving our stuff in on Saturday. Sherilyn is sooo excited about the move.

Thank you for your continued prayers, Laura

Wednesday, March 30, 2005 4:59 PM CST

Hi Friends,
Sherilyn's cells are continuing to grow quickly. Her WBC is up to 13 now. She didn't get to go outside today but tomorrow will probablly get a pass to take a drive in the car with the windows up. We'll take it.....a change of scenery will do her good. They're talking about discharging her to the apartment next Tuesday. Today we began learning about taking care of Sherilyn when she is discharged....IV medicines, drawing labs, dressing changes, etc. She will leave on many IV meds and IV nutrition until she is eating again. We will have to go to clinic 7 days a week for awhile. Clinic visits usually last half a day. Then when she gets back to the apt. she will have her nightly medicines and IV nutrition for 12 hrs overnight.

She is up to walking 20 laps at a time and continues to feel better every day. We are looking forward to this next big step! Hooray!

Thank you for your continued support, Laura

Monday, March 28, 2005 5:23 PM CST

Dear Friends,
On one of my recent walks I saw a sign at a local church that read "New Life Begins At Easter". Sherilyn's new bone marrow is growing cells now. Her white blood count jumped to 3.1. She woke up on Easter am with a lot of bone pain and the doctors told us that was a sure sign of engrafting. Today we were happily surprised by her counts. She will most likely be givin a pass to go outside Wed. (the best birthday present I could ask for) for a few hours. She wants to go walk in Duke Gardens. Hopefully next week she will be discharged to the apartment!!!!! We are soooooo excited and happy.

The next hurdle is to make it to day 100 without Acute Graft vs. Host Disease. This is when the body realizes the new cells are not it's own and try to reject. She has such a good match that only 30-40f transplants like this get the Acute form.

Thank you for praying, Laura & Family

Tuesday, March 22, 2005 10:00 PM CST

Hi Friends,
Today was a wonderful day!!! For the past week Sherilyn's white blood count was less than 0.1, but today it was 0.7! The doctors say this is from my granulocytes. The first week she received my WBC, she was never higher than 0.3. She even ate half of a grape freezee. Today she had lots of energy and walked 4 times. She wanted to decorate her door for Spring & Easter, so Veronica & I went to the craft store and then the 3 of us sat in the "Kid's Room" on the unit and created! Sherilyn made bunnies, Veronica made chicks and flowers and I made chains of flowers. We put it all together and it looked FABULOUS! This is the first time since Sherilyn's been on the unit that she has done anything like this, so today was really happy & uplifting for all of us!

Also, 2 kids from the unit were discharged to an apartment and 2 more are leaving Thursday. This is soooo exciting to see!

Thank you for caring, Laura

Sunday, March 20, 2005 9:25 PM CST

Hi Friends,
Sherilyn is at Day 12 post transplant and doing really well. She had her last dose of the chemo drug methotrexate Sat. so hopefully her mucositis will begin to get better soon. The radiation, cytoxan, and methotrexate all are causes of this. She has not eaten anything since we've been here, but continues to receive nutrition IV. Today she asked for grape freezee pops, but hasn't had one yet. I think her mucositis will begin to get better in the next week or so. I just got my 2 shots of G-CSF tonight and will pherese at 9:30 am tomorrow.

She did a little bit of homework tonight and is watching t.v. now. Her grandparents from Kentucky came to see her this weekend and Nicollette & Dustin went back w/them today for the week of spring break. Veronica didn't go as she is going to the beach Thurs. w/ a friend.

Thank you for caring, Laura

Thursday, March 17, 2005 8:44 PM CST

Hi Friends,
I hope everyone is having a good time at the fundraiser at Prime Only Steak & Seafood tonight. I was looking forward to seeing everyone and hearing the band CRUSH as I've heard they are awesome. I wasn't able to go tonight because Sherilyn wasn't feeling well and wanted me to stay with her. She started with fevers last night and had a bad night. Her liver and kidney labs are high so the doctors adjusted her medicines. She has bad mouth sores all the way down her throat and doesn't want to talk. In spite of all of this, Sherilyn still walked 6 laps today. I am soooo proud of her!!!

I had some unexpected problems with my central line this week. Bacteria grew in my culture of granulocytes and they had to start me on antiobiotics (which I had a not so good reaction to). In addition, I woke up Sun. w/laryngitis and a head cold. After 3 days of hours of antibiotics in the clinic, I was finally able to go visit Sherilyn and stayed w/her on Wed. and Thurs. nights. I should be able to resume shots on Sun. and pheresis on Monday am.

A local church sponsored a wonderful spaghetti dinner for us tonight. Every Thurs. night a meal is provided. We are all very thankful for a healthy, home cooked meal.

Thankyou for your continued prayers and support, Laura

Monday, March 14, 2005 9:29 PM CST

If you are unable to attend this fundraiser but would like to contribute to helping Sherilyn's family pay for hospitalization, donations can be made to Sherilyn Adams account at any BB&T branch. Her account has been set up at the branch on Falls of Neuse Rd. at Falls Village. If you like, you can mail your contribution to BB&T Co., Sherilyn Adams Account, 6659 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh, NC 27615

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Saturday, March 12, 2005 10:22 PM CST

Hi Everyone,
Sherilyn continues to do really well and is in very good spirits. Her mucositis is getting worse, but the pain meds are helping alot. She received my white blood cells 3 days this week and will continue to 6 days a week until she comes up on her own. She continues to walk laps and has earned 10 feet for her necklace this week. There is a 15 year old boy w/leukemia on the unit who is burning up the floor with laps. Sherilyn is so impressed with his endurance and speed. I am so proud of her for getting out there even when she's not feeling so well....it helps so much.

