Wow! It has been a long time since we have updated everyone. The good news is that Ella is doing great. We are just going through the every other week chemo regimen. Ella loves the hospital! She loves getting to see all the doctors, nurses, child life specialist, and volunteers they love to see her as well. She has so much fun there that she is actually looking forward to going. Brian took Monday off to be with Ella during admitting and the first thing she said when she got up was... “Hi Daddy, Ella wake up. I go to hospital” Adorable, but sad. Also, when I was packing our bags to the night before she was telling me what she wanted to take to the hospital. Of course nothing she wanted to take was what we needed (like my high heeled shoes that I did not need for work), She also wanted to go to the hospital that night before going to sleep, we had to convince her that she could not go to the hospital until she went to sleep and woke up the next day. Otherwise, things are going wonderfully. No new surprises. Ella is still the queen of needing to be re-accessed at least once during each hospital stay. I think she is just too busy running around and having fun that her port needle just can not keep up with her. My Dad (Pops) is still spending the day with her at the hospital which allows me to go to work so I am not taking too many unpaid days off. Then I try to plan and spend a few treatment weeks with her as well. We still expect to be done in mid October with treatment and count down the weeks.
Ella is continuing to develop and change into a little girl instead of baby. She understands so many things that it amazes me everyday. Now she say’s things like “Ella wake up” when she wants out of bed, or does not want to go to sleep. She also say’s “good night”, and understands going to the store, Maw Maw and Pop’s house, and Nana’s house, and she wants to do everything by herself. We signed Ella up for a 3-day a week preschool through our church. It will start in September, and we think Ella is really going to thrive in it. We have already received a list of supplies to get for program. It is also nice that the church is working with us on tuition. It is Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am to noon. It will give Brian’s Mom more free time too. We also want Ella to get with more kids her own age. We cannot wait.
Ella and her Nana have been doing all sorts of fun things during the weekdays like going to story time at the local book store, going to the park, and on walks through the neighborhood. They also have play dates with one of my friend Sara and her children Gracie and Will. Gracie is just a couple of months older than Ella and they play wonderfully together. One of the favorite things they do is going to a place called Pump It Up Jr. that is close to our house. It is a place where kids can run around and just have fun. They have a ton of the inflatable slides, obstacle courses, bounce houses, and all sorts of things. Every time we go by it, Ella recognizes it and says, “I go Pump it up with Gracie”. We can not even mention the word’s “pump it up” without her getting excited, and all the people at the hospital know all about “Pump It Up with Gracie”
Other than those exciting things going on in Ella’s life we do not have much going on. My sister, and niece visited a few weekends ago and we had a lot of fun running around while Ella and Dani spent time tearing up our parents home. On Saturday Jackie and I were out most of the day, and when we walked into our parents home there was literally toys from one end of the house to the other. You could just tell everyone had a ton of fun.
Brian and I have been super busy, but with what we could not tell you. Sometimes that is just how life can be. I think we end up living week to week with her treatment the way they are set up. Then before you know what has happened two months have gone by and you have not updated caring bridge.
I Hope everyone is well, and thanks for all the kind words of support and the prayers. They really do mean the world to us.
Sherry
P.S. I have added a few new pictures.
