Thursday, December 16, 2010 10:08 AM, EST

Ally has a yucky cough. We were given permission to use a cough syrup to help her sleep (even though she won't be 4 until the end of January). It helped last night, but she has a very hard time falling asleep. She has taken the last two days off from school. Today she is going to school. Please keep her in your thoughts, so that she will have enough energy for the Polar Express on Sunday. She is soooooo excited to visit the North Pole. Make-A-Wish is even putting us up in a hotel for the night and giving us dinner. We are hoping the snow blows out to sea and we can have a magical evening! I will be sure to take lots of pictures and update about our adventure.

To go with my new old tub, is my new old tree, which is a copy of an even older tree. . . .

Solstice is coming!

Solstice is coming,
The goose is getting fat.
Please to put a penny in
The old man's hat

If you haven't got a penny
A ha' penny will do.
If you haven't got a ha' penny
Then God bless you!

jjl

Third Poem of the Snow Trilogy

Pure

As the driven snow is pure as a babe's heart

born in a stable

when hell freezes over

when the firmament rises from the depths

and on turtles back we land on shore

to hurry into the mud before winter.

The void is cold and black

snow cold and white.

Life was hard before fire.

So we tend the fire of humanity's warmth

or try.

God's gift of Love, mother earth turning

towards the sun yet we slip towards solstice.

Days shorter, shortest.

And give gifts to each other

Happy to be alive and saved.

No need to question

the act is the answer.

Give and you will receive.

By Phil Specht on Dec 15, 2010

jjl

Igloo Snow

I know none of the hundred Inuit words

But today the snow broke in big blocks

(as I plowed), and they were building blocks.

A child could make a snow fort (or igloo)

and the fury of the drift making wind,

the heavy wet snow not heavy enough

but with plummet of temperature now dense

not hard, shapeable

leaves this snow with a name.

yet were you outdoors without shelter

as nature gave this gift you would die

so as with an economy not well aputiak

we build with imperfect snow what may be

a temporary shelter waiting for the great storm

that delivers the real thing

building block snow with a price.

By Phil Specht on Dec 13, 2010

Merry Christmas!

Monday, December 13, 2010 8:07 AM, EST

We had a great weekend! On Saturday we had breakfast with some friends. Ally was very excited about her pancake with the fruit face. Later that day we went to a Christmas party. This party was put on by New Hampshire Childhood Cancer Life Line. This organization has been great. When Ally was first diagnosed they sent us a bunch of stuff in the mail, including big gift cards for local grocery shopping, a blanket and some other trinkets. They have all sorts of events, and a summer camp (that I think is free), but this is the first event we were able to attend. Ally had a blast. She decorated a gingerbread house, made an ornament and decorated a picture frame. Santa was there and Ally did a little dancing. There were not too many people there, so it was just Ally's speed. She enjoyed herself very much....you can see how much she enjoyed the cupcake in the new picture!

On Sunday we brought Ally to Grammie and Grampa S's house. She had tons of fun putting together a toy train, making yummy pumpkin bread and making ornaments, while Mommy and Daddy took a few hours to go Christmas shopping and have lunch at the Taste of India in Dover (our favorite restaurant from when we lived there)!

Ally does have a nasty cough and a sometimes runny nose. Her temp has remained normal, please pray that it remains so. Daddy is home sick today too.

Weather Report

Seem to have missed the snow and ice. Or it missed me. Got a bit of rain this morning, and most of the ice has disappeared from the river. Tomorrow: back to brutal.

jjl

A Poem for John On His Birthday

Your diamonds in the sky with Lucy, mine in the snow

today as the sun rose in the woods, the temperature dropped

a magical mystery tour, as flakes turned to crystal

and your voice in my head, (we fed our heads together John, those years)

no music to the magic today but yours

woodland turned to white strawberry fields

as I try each day to imagine, and in the silence

of your absence have songs

playing now only in my head with yours

come together

By Phil Specht on Dec 8, 2010 8:18 PM

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My new old tub begins its journey to its last home. . . .

Thanks, Cooter!!

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Monday, December 6, 2010 5:22 PM, EST

Thank you for all of your prayers.

