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10/22/04 My family and I are so very thankful to you who have prayed, sent flowers, cards, visited, cooked, and upheld our family in so many ways that I cannot count. I want to thank Margaret for the work she has put into keeping up this web site. Thank you to all of Rachel's friends who have made me a part of their lives. We will all continue to grieve for Rachel for many years to come and I know that her life still touches people daily. I am so very thankful that God gave me 16 beautiful years with her. 10/16/04 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 Anxiety can rule my day even when the circumstances of my life indicate that all is well. I can be with the ones I love and be afraid of losing them. I can accomplish something and still wonder why I did'nt do better. Peaceful surroundings do not mean a peaceful heart. On the other hand, peace can be found in the strangest places. Not the kind of peace that the world gives, not the kind of peace that depends on our circumstances, but the kind that rests on the confidence of a loving and sovereign God. I haven't come to this place yet and I don't know that I ever can. A huge part of me died the day Rachel died and I don't know that even God can fill that space. Emptiness and pain are my constant companions, and I am certain that I will never know the contentment that once was mine. Forever missing Rachel...Marla 10/11/04 There is no escape from the darkness, no where to go and no one who can make things better. All I can do is survive the empty moments and keep putting one foot in front of the other. Death often seems like a welcome end to the pain of living with the hole in my heart. I want to know that God is by my side and is working everything out for our good. The reality is that my life has changed and I don't like it. Forever missing Rachel....Marla 10/7/04 I believe and I doubt. I question and I embrace. Can I believe as deeply if I have never doubted? The problem lies with our expectations of what God should do and how He should do it when life hurts. We should quit looking at the promises of God and look to the God of the promises, easier said than done. "The struggle to believe is possibly the mightiest conflict known to the soul if man. Faith does not always come from quiet contemplation or meditation. It is sometimes born among the raging questions with no answers, pain with no relief, hope that has no reason to exist.” Glenn Owen. Forever missing Rachel...Marla 10/4/04 Today marks 5 months since Rachel's death. The passing of time allows some routine back into daily life but it does not seem to ease the pain. Grief is a long and painful journey. Do I sound like someone who has no faith? Sometimes I wonder if the promises of God were meant for someone else. God is not giving me a "quick fix" but leading me step by step down this path. Even Christ struggled with the sufferings that lay ahead of him before He gave Himself over to the Father's will. In the Garden of Gethsemane He agonized in prayer until His sweat was droops of blood. Three times He fell on the ground before the Father, "overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death". And yet He still prayed "Yet not as I will, but as you will". He was perfect and He is God, I am not able to do this. Forever missing Rachel..Marla 10/3/04 I will never be the same without the one whose love made my life beautiful. Rachel was a gift, a gift to me from God. Questions, why do I have so many questions? Is God really sovereign? Does He ordain all that happens to us? Doesn't God promise to watch over us? Just because I don't understand does that mean God isn't good? These are no longer theological questions, but my real life questions. Rachel's death has made me go back to the beginning and ask, Do I believe God is who He says He is? Psalm 13: How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me. Forever missing Rachel...Marla 10/1/04 It is hard to believe that I will be starting another month without Rachel. On October 4 it will be 5 months without her. There is a very dark tunnel that I am stuck in. I keep trying to turn around and go back but I can't. I don't have a choice, the pain and heartache consumes me. I don't know if I can come out the other side a whole person. This tunnel seems endless, each morning I awake still in darkness. Little tasks and conversations seem to take alot of effort. My worst fear has become reality. Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. 