November 18, 2009
It’s here. Tomorrow is the last day of DI… the last day of the most intensive part of leukemia treatment… the last day before we enter LTM (Long Term Maintenance)… a day we have been working towards for six long, grueling months. I can’t believe it’s here.
We’re celebrating. I made t-shirts for Jake, John, Tanner and I and we are going to wear them to clinic tomorrow. I think we are also going to pass out something to the staff – I’m not sure what yet – maybe donuts? — to thank them for making this journey with us and for, literally, being our saviors.
John is picking up a cake on the way home from work tomorrow so we can celebrate with a special dinner. Depending on how her counts turn out tomorrow, we may invite some friends, but it’s not likely; we expect her counts to be low.
So, here’s how our friends and family can celebrate with us. Send a comment to Tanner congratulating her on the last day of DI. I want her to open up Tanner Time and Friends of Tanner and see how many people love her and realize what a big accomplishment this is.
We’ve really been celebrating all week. We’ve been visiting playgrounds and stopping by church to drop something off and getting to see the whole church staff (aka wonderful friends) and giving them hugs. Tanner got to spend the day with Aunt Beth today at her house (I think it must have magical properties the way our kids plead to go there) while Jake and I played some mean wii Star Wars. We’ve just been finding ways to remember how great it is to feel good and have the energy to have fun.
Yesterday was a great day. In fact, it was a ROGER DAY!!! Roger Day is a children’s recording artist who is big time at our house and he was so nice to stop by and bring Tanner his newest CD, Brain Freeze. It’s AWESOME!!! If you’ve been following our story long enough, you might remember that Roger came to our house back in July to have a small concert for a handful of kids and we had the best time. He is a great entertainer and a great person and he made my kids’ day.
Tanner and I in our new hats
We had another visitor yesterday as well. My friend Pat dropped by with hats and chicken noodle soup… the perfect combo. She had seen this adorable pink fuzzy hat for Tanner and brought it for Tanner and a hat for me, John and Jake, too. What a nice surprise. When she left we noticed a little gift bag on the front porch that contained an envelope full of cards from a 1st grade class at Tanner’s school. There were pictures of each child on the card and Tanner loved reading them and remembering all her school friends. Then, John came home with two new wii games sent by a long-distance friend who has recently relapsed with lymphoma. Mind boggling to think they thought of us when they have so much on their own plates.
It’s a lovely world where hats, chicken noodle soup and Roger Day all show up on the same day. Help us celebrating a life worth living tomorrow.
Love,
Beth
CELEBRATE! IT’S A HIP HOORAY DAY
CELEBRATE! IT’S A HIP HOORAY DAY! SO MUCH LOVE TO YOU ALL! E.
Tanner-
You don’t know me, but I know you…I’ve been following your
journey since the beginning and you are my hero!!! I’m so
happy that this day is finally here for you…celebrate in a
big way!!!
Ginny
Tanner – Congrats on finishing out a hard treatment! You are a hero and an inspiration! Keep up the good work. Lots and Lots of people are reading your story and thinking about you every day. You are amazing and incredible.
PS.. Lets see some more crazy hats! That pink one is so cute 🙂
Leslie
YOU GO, GIRL!! I check my computer every morning for a new story on Tanner Time, and I have been cheering you on all year. You have been so brave through some tough times….what a great milestone you’re reaching this week. Celebrate!!
Tanner,
Congratulations on finishing DI. We are so proud of you and the way you have fought cancer! Tanner, you are our hero. We are so happy and blessed that you and jake are a huge part of our lives! Keep up the good fight!! We love you and your family more than you will ever know! Love to all of you!
-leslie and keith
WoooooHooooo…..CONGRATULATIONS TANNER!!! Finishing DI is a HUGE goal and you made it! You are my FAVORITE student…sh..sh…sh…don’t tell the other kids. 🙂
Tanner,
Congratulations!! You are one brave girl!! Your mom is right. Leukemia picked the wrong girl. I love the pink hat and your smile!!
Hope to see you soon,
Mrs. Turri
Hi Tanner,
I am a teacher at Moore Elementary. You don’t know me, but I’ve heard a lot about you! You are so brave and strong. You are an inspiration to others. Congratulations on finishing your chemo. I hope to see you here at Moore really soon!
Mrs. Soltes/4th Grade Teacher
Yea Tanner and all. Papa and I have been checking on you every day!!! We are sooooo glad this day has come. We love you and hope to see you soon.
Way to go Tanner!! Just wanted to let you know how proud Ms. Cope and I are of you!! You are one tough cookie! Leukemia didn’t stand a chance picking on you! I can’t wait to see you walk back through those doors at Moore Elementary! 🙂 Will you come read a book to Ms. Cope’s kindergarten class? I hope so!! We love you and will see you soon! WAY TO GO TANNER!! Love, Mrs. Zehring
Hi Tanner,
I am so proud of you for being so brave during your treatments!!! I love keeping up with you and I am very excited that you are over the really hard part! We can’t wait to see you walk in the front door at Moore Elementary with that big smile on your face. We miss you!
Love,
Mrs. Langley
Yay Tanner!!!
Everyone is celebrating with you today!!! I am SO happy that you’re DONE with DI!!! Way to go! You showed that leukemia not to mess with Tanner Page!! I LOVE reading your blog & hearing from my mom how you’re doing!! I hope I can come visit Moore when you are back at school!! Way to go girl!! You should be SO proud of yourself!!! Love, Hannah
WOOHOOO! CONGRATULATIONS SWEET TANNER! You’re a brave girl! You’re kicked leukemia ass. Oops, can I say ass? Ops, I said again. :-X
I’m just an unknow person from Brazil. I had leukemia when I was 4 years old, and now I’m 25!
I read you blog since the begging of the battle, and I pray for you everyday. I’m very happy for you, your mama, dad and little jake! Enjoy the cake. Uhmmm I want cake too! Eat some for me!
You are asooo cute. Beautiful girls don’t needs hair to look cute!
I’m sorry if I wrote something wrong, my english is lousy.
All my love
elisa x
Tanner, I am soooooooooooooooo proud of you! You have done great! Even when you had hard weeks or long clinic days, you have been very, very strong! Happy, happy, happy Bye Bye DI Day!
Tanner,
You are AMAZING!!! You have been so strong and brave. Claire and I pray for you every night and we cannot wait to see you again. We also love all of your new hats and wigs….they are very cool!
Love,
Jennifer and Claire Holden
Hey Tanner,
I am so proud of you for making it through this tough time. You are one strong girl. I have missed you being at Moore this year. I have especially missed that beautiful smile.
You would laugh if you saw me today—-I have a black eye from a fall !!!!!
I know it will heal, just as I know you will heal, and be back to Moore very soon.
You are a brave, sweet girl, and I am so happy to have you as part of Moore Elementary.
Love, Mrs. Green
Hi Tanner! Q Bear and I miss you! We are so proud of your courage and determination. It will be great to see you back at Moore.
Much love,
“Ms. Dr” Anderson 🙂
Tanner: I’m so happy for you. You are one brave girl. When I was young, I had 3 “girl” heroes: Amelia Earhart, Annie Oakley and Clara Barton. (ask your mom to tell you about them). Now I have 4 girl heroes! Can you guess who the 4th one is? It’s YOU!!! Hang in there, sweetie. The hard part’s over! Yea!!!! -Janice
Tanner! Congrats girlfriend! I am so proud of you and all your strength! I think of you so often when I look at my little girl. By the way love the new hats! HOT STUFF!
MWAH
Melissa
Congratulations! I’m glad you are feeling better! I like the new hats!
– from Austin
CONGRATULATIONS……………………YOU LOOK SO CUTE IN YOUR LITTLE PINK HAT. I WANT ONE LIKE IT. YOU HAVE MANY MORE HAPPY DAYS TO LOOK FORWARD TO ONE AT A TIME.
Tanner,
Yeah for you. We are so happy that you are finished with those treatments. We miss you here at Moore and cannot wait to see you sometime next year. You keep getting better and don’t forget us. You will love our new gym and climbing room. It will be waiting for you when you get here. Take care and we love and miss you very much.
Mr. Parks
Dear Tanner, I am happy that those treatments over. I hope you do well with your other ones. We miss you! Congratulations! Grace Elizabeth
Dear Tanner – Congratulations! We miss you in Mrs. Franklin’s class, and we can’t wait to see you! Conor
Yeahhhh Tanner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Isabella and I are so happy that this part of the treatment is over for you. You came through like the true champion that you are! Izzy is lovin’ all the hats. She thinks you look really cool.
Amy and Isabella Lowrance
Hi Tanner!
Yeah!!! It is over. You have been so strong and brave through this journey. Your strength amazes me. I was so glad to see you, your mom and Jake on Tuesday. Your fun energy brought light to our staff meeting. We were all so glad to see you feeling so good. I look forward to seeing you again real soon. Continue to be strong and take care. You are an amazing BIG girl! We have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving! I will continue to pray for you every day.
Hugs to you ~ Ms. Sissie
Way to go Tanner you showed that ALL who’s boss. It should have known better than to mess with Tanner Page. Stay strong and finish this race with a bang!! Maintance should be a piece of cake. You are a beautiful girl.