Week 1 update

If you are reading this, you are aware that on April 7, Chelsea Judith was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. On the morning of April 8th, she began chemotherapy treatments. As of this blog, she is doing great. In fact, if not for the tubes, as many as six at one time, dangling from her, one would not even know she was sick. She is laughing, playing and currently in the middle of a vocabulary explosion. She is constantly smiling and saying that she is "happy". The doctors seem pleased also. The first spinal tap(LP), taken on April 8th, removed all the leukemia cells from her spinal fluid. We are awaiting the results of this morning spinal tap and the results from the spinal tap scheduled for this coming Friday. If no leukemia cells are found in the spinal fluid, their will be no more spinal tap during this stay at the hospital. I have a feeling that, on numerous future occasions, that Chelsea will be the one help us through these times and not the other way around.


She did vomit once today(all over daddy!) but that is because mommy and daddy wanted to see if she could handle the anaesthesia medicine(from her spinal tap this morning) without anti-nausea medicine.


We know these are first battles of a long, long road to recovery but Chelsea's spirit has already given us hope. She will be in the hospital at least three more weeks before returning home for a week. She will have five separate hospital stays, including this one. Each stay will vary in length(25-40 days) depending on how Chelsea recovers from the chemo. She will enjoy one week at home in between each stay.


I know that everyone knows a little something about our Chelsea. Here is what she is, through her father's eyes. She is very independent. She wants what she wants and that is it! She is also very lovable and gives the most unbelievable hugs and kisses. She constantly wants to have fun. At home, she loves playing with blocks and her baby dolls. She loves writing and drawing. She was not into books but, since she has been at the hospital, maybe out of necessity(she is confined to her bedroom)she is gotten more into them. She loves, absolutely loves, playing with her brother. She is a sloppy, picky eater. She is loves pasta, green beans, carrots and cheese.For breakfast, it is Apple Jacks or Froot Loops. Her dessert of choice is fruit snacks, which she must eat on a bowl on the kitchen floor with her brother. She is a good sleeper but needs to be held to her schedule. She likes to play with sidewalk chalk in the driveway and just started getting into the sandbox in the backyard. She does not like TV and needs to be constantly on the move. She has an outgoing personality and will make friends with anyone. She has her daddy wrapped around your finger and she knows it.

Thank you, everyone. The love everyone has showed was blown Liz and I away.