Today Ally was feeling much better.
She had a normal temperature all day and did lots more eating!

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Sunday, December 5, 2010 4:20 PM, EST

This weekend we got our Christmas tree. Ally thought it might be too big, but as it turns out it fits perfectly in our living room. Ally had fun decorating it.

This past week I have not been feeling well, and a doctor told me I have bronchitis on Friday. Today we were at the Make-A-Wish Holiday party and about 20 minutes after we got there Ally started to shut down. A little bit later she said her tummy hurt. She slept for the 20 minute ride home, and then again for another hour and a half when we got home. Her temp is running in the high 99s. Please pray we don't have to take her up to the hospital tonight or tomorrow, and that a good night's rest will rid her of her fever. We were sad to leave the party so early, because it was AWESOME, and we only got a little taste of it. We will be sure not to miss next year's party!

That's it for now, I will be sure to let you know what happens with the temperature.

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=allys

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NEW MOON REMINDER… Sunday, December 5, 12:37pm EST

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Ally’s Story:

Since February 2008, Ally has been fighting Stage IV, high-risk Neuroblastoma. She has undergone numerous rounds of chemo, 20 sessions of radiation, tandem stem cell transplants, 2 major operations, and too many scans and smaller procedures to count. Ally went into remission around Thanksgiving of 2008. The tumor returned in February of 2009. She is currently undergoing 3f8 treatment at Sloan-Kettering in New York City. As of November 24, 2010 she is HAMA positive, and on hold for treatment until she becomes HAMA negative. In December 2010 she will undergo dental surgery to correct what the chemo and other treatments have done to her teeth. She is also up for her 3 month scans, around the same time.

Ally Update:

Happy Hanukkah to our friends who celebrate!

Today is my second day home sick. (I know this blog is about Ally, but, hey, I write it!) I have not taken a sick day for myself since before I was pregnant with Ally, and now I am on day two. I am pretty sure it is the flu, even though I got the shot. The worst part (other than the screaming migraine) has been staying away from Ally, so she doesn't get sick.

Anyway...on to Ally. Today I e-mailed her doctor at Sloan (who has been much easier to work with lately!!), and here is the plan: We will draw Ally's HAMA on December 16th, with results on the 22nd. If she is HAMA negative we will head to NYC for 3f8 and stay for 2 weeks, with the second week being for scans. If she is positive we will plan for scans here. The doctor in New York said we can even do bone marrows up here, which is a change in what they have said before, but works in our favor, so I will not complain.

Our only setback right now is Ally's weight. Since she has been off the appetite stimulant medicine she has lost between one and two pounds. Not cause for concern just yet, but we are keeping our eyes on it. Please pray that she finds a tasty, high fat, Holiday treat that will put some pounds (or at least ounces) back on her.

Ally is in love with the Holiday Season. It is so magical to watch her be so excited about everything! Life is good right now!

"AIDS Ribbon Chair," 2000
Michael Ransom
carved wood with paint, 4.5" x 4" x 4"

The mills of the Gods. . . .

DeLay has chosen to have Senior Judge Pat Priest sentence him. He faces five years to life in prison on the money laundering charge and two to 20 years on the conspiracy charge. He also would be eligible for probation.

Things your gubmint needs to know. . . . .

.

Forgot where I got this. If you know, let me know, and I'll attribute it. I think it's astonishing.

novembergale

♥ A L L Y ♥ U P D A T E ! ♥


Wednesday, November 17, 2010 6:44 PM, EST

Tomorrow Ally has a HAMA draw. We will find out the results next Wednesday; to see if we are headed back to NYC, or if we need to wait it out longer.

Ally has been doing well lately. She is enjoying school. One of her favorite games to play is "Circle Time." This is when we all circle up (stuffed animals included) and we sing, Ally reads a story, and other activities happen.

That's it for now. Thanks for checking in on us!

P.S. The new picture is Ally "knitting." She likes to copy what we do, and I have been knitting like crazy lately!

travelingangel2003

11th hour, 11th day, 11th month

Thank you, daddy. I won't forget.

Henry Wallace, father, grandfather, and son

I know some remarkable people. Thank you, Howard.

