Bekah goes to Tucson tomorrow

[maureenreynolds]

Sharlah leaves tomorrow with Bekah for Tucson to start the chemo with the Bone Marrow Transplant scheduled for her real birthday Oct 14th. Isn't that strange?? She will be at

University Medical Center
1501 North Campbell Ave
Tucson, AZ 85724
United States

If anyone would like to send her a birthday card or postcard, it's Rebekah Reynolds. All prayers are greatly appreciated! Maureen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bekah had a really nice birthday party yesterday! We only had family there, but we also had a few friends stop by and give presents to Bekah! The picture is of my friend Callee with me and Bekah (hiding) and a youth group that made a beautiful hello kitty quilt! Thank-you young ladies! (Jessica, Jessica, Mairi, Amy. Jodi, Kelcie, and Machell)

Today is our last day home and we leave in the morning for 3 months. I will get to come home every weekend after the first month, but this first month Rich and Michael will travel up to Tucson to see me and Bekah on the weekends. Today I kept Michael home from preschool. I have been giving him lots of hugs and kisses and trying to prepare him for my and Bekah's departure. I told him we will get to see him on the weekends but we will be gone for a long time and will call him every day. I am not sure how much he understands but everytime I walk by I have to squeeze hug him! then he gets all upset..."Mommy stop!"

I will update there as well. They have computers in the Ronald McDonald home and I will bring my lap top for the hospital.

Thank-you for all of your birthday wishes! lots of love~Sharlah
ps...some of you have asked for an address to send Bekah some things. I will see if I can have some things sent to the Ronald McDonald home, but I am not sure. It is so sweet of you!

[maureenreynolds]

From Sharlah...

Bekah wants to write you all...
hi thank you for my prs i like um.
love bekah.
(CB friend Andrew's idea!) I think she was saying thank-you for the prayers.

It seems I can so strong, without too many emotional breakdowns, but sometimes in a rare quiet moment like last night- I start to think and can't contain all the emotions.

I have so many thank-yous for so many people (You know who you are and how you have each helped. Bless you and thank-you!)... Each and every one of you have helped out in a way that has made it possible for Rich and I to get through this without additonal worries. I truly feel that we have been blessed with so many good friends and family who have pulled together to help us. There are those of you who have been supportive who do not even know us!

I know that I say it over and over....Thank-you. Thank-you for the bottom of my heart. Thank-you from Rich, Michael and Bekah. We thank the Lord every day for his blessings as we go through this dark tunnel. He is our light who guides us, but I know that we are truly not alone as we walk. You are all right there with your candles of hope and encouragement.

I am so nervous, but I know this is the beginning of the journey that will bring complete healing from God- to the Doctors- straight to Bekah. Thank-you for not letting us walk this alone. We love you~Sharlah

[maureenreynolds]

Today is day 3 in Tucson. Day 1 her blood counts were up and so they didn't start the pre-BMT process. By the end of the day they dropped again, so it finally...finally...started.
Sharlah is in the Ronald McDonald house and Bekah may be also and says...
~~~~~~~~~
Hi. I thought I would write quickly on caring bridge and give an update. Plus, I sorta locked myself out of the Ronald McDonald room and am now waiting for someone to get here to let me back in. (I left Bekah this morning to hurry and shower and change before her am chemo treatment.) They are having us move rooms for new carpet. I have to wash the linen before we move (bed and towels-small price to pay for an inexpensive room) and went to put things in the washer, now look at me! I was half asleep and grabbed my car keys, not the room key. aaah!

Yesterday was long. Bekah is extremely sore on her chest. She had three lines put in. One double Broviak and the other a cath port. (The port is under the skin while the Broviak has the lines coming out.) Since she just had surgery to remove a port on her chest on Sat and now they placed these new lines, she can hardly move and is very sore in her chest. Then we got to the BMT room and it wasn't the Princess room she thought she was going to have. Complete breakdown. I think she cried for an hour and nothing could calm her down. It broke my heart. The nurses must have felt badly too, because they did some maneuvering and walla! They moved her into the princess room before bed! I guess an older woman was in there. That was nice of her to agree and the nurses to help. Plus, it made Bekah very happy.

_______
On a side note: Rich called me last night and said the water heater broke. It flooded our hallway and Michael's room. So he had to call someone in who repairs water damage and get that water out before we have a mold problem. Let's hope our Homeowners insurance finally get put to good use! Ironic... they do say when it rains it poors for a good reason. Rich's car accident a few weeks ago, and now this! We haven't called our insurance guy for 8 years and now 2 times in a month.

[whatnext]

following this story closely and hoping for marvels and miracles, Maureen.

[digigrandma]

I have to catch my breath again when I read this, Maureen. You must feel sometimes like it is almost more than one can bear. I'm so glad you update us so we continue to keep you and Bekah's family in our thoughts and prayers.

[LisaD]

Thank you for the updates. Prayers going up. will try to make a card tomorrow for Princess Bekah.

[maureenreynolds]

So glad Sharlah doesn't have the house to deal with!!

~~~~~~~~
Yesterday went pretty good. Yeah! Bekah was in good spirits and so far chemo hasn't had any effects. (I don't think they come until later.) Wait...she is being pumped full of fluids, so we do have to go to the bathroom every hour, but this will hopefully save her kidneys!