J.T. Cayton of New Homes & Ideas is having a fundraiser this Thurs. (St. Patrick's Day) for Sherilyn & The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It will take place at Prime Only Steak & Seafood on Strickland Rd. in Leesville Town Ctr. from 5-midnight. The band Crush will be playing from 9-12. Prime Only is generously donating 40% of their profits to be split between the L&L Society and Sherilyn. We are very thankful for their kindness and generosity.

Hope to see you there, Laura & Family

Thursday, March 10, 2005 3:59 PM CST

Hi Friends,
Sherilyn is doing really well! Her Duke teacher was able to work with her today. This is the same teacher she had for the second half of 6th grade while she was inpatient. This morning I went to clinic for my pheresis. Because Sherilyn & I have the same blood type, she will not only be getting my granulocytes, but also, red blood cells and plasma. This should be a nice boost. My procedure lasted 2 1/2 hours an was quite an experience. I was nauseous the whole time and my whole body shook like I was attached to a washing machine. I was wiped out afterwards....bizarre experience but so worth it! She will be getting this 6 days a week.

She is getting platelets today as well, and is attached to a pain pump for her mucositis.

Her spirits are really good and she is playing games and walking the halls. For every 5 laps she walks, she gets a little plastic foot. The kids hang them on a shoelace and hang them on their IV pole.

Yesterday Sherilyn received a beautiful letter from her donor. Sherilyn was so touched by it. He is a minister who has been married for 23 years but has no children of his own. He has worked with youth for 25 years and has his entire church praying for Sherilyn and our family. We are looking forward to the day when we can meet him and thank him.

Thank you for your continued love & support, Laura

Wednesday, March 9, 2005 0:05 AM CST

Good Morning Everyone (Actually I haven't gone to bed yet).
Sherilyn's transplant was finished at 11:50 pm. The bone marrow was a little late in arriving from the midwest b/c of the weather. We got started at 8:21pm. She slept through almost the entire transfusion, but woke up at the end. So far, she hasn't had any reaction. Her blood pressure went up at the end, but they expected that due to the volume of bone marrow that she received (almost 1 liter). Tony, Veronica, Dustin, Mom & Dad, Eileen, Maureen, Katie, Coleen & myself were there. Nicollette had a cold and stayed at my friend Cynthia's house. We were very sad that she couldn't be with us for Sherilyn's "new birthday". We all stayed in the Parent Lounge and ate pizza and took turns going in to see Sherilyn.

My sisters were wonderful nurses to me yesterday and today. I am feeling much better today thanks to the pain meds they gave me at clinic today when they changed my bandages. I will go to clinic Thurs. am to begin pheresis of my white blood cells. I am so happy I get to do this for Sherilyn. Our nurse said she sees a huge difference in the kids whose parents donate their granulocytes. They get over their mouth sores much quicker and our in the hospital for shorter times :-)

We are so thankful to God for all of the wonderful people that have touched our lives, in so many ways, and that made this miracle happen today.

Love, Laura & Family

Monday, March 7, 2005 7:55 PM CST

This is Katie, Laura's sister,updating the page today. I have been with Laura all day. Eileen, another sister, and I went with Laura at 9:30 to get a central line placed so that she can give Sherilyn white blood cells while Sherilyn has no immunity after transplantation.

Laura is recovering well, but is very sore and can relate even better to what Sherilyn has been going through. Laura said she would prefer a C-section any day to getting a central line put in, but is very excited about the opportunity of helping her baby.

Sherilyn had a great "free" day -- she got to mentally and physically prepare for her transplant tomorrow and beat her Dad badly in Disney monopoly. Luckily she did not need to recieve the horse serum, which can make her very sick because the match with the donor is so close.

The donors bone marrow will be arriving tomorrow at 5pm - please keep him and his family in your prayers. It is so awesome there are people like him that are willing to help people like us. He is our hero!!

Thank you all so much for your continued support and prayers!! Our family is very greatful!!

Cheers,
Katie

Saturday, March 5, 2005 8:26 PM CST

Hi Friends,
Sherilyn tolerated the radiation this week very well. Although, her doctors told me in about 6 weeks, she will sleep 20 out of 24 hours for about a week due to the radiation. My parents helped me move Sherilyn into the transplant unit yesterday afternoon. The room is very small and very cramped. We did the best we could decorating it with her own sheets and comforter and pictures on the walls. Today she had a new chemo drug, Cytoxan, and hasn't eaten at all since she's been here. She got sick and has been nauseous most likely due to the chemo. We did manage to play 2 games of Disney Monopoly and she kicked my butt both times. Then I tried to play Playstation with her (DigDug) and I couldn't get the hang of it.

One of the mothers on the unit cooked spaghetti for us tonight. She said she loves to cook. The people here are very nice and the doctors and nurses are super.

I get my central line in Monday am at 9:00am. Sherilyn's donor bone marrow should arrive around 5:30 on Tues. and she will receive it soon after.