Ally Update:

Saturday, November 6, 2010 5:42 PM, EDT

I started this journal on February 15, 2008.
Today is the first Saturday since that day that Ally has not had to take medicine!

Who's Buying This Election? Close to Half the Money Fueling Outside Ads Comes From Undisclosed Donors

By Megan R. Wilson on November 2, 2010 6:09 PM

| More

Of the nearly $300 million spent by outside groups so far in attempts to influence the election, the public remains completely in the dark about who’s behind 42 percent of these expenditures, an Election Day analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics indicates.

Some groups spending big bucks in advance of the election -- namely nonprofits that classified as 501(c) groups under the U.S. tax code -- are not required by law to disclose their donors. And their political investments this year have proliferated, with some of these groups taking advantage of the new campaign finance landscape that no longer prohibits their use of corporate cash in the final stretch of the election.

At the federal level, more than $123 million has been donated by anonymous sources to nonprofit organizations that have run television and radio advertisements, sent out direct mailers and bought up Internet ad space ahead of today’s election.

Many of these nonprofits are affiliated with explicitly political groups registered under section 527 of U.S. tax code -- political action committees, “super PACs” or other 527 organizations, entities that must disclose their donors. Oftentimes, one organization’s different legal entities use the same name, so tracking where the money is coming from -- and which one of those legal entities is making the expenditures -- is all the more difficult.

Some of those 501(c) groups include Planned Parenthood, Equality California and American Rights at Work on the left and Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, the National Rifle Association and Americans for Prosperity on the right.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a 501(c)6 business association that isn’t required to disclose its donors, ranks as the top outside-spending group that is not a party committee, such as the Democratic National Committee or Republican National Committee. The Chamber has spent $35 million this election cycle on “electioneering communications,” targeted broadcast messages that include a visual or audio reference to federal candidates but don’t expressly advocate for or against those candidates.

The next three of the top five outside spenders are all conservative groups that share office space, operatives and a similar lineage.

American Action Network, a 501(c)4 organization headed by former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), has spent $26.6 million on a combination of general electioneering communications and “independent expenditures” that expressly advocate for or against federal candidates.

American Crossroads, a 527-organization-turned-“Super PAC” that promoted to donors by

Karl Rove, has spent $21.6 on independent expenditures, mostly advocating against Democrats. All of its donors -- many of which are corporations or billionaires -- have been disclosed, as OpenSecrets Blog has previously reported.

American Crossroads’ sister 501(c)4 organization is not required to disclose its donors. This group, Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, has spent $17.1 million on independent expenditures and electioneering communications.

The only liberal-aligned group in the top five outside spenders is the Service Employees International Union. The SEIU has spent more than $15.7 million on ads and other communications as it works to elect Democrats.

Overall, for every $1 a liberal group has spent on these expenditures, a conservative group has spent $2, the Center’s research shows.

40º and no snow yet. Just sayin'. . . .

Nancy *did* say that it was snowing lightly up on her ridge around five. Ain't seen nothin' down here, though.

40º and no snow yet. Just sayin'. . . .

Wednesday, November 3, 2010 8:04 PM, EDT

Every night we read Ally 2 books after we have hooked her up to her pump; one of which is a goodnight book. She has been choosing Good Night Moon for the past couple of months. We have gotten into the habit of letting her choose what is jumping over the moon. Here is what transpired this evening:
Daddy: What is jumping over the moon tonight?
Ally: Pa pa pa pa, something that starts with pa pa pa
Daddy: Penguins?
Ally: PIGGIES!!!!!
Daddy: Ok
Ally: Tomorrow night it will be wa wa wa dubba dubba dubba doubleyou WORM!!!!!
Daddy: WOW! "In the great green room....."

What a fun kiddo we have!

On Tuesday Ally got to be in a marching band at school. All the kids had instruments (Ally had something that shakes and make noise) and marched around the playground. She LOVED it! She is VERY secretive about what happens at school, and rarely shares anything that happens there, but she was willing to tell us about the marching band. In fact, we now have several homemade instruments around our house. Super fun!