While Bekah had 6 pumps going she looked up at the meds and felt her hair. She then looked at me while touching her hair and said "I don't think I am getting that medicine yet that makes my hair fall out." I just kinda sat there processing what she was saying, then it dawned on me, she thought it would happen fast! So we discussed it and how it will happen later, but not yet. She seems to be ok with it.

Today is the same as yesterday. I still don't have a log in at the hospital for my lap top. It seems like I hardly get a moment to actually sit but maybe after transplant when things settle down when we wait for the stem cells to graft, I can catch up. (So I am sorry I haven't had a chance to respond to some emails.)

I am at the Ronald McDonald house doing some laundry (PJ's and blanket from some accidents...but I didn't lock my self out this time!)

This is such a surreal feeling. I keep thinking they are going to come back and say..."We made a mistake." or "She started to grow cells and we don't need the transplant!" Despite this, I do continue to count our blessings. Things could be so much worse and I am grateful to the Lord that they are not.

Rich and his mom are dealing with the house. Our home insurance will take care of the bulk of the cost. Yeah! They have to replace the carpet and had to place 4 holes in the walls (in both the hallway and Michael's room). They are drying it out with 4 huge fans and once the inspector gives the ok to patch it up they will fix it back. yeah! I am kinda glad we left when all this happened. I couldn't imagine dealing with this while Bekah is nuetropenic- all that bacteria and whatever flying all over from the fans!

So hopefully today will be another good day.
I will sign off with Carol's bible verse... "For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him." Ps. 103:11 God Bless... Sharlah

[bluelemur01]

it breaks my heart every time to read about that sweet small girl enduring so much. I hope and pray that this treatment will be successful and she will be home soon. I hope her family is staying strong too. Thanks for continuing to update everyone! I have a few more Hello Kitty things to send her...do you think I can send them to the hospital address?

J

[FlowerGirl]

Hoping for the best!!

[maureenreynolds]

Jennifer that would be wonderful. It's
Bekah Reynolds

University Medical Center
1501 North Campbell Ave
Tucson, AZ 85724
United States

The ordinary daily still happens at the hospital. Love little Michael's behavior! Poor Sharlah.
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi everyone. Thank-you so much for you well wishes and prayers.

Bekah is doing ok. Yesterday, we could see that she wasn't feeling good and refused to eat. The Dr told us this is normal and it's all the stuff being put into her body. Rich came last night with Michael and she refused to even get up and say Hi to Michael. That's when I know it is bad. She had been looking so forward to him coming. I do think it is good for her and him though because he should see where we are since we aren't at home. Today she starts ATG (Rabbit) along with the 2 chemo treatments she is getting. Last time she was on ATG her heart dropped down below 40 in the 30's. They say the rabbit isn't as bad as the horse, so I am hoping that doesn't happen again.

We are still in good spirits. I have faith it will all work out and Bekah will be running around like she used too. Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace?because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock. (Isaiah 26: 3-4) Please keep praying for her that the stem cells will en-graft with little complications and for her to be back to her healthy self once again!

It is so wonderful to have Rich and Michael here! Rich stayed at the hospital and I got to come to the Ronald McDonald House. I thought I would get some sleep, but Michael wanted to sleep near me since I have been gone. He kicked me the whole night! Oh well...

Lots of love~Sharlah

[katie pertiet]

a little something is on its way from the DesignerDigitals team! she is in our thoughts!

[cstaff]

My prayers continue for all of you... such a saga of faith through despair...

[maureenreynolds]

Katie...you all are the best.

[maureenreynolds]

Glad to hear there is still some good spunk in Bekah. I just read a story in the Washington Post about explaining cancer to a child when it's Mommy who has it. Just as hard no matter who has it. Happy Sunday to all. Maureen
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bekah had a hard day yesterday and last night. She was very sick and all that comes out is bile. yuck! She stopped eating two days ago, but they said they can't give her an IV for nutrients until after stem cell transplant. That's 5 days away.

She also had a reaction to the ATG. Not the heart like I was expecting, but severe shaking and fever. Poor thing. I wish I could take it all away for her. I wonder what it will be like in 2 weeks when it is supposed to be the worst if it is starting to get bad now?

The doctor did allow Michael to see Bekah. They said they let siblings in when they are long term patients. yeah! So every weekend they will get to see each other.

We have faith that Bekah will be healed. We pray for her to have a successful transplant. We also pray for our CB friends. (Sorry- I haven't had time to write a hello.)

Despite all this we do get smiles from Bekah and when she is feeling somewhat talkative she still tries to boss her little brother around! It's amazing how strong our little ones are! They just accept what has to be done and try to get through it.
Bless you all and have a good week. ~Sharlah

[oldvwblues]

so sad to think she is going through all this..will need to send some cheer her way for sure! The end result is what matters..and I am still keeping her and your family in my thoughts and prayers. She's a brave little one! Bless her Mom.

[Cassie Jones (1gr8muggle)]

Tell Bekah to stay strong! She is such a trooper. My prayers are with her. Thank you for the updates.

[Aino]

Your story breaks my heart. Thank you so much for your updates. Kids are amazing aren't they..... Wow.
My thoughts are with you all.

[Chris]

I've been keeping up with your updates Maureen and wish I had the right words to comfort -- it makes me hug the little ones in my family all the more tighter. God bless dear sweet little Bekah.