I know it has been a while since I wrote on here. I figure everyone should know that, "no news is good news", and that is exactly what it has been for Odette around here. (Well, except for that haircut that she was given by an older sister who will not be named.)
I can hardly believe that Odette has been cancer free for a little over two years! That means it has been over three years since we started this crazy journey. I still remember that day like it was yesterday, but the awesome thing is that I don't see the experience all as a bad thing, but as a blessing from our Heavenly Father. Don't mistake blessing as me thinking it was easy--it definitely was not a walk in the park, but WOW, what amazing things I have learned and been able to be a part of.
Anyway, onto the amazing and wonderful news. Odette has always been little. The doctors have always been concerned about this. This week, we went to two doctor appointments. She has gained 3 3/4 lb in the past 5 months! This is wonderful, and the endocrine doctor also said that really she is probably on the 50th percentile growth curve if you were to go with her bone age. We don't currently know her bone age because that is something that they do when they are four years old, so next summer (yes, an entire year between appointments) we will have her bone age determined. And to top it off, she also grew an inch taller!! I told the doctor that I just expect her to be a small four feet tall when she gets older. The doctor says, "Nah, she will be taller than that". I guess only time will tell the answer for that. The growing news was music to my ears. I was so excited that I probably called most of you on my way home from the hospital.
Odette still has the nurses and doctors wrapped around her finger. You are suppose to be able to pick one sticker...not Odette. She gets one of all her favorite ones. She has a lot of things that are her favorite!
Our second doctor visit this week was to see the cardiologist and the oncologist. In the waiting room, Odette was very excited to have the place all to herself. There was actually room to drive the pink car all over. When the nurse came in to get her, he said, "paging the princess Odette". She jumped out of the car and ran over to him and gave him a huge hug. It was really sweet.
Odette is such an awesome patient. She does exactly what the doctors ask her to do. (Unless it is to get her blood drawn, and she has started to freak out a little bit with this one. Still not too bad, but it isn't just put her arm out anymore.) She climbed right up onto the table, took her shirt off, lay down on her side and didn't move the entire half hour it took for them to do the echo of her heart. She just watched cyberspace on tv and also when we pointed out that her heart was moving on the computer screen she watched it some. Such a cute sweet girl. She picked a stuffed pig for her prize that she has slept with every night since.
Next onto the oncology office. She walked right in and said, "I am here!" She got her hug from Sandy, instantly took her shoes off and walked over to the scale. After all the routine work was done, she told the nurse, I need some chips. She managed to down two packages of chips in the hour that we were there. Her counts came back all in the normal range and her doctor came in and said, "SHE IS A SUCCESS STORY"! Those words were music to my ears considering what I had been told by so many at the beginning of this road.
Thanks to everyone that helped to make the flower clips we took to donate to the other little children fighting cancer. They looked beautiful hung up by the nurses station and everyone oohed and awed over them. One of the male nurses even wore one in his hair during his shift in remembrance of Odette. (All of you who helped did an outstanding job!) Odette and I were just glad to bring a little bit of sunshine to those in need.
This is not the end of the road yet. I don't think that there is an end to this road we are on. Odette will still be going in for checkups every three months for the next year, then every four months for two years and once she is at the five year mark she will need to go in once a year for life. May seem like a lot, however, I for one am glad that she has a life.