As of right now we are in a holding pattern for 3f8 treatment again. She gets HAMA drawn on the 18th, with results on the 24th. Hopefully it will be a great Thanksgiving with plans to go to NYC the following week. (Anything is better than the Emergency Room Thanksgiving of 2009.)

About that smile. . . . Grandson, 1992; Grandfather, 1942. Ages 28 and 33. . . .

Search for truth

restless monkey brain

not in objects

but the art behind ...

impression as memory

of a time when "justice"

had meaning

and corporations

were not people.

Fish lying dead on the beach

are not fit to eat.

Plant seeds.

By Phil Specht on Nov 2, 2010

I VOTED!!

I don't think though that I've ever realized until today how much like Christmas voting is to me. It's all anticipation. Now I feel letdown and worried; it's all over for me, but the counting. And I'm afraid that's going to be really *ugly.*

Next life, I'd like to live in a country full of patient realists instead of antsy two-year olds.

from East Coker

katy99780




Home is where one starts from. As we grow older
The world becomes stranger, the pattern more complicated
Of dead and living. Not the intense moment
Isolated, with no before and after,
But a lifetime burning in every moment
And not the lifetime of one man only
But of old stones that cannot be deciphered.
There is a time for the evening under starlight,
A time for the evening under lamplight
(The evening with the photograph album).
Love is most nearly itself
When here and now cease to matter.
Old men ought to be explorers
Here or there does not matter
We must be still and still moving
Into another intensity
For a further union, a deeper communion
Through the dark cold and the empty desolation,
The wave cry, the wind cry, the vast waters
Of the petrel and the porpoise. In my end is my beginning.

~~T.S. Eliot

TODAY I saw a pair of pileated woodpeckers, on *this* side of the river. Right out my front window!

Thank you Wikipedia for the pic!

Freedom Of Screech

College | North Carolina, USA

(I’m an Admissions Officer and am working at a college fair. We are not religiously affiliated. I run into an alum.)

Me: “Hi, is your daughter interested in [college]?”

Alum: “I’m an alum. Class of ‘83.”

Me: “Fantastic! I’m Class of ‘04. Can I answer any questions for you?”

Alum: “I won’t be letting my daughter look here. I have some issues with how [college] is being run. God is not happy with you, and neither am I.”

Me: “I’m sorry to hear that, ma’am. If you’d like, I’d be happy to take your comment back to the Vice President of-”

Alum: “Are you aware that you let in students with liberal views and speakers with socialist leanings?”

Me: “Ma’am, we have a great deal of speakers on campus with a variety of view points.”

Alum: “The school has gone downhill since we let in those people! So I’ve stopped giving money. You can take that back to them. You’ll no longer see my $25 a year.”

Me: “Ma’am, as an alum myself, I’m proud to have graduated from a school that encourages both freedom of thought and speech in our students and speakers.”

Alum: “You don’t need freedom of speech if you let Jesus think for you.”

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Here is Ally on Halloween Night wearing her butterfly costume.
It is very appropriate as the butterfly is a symbol of resurrection.


Ally Dictionary:

Earzy Pearzys (Ear-Z Peer-Zies): Noun: Anything that has soft, bendable ears, such as Knuckles (her current favorite pig)...NOT Daddy ears!

Happy Birthday, Baby Boy!!

At 2 a.m. on Nov. 7, 2010 turn your clocks back. . . .

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*** The Ally News today is AWESOME!!! ***

Friday, October 29, 2010 6:38 PM, EDT

Lots of news today!

1. Ally's bone marrow results were NED (no evidence of disease)!!!
2. Ally has been off chemo long enough that we can stop one of her medications! She has been on this antibiotic since first being diagnosed!
3. We only have one week left weaning Ally off her appetite stimulant medicine and that will be one more med off her list!!!
4. Ally's next HAMA draw will be November 18.
5. Ally came to Mommy's school today and participated in the Halloween parade!
(Yes, it is one of the last elementary schools to do a Halloween parade and it is AWESOME!!!)
6. We have a busy weekend ahead with a birthday party and trick-or-treating.

Ally Dictionary:

“Napmak” (nap - mak): noun: Ally's word for napkin (one of her few baby words left).

My plot ~~ sorry this isn't clearer. It was the best of the lot, and it's gone now. Note to self: download pictures sooner. . . .

