Favorite Hannah Picture

Favorite Hannah Picture
"Yes, the park!"

Hannah Ballerina

Hannah Ballerina

Play Time

Play Time
"Go super fast!"

Hannah's Room

Hannah's Room

Happier Hannah

Happier Hannah

Hannah sleeping 4-13-10

Hannah sleeping 4-13-10

Preschool Friend's Art

Preschool Friend's Art
Yeah! Friends!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Beads of Courage


This is a program that Seattle Children's Hospital has started participating in. It is designed to honor the journey patients take while receiving care for cancer. Each kid gets a necklace with their name in block letters to start. Specific colored or shaped beads are given every time they experience something else on the bead guide.

There is literally a bead for everything; port access, going bald, feeding tube placement, MRI, bone marrow aspirations, blood transfusions, and so many more. Hannah is going to need a necklace extension as soon as her first set of beads come in!

The nurse who set Hannah's up, told us how excited the children get to receive beads. She said most of the kids like to hang their necklaces from their IV poles when they are inpatients. It is sort of a way to brag about all they have been through. The nurse proudly told me how one boy's necklace was six pounds!

I am so instantly in love with this idea. What an amazing way to turn something that might otherwise be daunting emotionally into a tangible object of pride. The website for this is www.beadsofcourage.org and the CBS Morning Show is apparently going have a piece about it on Sunday the 12th. I don't have cable, so won't be watching, but if anyone does, could you maybe give me an update?

Waiting room cuteness!


We found out Thursday that Hannah's chemo is still on hold. Her ANC last Friday was 640. She was so close to the 750 number that I thought, this week, for sure, she would start chemo. Unfortunately, her ANC dipped down to 458. Her doctor thinks something is going on with her white blood count.

Her monocytes counts (type of white blood) were abnormally high. That might mean she has an infection of some sort brewing that hasn't presented in other forms yet. It could also mean she just fought off one. Other possibilities exist but we really won't know anything till this Thursday. I am just going to hope for the best and pray.

I try not to get too upset about the ups and downs of treatment, although every now and then, the feeling that you are playing with fire, slaps you in the face. Hannah is only four months away from her one year mark. There have been many worrisome things that she has made it through. It does help develop your confidence when faced with a new one.

At any rate, making counts next week would really rock. Please, if you get a chance, say a quick prayer for Hannah. Three weeks is the most they will let her go without chemo before they admit her to the hospital.

She was sure not minding hospital food this week, though. This was her lunch!!

11 comments:

  1. I will say a prayer for Hannah, her courage, and her counts.

    What a beautiful idea with the beads.

    Thinking of all of you.

    Liz and kids

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  2. The beads are such a brilliant idea! You'll definitely have to take pictures of Hannah's. I'll be rooting for her counts to go up!

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  3. Love the beads, what a gorgeous idea. I am sending some very big positive vibes Hannah's way. She is loving that lunch and always so smiley, I'm sure all that positivity will see her to high counts on Thursday :)

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  4. The crazy part of that huge lunch, is that she ate almost the whole thing!! Only part of the cheeseburger, though. Still, considering how she has been eating, that was nuts. In a good way. :-D

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  5. I will pray for Hannah. The beads are such a wonderful idea!

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  6. I'm thinking of hannah and hope her counts increase. The bead idea is amazing, hats off to whoever thought of that, it's genius.

    xxxxx

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  7. that bead idea is great! it's the perfect way to distract them with something fun so they don't have to put all their focus on the crummy stuff.
    i'm amazed at that big lunch in that little girl!
    thinking good thoughts for hannah-banana and her levels!

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  8. Will add Hannah to the kids night prayers. x
    On a lighter note...I nominated you for the BMB Brilliance in Blogging Awards and you made the shortlist - Yay! A welcome distraction I'm sure. xx

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  9. What a cutie!!! Best of luck, she is in my prayers!!!

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  10. I will be thinking of you and yours as Hannah continues to light up the world with her smile!
    The bead program sounds wonderful.

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  11. Good morning. Just thinking about all that goes on in our lives. The good and the not so wonderful moments that all make up what we are and who we are. I am so amazed at the strength and courage of little Hannah and her whole tribe. The bead idea is so wonderful. Our prayers and love always are with her and you Ms. Carrie along with the boys. What a cutie is right. Easter just around the corner. Bet easter egg hunts are in order. Love you all Patty

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