Please pray that everything goes well with the donors harvest. Laura

Wednesday, March 2, 2005 9:20 PM CST

Hi Friends,
Sherilyn is halfway through her radiation. We have been going in the morning and then going to clinic and coming home for a few hours of rest, before going back for her afternoon radiation, and getting home around 5:30 pm.

She has tolerated the radiation well so far. The only side effects have been red, dry skin, headache & jaw discomfort. Friday she will be admitted to the Bone Marrow Transplant unit. Saturday & Sunday she will get the intensive chemo, followed by a day of rest on Monday and transplant on Tues. The donor will be harvested Tues. morning and his bone marrow will be flown in and arrive around 5:30 and then Sherilyn will get her transplant soon after.

I will be getting my central line placed on Monday. My bloodwork came back great. The only viruses I tested positive for were Chicken Pox and Mono (meaning I had them at some point in my life). I too am CMV negative....almost unheard of, esp. since I've had 4 kids. So both the donor & I am CMV negative :) Only Sherilyn is positive. This means when her immune system is suppressed, her CMV which is dormant, could reactivate and cause some problems. Thankfully 2 out of 3 of us are negative, as her chances of this occuring are minimized.

Please pray that the donors harvest goes well on Tuesday. We are so thankful for his gift.

Love, Laura

Wednesday, February 23, 2005 1:58 PM CST

Hi Friends,
Dustin was able to come home Sunday night around 8pm. There was no school on Monday which turned out great. He went to school on Tues. and is feeling good:-)

Sherilyn had another bone marrow aspirate and spinal tap yesterday. Afterwards, she wanted to eat and go shopping one last time, knowing she can't go out in public places for about a year. Today we met with Sherilyn's bone marrow Dr. and the transplant coordinator. We went over all of Sherilyn's tests, labs, and signed consents. Early this pm, she developed the horrible "spinal tap" headache she so often gets w/this procedure.

Most of my blood tests have come back and are good, so it looks like they are going forward with me being the granulocyte donor for Sherilyn. I will get a central line placed in me the day before transplant (tentatively). Then twice a week I will go to clinic for 2 1/2 hrs. and they will take out my WBC. Sherilyn will get these 6 days a week to help her fight infection while she's waiting for her cells to grow in her bone marrow (I'll get a shot of Neupogen the night before to stimulate my WBC).

I'm hoping it will snow so Sherilyn can see it and enjoy it before being at Duke for so long.

Thanks for your continued thoughts & prayers.

p.s. I put some new pictures on her site. Click on the top of her webpage "photos"

Laura

Sunday, February 20, 2005 9:06 AM CST

Good Morning Friends,
Sherilyn is enjoying this weekend away from the hospital. Her Aunt & Uncle came up from Charlottesville, Va to see her and we had a family gathering Sat. night. Unfortunately, my son Dustin, wasn't with us. He is in the hospital (Wake Med) and has been since Thurs. His high school track coach worked them out so hard the first 3 days of the season, that he was so sore he couldn't get out of bed. Later that night his urine was dark brown. I called his dad (who is a dr.) and he said to get him to the ER. Apparently, his muscle tissue broke down and his kidneys were at risk for serious damage or even renal failure. The muscle enzyme is so large, when it breaks down it filters through the kidneys and can cause serious damage. He was getting 1 liter of fluids IV per hour. Within an hour, the ER dr. told us he was going to be admitted. The normal range for one of his labs that represent muscle enzymes is 30-397 and Dustin's was 112700. Needless to say, they are continuing to drown his body with fluids so that there will be less effect on the kidneys & liver. He is so swollen...his arms are twice the normal size! He had not missed a day of school this year, up to this point. He's had a lot of visitors, but is pretty bored.

Other than that! we're all ok. Sherilyn got together with a couple friends from school and went to Mellow Mushroom and a movie yesterday. She's feeling really good!

Have a great Sunday. Laura & Gang...minus one :-(

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 8:18 PM CST

Hi Friends,
The last 2 days at Duke have been intense to say the very least. Sherilyn & I had a consult with her bone marrow doctor yesterday. He went over the treatment in detail & side effects with us. Then she had a kidney test which required blood draws 3 hrs. apart. Today Sherilyn went to the clinic for labs and then had CAT scans of her brain and body. We had a 2 1/2 hr. meeting with radiation therapy to go over treatment, get measurements, etc. She will receive 5 days of total body radiation 2x a day 6 hours apart. In between, Sherilyn goes to clinic to see how well her body is tolerating it. The long list of possible side effects make me so scared. These long days at the clinic are difficult. I feel like I'm spending 95% of my energy on Sherilyn but still have 3 more kids at home that need me. It's so hard to be doing this all by myself.

Last night I was talking to a friend whose daughter went through treatment at the same time as Sherilyn and later had a transplant, and she told me that 6 of the kids that were on transplant with her daughter have since died. Another child who had AML had a stroke 10 months after transplant. My heart is breaking for these families. Happily, her daughter is almost 9 months post transplant. She is our inspiration and hope for Sherilyn's healthy future.

I can't thank you enough for your continued prayers. We are going to get through this I know. I just hate to know what Sherilyn has to go through to get to the other side.

