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)

We have only read the test results ourselves and have not heard from any doctors yet. Her TSH is uncomparable, since the tests they do at Dartmouth don't go any higher than ">100" so is it 400 again, or 101 or 1000? But her T4 was up, almost to the normal range. So hopefully that means... (More)

On Sunday, we went to the Franklin Park Zoo. This event was hosted by the Jimmy Fund clinic for its patients. It was sobering how many families were there, and it reminded me how many different types of childhood cancer there are. We had a fun time, though . There was a bubble lady, face... (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)

Here's a quick update. Grace has some virus that she's fighting off and she gave it to me, too. In medical news, she had a checkup and echocardiogram on Tuesday and all that looks good. So far we haven't observed anything noticeable, either good or bad. She got fitted for a hearing aid, and... (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)

I get daily emails from GodTube.com, and they are often worth reading.  Today's devotional  was good. While I don't ever feel (well, not since just after the bone marrow transplant) that "life is over", it is sometimes hard to think about what Grace's life will be like, and the... (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)

The appointment with the NF1 doctor went well. One of her oncology doctors was also there, the one who works closely in the NF1 world. Jon didn't remember meeting the NF1 doctor, but it was right at the very beginning, during Grace's first hospital stay, when she was diagnosed. So, much to be... (More)

We were so relieved and happy to have Jon and Grace with us for Family Camp. Daley summer life has been super full as usual.  Jon got special permission for Grace to ride the Summerfest carousel all by herself (and he wiped the horse down with hospital disinfectant wipes.)... (More)

Heather is better at writing the updates than I am, though I've been intending to write a few since we've been back in the hospital. She has been doing quite well the last few days and much more cheery.  Nothing like a colonoscopy to cheer you up I guess.  I hadn't been paying... (More)

Grace has been on a clear liquid diet until today where she is getting nothing into her stomach until anesthesia at 5:30.  She will be getting a complete GI scope and a bone marrow biopsy.  Please pray for the anesthesiologist and the surgeons as well as for Grace. Jon called this... (More)

Today is day +133. (Jon updated this post) Grace has been having belly pain and a lot of mucus in her stool, often with blood as well.  We took her off cow's milk again (she had been asking for it instead of almond milk.)  We haven't seen much improvement in the last week, and she... (More)