Thursday, July 14, 2011

Thursday (Day 6)


Friends, today is day 6 of our new journey. I will say that today has been the best day yet. Last night was so rough on both Kari and I. Kari had a little breakdown and so did I. We sat in bed and cried together until we got it all out. This morning Kari was very down and out and totally not like herself.


But we got some cheer when Aunt Lacey and Malachi showed up!! I was so excited to see my baby boy. Kari still seemed down though and I made her get up, put some clothes on and I fixed her hair. She resisted the entire time but after we stepped out of this room to go play, she was the little Kari we all know! She played from around 9:00 this morning until now. It's 11:45 and she's sitting on her bed eating macaroni and cheese and we have a bed full of crayons, markers and coloring books. Also a baby doll that needs doctored, and two princess card games to play. Shewee!! We will be up all night!

Tomorrow Kari will have a spinal tap and a more intense chemo treatment. Several of you have asked why she is having a spinal tap. This is a simple way that they explained it to me: leukemia cells are in her blood but they are not in her spinal fluid which is great! However, when the leukemia starts getting blasted out with the chemo treatments, they look for places to hide like the spine and around the brain. They give her chemo in her spinal fluid to prevent them from hiding in there. Tomorrow will be rough since after 8:00am she is on clear liquids only and after 12:00, nothing. The steroids make her very hungry (tonight she has already had 3 bowls of chicken noodle and a bowl of mac and cheese)so she will not be a happy camper tomorrow!!

We have the best nurses here EVER!! I'm so thankful for them. They never fail to ask if we need something and it means so much to me.
I'm also thankful to everyone that has done ANYTHING for us. I can't keep track of it all but I don't want to be unthankful!! Also, thank you for reading our blog and commenting. Your words mean so much to me. I check it when I can throughout the day just to read your kind and encouraging things you say....I'm grateful. A special thank you to my pal, Tonya! Thank you for explaining things to me, telling me what to expect, what to be careful and paranoid about and what not to be! You are truly a blessing and I love you dearly!

Thank God for a great day with Kari. He's continuing to just bless on every side. I know God has a plan through this though it's certainly hard to see it now. So I don't try to. I just want Him to get the glory from it! I don't say that trying to pretend that I'm all spiritual and strong because I'm far from either of those. But I want our lives to glorify God and if He will get the glory from this trial, I'll leave it in His hands. That doesn't mean I won't go kicking and screaming sometimes (lol!) but He will provide the strength to get through it all.


I do ask you to pray for all the others that are here. We've met some great people facing some awful things. One little boy has a rare type of cancer that is hard to treat, one 15 year old girl relapsed recently and is losing her hair again (a teenage girl losing her hair? how sad is that?), a 16 year old boy next to us has AML leukemia, and a little boy Kari's age has the same as Kari but has heart problems on top of it. There are so many more cases here that are heartbreaking but I've seen a strength in these people that amaze me. We lean on each other. The father of the 15 year old girl comforted me last night as I cried and I was able to comfort another mother as she cried about her son in pain. It makes you think outside of your own little world and I encourage each and every one of you to make it a matter of prayer the lives of these children. What if it was your child or your grandchild or your niece/nephew?

I want to encourage you to listen to this song.
I want to draw closer to the Lord through this and have a relationship with Him that goes so deep that I never draw away from it. My baby girl is sick and our world has forever changed and I hate it... but none of this has surprised God. He is in control and I pray that He uses it to make Himself more real than ever to myself, Kari and anyone who is part of our journey.

I apologize for all the rambling. Little Cinderella just fell asleep on my leg and I can't move so I kept typing. I will update as soon as I can tomorrow after Kari's procedure.
Love y'all!

14 comments:

  1. Ashley, you are nothing short of amazing. The light of Jesus jumps off every word of this blog and I am so thankful for your faith and trust in Him. I'm praying for you, your sweet baby girl, Malachi, Matthew, and everyone involved. I'll now start praying for all children with cancer and their parents. This is every parent's nightmare and we can't do much for you, but we can pray and give it over to the good Lord above. I feel in my heart that Kari is going to make it through this and your family will be so much closer to the Lord because of it. Like the old hymn says, "One day at a Time, Sweet Jesus. That's all I'm asking from you. Just give me the strength to do everyday what I have to do. Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus and tomorrow may never be mine. Lord, help me today. Show me the way. One day at a time." I think you are doing a great job at taking it one day at a time. One little miracle at a time. God will bring you through this. Keep smiling. :)

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  2. Love you!! Want to give you a BIG hug, as my cousin Morgan tells me on the phone, " lets pretend hug. Praying for all of you!

    Odie

    www.boggsblogs.com

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  3. I continue to call your names out in prayer.
    God bless,
    Carrie

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  4. Sometimes God gives us good days and sometimes days that as Kari's picture said days that just "stink". lol But through the good days he gives us sunshine to walk in and through the "stinky" ones he gives us roses to smell. He knew ahead of time what kinda days you would have so he planted a few extra roses in your path. LoveYou All

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  5. Sweet girl, have I told you how much I love you all lately??? I am praying constantly and literally CAN'T WAIT to see what God has planned for Kari and your family through this. As I told you before, I really believe he has a huge blessing in store for you all out of all of this!

    Aside from the fact that you all are my family in every way that matters and Kari being sick is my family being sick, there have been so many times that I have stopped to think what I would be feeling right now if this were Chase. I break down every single time. I am literally amazed at your strength and perseverance. I don't think I could do it.

    As always, let me know if you need anything and I'll be there!

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  6. Ashley,

    I am so thankful for your good spirit. You are truly such a witness for God and he will bless you all for it. I am praying for Kari and all the patients there. I am also praying for you. If you need me call me anytime. Lorie

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  7. Praying in Indiana!!

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  8. Ashley, your strength, encouragement, and trust in God is so amazing and inspiring. Continuing to pray for you and little sweetheart, if there is ANYTHING else I can do, please let me know!

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  9. Ashley I am so sorry for everything you and Kari are going through. You all are certainly in my thoughts and prayers. Again if there is anything I can do please let me know. Stay strong.

    Bill

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  10. Ashlee...I'm serious you amaze me. I love you so much. As I read this I just cried because a situation this awful brings out in a person what they truly are, and you a truly a wonderful person. I can't wait to see you all again. I love you and tell Kari I love her. See you all tomorrow.

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  11. Praying for Kari for the spinal today. My son, Calen, always woke up from his spinals REALLY hungry. So I would bring food with me and he would eat as soon as he felt up to it. Just a suggestion. You might want to bring some crackers or something with you. I'm praying for peace and comfort for you while she's having the spinal.

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  12. Ashlee, We love you and continue in prayer for Sweet Kari and all the family.
    Janice & Jr Shackelford

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  13. Ashlee,
    You & Kari are in my prayers today. Sounds like it's gonna be a rough one. Logan was 20 when he was hospitalized & it was so heartbreaking when they told us he couldn't eat or drink anything. Dealing with all the pain & this too is so hard. He would try to sneak drinks. lol
    I know people are telling you how strong you are & I see the strength too, but I know you don't feel strong at all & sometimes you cry when you're alone & wish you would wake up from this horrible nightmare. I understand & pray that God helps you & your little princess every step of the way. Love you so much...

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  14. BIg smiles and hugs to you Noe's today. Seeing those little angel faces just makes me melt. There's nothing in the world like your kids. I hope if I ever face something like this I have half of your courage and strength. Then I'll be doing good :) Love ya,
    Angel

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