Love, Laura

Friday, February 11, 2005 7:26 PM CST

Hi Friends,
I'm sorry I haven't checked in, but I had not planned on an extended stay at the hospital, and therefore, did not have my laptop with me.

Sherilyn was discharged today FINALLY! Then we had to go to clinic for her transplant studies. So far all of the donor's tests have come back good, including the really important test....that he is still CMV negative. This is great news. We took a tour of the transplant unit on Thursday. It is a very nice, state of the art unit and is bright and cheery.

Sherilyn had a busy week, undergoing many tests. She had an EKG and echo which left some question to the status of her heart function and glowing spots on her heart, so they did an MRI of her heart. The cardiologists gave me a scare, but the MRI showed her heart was fine. She also had pulmonary function tests and had to see an opthamologist b/c of possible effects from total body irradiation. We go back to Duke for further testing 3 out of 5 days for the next 2 weeks. In other words, Sherilyn doesn't have 2 consecutive days off (w/the exception of the weekend) at home before transplant.

Thanks for your continued support and prayers, Laura

Saturday, February 5, 2005 10:46 PM CST

Hi Everyone,

Sherilyn's hospital stay didn't go as we planned. She was admitted on Tues. for a bone marrow aspirate and 2 days of chemo. On Wed. evening she developed fevers as high as 105.8 degrees and her blood pressure dropped, quickly sending her to the PICU once again. There were so many doctors working over her giving her fluids to bring her BP back up....at one time I counted 10 people in the room. It was pretty scary! Thank God she responded and the antiobiotics attacked the infection. She is still in the hospital, but thankfully out of the PICU and back into our regular unit. At this point, we're not sure when she will be able to go home. We are pretty bummed about this b/c it's taking away from the time she will be home before transplant.

The transplant date has been set for Wed. March 9th. Her donor is being harvested on March 8th and his bone marrow will be flown to Duke w/in 24 hours. She will begin extensive testing/studies on Feb. 11th and 5 days of Total Body Irradiation (TBI) on Feb. 28th. On March 4th she will be admitted to the Transplant Unit and begin 3 days of chemo and 3 days of ATG (horse serum) all to knock out her bone marrow and immune system.

Please pray that everything goes as planned. Love, Laura

Monday, January 31, 2005 9:34 AM CST

Hi Everyone,
We just got a call from Sherilyn's doctor and she has to go back to Duke tomorrow for 2 more days of chemo and a bone marrow aspirate, and hopefully be discharged on Thurs. Her team of doctors did not want to risk a relapse before transplant. Her transplant date is scheduled for March 9th. She will begin testing Feb. 14th and then TBI (Total Body Radiation) on Feb. 28th and admitted to the transplant unit on March 4th for 3 days of intensive chemo, followed by 3 days of ATG (horse serum) to knock out her immune system.

She tolerated this course of chemo very well last time and they are expecting her to do so again this time. We are very happy to have the transplant date set and thrilled that the donor wants to go forward:-)

Thank you for caring, Laura & Sherilyn

Tuesday, January 25, 2005 12:52 AM CST

Hi Friends,
We went to Duke again today for blood counts. Her bone marrow is still recovering. Her red blood cells and platelets are still low. We talked to the bone marrow doctor today and he told us that they have requested the donor to harvest his bone marrow the last 2 weeks of February or first week of March. If he agrees to one of these dates, Sherilyn will not have to have any more chemo until she is admitted to the bone marrow unit.

Otherwise, we are enjoying every day at home happily!!

Thank you for caring, Laura & Sherilyn

P.S. I heard today that to have a 12 out of 12 match is 1 in a million. So if you haven't signed up with the National Bone Marrow Registry, now is a great time to do it. Save a Life! We are so thankful to our donor.

Thursday, January 20, 2005 9:51 PM CST

Hi Everyone,
I hope everyone has recovered from the ice yesterday. Sherilyn and I were caught in the traffic gridlock for over 3 hrs. coming back from a movie at North Hills Mall. From what I've been hearing, we were the lucky ones.

Sherilyn is doing great! We have both enjoyed being at home this past week! I can't tell you how wonderful it has been to be in our own house with the rest of our family. We had several family get togethers this past weekend as every one of my siblings was in town (all 7 of us) :-)

Sherilyn has a wonderful appetite and has been feeling good. We've been going to Duke every 2 days for blood counts, etc. We will go again on Sat. for platelets and, if necessary, red blood cells.

Stay safe & warm. Love, Laura

Saturday, January 15, 2005 7:42 PM CST

Hi Friends,
God continues to bless us! Sherilyn's bone marrow doctor called me this evening and told me that the 2nd donor was an even better match than the first one. He is a 12 out of 12 match and CMV negative! I asked him how likely it was to have 2 such good matches and he said "unlikely". These and all donors are guardian angels....sent from God to save the lives of those we love.

The National Bone Marrow Registry will contact the donor on Tues. and ask him to send more blood for viral studies. These studies must be done w/in 30 days of transplant or a 2nd set will have to be done. If the viral studies are negative, they will set up a date for bone marrow harvest. We pray that these studies will be negative and the donor will have the courage to donate for Sherilyn.

I recently received this beautiful prayer from the sister of one of my neighbors.

