Bring on 2014

We are so excited for 2014!  Tomorrow will begin the six month countdown to end of treatment for Brianne.  
 
Brianne continues to excel in school.  She has had straight A's for the first and second quarter.  She loves her new school and has made a lot of new friends.  She is in an afterschool club that made cards for kids that were in the hospital during the holidays.  We met a couple of the girls from the club at the hospital to deliver the cards and treats to Mr. David.
 
 Brianne's monthly chemo day fell on Halloween again this year.  She trick or treated around the clinic and all the nurses and staff were dressed up as Minions.  She felt good enough to go trick or treating with her friend Kaylee that night.

 
 
We spent Thanksgiving up north at Kohl's Ranch with Charlie's family.  It was a nice relaxing holiday.  Brianne had spinal chemo the day before Thanksgiving.  Thankfully she felt pretty good most of the weekend with the exception of a few stomachaches.

 
 
The Christmas season was full of family, food, and fun events.  We were able to attend the Hope Kids Christmas Party at Metro Auto Auction.  It was incredible.  There were carnival games, pony rides, delicious food, crafts, and more.  Brianne didn't have to have her monthly chemo infusion until the 26th, so she felt great for all the holiday fun.
 
As for Brianne's health, she has been doing great.  Her ANC (measure of immune system) continued to be outside of the 500-1500 range that her protocol targets.  She was staying between 1700 and 1900.  To lower her ANC they upper her weekly methotrexate dose to 125% at the beginning of November.  Fortunately at this dose her ANC is now running right where it should be, 1200s.  The increased dose of methotrexate has led to some not so fun side effects.  Her hair is falling out again.  We are hoping that it is just going to thin, but it has been falling out everywhere since Thanksgiving.  Also, in the last couple of weeks Brianne developed a rash on her face around her eye and down on her cheek.  Thankfully, her current steroid pulse has seemed to help the rash immensely.   
 
We cannot thank everyone enough for all of your support and prayers for the past year.  2014 is going to be a great year!!