Arden: Part V

Arden did well over the next few months. She continued to received chemotherapy, and also underwent a stem cell harvest. Because neuroblastoma is also a very aggressive cancer, high dose chemotherapy is required to kill it. But it also kills the patient's bone marrow- and so early on, the patient's own marrow is harvested and saved in preparation for their own future "auto" transplant. Arden underwent all these procedures and rounds of chemo without a hitch. 

In the interim, I was on vacation; first to Iowa, to take my future fiance to meet my grandparents for the very first time. That was over Thanksgiving. During which we had a wonderful time.

I came home and went back to work, then saw Arden for the first time in almost eight weeks, as much of her therapy had been outpatient. I still remember how much she surprised me. Arden looked great. No more sickly, fresh-from-the-ICU baby; she now was actually kind of normal looking. It was a great feeling... feeling that I had helped bring her back.

Shortly after seeing Arden, I left again for a week long Christmas vacation to Poteau, Larry's hometown. We planned to spend the entire week lazing about, watching movies and spending time with family. Which we did and thoroughly enjoyed.

On Christmas morning, I woke up and thanked the Lord for his goodness to me. It was hard to believe that just one short year after the worst three years of my life were finally over (read: PA SCHOOL), I now had a loving boyfriend and wonderful family, a fantastic job full of children I adored, a beautiful apartment, good friends, a great church, and actual free time; everything my heart could have ever desired. 

Christmas is such a beautiful day, when you have the ones you love with you. 

Looking back, I wish I would have said a Christmas morning prayer for Arden, too.