Lord we praise you as the Great Healer and Physician. Please put your shield around Sherilyn and protect her from germs and/bacteria. Give her the miracle of life and health at her young age. She has touched many lives with her tender spirit and her courage to fight every battle with a gentle smile. Bless her Mom, Laura with continued courage, strength and a quick recovery from her cold. Give Laura the wisdom she needs to help her daughter in any and every way You see fit. Continue to place and encourage others to reach out to this young girl and her family as she struggles with recurring cancer. Father, we know You are the Great Healer and Teacher. We ask for a miracle for this child if it be Your will. Forgive us that those of us who are healthy don't thank you often enough for the gift of good health. Show us all how to help this family in service to You. Praise and thanksgiving. In His Name, Amen.

Thursday, January 13, 2005 12:46 AM CST

Hi Friends,
We're home again! Sherilyn had 6 rounds of chemo over the past 2 days, as well as a spinal tap w/chemo. All of her bone marrow tests came back negative for leukemia, and, therefore, she had the short course of chemo. She is feeling pretty tired and rundown this time around. Her cold is hanging on. I will be giving her meds through an IV at home to help her white blood count come back up. She can remain home unless she gets a fever or becomes sick. I hope and pray we stay home, because Sherilyn really needs a break from the hospital!!!

Thanks for caring, Laura

Monday, January 10, 2005 2:02 PM CST

Hi Everyone,
I have good news and bad news. The good news is Sherilyn is in REMISSION!!! Unfortunately, the bad news is she has to be readmitted tomorrow for a spinal tap w/chemo and 2 more days of chemotherapy. Her doctors don't want her going for long periods w/o chemo b/c the success of transplant increases if she stays in remission. She will be able to come home after chemo if there are no fevers or complications and return when/if that occurs or when her counts drop.

We are very thankful that she will not have to undergo the long course of chemotherapy, and therefore be able to spend more time at home.

Thank you for caring, Laura & Sherilyn

Friday, January 7, 2005 1:33 PM CST

HOME SWEET HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Everyone,
Sherilyn had a bone marrow aspirate this morning and then was discharged a little while later. She had a low grade fever this morning, but was taken off all antiobiotics yesterday and the fever didn't get any worse, so I think everyone assumes she has a virus. She looks great, is eating great, and feeling great!

She wanted to stop and eat at P.F. Changs, so of course we did, along with 2 of her Aunts who work close by. Then we drove by the Dream Home. We are finally home and she's just checking out all of her Christmas presents again!

If her bone marrow aspirate shows that she is in remission, she will be able to stay home for about a week and then be readmitted for a spinal tap w/chemo and 2 more days of chemo. If not, she will be readmitted Tues. for spinal tap and an extended course of chemo and have to stay in the hospital for another 30+ days. We are hoping and praying that she only has to have the short course. With the short course, there is much less chance of infection and toxicity of her organs. In this case, she will only have to stay at the hospital for a week or so until her blood counts come up. Initially, we were told she was only going to get the 1 course of chemo, but because it takes awhile to contact the donor, do the bloodwork & virus studes on both Sherilyn & donor and plan a date for the bone marrow harvest, they have to do a bridging of chemo to hold her over until transplant.

We are looking forward to lots of fun until then. Laura & Sherilyn

Wednesday, January 5, 2005 11:40 AM CST

Hello Friends,
Sherilyn's ultrasound looked good so they decided to do CAT scans yesterday. Her doctors just came in and said they looked fine, but that they saw a spot on her sinus (nose) that they were going to have the ENT Dr. look at. They think this may be the site of infection. She still has a fever today so she won't go home until they determine what is causing it. She's in much better spirits today. Yesterday she slept all day b/c she received blood transfusions and then had a reaction to one of the antiobiotics they introduced (she's had a reaction with Vancomycin before, therefore, they premed her w/Benadryl and administer it over 2 hrs. IV). They had to give her extra Benadryl, and that's why she slept so much. We're thrilled about the lack of anything in the scans and look forward to hearing that she can go home soon! Laura & Sherbear

Monday, January 3, 2005 1:34 PM CST

Unfortunately, Sherilyn developed a fever, in addition to her belly pain, and can't go home today. She is so upset. She knows this is taking away from the days she will be at home. She was looking forward to spending the day w/her siblings before they had to go to school Tues. They are going to do an ultrasound of her gallbladder and if it looks bad, they will remove it. Hopefully this won't be necessary. Otherwise, she will remain on antiobiotics and will culture when fevers are present. If fevers go away and cultures are negative, she will go home Wed. I hope she stops crying before then. Laura

Sunday, January 2, 2005 10:11 PM CST

HAPPY NEW YEAR FRIENDS!

If everything goes well, Sherilyn will be discharged tomorrow. Her counts are high enough, but she has had some belly pain and we're not sure what from.

She will be home for a full week, with trips to the clinic in between for platelet transfusions. Then she will be readmitted next Tues. for a bone marrow aspirate, and undergo another short cycle of chemo (3 days) to hold her over until transplant. It will take some time to work out all the details with the donor. Hopefully transplant will take place sometime in February. Sherilyn is really nervous about her transplant and has been asking a lot of questions.