Wednesday, October 27, 2010 10:55 AM, EDT

Ally did a great job on the overnight at Grammy and Grampa's house. She was very clingy to Mommy and Daddy when we picked her up the next morning. She insists she will not be spending the night at Grammy and Grampa's again. We have no plans to be out overnight right now, but hopefully if the opportunity arises again Ally will change her mind.

Yesterday we had a wonderful playdate. Ally got to play outside and then we did some Halloween crafts! She had tons of fun.

Today I called about HAMA. She is positive (which we thought might happen), so we are on hold for treatment again. Good things: she can now trick - or - treat on the right night, she does not have to endure another week of treatment so soon, and being at home is nice. Bad things: treatment is good.

I am still waiting to hear back about bone marrow results.

More video of Rand Paul Thugs Stomping Democratic Woman

Mad With Joy!

Ally Dictionary:

"Piggy Ups": (command) What Ally says when she would like to be picked up.


Saturday, October 23, 2010 4:24 PM, EDT

For the first time in 1,392 days Ally will not be spending the night with one or more of her parents. She will be spending this evening with her Grammy and Grampa, and her Mommy and Daddy will be at a grown up party! This is a big step for all 3 of us. We are super happy Grammy and Grampa are willing to take on the medical needs of Ally for a night, and we will try not to rush home tomorrow morning, but savor the adult time. Yeah for us!

As we are preparing to pack her up for Grammy and Grampa's Ally just said to Daddy: "Let's just clean up." "What should I do and what will you do?" was Daddy's response. Ally's answer (in a tired voice): "You clean up and I will just watch."

I'll let you know how Ally's night went in my next post.

From a Blogger at DFA

My re-forming of Social Security

By publius on Oct 22, 2010 11:47 PM EDT

First, take it off the table when addressing the deficit. It never has contributed to the deficit and has in fact financed much of it.

Reduce the deficit with progressive income tax increases now and spending reductions if and when economy seems to get back to some sense of normalcy, ie 3 % growth, 6 % unemployment. Finance Sustainable economy and infrastructure with carbon tax.

If health insurance coverage mandates and patient care spending percentages are enforced, the insurance industry will say no thanks and medicare taxes will increase very modestly as healthier, younger population is absorbed into the public program.

Okay, so deficit, public investments, and even health care coverage solved, what to do with social security?

With the other budget items accounted for separately, SocSec will continue to run a surplus with revenue in excess of benefit payments. There will be a percentage of the FICA proceeds that are redistributed to current beneficiaries and a remaining percentage that is surplus.

Present practice is for the Federal government to put that surplus into treasury bonds/bills that it buys from itself. That will no longer be the case.

From now on, that percentage of current benefit payments and surplus in treasury notes will be applied on an individual basis nationwide.

Investing the wage earner in America

By publius on Oct 22, 2010 11:55 PM EDT

If say 65 % of FICA revenues were paid out to beneficiaries, then 65% of each wage earner's payroll deduction is applied to the current expenditure.

The remaining 35% (or whatever the program percentage annual surplus is) will purchase treasury notes on an individual basis.
The wage earner's surplus contribution is returned with T-bills with their name on them. Year by year.

That, my friends, is a lock box with every worker having their own key.

Stole this. Worth a look. . . .

Some Grass Flowers at the Muhlenberg Meadow

Some interesting grass flowers seen on the Muhlenberg Botanic Club walk to the Muhlenberg Meadow at Lancaster County Central Park

Today five of us braved the very light rain to stroll through the Muhlenberg Meadow. Tim Draude talked about the planting he and other club volunteers did about 10 years ago to crate the meadow and the volunteer work that is done to keep out trees, shrubs and invasive weeds. Many flowers were in bloom, you can see the list of plants at the meadow here.

I particularly enjoyed looking closely at grasses in bloom which I think are intricately beautiful. Here are pictures of the flowers of two of our large native grasses at the meadow. Tripsacum dactyloides (Eastern Gamma Grass) is related to corn, Zea mays, and has separate male flowers above the female flowers as corn does. In this case yellow stamens and fuzzy purple pistils.

