The Glue That Holds Us Together: Jumping Hurdles!!! (This was written about 2 months ago:p)

Ainsley has really jumped some hurdles in the past few months! The biggest hurdle, being able to take her medicine! She is such a champ! She talks through how the process will go. Then she takes a few deep breathes, and tells me "It's no big whoop, right Mom!" And I say, "Right, you got this!" A few more deep breathes, and then she will plug her nose (cause that helps her not taste the pill:) and viola!!! Down the hatch it goes! Now, it has not always been this smooth. Taking her meds, has been one of Ainsley's greatest challenges. At first it would easily take 30 minutes to get a pill in her. There was lots of crying and screaming and throwing up. (Then we would have to repeat the process:( But over the past few months she has slowly realized her own strength! Instead of 30 minutes, it was taking more like 10-15 minutes! She is champion of changing the subject and trying to make me laugh so that she can hold off on taking her meds! She also yawns a lot. I think it is a nervous thing.... Now, she will say, "Let's just take my medicine now so I don't have to worry about it!" She is such a strong and courageous little girl!

Ainsley has also moved on to the next phase of her treatment. She is in interim maintenance. She has had to get some pretty rough drugs:( The side effects have been body aches, hair loss, puffiness, hunger, and roid rage. The steroids are slowly leaving her system, so hopefully she will be feeling a little more in control in the coming week. Over the next month, we will spend a lot of time at the hospital. Thankfully, only one over night though! My Dad is coming to help out next week and then Bryan's parents will be here for a little over a week. I am so grateful for our sweet and supportive families! Here are some pictures from the past few months!