We plan to enjoy this week and live life to the fullest. We are even planning to celebrate Christmas Sat. at my parents (per Sherilyn's request). Sherilyn has planned her favorite meals for every night while she's home. I will be busy cooking as she wants Lasagne, spaghetti w/meatballs, London Broil, etc. and room for a trip to her favorite restaurant Bahama Breeze :-)

Have a wonderful week! Love, Laura & Sherbear

Thursday, December 30, 2004 10:35 PM CST

Hi Friends,
We received GREAT news today. As I told you in an earlier entry, we knew there were 3--- 6 out of 6 matches on the National Bone Marrow Register for Sherilyn. They were able to contact and get blood samples from 2 of the 3 matching donors. After further clinical high resolution HLA testing, we were told that there was a 9/10 match! He is a 43 yr. old male. This is so exciting!!!

We met w/the bone marrow doctor on Tues. and he had not received the results yet. We asked him how likey it would be for this person to be a match on the high resolution HLA typing. He said unlikely. Well, it just goes to show you that praying works. The donor is also CMV negative (80% of us have this virus lying dormant in our bodies, but he was negative!).

After talking to the doctor on Tues. we thought that Sherilyn was going to have a cord blood transplant vs. the bone marrow transplant. There are pros and cons for each, but the biggest con for the cord blood is the time that it takes for engraftment (bone marrow to begin making cells). He told us the cord blood that matched Sherilyn was not as big (as many stem cells) as they would like to have for a teenager, but that transplants had been done with less. This didn't leave me feeling very confident. The problem with this is, during the time it takes for the cells to grow, there is no immune system. Therefore, there is a longer period of time where infections can occur. Bone marrow transplants tend to engraft much faster, but the con is that there is a higher risk for Graft Vs. Host Disease. But he is a close match, so there is less chance for bad GVHD.

The donor has a few more tests to get through yet, but I am confident that he is yet another one of our "angels here on earth".

Thank you for your continued prayers, Laura

Sunday, December 26, 2004 4:32 PM CST

MERRY CHRISTMAS FRIENDS!
I hope you all had a wonderful day. We had a pajama party on Christmas Eve at the hospital. Sherilyn's aunts and sisters all came up in their pjs (Dustin had a sore throat and stayed at Gram & Gramps). It was fun! Christmas morning Sherilyn awoke and looked in her stocking and opened presents. We played her new Disney Scene It 3x and she won all 3 times.

Of all days, her hair decided to fall out on Christmas. It was pretty traumatic for her and she was pretty bummed for the rest of the day. Later, her brother and sisters and aunts arrived and helped to cheer her up! They left around 9:30 and we played games until almost 1:00 am. She even ate a turkey sandwich. The only substantial food she's had in over 1 week :)

She slept in today until 1pm and has had a great day. She wanted me to get her Taco Bell, so my Dad and I did while Mom played her new Disney Uno game with her.

Enjoy today! Love, Laura & Sherbear

Tuesday, December 21, 2004 8:30 PM CST

Hi Friends,
Sherilyn is doing great! She is so glad to be out of the PICU, and especially happy to have her arterial line out! Today she was feeling so good that she played Monopoly and watched movies. She had a CAT scan today and it was good. She has not been able to eat or drink anything since Sat. am since the bacterial infection was in her gut, as they want it to rest. Hopefully tomorrow they will take her off of TPN (IV nutrition) and let her have fluids. She just wants some Ben & Jerry's ice cream, she says. It is very encouraging that she wants to eat at this point. It's still at least 14 days before her counts will come up. She is getting broad antibiotic coverage. We just pray she doesn't get a virus or another bacterial infection not covered by the antiobiotics she's currently on.

When Sherilyn was admitted into the PICU Sat. I prayed that guardian angels would watch over her and keep her safe. Today I received a card from my neighbor and she said she dreamt last night that guardian angels were watching over Sherilyn. I'm so glad my angel is back and feeling better!
Love, Laura & Sherbear

Monday, December 20, 2004 2:31 PM CST

Sherilyn is back in her normal room now, but is feeling isolated because we are limiting visitors to only immediate family. She is begging for mail and care packages :o) Cards, letters, stickers, lipgloss, socks, anything small can SO easily brighten her day and make her feel like we are all still thinking about her.

Her address is:

Duke University Medical Center
Patient Sherilyn Adams
Room 5131 A
Erwin Road
Durham, NC 27710

Love to you all!

-Coleen (for Laura and Sher-bear)

Monday, December 20, 2004 10:55 AM CST

Sherilyn is on her way out of ICU right now! Thanks to everyone for the prayers, you are the best!!!

-Coleen (on behalf of Laura and Sher)

Sunday, December 19, 2004 3:38 PM CST

Hello, again-

Things are a little better for Sherilyn today. Her fever went away and her blood pressure has returned mostly to normal with the help of several medications. They think she has sepctic shock, which is when there is bacteria in her blood, but luckily they've identified the bacteria and seem to have the infection under control. Because she is getting so many fluids through her IV, however, her lungs are getting a little too much fluid in them, so she is on light oxygen to help her breathe more normally. She has been sleeping most of the day, but did play cards and a puzzle for a little bit. They mentioned that she might get out of PICU in a few days, pending she is still doing well. Keep up the prayer...

Love and hugs to all-

Aunt Coleen (for Laura and Sherilyn)

Saturday, December 18, 2004 5:41 PM CST

Hello friends...

