Allison made it through chemo, better than we thought possible. Back in May, when she was having a hard time with radiation, I started dreading the chemo because I knew it would make her sick. But she put her mind to doing it, and that made a big difference. She is one tough little cookie, something that will serve her well in the years to come. She said she didn't think it was that bad, and I think was relieved to know exactly what to expect for the next eight rounds.



Her spirits have been much better. I've been saying that we've been waiting for her to come back as she heals after surgery--her speech, goofy sense of humor, and doing her favorite things--and I think she is pretty much here as of the last two weeks. She's back to cracking up about the stuff she used to love--Junie B. Jones' antics, gross jokes, and being silly with her friends. She has this incredibly wacky way of looking at things. Yesterday at the Sweet William Market she adopted a huge furry stuffed rabbit, named Carrot, who is so covered in white fur you can barely see his eyes, feet, and front paws. (She named him Fatty at first, but then changed her mind.) She has this way of looking at something and knowing its place in her world, a knack for surrounding herself with her favorite things.



You can tell when a kid starts to feel better because they just naturally get back to doing all of the things they love. Allison has started walking around a lot more, her balance is improving, and her abilities are returning. She can sit and draw for two hours, really focusing and concentrating on creating something. We can now relax and enjoy the rest of summer and get ready for school. We don't have another big treatment until after school starts.



This blog seems to only reflect the extreme highs and lows of my emotional state. I feel like I either sit down and write when things are going great, or really awful. This doesn't necessarily give the best picture of what is actually happening. But the past few weeks have been full of a lot of good times and laughter. My family is getting well again, and as long as that happens, we are alright. We have also at times been utterly exhausted and overwhelmed. But we passed another milestone. There is still so much to come that it's hard to dwell on any one thing. Now I know that we have gotten through the hardest part.



Dianna