9/22/04 Thanks to every one who participated in the Light the Night Walk! It was good to see so many of Rachel's friends. Rachel is still alive in the hearts of many. Give a cheer for the new Miss Alabama, Deidra Downs, for winning the Miss America contest. She is the one who came up with the idea of the new children's cancer tags. The money made from the tags will go to the Childrens Hospital here in Birmingham. Deidra will bring awareness to the problem of cancer in our children and raise money for the hope of a cure for this terrible disease. I feel like I am still in a zombie like state. It is hard to concentrate and focus. It feels like a heavy weight that I carry on my shoulders. The tears never stop flowing. I miss her so much. There is a picture of Rachel that I stare straight in her eyes and I feel like she is looking back at me. Her room is still the same, I don't want to put away her clothes because they are a comfort to me. How does your heart know that you are no longer responsible to take care of you child? It can't. It still longs to hold, hug, kiss and take care of. 2 Corinthians- "We are under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despair even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we feel the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead" Forever missing Rachel...Marla 9/2/04 It is odd how you can be surrounded by people and still be so lonely. Empty, my body feels empty. I am beginning to see how helpless I am and how dependent I am on God. You start to understand when you watch your child take her last breath and you just sit and watch. Her body is lifeless and you sit and do nothing! Because that is all that we are able to do. I can do nothing! 8/29/04 I am glad to have everyone back on a schedule. School has started, lots of homework and Richard and Will are playing tennis everyday. Luke will start moms day out after Labor Day, it has been nice to spend some one on one time with him. Being in a routine has helped me feel like I have some control over my life again. I miss Rachel so much and there is never a moment in my day that I don't think of her, sometimes I cry and sometimes I laugh. The hospital is having a memorial service for those families that have lost a child in the last six months from cancer. The clinic and the bone marrow floor is hosting the service. Several more children have died since Rachel and I will feel some comfort in talking to moms that are experiencing the same emotions. The only way I can go on, is to think of this time (my life time) as being temporary. I know that one day, very soon, I will be with her again, forever. 8/21/04 Richard and I went to Naples this past week for the Florida Bankers convention and I want to thank the Gurley family and Christine Dow for taking care of the boys, we could not have gone without your help. Thank You! It was a pleasant trip but you can never escape the sadness. There were many friends that asked about our family and wanted to talk about Rachel and I thank them for their concern. I always like to talk about Rachel, the sad times and the good times. Death sure does have a way of putting things in perspective. The boys started school this past week and we were all ready for some routine back in our lives. It was so good to see Rachel's friends again, she has a great group of friends. What a blessing to know that she had surrounded herself with godly teenagers. I know it will be different and difficult to go back to school without Rachel there. I miss her so much. 8/17/04 Betsy Tin Boon saying to Corrie Tin Boon as she was dying in a concentration camp, "must tell people what we have learned, we must tell them that there is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still. They will listen because we have been there." So have I. 8/14/04 I don't know if I can make it through this life without Rachel, "my sorrow is continually before me". My physical body aches because of my grief, I feel sick. I know God promises us happiness in the here after but it is sometimes hard to comprehend and believe. "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away". I pray that this is what Rachel is experiencing right now, how I long to be there with her. God has taken her away from me, but has me here on earth for a reason. I need to carry on for the sake of my boys but some days it seems impossible. Lord, have mercy on me. 8/1/04 Our family went to the beach for the week, it was a mix of business and pleasure. The kids had fun in the waves and Luke loved the sand. I constantly thought of how awesome God is to have created the sand and the oceans, what a beautiful sight. I wonder what Rachel is looking at right now, is it more beautiful than the seas? Everything reminds me of her, sometimes I don't know how I am going to make it through this life. I hurt so much that I can't breath.
7/20/04 Thanks to those who continue to visit Rachel's grave site. I never dreamed that I would ever see one of my children die. I planted new flowers there the other day, it is hard to keep things alive when you don't have a water source. I usually carry large water containers every time I go so that I can water them. The head stone has not been ordered yet, I know what I want it to say and look like, but I still can't bring myself to order yet. Maybe it seems like that is the final thing to take care of, pertaining to Rachel, and I don't like that feeling so I keep holding on. Life is getting harder without her, she has been gone long enough and it is time for her to come home. Sadness is at the core of my life and personality. Luke is always asking me if I am crying, I hope he grows up OK and not psychologically impaired because I cry all the time. Rachel died 11 weeks ago today but it seems like it has been forever ago. Thanks to my husband, children, friends and of course God, have I been able to survive this long. I long to go home. 7/16/04 DEATH is nothing at all. I have only slipped away into the next room. I am I, and you are you. Whatever we were to each other, that we still are. Call me by my old familiar name, speak to me in the easy way which you always used. Put no difference in your tone, wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was, let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of a shadow on it. Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was; there is unbroken continuity. Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner. All is well. Henry Scott Holland 1847-1918 Canon of St. Paul’s Cathedral 7/9/04 I am still amazed at how many people are visiting the web site. Rachel had an impact on a lot of people. I try to keep busy so that I don't have to think, but it is not working. Why is it that I can't just think of the good times with her and not the "sick" times? Why can't I just know that she is in Heaven with the Lord and is perfect in every way? My flesh and my doubts make me afraid for her. I have never walked through the door she has walked through and I am fearful. I keep thinking over and over about her last night on earth and her last breath. She was at peace and was very calm, unlike me who was fearful and afraid, her peace had to have come from the Holy Spirit because I don't think that being peaceful at your time of death is natural. It is the unknown and that is scary to me. Why was this her time? God is now holding Rachel close and in Christ we will be reunited. Rachel is born of God, and the evil one cannot touch her. 7/5/04 I want to thank Margaret Dawson for continuing this web site, it is a way to hang on to Rachel. Thank you to those who continue to check in on us and write sweet notes. I get on the site everyday just to stare at Rachel’s pictures. I miss her so much. Even though life goes on, ours will never be the same. The boys still have their activities, Richard still goes to work, and there are meals to be cooked, dishes to be washed and clothes to be folded but even in these small tasks things are different. When I set the table for meals, there is one less place setting, when I sort clean clothes, hers are missing. I don't ever want to let go. 7/2/04 Sometimes I don't know how to express what I am feeling, I don't know if I can even feel anything but sadness. Rachel is in my thoughts every second of every day. I feel like I can't breathe, Lord help me. 7/1/04 1 Thessalonians 4:13 "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise 6/29/04 Because He lives I can face tomorrow, Because He lives all fear is gone, Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living just because He lives. May this be so. Marla 6/28/04 I wonder each morning how I am going to find the strength to carry on in this life, I catch myself yearning to be in Heaven with Rachel. Responsibilities keep me here on this earth, I know I have a job to do, to take care of my boys and to make sure they make it home to be with Rachel one day. I miss her so much that I can literally feel my heart hurt, each breath is a struggle. Sometimes I go into her room and bury my face in her clothes, close my eyes and smell her. I cannot believe that she is never coming back, it doesn't seem real, like I am in some sort of dream or fog and one day I am going to wake up and she will be home. Rachel's friends have been so nice and I enjoy seeing them, it makes me feel close to her. The Lord has sent me some incredible friends to help me through this, thank you guys. Please pray for Sylvia Brown (Kelly Patrick's mom),she is at UAB hospital suffering from liver cancer. She is waiting to have chemo and radiation but can not until her bilirubin goes down. She has suffered some set backs and now has an infection. Kelly is spending her days and nights at the hospital. Pray for healing and for strength. How did Job have the faith to say? Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord. Job 1:21. I know that Rachel has always been His, He gave her life and breath and He ended her life here, but I still wanted more time with her. 6/22/04 I look at Rachel's web site everyday and I am amazed that so many people are still going to the sight. What a blessing to know that people are still concerned. Today is 7 weeks since Rachel died, I will always be sad. I know there will be happy times and laughter but there will always be this sadness that I carry. I cannot comprehend and understand where she is and I know that I have said that before but it is something that I think about every moment. Will I ever doubt the goodness of God? Will I ever understand? There is so many encouraging verses in the Bible but I am not encouraged at the moment. Death surrounds me. I am so thankful for my dear friends. You know who your friends are when it comes to dealing with a crisis. It is amazing how some have come to my aide everyday and some people have decided to not be there at all. The Lord is lifting me up through Richard, the boys and these women. Thank you. I have a girlfriend that lost her mother a couple of years ago and she said "The worst thing is that life goes on, and the best thing is that life goes on". How true. The boys have made me get up in the morning and keep going, without them where would I be? Richard has been and