The last day of steroids tomorrow!!! I know we’re making a huge deal of this, but you just can’t imagine how horrible the side effects are getting. She is so exhausted from not sleeping and if her face and stomach swell any more, she will pop. Not to mention the constant stomach pain. At first, the mood swings seemed like a real pain, but now they just seem like a minor annoyance compared with the rest. I’m not sure how long the steroids will take to get out of her system, but we are all looking forward to a good night’s sleep, I can tell you that. Hopefully, by the end of the week.

I keep meaning to point out that Ron added a new link to this page. It’s to a book called Chemo to the Rescue. If you are the parent of a friend of Tanner’s, I would encourage you to read this book to them so they can better understand what is happening to Tanner and what to expect when they see her again. You can read the book online for free. It is Tanner’s favorite book now. It was written by an 8 year old girl and her mom after she finished treatment for ALL. They wanted kids to know that chemo is really a good thing and to understand what was happening to them. It is very positive, but honest. I think Tanner likes it because she knows it doesn’t sugarcoat leukemia with any pretty analogies and it is written to empower kids. We read it all the time and today, Tanner, John, Jake and I all chanted and drummed to the “rap” that is written in it about chemo. It was hilarious. She made up hand motions to certain parts of the book and had Jake doing it with her. They were pretending to put magic EMLA (numbing) cream on their ports and then stick themselves with an IV line. Bizarre fun.

I’m going right now to put together Tanner’s nighttime “snackpack.” It’s a big tupperware tub that we fill with snacks so she can nosh all night at will. She has requested Cheese Nips, Sunchips and Pretzel sticks.

Here’s hoping you sleep because I know I won’t 🙂

Love,
Beth