Daley Ponderings

Well, it's been a couple of months since we posted an update. We're thankful for this break from medical appointments. With the dry weather, Grace's skin has really broken out. It gets dry and itchy, and then she scratches so hard that she makes herself bleed, and gives herself welts. So our... (More)

Some pretty good appointments yesterday, and the snow (9 inches?!) wasn't too bad at all driving up to Dartmouth (one car sped by our line of traffic and a couple minutes later was spun off the road in the median, but she was already out of the car and on the phone, so presumably was fine, but... (More)

Grace is getting an MRI, and ECG, and bloodwork (including thyroid) tomorrow morning at Dartmouth.  I'm not sure how much the thyroid medicine is working, so we'll see what the numbers say.  Her skin is very dry and she has rashes in places, and also the dryness is itchy so she... (More)

Jeremiah and I will be with Heather's first cousin once removed and sailing from Florida to Connecticut starting tomorrow. We've thought about going in prior years, but the schedule never quite worked out, but this year we decided we would jump in; we don't really know what to expect, but... (More)

Wednesday's many tests all went well. The MRI showed shrinkage of the tumor, especially around the ear canal (less so in the cheek/salivary gland.) The hearing test confirmed Grace's attestation that her right ear is significantly improved. Her eyes are still perfect. Her heart is also good, no... (More)

Today is Day +500 and we have much to rejoice over! We are so thankful for Grace's good marrow results, so thankful to reach this milestone. I feel so much lighter now, and the smaller things that bothered me last week don't seem so bad anymore. Here are some recent pictures and quotes... (More)

The day of prayer and fasting for Grace has been scheduled for this Wednesday, June 11, 2025. Please observe this in the way that seems best to you. Jon and Grace will be at the Hillsboro Methodist Church ( 16 Henniker Street, Hillsboro, NH 03244 ) from 11AM - 6PM. Pray for complete... (More)

Jon was reading through Grace's test results and saw that the most recent bone marrow report mentioned the JAK3 mutation. He contacted her doctors because we thought that one was gone following the transplant. Dartmouth doctors can't see her Boston results to compare  so they contacted... (More)

On Thursday, Grace got her hearing aid! They did a whole hearing test so they could program the device to her exact needs. The inner ear test shows that she hears fine on that end. So the aid amplifies the sound so it can reach the inner ear.  She noticed new sounds right away, and she... (More)

Our week has been somewhat full, with a few extra church services, including Maundy Thursday with handbells, which I didn't find out until the end of the service that it wasn't recorded, and I meant to record it during rehearsal, but I forgot.  But, it went well, despite Jeremiah being... (More)

We had our appointment with the NF1/oncology doctor yesterday. It turns out the neurofibroma is even bigger than we thought. In addition to what we already knew, which is that it goes from her external ear where we can see into her middle ear, it also extends down under her ear into her parotid... (More)

An ENT, a radiologist and an oncologist walk into a bar... Oh, maybe not, but they at least had a discussion about Grace while looking over the MRI and CT scan together and the conclusion is that it isn't a plexiform fibroma at all!  Which is what Heather has had the faith to pray for... (More)

Grace had several appointments at Dartmouth today: audiology, ENT, oncology/nf1, lab draw This is my memory's summary of Jon's report to me: A lot of time for not a lot of progress.  Education/information, but no decisions. The ENT was not experienced, so they want her to see the adult... (More)

Today is Day +365. One year ago, this is where we were: Today, Faith is recovered enough to participate in On Belay's Teen Winter Outdoor Adventure (pictures may come later, since she is there as I type.) Grace had her first post-chemo haircut (just bangs) the other day.... (More)

From all outward appearances, Grace has been doing very well. She's eating well and gaining weight. All her blood numbers look good. She only has one more week of her last medicine. However, I noticed a dark spot in her right ear and wondered if it could be connected to her hearing... (More)