Keeping Kolby

Well......now that we are breathing a little easier these days knowing that Kolby is beating the battle.....we sure are enjoying watching Kolby build back her strength and grow back her hair. LOL! Her hair has grown back in about an inch. It's pretty dark too. It sure will be interesting to see what her hair will look like after it has grown a few more inches. Kolby has pulled out her scrap books and she figures her natural hair was always a little bit darker...but thanks to Kristi, her sister who is a hair dresser, the high lights definitely made her hair blonder. Kolby had another round of chemo last week and she finished all her meds on Tuesday. We are so thankful that the side effects are minimal. Although, on Friday she woke up with absolutely no energy, so she stayed in bed and slept all day. I have to remind myself that Kolby is still undergoing chemo for the next 5 months, and that she is going to have those "under the weather" days. She never complains, and she ...

We always get so nervous when we go to Kolby's doctor appointments. The doctors are pretty confident that the chemotherapy is working, but with the scans spaced 3 months apart, you can't help but wonder what has been going on in her body with the cancer during that 3 month span. It only makes you more anxious and worried as you get news that someone else that you know of...has lost the battle with cancer...and now is "in a better place". That is not the news you want to hear. What you really what to hear is that they are in complete remission and they beat the battle with this deadly disease. Unfortunately...and sadly...that isn't always the case. Your heart sinks and you just feel so bad for those who have lost someone that they loved so much. On Thursday we went to Kolby's doctors appointment and had her next chemotherapy treatment. (There are only 5 more 21 day cycle treatments after this cycle.) We sat and talked with Dr Rashid about Kolby's body scans...

Kolby has a doctor's appointment tomorrow. We'll get the results of her scan and she will receive a chemo treatment. Her spirits are high and she is feeling good today!

When Kolby went for her last doctor's appointment last Wednesday her blood count was so low that her doctor told her she wasn't allowed to go to school or out in public. So, on Thursday after her scans we went back to the doctors and she received a shot to boost her white blood count. Here's Kolby getting another one of her scans....and we are still waiting for the results. Kolby is feeling great these days. We are just anxiously waiting for her results from her scan. She plans on going back to school tomorrow.

I know that this has very little to do with Kolby and her battle with cancer...but I thought it was important enough that I wanted to share it with many of you that know us. It has been really difficult and challenging as parents to find ways to express our appreciation for all of the love and support we continually receive for Kolby...especially from all of our friends and family. I wish we could somehow find a way to repay all the favors and kindness that we have been privileged to receive. I don't know that we ever can! So many...have done so much! Hopefully we can find a way to simply..."pay it forward". And then at the end of this week...I received this very urgent email; Dear John, You've been identified as a possible marrow match for a 4 year old male patient in need of a transplant. The patients doctor is trying to determine treatment options as quickly as possible. Please call me immediately to tell me if you're willing and able to become a donor. When ...

Kolby had a nice relaxing weekend. She hung out with her cousin, Drew, the whole weekend. They had so much fun Friday night, that at 2:00 a.m. I heard them out in the family room giggling, so I went out and told them they needed to go to bed, and they told me that I needed to go to bed! Drew spent the whole weekend with Kolby keeping her company watching movies, playing the WII, and Drew even helped Kolby clean her room. (Thanks Drew!!!) Kolby has also been busy doing a lot of make up work. But, Kolby is feeling great. She just gets tired easy. Other than that, Kolby had a great week and weekend, and now she is off to a brand new week, and hopefully it will be just as wonderful as last weekend.

Kolby went to the doctors today and her numbers were high! Those steroids she takes after chemo always keep her numbers up. She is feeling good and today is a great day. Gabby, her bestest buddy invited her to the UNLV / BYU game tonight. She text me and told me she was having a blast. I just love it when Kolby has a great time. I love it when she smiles and genuinely has fun. So, cheers to another good day!!!

Kolby did not want Winter break to end. She wasn't ready to go back to school. But she was a trooper and she got up, went to seminary and school. I came home from work and found her sitting on the couch doing her homework and makeup work. But she was exhausted. Thankfully, this chemo treatment didn't make Kolby sick, just tired. Her low energy level gets the best of her. But she is feisty and she does what she wants to do, and then again, she doesn't do what she doesn't want to do too. LOL Kolby is also counting down until she turns 16. 36 more days! Yikes. She is excited about that...but me, I am not in any hurry. Doctor's appointment tomorrow, and they will tell us when her next scans are.