Unfortunately, the effects of the chemo and Sherilyn's resulting low blood count started their impact this weekend. Late Friday night, she developed a fever and her blood pressure started declining. By this morning, her temperature was up to 105 degrees, so they quickly moved her into the PICU (pediatric intensive care unit). They are currently trying to determine what is causing the fever, which is most likely some kind of bacterial infection. Because there is still 20+ days before her blood counts come back up, they are concerned and want to keep her under an extremely watchful eye. The doctors had warned that fevers were likely, but we were hoping they would hold off through round one as they did last time. Please pray that she can quickly fight whatever is causing this, and maybe we can get her out of PICU by Christmas - her spirits could really use some lifting - I know that just being in the PICU scares her. Plus, it's a tiny room and visitation is limited to only 1-2 immediate family members at a time, with only 2 tiny chairs and no sleeping allowed...it's just no place for an angel to spend Christmas.

Thank you all so much for caring and keep up the prayer...

-Aunt Coleen (for Laura and Sherilyn)

Thursday, December 16, 2004 9:57 AM CST

Good Morning Friends,

Thankfully Sherilyn has completed her 1st round of chemo with few side effects. This will hopefully put her into remission once again. She has begun receiving red blood cells and platelets daily because her counts have dropped so low. Her counts will remain dangerously low for about 3 weeks. Therefore, she is very prone to viruses and bacterial infections, as well as the GI sores. Please, remember all visitors must be healthy. In addition, make sure that you have not been around anyone who has been ill.

We received wonderful news last night. There is not just 1 potential bone marrow donor, but 3!!! 2 of these people have already sent their blood to Duke for further analysis to see if they are compatible w/Sherilyn. Duke is still trying to contact the 3rd person. I can't tell you how excited I am about this.

This is my favorite bible verse for the day/week/month.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Love, Laura

Sunday, December 12, 2004 10:29 PM CST

Hi Everyone,
Sherilyn had a good day today. At this point in her treatment, she is just dealing with headaches and stomaches. She will finish this chemo on Tues. and then it will take her blood counts about 30 days to come up. I've been reading a lot about bone marrow transplants and trying to become familiar with the upcoming procedure. Her transplant Dr. may want to harvest white blood cells from a family member or close relative so that she can be infused with them during transplant, in case of infection. This would require a central line. This would help Sherilyn greatly if she got an infection during the transplant period before engraftment (when donors cells begin to grow). This may be necessary due to the fact that she got a life threatening yeast infection as well as Zoster (Shingles) last time during treatment.

Sherilyn began asking me questions about dying and wanted me to promise her she wouldn't die. It was heart wrenching. Please pray for her strength and hope. Love, Laura

Friday, December 10, 2004 11:48 AM CST

Hello Friends,
Sherilyn's surgery and spinal tap went very well on Wed. The results of her echocardiogram were also good so she was able to begin chemo at midnight on Wed. Chemo lasts 6 days, but she will have to stay here for at least a month until her counts rebound. She's doing great with the exception of a bad headache (probablly from the spinal tap). She still has a pretty good appetite. Today my work gave Sherilyn a portable DVD player so she can watch movies in bed. The hospital only has a VHS player and few good movies. She is sooo excited about this very generous gift! She is watching Dodgeball now:-)

We talked to the transplant coordinator today and they have a 6/6 unrelated bone marrow match for Sherilyn. They are going to contact that person and determine if they are still willing to be a donor. If so, further testing will be done to decide whether or not this person is compatible w/Sherilyn. We are still uncertain if she will have a bone marrow transplant or a cord blood transplant. Duke does more pediatric transplants than anywhere in the world, specializing in cord blood transplants. They are in the process of determinig if they have a matching cord blood w/enough stem cells for her size. Both transplants have their advantages and disadvantages. The transplant Dr.will determine which one would be best for Sherbear.

Thank you for caring, Laura

Wednesday, December 8, 2004 6:51 AM CST

Hi Friends,
With a heavy heart, I am saddened to tell you that Sherilyn has relapsed. The bone marrow test that she underwent today revealed leukemia in her bone marrow. Our family is devastated. We have been given tomorrow at home to regroup. Sherilyn returns to Duke Wed. am for surgery to have a central line put in and an echocardiogram. Thurs. she will begin 6 days of intensive chemotherapy. Then her blood counts will have to come up, she will then continue with 5 days of radiation, followed by 2 more days of chemo. Then immediately to transplant.

As most of you know, Sherilyn's Make-A-Wish was to go to Hawaii and we had plans to go Dec. 27th. After we all cried, Sherilyn said "Mom, we have to go shopping tomorrow so I can get Christmas presents for everyone". She is a gift from heaven.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers, Laura

Wednesday, December 8, 2004 6:31 AM CST

Good Morning Friends,
In spite of everything, we had a very nice day yesterday at home. After the inital shock of hearing that she had relapsed, Sherilyn cried a lot and had lots of questions. Yesterday she was on a mission to find every comfort a teenage girl would need to get her through the next months. You should have seen our cart at Target (we definitely keep them in business!) She is such a trooper.

We have to be at Duke at 1:00 for preop and 2:45 for surgery for her central line and spinal tap. Then she will be admitted to the 5100 unit and later get an echocardiogram and CAT scan. She will begin chemo Thurs.

