"Hannahwood"

Hannah & I decided that the sign on the hill should be changed to HANNAHWOOD not Hollywood!

Hannah & I were up all night last night (Saturday). She was very mellow, had a fever at some point through the night, and threw up once but she actually was sitting up in the chair & watching movies so that was a big improvement for her! Her pain is much better but she is on constant morphine and in addition she has a button she can press for extra morphine. Thank you, Lord, for pain meds!! I cannot imagine the excruciating pain she'd be in if it wasn't for the pain medication. The doctors were in this morning & they are encouraged that at least she is looking better than a few days ago. She is still very ill & the doctors are still very concerned with the Typhlits & C-Diff but she at least is sitting up & not having as much "tummy evacuation" as she'd been having. She has not eaten anything since last Thursday when we were at the clinic. Last night she was asking for food but when I explained she still can't really have anything to eat or drink she just accepted it. Honestly, if this was me at 7 years old I would have been screaming my head off. She just amazes me with the way she copes with all the things she is going through. Truly, I have one incredible little girl -- she is remarkable!!!

It is so hard to explain what it feels like to be here. Life is just so totally upside down right now & in the background of everything I keep thinking "what are we doing here? HOW can my Hannah be so sick!?!!!???!". I left my house in a hurry on Thursday to get Hannah to the clinic in Fontana b/c of her pain. I thought we'd be gone a few hours. Then we were admitted to the hospital & then several hours later we were in an ambulance on the way to Los Angeles. It is so strange to have to get acquainted with a new place after getting so acclimated to the hospital in Fontana. It is just a blurr of things like: where is the closest bathroom? where do I go to get ice? who are the best nurses? where do they keep the DVD players for the rooms? Once again, everything is new. Hannah really misses the hospital in Fontana. She LOVES the nurses on the Peds Unit at Kaiser Fontana (me, too!!!). Hannah is really hoping we don't have to stay here too long because she wants to go back to the nurses she knows & loves :-)

Lily CANNOT visit down here because of Hannah's C-Diff. That is such a bummer because we are really missing her!!! I feel like we are sooo far from home even though we are just about an hour away. Hannah is on isolation so she can't leave the room or have kids come in here.


Right now Hannah is sitting up doing "dot art" and watching a movie. She hasn't left the big chair in the room all day but she looks so much better than a few days ago. Please keep praying for her healing. Please pray that her intestines will heal, that there will not be any perforation in her intestines & that her bone marrow will respond to the ATG treatment she received back in December.

I had a good talk tonight with a mom, Stacey, whose daughter was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia a year and a half ago. She really encouraged my heart but also reiterated what I have been mentally & emotionally dealing with: this is a L-O-N-G road to recovery. There is no speed track. Hannah's body just has to respond & do what it is supposed to do. Please pray the Lord would continue to give us all the grace we need for each day!! He has been so faithful .. and without Him, I'd be a crying mess in front of Hannah all the time. I have been able to hold it together & keep positive despite her questions of "Can I die from this?" Truly, it is just God's wonderful never-ending grace that is new every day!!!!