Hannah Update 10.23.08

Just a quick update tonight...we went to Children's Hospital today for bloodwork, and Hannah's platelet count was low again. So, while they waited for the platelets to arrive from the blood bank, we ran over to CARTI for Hannah's radiation treatment, then headed back to Children's for her infusion. The infusion was uneventful, and by about 3:00, we were headed for home. Her bloodwork also showed that her white cell count has also continued to drop, and she is very close to the point where they will order her to be in isolation (no going to school, Wal-Mart, church, etc). This is not really too much of a problem...since pretty much the only places she goes right now are to Children's and to CARTI. Tomorrow morning we will return to Children's for the insertion of a PICC line--a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter. Once this is inserted, they'll be able to do all of the blood draws, transfusions, and chemotherapy treatments through that line, and she will no longer have to be stuck every time! This will be a real blessing, because her arms and hands are covered with bruises from all of the bloodwork and infusions she's had to have in the last couple of weeks.

Yesterday was Hannah's 17th birthday...and she received dozens of emails, text messages, Facebook messages, phone calls, cards, etc. She even had a surprise visit from a group of her school friends yesterday evening, who brought her a digital camera and all the accessories. The kids at school had secretly been collecting money for a couple of weeks, and it was a wonderful surprise when they came over last night. We have been blessed with so many wonderful friends....We can never thank all of you enough for the kindnesses you've shown to our family! Thank you so much for making her birthday special!

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

God is good, all the time!
Brad & Jill

P.S. If you have the opportunity, try to watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on Sunday evening, Oct. 26th. The young man whose family will be featured on the show that night is being treated at Children's Hospital, and was receiving an infusion today at the same time Hannah was. They have told us that a lot of the filming was done in the Oncology Clinic at Children's and some of our doctors and nurses were interviewed for the show.