incredible source of strength. He speaks truth to me when I fall into despair and listen to the father of lies. He is the rock and the foundation of this family and has been there for me every step of the way. Thank you Rich, I love you. I want to thank those of you who continue to visit Rachel's grave site. I love going there and seeing that someone else has visited and is thinking of her. "And now, dear brothers, I want you to know what happens to a Christian when he dies so that when it happens, you will not be full of sorrow, as those are who have no hope" 1 Thessalonians 4:13 6/14/04 We’ve been away for a few days. It was nice to escape for a little while. The first few days I felt I could clear my mind but it didn’t take long for the memories and the sorrow to come rushing back. Looking at the beautiful mountains covered with snow and the green valleys working alive with horses, cattle and prairie dogs made me think how awesome God is. I am still having a problem understanding Heaven and realizing where Rachel is right now. The boys had a good time on our trip riding horses, skeet shooting, fishing and having camp fires. Lukes’ counseler's name was Rachel (how ironic). Thank you for your continued prayers. May God have mercy on our family. Marla 6/3/04 We continue to receive cards and letters from wonderful friends, thank you. We need your prayers now more than ever. It seems to be getting harder each day to understand and deal with Rachel's death. I am having a hard time comprehending what Heaven must be like and understanding what Rachel is doing at this moment. I have been reading her journals and have received much comfort from them, she was a special girl. All of her journal entries end with her prayers to God, asking Him to guide her in her decisions about life. She was confident that she was and is now His child. I know that she would never want to return here to this broken world, but I still miss her terribly. My heart aches for her. When I gave birth to her I was shocked at how much I could love someone, and now the depth of my sorrow... No one can possibly understand until they personally go through this kind of loss. I know we must all face death but it seems we are not ready when it comes knocking at our door. But Rachel seemed to be ready, she had an incredible peace about her that last night that was obviously supernatural. She looked at each one of us in that room and said "I love you" as if she was preparing us and giving us a sign that she was o.k. How incredible to think that someone on their death bed was more concerned about the loved ones she was leaving behind instead of thinking about herself. I always knew where Rachel was, who she was with, what she was doing, and how she thought and now I have no control over these things and I feel now like I am being irresponsible. I can't believe that she is somewhere I have never been before, to check it out and make sure it is ok. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17 5/29/04 - "Oh that my grief were fully weighed, and my calamity laid with it on the scales! For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea" Job 6:2,3 5/25/04 - I want to thank the sweet person that planted the beautiful flowers at Rachel's grave site. What a sweet site. Also a dear friend brought a bench to leave at the site for me, thank you. Each day it seems to become harder to live without Rachel. I thought time was suppose to heal, but I know it is way too soon for any healing to begin. I feel like a broken woman with a broken spirit and a broken heart. How am I suppose to do those daily chores and things that need to be done? How am I suppose to accept the fact that Rachel is never coming home. Rachel was very social and would be at school, out with friends or doing something with the youth group at Oak Mountain Pres., so I am used to her being gone. But now it is time for her to be coming through the door. I am so lonely. In my car I listen to hymns and these words made my heart jump, "What ever my lot He has taught me to say, it is well with my soul". How do I do that? My lot and my burden is too heavy right now. Doesn't He also say "Come unto to me all ye that labor and ye shall find rest unto your soul"? 5/20/04 I don't know if I can write down my thoughts, but I do want to thank everyone for their support, cards, flowers and phone calls. It is wonderful to know that when you are in need that the body of Christ comes to help. I feel that I am in a fog and just walk and function because I have to for the boys. I miss Rachel so much. I feel like she is still with me, and I can not imagine that she is never coming home again. I try to go through her things but it too hard right now. Knowing she is with God puts a smile on my face, but it is hard not to think about the last night I had with her. It is amazing that when she took her last breath you could almost see her life leaving her body at that very second. There was only a shell with no life left in her, I will never forget that moment. Living without her has been the hardest thing that I will ever experience. I miss her so much. I Love You Rachel. 4/25/04 It is hard to believe that Rachel has been in the PICU for a month now. It seems as if we may never get out. I long for the normal days of the past, of school, homework, cooking dinner and just being at home together. We have been blessed in so many ways , such as my room I have on the 6th floor. Normally I would not have a room but because we were on the Stem Cell Unit I was able to keep Rachel's room, a place to sleep, shower, and a place to be alone. I have been blessed by having a great husband that now has proven that he can do all things (hopefully he will keep up the good work when we return home). My boys are doing well adjusting to me being gone. They have been going home with lots of friends and we have a great girl (Cheryl Black) who watches them after school. I think they would rather have Cheryl keep them because she takes them bowling, to the park (by the way her dog can go down a slide), and buys them video games, how can I compete with that? I am also blessed by having a Savior who will never leave me. The only reason I am able to stand and hold up my head is because of the prayers you have been sending to our Lord and Savior. The only reason I can go on is because of the hope that we have in knowing there is a perfect plan and a perfect God in total control. If we didn't have that what hope would we have? To God be the Glory. Rachel's white count tonight is 2600. Her count continues to go up and down. She has continued to need red blood, fresh frozen plasma and platelets every day. We found out yesterday that she has a blood clot in her spleen, which is odd since she does not have any clotting factors. She received a medicine called Novo Seven about a week ago that stop some bleeding that they were worried about and it probably caused this to happen. So far the doctors do not seemed to be too worried. They also drained some fluid from her left knee because it was so swollen. We should know whether or not it is another infection in the next day or so. We have seen process over the last week, but it is still such a slow process of recovery. May the Lord sustain us. 4/23/04 Rachel is such a fighter! Her counts are 2,400 and so far she has had no set backs. She is still a very sick little girl but has made a little progress. She still receives red blood at least every other day and receives platelets twice a day. There are so many other medicines going in her that I can't mention them all. She is much more alert today and responds to our questions. She says she is in pain and so they try to keep plenty of morphine in her so she will be comfortable. There is still about 30 pounds of fluid they are trying to pull off but they have to watch her blood pressure carefully to do that. Today Richard and I were on Fox News to help promote the cancer car tag to raise money for the Children’s Hospital here in B’ham. They showed Rachel's picture and we told part of her story. I don't know if she was pleased that she was on the news but her eyes were open when it was on. I wonder what all she will remember when all of this is over. I am going home tomorrow to spend some time with my boys and my husband. I will be back on Saturday morning. I have been home twice in the last 35 days. My mom will stay here with Rachel while I am away. Thanks mom! Thank you for all of the prayers. 4/18/04 Rachel had a restful day and is still stable. Her white count continues to come up everyday, and this week will be critical because we will see how her body will handle these new cells. She has to have the white cells to heal, but there has been so much damage to her organs, the new cells could also make her much sicker. They started feeding her through a feeding tube that goes straight to her small intestines. They felt this would help her to become stronger. The food is similar to baby food and she gets about one teaspoon per hour and has tolerated it well so far. They continue to support her with blood pressure medicines, antibiotics and anti-fungals. She still has nine IV's and there is always some kind of medicine flowing through her veins. Keep praying to our Lord that His perfect will be done in this situation. God is in total control and that gives me peace. He loves her more than I do and He only wants what is best for her. To God be the glory. 4/17/04 Rachel is still fighting. She has been a little more alert today because they have turned down the sedation so she can have a chance to become stronger. I know she knows I am there but I do not know if she understands what I am saying when I talk to her. During the 8:00-10:00 visitation time, this morning I read the Pslams to her. 4/12/04 Rachel is still fighting. She is fever free today, mainly because of the steroids they are giving her. She will only be able to take the steroids for another 24 hours because they make your muscles weak and they are afraid that this could cause more problems with the respirator. Also the steroids make your sugar level go up and now she is on an insulin drip because her sugar level was 320. When they take her off of the steroids they will stop the insulin. The fluid that they took off of her lungs has accumulated again and making it harder for her to breathe. The doctors adjusted the settings on the ventilator according to her needs. Her white count is still nothing (70). Yesterday we had a false reading of 560 and thought that the count was coming back. By yesterday afternoon the count was 90 and this morning it was 70. She is still in need of platelets daily and is receiving direct donor platelets. My boys came to see me Easter Sunday and also today. I miss them terribly and I also miss Richard. Richard has been a great wife (ha!). He has learned to cook, wash clothes and also carpool. He and the boys have become closer during this time and I am thankful to have such a wonderful husband and father for my children. What a blessing from the Lord. Thank you for your constant prayers. 4/9/04 Rachel is still stable today but still in a critical condition. We got the results of the bone marrow biopsy and it showed that she is still in remission but not a sign of the white count coming back soon. They check her count three times a day and today the counts were 110,120,110. I am hopeful that they will not drop tomorrow. A normal female white count is 4,000-11,000. We are a long way from normal, but when the cells start coming back it usually happens fast. We are trying to keep the infections and the fungus under control until her count returns. Her platelets are usually around 20,000 and normal is 250,000-400,000. She has problems with her skin and bleeding because of her low platelet count. We have been receiving direct donor platelets everyday but her body uses them so fast it is hard to keep that count up. Thank you to everyone who has given platelets for Rachel. Her fever stayed around 101 to 102 today and she had a problem with a fast heart rate (250) for about 10 minutes until the doctors got that under control. She is still on 2 different blood pressure medicines. Our family is so blessed to have so many people that care and that are praying for us. 4/6/04 For Marla. You haven’t posted since the 30th. You haven’t had time. It has been more than 10 days since Rachel became so ill. You have sat vigil with Rachel; you have watched every day as she fights one infection after another; received the good news and the not so good news about her every day; you have watched her improve one day and have a setback the next; you have visited with her friends and your friends in the waiting room; you have slept a little bit; ate a little bit; worried a whole lot; and prayed! You are what a mother is supposed to be - loving and taking care of your child. You miss your family at home, Richard and your three wonderful boys and they miss you too - but Rachel needs you! God is with Rachel and you and your family! 3/30/04 I have tried many times to sit at the computer and write in this journal, but I haven’t had the energy or the words to know what to say. I do know that the response to Rachel’s web site and the people wanting to give platelets have been incredible. Thank you all! Rachel does not look like herself right now and I hope she doesn’t remember any of this time spent in the PICU. I don’t know what else to say but to pray for God's grace and His peace and for His healing. I don’t know what is going to happen, but I have to believe that God loves Rachel more than I could, and that He only wants what is best for her. I know He will never let her go, He has promised His children that. I pray for His total healing and yet I realize that may not be His plan, but I don’t know how I could possibly go on without her. Pray for His Peace to Cover Our Entire Family! 3/27/04 Rachel is still not feeling well. Her eyes are much better but now she is having alot of stomach pain. The doctors think it could be due to the amount of steroids she has been taking. They will lower the dose of the steroids. She is now complaining of nausea. Please pray that the stomach pain and the nausea will pass. She is so very tired and could use the rest. We are both struggling. Thank you for your prayers. 3/26/04 Rachel eyes are feeling better today. An eye doctor came by to make sure that she didn't have any infections in her eyes and to make sure that nothing else was wrong. Everything looked good. Her stomach is still bothering her but she is still fever free. 3/25/04 We will not be leaving the hospital today because Rachel's eyes are still bothering her. She is taking morphine and steroids to try to control the pink eye. Her white count is very low(200) but she is not running fever. 3/24/04 Well, we will not be able to go home today. Rachel has a bad case of pink eye from the particular type of chemo she received this week. She will also receive 2 bags of platelets and 2 pints of blood. If she feels better tomorrow we might be able to go home. 3/23/04 HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY RACHEL!!!!!!!!!!!! 3/21/04 Rachel has had a couple of pretty good days. She still is not able to get up a lot but she has rested and eaten well. Today is my dads birthday and we are going over to my parents house for dinner. HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIL!!!!
3/16/04 To Mom and Dad: Richard and I want to thank you (Gwen and Gil) for all that you are doing for our family; the carpooling, cooking, staying with our boys over night and for helping with their homework. We could not have made it this far without your support. We love you. Marla
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