How We Got Here - and Where We're Going

12/30 - Georgia's 10th birthday 

For the previous two weeks, Georgia had been feeling "not herself." For the first few days, she was just easily fatigued and periodically had a low grade fever (less than 101). Her symptoms came and went, and on Christmas Eve morning, we took her to the pediatrician to check for a bladder infection. Her tests came back normal, and the pedi said it was probably a virus and that she would be fine. 

Georgia rallied for Christmas - of course, she did - but in the days that followed, she grew more fatigued, shaky, and pale, and we suspected she was anemic. So on December 30th, we took her back to the pediatrician for bloodwork. When we got the results a few minutes later, the pedi told us we were being admitted to Dell Children's Hospital for more tests. 

12/31 - Diagnosis 

The next morning, Georgia underwent a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy (which took about 15 minutes, and which she was asleep for), followed by a blood transfusion. We got the diagnosis about 2:30 that afternoon - Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) - and the Peachy Keens were born, vowing then and there that we will fix it.
  
1/1 - Day One of Treatment  

Georgia started 2010 with a spinal tap, which came back clear of any leukemia cells, insertion of a port-a-cath, and her first round of chemotherapy - some directly in the spinal fluid and some in her port. She got another unit of blood and began her steroid regimen.  

1/2-1/3 - "Easy" days

We've learned that chemotherapy drugs stay in your body about 48 hours, so the two days after treatment are spent watching for nausea or any other adverse reactions and waiting for the next treatment. All that waiting can get kind of boring, really, especially when you're feeling as great as Georgia does, so you end up doing things like this:

 

Teasing the doctors -

I know you said there were side effects, but this is ridiculous!

Fooling the nurses with the GEICO money guy

And hangin' with the Lady Longhorns!

1/4 - Going Home

The last day in the hospital included two more units of blood and a tour of the clinic where Georgia will receive most of her chemotherapy. As magical and amazing as DCH is, the clinic is even more so! We will never be without plenty of things to do and people to talk to.

Before we could leave, Georgia had to get one of the hardest parts of her treatment out of the way - the PEG shots. The medicine in the shots is so wonderful, but it is very thick and very hot, and the injections are given in the thigh muscle. We prayed about those shots a lot, and even though Georgia got three injections at the same time, she hardly cried or made a sound. The nurses couldn't believe how strong she was - they said big teenage boys don't take those shots half as well as she did. Just more proof that our girl is way tougher than ALL could ever even think to be!

1/5 and beyond

So now we're home and taking it easy until we go back to the clinic on Friday for Georgia's second round of chemotherapy. We did venture out yesterday to get her a new "do," so take a look at Miss Pixie up there in her profile picture - tres chic! We also had a belated birthday party, and Georgia was thrilled with the new purple trunk she'll be taking to Camp Mystic soon.

We are so thankful for all the messages of love and support we've received over the last week. Prayers, healing thoughts, and good vibrations are what we're asking for, and we feel them coming in from all across the country. Georgia has six months of treatment plus two years of maintenance ahead of her, so we hope to keep the love flowing throughout her journey. She is a quiet warrior and an inspiration to everyone we've encountered so far, and we know she will recover and go on to do the great things that she is destined for. We'll keep you updated here, so leave comments - Georgia would love to hear from you! Well, here, I'll let her tell you herself: