May 30, 2014

This morning it is a great day. Afton is able to move her foot and leg again and her speech is improving. It appears that the emergency radiation treatments have provided some relief from the tumors that were causing the most significant problems. We still have not had a bowel movement in days so we are not out of the woods yet. However, I hope we have reached the very bottom of the negative trajectory and are starting to see positive results. We are grateful for your love and prayers on Afton’s behalf.

What a past 24 hours it has been!

1. Visitors - many thanks to Stan and Kristi Gwin for driving all the way from Hattiesburg to come and visit. They brought Caroline and Cami Thompson who previously lived in Clinton as well as their son Jace, who swims on another team but knows Afton from both swimming and church. Many thanks to Samantha Bradley Stone who is going to school in Huntsville and made the two hour trip to spend some time with us. It was great to see familiar faces. The relief society president from the local ward also came to visit and to assure us that the local church members here in Nashville were praying for us and would help out in any way. I have loved the outpouring of offers for support from both the local Vicksburg residents as wells members of the church and others from all over. We feel very blessed. I attribute it to Afton’s ebullient personality!!!

2. Radiation - thank goodness for George de Hevesy and the Lawrence brothers (John and Ernest) who first conceived of the idea to use radiation as a treatment for disease back in the 1930’s. Tumors attributed to Ewing Sarcoma are typically very responsive to radiation. However, they usually wait to use radiation treatment near the end of the cancer treatment cycle because there is a lifetime maximum amount of radiation that a body can absorb. In Afton’s case, the speed in the growth of the tumors, forced the doctors to accelerate their plan and use radiation treatment to reverse the loss of movement in her leg and her speech and swallowing problems. How glad we are that they did. For the first time in a while we are seeing an improvement in conditions. We are not finished with this fight but hopefully this emergency treatment will give us time to allow the chemotherapy to work at reducing and eliminating the other tumors in her body.

3. Scissors - in preparation for Afton most likely losing her hair, both Afton and Kaylynne decided to cut their hair and donate it to "Locks of Love". Thank you Kaylynne for being willing to sacrifice your amazingly long and beautiful hair in tribute to your sister. Afton looks beautiful with her new hairdo.

4. Bowel Movements - Not to be crass in any way, but you just never realize how important using the bathroom is until you can’t. We are now praying for a proper poop.

5. Blood banks - thank you to everyone who has ever or will ever give blood. Afton is receiving her first transfusion today because her red blood cell count is dropping from the chemo therapy. We have been asked about organizing a blood drive on Afton’s behalf. We will be doing so and providing that information shortly.

6. Religions - I have always been a student of other religions. Especially when I was serving on my mission, I spent a lot of time finding commonalities between denominations rather than differences. I love the various ways people express their faith. Thank you especially Telly for your beautiful and heartfelt prayers. The fact that you are praying as fervently for my child as you would your own makes me feel like you are an early expression of a heavenly angel. Thank you to the members of the many churches in Vicksburg of multiple denominations who are including Afton in their prayers, holding special meetings for her and in so many different ways appealing to God on her behalf. I love you all for your including my daughter in your appeals. I have no words to describe the feeling I have for you!

7. VSA - Swimming is not the best spectator sport. The
athletes spend countless hours alone, swimming back and forth with few to cheer them on. During a swim meet, there is typically lots of waiting around. There are dozens if not hundreds of heats and you can spend an entire day to cheer on your child for maybe one minute. However, the one characteristic of swimming that hooked us as parents on this amazing sport is that all of the athletes and parents are cheering for each other on rather than jeering against them. I love that. This weekend is the Stamm Family Invitational swimming meet held in Vicksburg. It’s the first Stamm meet in eight years that Afton will miss and that Sheri and I will not be there as well to cheer on our five swimmers as well as the rest of the VSA team members. I would encourage any or all of you to go to the city pool this weekend to cheer on these dedicated and amazing athletes. And while you are there, please throw in an extra cheer for Kaylynne, Abigail, Scott and Katie on our behalf!