And a recommendation by an expert: Briza Maxima

Sunday, October 17, 2010 3:01 PM, EDT





So, Ally ended up not going to school on Thursday, because she was so tired. It looks like she is just going to need some recovery time after 3f8. She was adamant about going on Wednesday, and then just as adamant about not going on Thursday. She took a much needed nap instead. She is very much looking forward to going back next week.

We have been relaxing and spending family time together this weekend. It has been nice to be relaxed, not rushed and comfortable.

I have finally uploaded some pictures from NYC. Cameras are not allowed at the hospital (and you don't want to see what actually happens during 3f8 anyway), and we feel pictures at the Ronald fall under the same category, so we only took pictures at the zoo, and a couple of Ally sleeping.

We have a busy week ahead (or at least I do...who knew taking a college course, having a full time job, and being Ally's mom would make someone so busy?...I bet my friend Becky knows!)

That's it for now. Ally has a HAMA draw on Thursday, and we will get results on the 27th.

Speaking of grass. . . .

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

This one is nice, too. . . . Pennisetum orientale 'Karley Rose'

What if? What if you made a garden with *only* grasses? Could we begin with this one?

Bottlebrush (Hystrix patula) ~~ already found this in my shade garden, two years ago. And have to hand it to me for NOT thinking it was a weed. . . .

Sarge, this is for you

Sometimes I forget why I love you

. . . . . I have always had a great affection for grass. It seems to stand for quietness and strength.
. . . . . . . . . . ~~ Henry A Wallace


This is why:

You gave me grass,
Gardener, painter, my eye never saw them
So soft in the distance, fine in the foreground

Now: spring is not spring without the green girls flouncing
nor summer summer without the fine fringe
the subtle flower
nor fall fall without the seed heads dancing
Winter's fine gold thatch that keeps the ground
and saves and plants seeds for friends and neighbors
nurses the children of strangers

You picked well my love:
how your life's work mirrors your soul
Quiet and strength, indeed

Come soon
my soul needs that
as does my garden



jjl
14 October 2010

Wednesday, October 13, 2010 6:48 PM, EDT

Looking back over the trip to NYC, I would say things went as well as they could. It is never a "good" week when you have to watch your child suffer in intense pain for 5 days, even though it is for the greater good. But, nothing unexpected happened and we made it home safely, so I would say that is a successful week.

Ally is already showing signs of anxiety about the next trip. We are trying to not talk about it, and just let her enjoy her time at home.

She was determined to go to school today. There is construction on the way to school and Grammy and Auntie Stacy had to keep Ally awake on the way there. We found out that Ally spent some time in the rocking chair at school because she was so tired. Hopefully she will be feeling more awake tomorrow.

This morning we got to gather on the State House Lawn for a Make-A-Wish event. It is in connection with the Credit Unions of New Hampshire (I think every credit union, but I am not positive, you can check the Make-A-Wish website to find out the ones that are participating). If you are interested, I think you can just go to your local credit union (even if you are not a member) and buy a calendar for $25. The money goes to Make-A-Wish, and Ally will be on the calendar! Plus you fill out the bottom and get placed into a drawing. (This is my understanding from the event this morning, I may be completely wrong, and if so I hope "Wishing Lady" Donna reads this and corrects anything in the Guestbook, and then I will be sure to repost if need be.

Ally is also a little ball of emotions. She was very upset when I had to leave for work after the Make-A-Wish event, and Grammy had to rush inside with a crying Ally. I think it is just the emotion and craziness of the NYC trip, by next week she should be good.

That's about it. Next week we already test for HAMA again (on the 21st). We will get results on the 27th. One of the Nurse Practitioners down in New York thought it would be very unlikely for Ally to remain HAMA negative, but we will just wait and see. If she is negative Daddy and Ally will head to NYC on Halloween and do round 4 of 3f8 on November 1st. We will need to convince our neighbors to do trick or treating a day early for Ally!

Thanks, Rod!!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010 3:07 PM, EDT

We made it home!

Tomorrow morning we get to meet our Governor at a Make-A-Wish event...more on that later.....

And somebody tried to snipe me, too. Thank you, Godde.

