Charlotte's Journey

First of all, We got excellent news back as Charlotte’s full lab work ups (blood and chemistries) returned and everything was perfect! We must monitor Charlotte very closely, not just for evidence of cancer but for a host of other issues these kids will face after all this treatment. So, we celebrate this moment where she is doing so great! We are still getting results back regarding what immunizations she has retained antibodies for and so far it looks like she will need to repeat many but that is expected after transplant. Secondly, for those who have cared for Riley Rose, she has a very big day today. I wanted to ask for your prayers once again, for this little girl who has stolen our hearts over here. Her family is praying for a miracle...once again. Unfortunately, the trial she started after she relapsed has not worked. Recent scans show her disease has continued to progress. They are devastated. Today, they are having another scan to determine the full extent of her disease pro

Longer post coming but for now, after about an 8 hour day at Duke, most of it which was waiting (in agony!!) to see her team and go over the scan results—Charlotte’s scans 6 months post treatment are CLEAR! NED—no evidence of disease! Thank You God❤️🌈 And as always, thanks to all of you out there praying for our baby girl. We feel the deep, deep breath. We feel so grateful and blessed Sweet kiss from her brother, Parker as she was sleeping off sedation today. He was our third wheel with us as he broke his arm yesterday🙈 After every storm there is a rainbow of hope...here I am Dr Sun, our oncologist, gave us the news exactly 2 years ago today that Charlotte has a massive abdominal tumor from the CT results that she believed was Neuroblastoma  A long day at the hospital is better together This week at Duke, Charlotte found this rock “Then God Stepped In” and we signed it and she rehid it near the water fountains where we made many a wish  Sto

Today, I thought about the Starfish Parable. Most have heard of this story before but just in case here it is: “One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore, after a storm, by the high tide. As he walked, he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one. Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without looking up from his task, the boy simply replied, “I’m saving these starfish, Sir”. The old man chuckled aloud, “Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?” The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to the man, said, “I made a difference to that one!” I thought about how this wise parable seems to be left unfinished. What if, after the old man had met that boy, he decided to help him. What if what the boy did and said inspired him? And what if soon others s