Day 64

Exciting news, Natalee has gained 3 lbs., and is off her chemo for a two week break!!! I noticed a big difference in her after one day on the NG tube. Before she wasn't able to pull herself up, I was doing all the work, so it was really exciting for her to have the strength to do it on her own. I know she is feeling better because when we went to Target she was chasing me around in her Wheel Chair.

She has been able to walk a little and hopefully by next Tuesday's visit there will be some major improvements. The Doctors felt that much of her decline was due to her weight loss, as it compounded her illness. To help others understand, chemo makes the cells change, which in turn alters the taste buds. So for her, sweet things are too sweet, and other things are too salty, spicy foods burn and the rest of the foods are bland. Who would ever think a kid would not like Ice Cream? Nothing tastes good except Orange Chicken & Chow Mien from Panda Express. It doesn't make sense but I am glad she likes something.

On Thursday (today) Nat goes into the hospital; she will have an MRI, followed by a CT scan, X-rays and finally an EKG. They will put her out for the first two (the MRI last 1 1/2 hours so I am glad she will be asleep). We will be at the hospital from 11:30 and the last appointment is at 3:45 pm.

Next week our Church is having girls camp, the plan is for her to go see the doctors on Tuesday, where they will give us updates on what they saw in the films, and if the tumors are shrinking. They will take out the NG tube (temporarily) so that she can go up to camp for the last three days. We are so excited for her to have a little bit of a normal life. After she gets back from camp she will go in and they will put the NG tube back down her nose. The Doctors want her to have the nutritional supplement for several months.

Natalee's talk is nasal so I have fun with misinterpretations...we do have a lot of laughs!

Thank you for all your prayers and support.