Patagonia, heavy fleece, pre-owned . . . . bargain

Monday, October 11, 2010 1:26 PM, EDT

Today went very smoothly. Ally was taken right on time, and the procedure went very smoothly. They even said we did not have to do a 4 hour urine collection today! So, we were back at the Ronald by 11:30.

We are headed out on a morning train tomorrow....I hope Daddy is ready for a big Ally hug, because she informed me she is going to run to him and give him a huge hug!

Sunday, October 10, 2010 2:04 PM, EDT

Ally had a great time at the zoo yesterday. She was much more willing to play in the children's part of the zoo, than the last time we went. We got some cute pictures.

Ally was not a fan of the 30 minute walk to the zoo and back though. It put her in a cranky mood for the afternoon, but she snapped out of it later in the evening.

Today we headed to FAO Schwarz. Ally has been a trooper all week, so I told her she could pretty much pick whatever she wanted. She chose the smallest little Olivia stuffed animal in the store, stating: "I gots lots stuff at home, little Olivia good for me." She is such a sweetie.

When we got back to the Ronald today they were having some fun and food in the cafeteria area. Ally got to decorate a pumpkin and color. She had a great time.

However, we were up every 2 hours last night because Ally had/has diarrhea. It is one of the side effects of coming off all the narcotics and other meds she got this week. It has also caused her to not want to eat. Today she has only had part of an English muffin and part of a cookie. Hopefully the nap she is taking right now will set her tummy right and she will eat eat eat tonight at dinner.

We are scheduled for Quad Bone Marrow Aspirates tomorrow at 10:30 and a 4 hour urine collection. Please pray the 4 hour urine collection can start when we arrive at the hospital (at 8:30) and not after the bone marrows, and that the bone marrows are on time, because Ally is not allowed to eat or drink until they are done.

1903

Threshing Crew

The wash basin on the porch

as close as the men get to the parlor

or dining room

green lawn shade for furniture

soft enough for a quick nap for the young man

tasked with forking straw or shoveling out the wagon to bin

but quick alert to the smell of the roasted chicken

and fresh baked peach pie

meal served on the picnic table

for the dirt, clean and honest though it may be

must be left to the outdoors

or a dip in the cow tank

at dusk

By Phil Specht on October 8, 2010

Friday, October 8, 2010 3:22 PM, EDT

All done!

Today threw a curve ball into the whole situation. Partway through the pain Ally started to retch and throw up. It was pretty scary, because it was all mucousy and she seemed to be struggling to breathe for part of it, but it passed quickly, and she settled down into some good sleep. She even had less hives today. Right now she is resting next to me in bed, and seems to be in a better mood.

Before we left we got instructions for Monday. Right now she is scheduled for Bone Marrows at 10:30, hopefully they won't get pushed back too much.

Our plan is to visit the Central Park Zoo tomorrow!

Thursday, October 7, 2010 11:50 AM, EDT

Today is going better. Ally's pain lasted for about 20 minutes, she has not required oxygen, but she is covered in hives.
We are still at the hospital, letting Ally sleep it off a bit before we plop her in the stroller and bring her back to the Ronald.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010 1:24 PM, EDT

Today sucked.
Ally had pain for at least an hour (it's hard to keep time in this situation), required all her meds, plus they needed to order more for her. She also broke out in hives. When we left the hospital she was still covered in them. Also, she is a crabby pants right now (can't say that I blame her) and is upset if I move or make too much noise....it is to my own peril that I update at this time, but I needed to vent. If I feel more chipper later I will try to find the silver lining for today......

Tuesday, October 5, 2010 8:11 PM, EDT

Today went.....well, it went. Ally had pain for about 20 minutes. She usually settles into sleep after that, but our roommate was VERY loud today (totally acceptable for this treatment) and woke Ally up repeatedly, and it just kept upsetting Ally. She needed all of her pain rescue meds and she also needed oxygen for a while. We were able to leave the hospital around 1:30ish and Ally slept until we went to dinner at 6:30. While at dinner she kind of "snapped out of it" and had a little to eat. We talked with Daddy and Grammy on Skype after dinner and Ally was ready for bed around 7:30. She is our brave girl and she is rockin' it here in NYC.