She has enjoyed reading all of the entries in her guestbook. Thank you for caring, Laura

Monday, December 6, 2004 7:27 PM CST

Thursday, August 12, 2004 3:38 PM CDT

Hi Friends,

Sherilyn enjoyed her week at Camp Kaleidoscope in July, eventhough she was very homesick. She met another girl her age with AML who had attended the camp since she was 7 and had not ever met anyone with the same type of leukemia as her.

Sherilyn began 8th grade on Tues. and is trying to get used to going to school the entire day. She is in the show choir this year, which should be a lot of fun!

Sherilyn had surgery on her big toe last week because of recurrent infections and will have another surgery in the next few weeks on the other toe. Unfortunately, she has had complications since her immune system was low last year.

She has been busy with the plans for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's 5th Annual Dream Home as she is this years honoree. She will be decorating a room in the 8 million dollar home that is currently being built by Bost Construction out near Southpointe Mall. The big gala is scheduled for Oct. 1st and Sherilyn will be the star. A designer from NYC is going to design her dress for the event and a makeup store in Crabtree is going to do both hers and my makeup. Last night we met with Tiffany from the Leukemia Society, J.T. Cayton from New Homes & Ideas magazine, and George Owens from WRAL news. They are planning a 5-part series and will be interviewing Sherilyn for part of the story and ending up at the Dream home event on Oct. 1st if all goes well. This is a huge fundraiser for L&L. This year they are hoping to top $250,000. Pretty exciting things happening right now.

Thank you for caring, Laura

Sunday, July 11, 2004 9:42 PM CDT

Hi Friends,
Today is Sherilyn's 13th birthday. She left today at noon for Camp Kaleidoscope for one week. This is a free camp offered by Duke for it's cancer patients. The camp is in Henderson at Camp Graham on Kerr Lake. She was pretty nervous when we got to Duke today and said she didn't feel good and wanted to go home. Then she tried to call me tonight at 10pm and the signal was bad. All I heard was "Mommy". That didn't leave me feeling very good. This is her first camp experience ever. She has 3 camp counselors; a 3rd year pediatric resident who saw her when she was inpatient; a PICU nurse; and a 16 yr. old girl (Krystal) who attended the camp herself the 4 previous years. You can only attend Camp Kaleidoscope until you're 16 and then you can be a camp counselor. Sherilyn buddied up with Krystal. There are 5 kids to a cabin plus the counselors....no electricity in the cabins! Sherilyn was most excited about the swimming, kayaking and wind surfing that they were going to be doing.

Sherilyn went to Labcorp Friday for bloodwork and we will be getting the results Monday. Her 2 doctors have left Duke and the doctor who is going to follow her is on maternity leave. Therefore, her next 2 visits will be labwork only. At the end of August, she will be getting body scans again. Hopefully, after these ones she won't have to have them for another year.

I will let you know how the week goes. Have a wonderful week. Laura

Tuesday, June 8, 2004 7:46 PM CDT

Hi Everyone!
I haven't used this website since Sherilyn was first diagnosed last year. Wow, it was crazy back then. But that was then and this is now and Sherilyn is doing great!!!

Sherilyn got off to a bumpy start in Aug. when school began. She was going to try half days. A week after school began she developed pancreatitis and was hospitalized for 8 days. The treatment for this is "no food by mouth". She got extremely thin. After being discharged Sherilyn needed IVIG transfusions for several months b/c her immune system was so low. She also continued to take high doses of meds for her yeast infection that ended her in the PICU for weeks late last March. Thankfully, today she is off all meds and is back to her beginning weight.

She had her one year anniversary on Feb. 6th and her guidance counselor threw her a little surprise party with some of her closest friends. I brought along her scrapbook and "happy" tears were shed. Sherilyn completed 7th grade, having missed about 60 days. Sherilyn managed to end up with all A's and B's for her final grades. I'm so proud of her.

In late May Sherilyn had an echocardiogram to reveal any damage the chemo might have had on her heart. The test showed that her heart was as healthy as any 12 year old. This was great news. She has scans on June 11th. Also, on this date, Sherilyn says her good byes to her favorite doctors, Dr. Andy and Dr. Pegram who will be leaving Duke. We are devastated as they have been with her since diagnosis and can't be replaced. We love them and will miss them more than words can express.

Sherilyn has been chosen as the 2004 Dream Home honoree. You can find out more about this by going to this website: www.newhomesandideas.com

One of Sherilyn's pictures has been chosen for the Duke Christmas card and Sherilyn will attend a kick-off party with Coach K in November.

We went to the beach over Memorial Day for one week. This was a much needed vacation after nearly a year of inpatient at Duke. We had an awesome time!

HAPPY SUMMER!!!! Laura

Wednesday, March 5, 2003 1:16 PM CST

Dear Caring friends,
My name is Laura Adams-my 11 year old daughter Sherilyn was recently diagnosed with AML leukemia. We have been at Duke since Feb. 6th and undergone 2 cycles of chemo. Once her blood cell count goes up, she will be able to go home for a few days and then back for 2 more 1 1/2 -2 month treatments. We found out Thurs. that her brother and 2 sisters were not a bone marrow match so she will not undergo a bone marrow transplant. I'm curious about others who have AML and do no undergo the transplant. I would love to talk to a parent of a child with the same leukemia as there is not anyone else here with AML. Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks,Laura

Click here to go back to the main page.

----End of History----