Love Is All You Need

Love Is All You Need

Whew... We have been so entirely busy since we arrived home last Saturday! We celebrated a very wonderful 4th of July, celebrating both the actual holiday (oh, is it ever important), and celebrating my 29th birthday. This particular holiday is always full of good food, good times, fireworks, and a fabulous family. That is how we like it at our house. 

Besides all of that fun, tomorrow, Daniel will make his 3rd appointment in Cape Girardeau this week. He has had 2 lab appointments, and a doctors appointment with his oncologist in Cape. When we found out about all of the appointments that Daniel was going to make both now, and in the future, we asked if there was any chance that some of this could be done closer. There is actually a physician in Cape that completed his "fellowship" at Barnes Jewish in Oncology. With that being said, he is very familiar with Bone Marrow Transplant patients. So, his primary physician, Dr. DiPersio is comfortable with Daniel attending some check-ups locally. Score for us! We met Dr. James Moseley on Wednesday. And for once, Daniel's disease was finally fully explained to us. We are very impressed with this physician. We were also reminded  that Dr. DiPersio is one of the leading leukemia doctors in the world. We thank God everyday that Daniel is under his care. Although, this process can be gut-wrenching at times, hearing these sort of things tends to ease the pain, for a little bit. 

We are gearing up for the transplant. Getting our house in order, things of that sort. The 2011-2012 school year is quickly approaching which means that both Ashlynn and I will be gearing up. Things around our house are going to be crazy, real soon. With Daniel in St. Louis, I plan on staying home through the week (Monday- Thursday). As much as I dread leaving Daniel through the week, it simply seems like the most sensible option, at the time. I have to remember, that I am a wife, but, that I am also a mother. And until now, I have been able to juggle both titles, pretty well. In my absence at the hospital, my mother in law will be fulfilling her duties as Daniel's mother. I am so grateful to be a part of this family. As I have mentioned in past blogs, I am so blessed to have a phenomenal sister-in-law, who I would call a "reinforcement". She sweeps my kiddos up into her arms and treats them as if they were her very own. I'm afraid to think about how life would be without her. It has made this whole situation "do-able". Many of you have no clue how much Daniel helps with the girls. So, when he is absent from our house, life is crazy. I am scared, and I admit it!

Okay... For the update. As we are finding out- nothing ever goes as planned. We received a phone call mid-week notifying us that Daniel's donor has requested that the transplant take place a week later, than first anticipated. Now, Daniel will check-in on July 26, begin treatment, and be transplanted on August 3. 

Family pictures next week- super excited. I have begged Daniel to take family pictures since Mia was welcomed into our family. All of our family pictures that are hung on the walls of our house are beautiful, but one child is missing! We are fixing that problem. Quickly. I want Daniel to have a huge picture of his family hanging right smack in front of his bed, to serve a a reminder of how important fighting this terrible disease is. Not that I think he doesn't already know! He is a fighter. I love pictures and I love my family. until next time...xoxo Kristin