Letter from James
09/06/2006

09/09/2006 10:17 PM

Dear Family and Friends,

Last week in New York, cancer was found in Sydney's bone marrow biopsy. We were completely blindsided by the results.

Friday afternoon the decision was made to return to Dallas to start a very strong regiment of Chemo.

We arrived back in Dallas Sunday. Sydney was admitted to the hospital and chemo started on Monday. There is one main drug they are using this time, it is in a dose 30 times stronger than what she has already taken. This is a dangerous dose with numerous risks; the greatest is serious fungus infections and liver damage.

Monday we bought her a Barbie two wheel scooter, and she was racing around the halls of the hospital. Her immune system will go down rapidly, so the doctor doesn't want her out of her room anymore, although Lynette sneaks her out into the hall during low traffic periods. You can't believe how fast she goes grinning from ear to ear. I can't believe the staff lets her do it. I can't believe we let her do it. She is feeling some side effects to the chemo, but bounces back quickly.

Her grandfather, Jack, came the hospital early Tuesday morning. He was dreading the condition he thought Sydney might be in, because of the strong dose of chemo she had the day before. He looked into her room, and no one was there. He thought his fears were being realized, maybe she had to be moved to ICU. When all of a sudden he heard her little voice yell "Deeda" as she raced around the corner. He later said, with tears in his eyes, that the distance his emotions traveled between looking into an empty hospital room and then seeing Sydney's smiling face flying down the hall towards him was incredible.

Sydney has had four doses of chemo from Monday until today. To our amazement, it looks like she will get to come home until next Monday (or sooner if she gets a fever), when she will have the four final doses of chemo. Then her count needs to come up and be in remission. Then we go back to New York for the transplant.

The kindness and generosity shown to us has been so great we can't even keep track of it. It comes from family, friends, and even strangers. It comes in the form of someone cleaning our house to make it safer for Sydney's surprise trip home, a private jet and a pilot that moved his vacation so he could accommodate us. A high school drill team who came to our house and put on a private show for Sydney. A mom who wakes up and prays long and hard late into the night. A nurse in New York who brought a prescription to the Ronald McDonald house Friday evening after work. Dinners and lunches people have provided for our family. Moms taking on extra carpools and children. A manager at a New York restaurant who was gracious in accommodating our needs, and who emailed Sydney on her website. The constant prayers, encouraging notes and e-mails. The phone messages and scripture cards. Even a little girl who brought us cookies our first night back from New York. These acts of kindness happen numerous times every single day.

Thank you,

James

Answered Prayers

• We were able to come home to do the chemo.
• Sydney is doing great after the first round of chemo.
• We are experiencing peace and confidence in Christ.

• Sydney is completely healed (She is sustained, delivered and restored.)