Friday has been a better day…….

Addi has felt better today.  She is ill as a little hornet but she has not had a fever the past few hours and her pain seems to be minimal.  She is pretty swollen in her little face but that will go away in a few days.  Besides being a little hard to get along with right now, she is doing so much better today.  She is feisty, sassy and a ball of independence so being in a bed and confined is not in her nature.  She may be a little hornet but she has every right to be and will be back to her sweet, smiling self in a few days.  I can’t even imagine how she feels and can’t really say a lot about her being ill right now. The doctor encouraged us to get her out of the room and walking today.  That lasted for about 20 minutes but every little bit helps.  She enjoyed some time in the activity room and Alexis pushing her around in the car.  She is really weak and couldn’t stand much on her own without assistance so we had a short play time.  She has just wanted to lay in the bed and watch her iPad and rest.  That is ok for now.

She had her last doses of chemo this morning and the last dose of Immunotherapy is infusing as we speak.  Her hemoglobin is low so she will get a blood transfusion tonight.  Her oxygen level still continues to drop when off of the oxygen so hopefully she will start to improve and they will be able to ween her off the oxygen tonight.  The breathing treatments she is receiving every 4-6 hours seems to be helping her cough as well so looks like we are heading in the right direction.  The oxygen level dropping is the only thing that concerns me but I hope as soon as the immunotherapy is complete that will start rising and will stablize.  If all goes well she will be released to go home tomorrow!  I cannot wait to be home.  You really take the little things in life for granted until you don’t have those things.  What I would not give for a hot cooked meal right now, my warm soft bed (the couches here are painful!), to sit on my couch and to snuggle with my honey!

So a few weeks ago I received a message from a mom in Illinois about her daughter Jordynn.  She explained that her daughter was Little Miss of Illinois and that she saw Addi’s story in August right before her birthday.  Instead of bringing gifts to her party, she asked for people to bring fleece for tie blankets.  People heard what she was doing and started sending her boxes of fleece.  She has made 66 blankets so far for cancer patients!!  She (at age 8!) has started the Blankets of Hope foundation where she makes tie blankets for cancer kids!  Jordynn’s mom got in touch with the pageant national director that lives in Georgia and today Sunny Hill, National Director and Miss of America, Abigail Callaway delivered this very special blanket to Addi.  Per Jordynn’s mom, “Addi’s story is amazing and she is such an inspiration to Jordynn and Jordynn will continue this great cause all inspired from this amazing little girl and you guys.”  To think that Addi is inspiring sweet little 8 year old girls to do such great things for other cancer kids is just amazing and humbling in so many ways.  I have prayed so hard that through Addi and this journey would be changed and that she would make a difference to all she met.  This is just a testament that God is answering my prayers.  Addi IS an amazing child and so is Jordynn!

Thank you all once again for your love and support during this time.  We are so grateful for everyone who has prayed for Addi and been such an encouragement to us.  We love you all!

Posting this again for those who may not have seen it: