Updated 12/08/06

SIDE NOTE: Hadley was a precious angel. We just ask that no one be afraid to talk about our sweet angel. We want her to live through everyone's memory. If you don't know what to say, say "Hadley"!
    Please read Hadley's Poem written by her Great Uncle Harry. Click Here

   

Final Update

    It breaks my heart that I won't be giving anymore updates on this site. I wasn't very good at it I guess. Hadley's previous update seemed as if everything was okay. The truth was that it really wasn't. Hadley has been a really sick little girl her whole 3 years but she had such a remarkable spirit that it never showed. A few short hours after posting the last update Hadley began complaining that her tummy was hurting. We started to console her when she stopped responding. Her lips turned purple so without thinking we grabbed her and sped to the hospital. We are so blessed by the apartment we had been given only two blocks from the hospital. We were there in less than a minute. The doctors grabbed her right away and they began working on her. They got a tube down her throat and she began to respond well. She was put in PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit) so they could find out what happened. She regained her color and got her complexion back. Every attempt however to take her off a machine failed because her body wasn't strong enough. They found the right side of her heart was enlarged so they began tracing what the problem could be. They found a clot in a vessel in her left lung. The doctors contacted the #1 pediatric clot team that was in Toronto, Canada. Because of the severity of the clot they began to administer a clot buster called TPA. There was a 5% chance this could do fatal damage but doing nothing was fatal as well. At 12:00 am on December the 7th the visiting hours opened and Ryann and I were the first parents to go back. We thought the previous night was the scariest moment of our lives but when we went thought the double doors a team a doctors was around Hadley doing CPR. After 45 minutes the doctors stopped.
    What we know is it was very fast. Hadley felt no pain and she wasn't alone. Hadley had been taken home. I find piece in the fact that I can't imagine the relief Hadley felt when she was cradled to heaven. In my heart of hearts I know Hadley knew she was going to go home. Until a couple of weeks ago Hadley had a typical 3-year-old's list for Christmas. Hadley saw a statue of an angel outside the hospital and she had a harp. From that moment on all Hadley asked for Christmas was a harp. She has it now. Hadley never complained in the hospital and whenever home was mentioned she always talked about Peanut, Elle, Oscar, or Sonny. In the past week whenever we asked Hadley if she wanted something she said "No, I just want to go home". No mention of an animal. I didn't know she meant heaven.
    Rest assured we have no regrets. Knowing what we know we would do it all over again for the blessing of Hadley. Before time began God knew that a little girl named Hadley would live three years and bless everyone she met. Everyone that knew this little girl would be encouraged and they would learn something valuable about life and what really mattered. I am honored God allowed Ryann and I to be the parents of this special little girl.
    There are too many people to thank for all the help. Family is most important. Hadley was never defined by her disease she was who she was despite it. Her Oncology team at Children's especially. Dr. Watt's you allowed Hadley to have so much time. Bethany and Brooks, thanks for kickin' butt. Make no mistake you are in our family. Doctor or nurse you loved our little girl and cared for her like your own. All the staff that made Hadley's stay more enjoyable. Our employers, just telling us to go to Hadley without question took a large strain from us. To my student who have been so caring to me. Our church family and all those who prayed for Hadley a countless number of times. Like I said on the front page, please don't ever feel like you can't mention Hadley. We may at times tear up or even cry but we never want her forgotten. She will live on through the lessons she taught and the stories we tell. We Love you all.

Hadley's funeral arrangements are as follows:
Dillard's Funeral Home
Troy, Alabama
(334) 566-1720

Visitation - December 9th - 6:00pm to 8:00pm @ Dillard's
Funeral - December 10th - 2:00pm @ Dillard's - Gravesite @ Ramah Baptist Church

We have a special request for Memorial Donations. Please see the Obituary Site.

Week 40  - November 27th - December 1st, 2006

    I promised an update when we got home but since we're not home that is the reason for the delay. I am updating from the apartment. The great news is Hadley is doing great! Wednesday night (11/28/06) Hadley started steroids and that has made all the difference. Her heart rate immediately came down and her oxygen level up. We are happy to report that as of Sunday night (12/3/06) Hadley went all night without oxygen! She had a CT scan Monday and almost all the fluid is off her lungs. She still has some on her heart but it seems to be decreasing. We started her chemo Monday (12/4/06) and will go through the week and should come home Friday afternoon. I promise I will get the update out when we get home. Thank you for all the prayers. I know God touched her and healed her. Hadley has been a lot more comfortable the last few days.

Week 39  - November 20th - November 24th, 2006

    Happy Thanksgiving! We got out of the hospital Monday afternoon and Hadley was very relieved to be back. When we left the hospital Hadley was doing fine without oxygen but it would fall to about 89% at night or when she was resting. She also had a small amount of fluid on her heart and lungs but nothing threatening. Unfortunately this problem became worse Tuesday night because Hadley's respiratory rate got up around 60 and should be 20-25. We took her back to Birmingham Wednesday morning. We did another chest x-ray, Echocardiogram, and EKG. To our delight the fluid on her lungs was gone and the fluid around her heart had significantly decreased. However, since she was having difficulty breathing we were admitted. We are in the hospital as I type this. Mr. Robert and Mrs. Ann (a.k.a. Pop & Maw-maw) brought us some Thanksgiving dinner. We definitely have something to be thankful for and that's that the fluid is on its way out. We don't know when we'll come home but I'll update then. Have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!

Week 38  - November 13th - November 17th, 2006

    I apologize to all for the leaving you all hanging but last weeks update left us in the hospital. We came to Clinic to see why Hadley was throwing up and gagging. We knew her counts were low because she was so pale. They started her on fluids for dehydration and her counts were low enough for blood and platlets. Her breathing was very rapid and her heart rate was high so they kept her for observation. Her stomach was still upset so they x-rayed her stomach and found she had fluid on her heart, lungs, abdomen, and liver. This wasn't caused by a single event. It is a combination of low proteins and side effects of radiation. This really scared us none the less but we were very relieved when there was a confirmation that there was no tumors. She had to be put on oxygen to help with her breathing and she began lasix treatments to help her get rid of the excess fluid. It is now Friday (11/17) and she is receiving the lowest amount of oxygen and is feeling 110% better. Once she can come off the oxygen she will get released. We think it will be Monday or Tuesday. We hope earlier but we feel better knowing we are under the doctors watchful eye. Please pray the fluids will come off and her counts will rise rapidly. I will give an early update when we get home. God Bless!

Week 37  - November 6th - November 10th, 2006

    Hadley has had a good week off. Nothing much to report on activities. She has been down a bit from low counts. A bit of news tonight however. Hadley has progressively gotten sluggish throughout today (11/12/06). After throwing up a few times we are taking her to Birmingham first thing in the morning. We hope a blood transfusion is all that is needed and that she doesn't have a stomach virus. She has had bad stomach pains all day. Please lift her up tomorrow! I will update when we get home.

Week 36  - October 30th - November 3rd, 2006

    This week was another good one even though we have had some scares. We took Hadley to Auburn to Trick-or-Treat downtown. It was very nice and Hadley had a ball getting candy every time she held out her bucket! She went as a jaguar! I will have pictures as soon as we finish this roll of film (we left the digital camera at home by mistake). We went in for a five night stay Thursday. We got through clinic in record time and was in our room before we knew it. Hadley's counts barely made it but they were good enough for chemo. When they were weighing her in they noticed her heart rate was a little high. They had tested before to see if her heart was handling this type of chemo. So between Thursday and Friday we held our breath until all the tests were done. She had a small amount of fluid behind her heart but everything else was okay. The fluid was not alarming since she has recently had radiation in that area and that can happen. So we went about and her heart rate got better as we went along this weekend. Hadley's anti-nausea medicine has worked well again. She is eating good and she hasn't gotten sick yet. A doctor came in this morning (Sunday) and told us that her counts are already dropping which is surprising so we will need to keep a close look out for a fever. I guess it will be lock-down time for a couple of weeks.
    Because her next chemo falls on Thanksgiving week it will be pushed back a week. This is good anyhow because it seems she needs the recovery time. Please continue to lift her up in prayer and especially for her heart and blood counts.

Week 35  - October 23rd - October 27th, 2006

    Another good week this week. It started a little slow because Hadley's counts were having trouble coming up. She made a trip to Birmingham Tuesday and needed a blood transfusion and platelets. She began to perk up a couple of days later. I got sick myself so I didn't get to see her for a couple of days so I wouldn't get her sick. Saturday she got to enjoy a trip to the zoo and a night out in Montgomery. We are preparing for a five night chemo beginning Thursday. Please pray her counts will recover and she will be good enough for chemo. Also begin praying she will do good during this stint in the hospital. I won't be back until late next Sunday night so that's when I'll update about her chemo. God Bless!

Week 34  - October 16th - October 20th, 2006

    Thank you for all the e-mails and guestbook postings wishing Hadley a Happy Birthday. Her counts were at there lowest this week so there wasn't much going on at the May house. Hadley has felt a little yucky but she tries so hard not to let it bother her. Her counts are pretty low so we think she'll end up getting a blood transfusion this week. She's bruising easily but like I said before she isn't letting it get her down. We get another full week off before going back to Birmingham. Please pray she stays away from a fever and her counts come up quickly.
    I apologize for the fiasco with the guestbook. People kept putting irrelevant things on there that had nothing to do with Hadley. I asked them nicely to stop but they just posted more. Please go to the link on the Home Page to get to the new guestbook. If you signed already your post did not go away! Thanks!

Week 33  - October 9th - October 13th, 2006

    Short and sweet and all our prayers answered! We got to the hospital Thursday morning and got her line put in and she had instant blood return. That is always our first small prayer so we can get it out of the way. Not long after that Dr. Watts gave us the thumbs up and Hadley's counts were as good as we could want them. We ran into a snag after that because there were three patients waiting on rooms and only one open. We were third in line so it took a couple hours to get admitted. We grabbed some lunch and after romping around the hospital's lobby and buying a red balloon from the gift shop we were ready to go! It was around 4:00 pm when we got into our room and Hadley got in the bed and went straight to sleep before the chemo even came into the room! Not long after that we started the anti-nausea medication and the chemo so that kept her knocked out. Our biggest prayer was answered and Hadley only got sick one time about 4:00 am this morning and went peacefully back to sleep. The only thing was after she went to sleep shortly after getting admitted the drugs kept her out until 7:30 the next morning. 15 HOURS!!! We missed her precious chatter but it was better than having her sick all night. As I type Hadley is outside with Pop running around like she never has gotten chemo.
    From here Hadley will have three weeks until she goes back for a five night stay. She does have a follow-up appointment with Dr. Jarrhus (radiation) next week so please pray for travel mercies. Please pray her counts will recover quickly and she will avoid any illness with the upcoming cold and flu season. We will be playing it extra cautious in the months to come! God Bless.

Week 32  - October 2nd - October 6th, 2006

    What a week! I am delayed on her update because I forgot anything was going on! That is a great place to be. For the first time in 8 weeks I came home from work and my girls were waiting at home for me. Hadley's counts were on the rise but we were cautious and didn't get out in public. We had a great time though. The week was capped off with her early birthday party on Sunday. The weekend before and after her birthday were bad times because of chemo so we picked the lesser of two evils and went with this weekend. Her grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins (immediate) were in attendance. She had a huge Dora celebration. Even though there were only about 10 or so people the presents were in abundance. Needless to say we have plenty to do.
    We are preparing to go back to Birmingham this coming Thursday (10/12/06) for a one night chemo. While the length in the hospital is short unfortunately the effects aren't. In the past these have been the toughest treatments for Hadley. Typically she is up all night throwing up but we are praying and ask you to start praying that this will not be the case. Brooks (Hadley's current Nurse Practitioner) has gone ahead and scheduled so extra anti-nausea medication. Please begin to pray that Hadley's counts will be good enough for chemo Thursday. She will get her blood drawn tomorrow (10/10/06) to see if her counts are on the rise.
    I have updated a new photo book for Hadley including Birthday pictures.

Week 31  - September 25th - September 29th, 2006

    I find myself apologizing yet again! Ryann and Hadley got home Friday afternoon and I've been on such a high I didn't even stop to do her update. She has made a major accomplishment. She is done with radiation! We are so glad that she was able to go through the doses. After eight weeks in Birmingham our bed never felt so good. Hadley will have a one and a half week stay here at home before we go back for a one night chemo. I almost feel like we are on the down hill stretch and I guess we are. The target finish date is near the end of March. Hadley actually has a little bit of stubble on her head. She hasn't received a big dose of chemo in a few weeks so its cute. Please just continue to pray that our home remains free of sickness. Pray also that Hadley will stay on track and not delay any treatments. Thank you all again for the continued prayer and support! I know I'm overdue for a new photo album. I will begin to work on one!

Week 30  - September 18th - September 22nd, 2006

    WHEW! Praise the Lord! So many answered prayers this week I almost lost count. Monday was Hadley's last radiation treatment. She came through with flying colors and ended that portion of treatment with a nice party! Thanks again to all staff at UAB and Hand-in-Paw! Tuesday Hadley got a CT scan and a bone scan. She was so good and patient with these. The bone scan requires being still for 2-3 minutes at the time and asking a almost 3-year-old to do that was tough. Wednesday Hadley was cut off of food again for a MRI. She came out of anesthesia a couple of times but made it through that fairly well. The dreaded day of the results seemed to take its time. After being weighed we were told to come on back and get Had's chemo. Halfway to the back they told us to go into a room that Dr. Watts wanted to see us. Since there were four of us they asked us whether we would like to go into Room #1 (a family conference room where we've only gotten bad news about scans) and we politely declined! We waited and waited and they even started Hadley's chemo in the room so we had all kinds of things going on inside our heads. Finally Dr. Watts came in and very calmly told us that he was hoping to get her blood counts back and that's why it took so long. He then said, "Well, the scans were fine." Boy, what a relief! I guess if your reading this Dr. Watts you now know you had us on pins and needles. But who cares! We had great news and we are thrilled! We will still finish chemo and as of now we are pacing to be through in March. These last seven weeks are almost to an end. Hadley and Ryann will not have to dread only staying home for a day and a half after this week! All-in-all a great week! Please continue praying and I'll update next week after she gets home! God Bless!

Week 29  - September 11th - September 15th, 2006

    Alrighty...maybe this will be the last retraction! Hadley's final radiation is on Monday (09/18/06)! Dr. Jarrhus explained that you don't count the number of treatments but you count the amount of radiation given for a treatment. There have been time not all the treatment could be given to Hadley so a small dose should finish her up Monday. Hadley had a all-in-all great week. Another week without chemo really seemed to get her back to her usual self. She got to go back to the Zoo and a trip to the McWayne Center (a kids science activity place). Hadley came home proud to see Oscar. She has been going ever since she got back! We still have two more weeks in Birmingham. She will be getting Irinotecan. Please continue to pray her counts will go up. Her white blood count had dropped a bit Thursday but still should be okay for chemo. We ask for mass prayers for her scans on Tuesday and Wednesday. She will be getting a MRI, Bone Scan, and CT Scan. We will get the results Thursday and I will post the good news Thursday night! That's all I have for this week! I can't wait to be back to normal and have us all at home during the week! God Bless and have a great week!

Week 27 & 28  - August 28th - September 8th, 2006

    What a whirlwind! Let's begin back on Week 27. Hadley was doing well and set to come home Friday morning (09/01/06) except her counts where a little low. Late Thursday night Hadley started feeling hot and Ryann took her temperature until it rose to 101.0 and she took her to the emergency room. She was admitted around midnight Thursday. Thanks to all the prayers for Hadley this was her first time being admitted. We didn't know what to expect but turns out she had to stay until Sunday. The good news was it was a regular old fever and there was no infection. The bad news was Ryann and Hadley didn't get to come home for the weekend. I went up Friday after work and we made the most of it. Everything was closed in the hospital for Labor Day so we had no radiation. We did get to take Hadley to the Birmingham Zoo and God blessed us with the first cool day to go. It was nice.
    Week 28 was only four days of radiation. I was able to stay all week and Hadley had a ball. All week her counts slowly cam up but her platelets stayed low. No more fever and radiation went smooth so we did get to come home Friday (09/08/06). We will finish radiation this coming Friday and be done with that. YEAH!!! We will miss the radiation team at UAB and Hand-In-Paw. They are all wonderful people. Hopefully we can get some pictures of some of the team members for the website.
    PRAYER TIME!!! We have some more prayer requests we need lifted up! Tomorrow (09/11/06), Hadley will start a two week chemo IF her blood counts are good. I know this is late notice but please pray she will meet the minimum blood counts. If she doesn't this will not only postpone her treatments but also force Hadley another week in Birmingham. Please pray her counts we start to recover faster. The radiation slows this process down. Continue to pray that there will be no long term side effects from radiation. Hadley is having scan on September 19th & 20th. Please pray these scans are clear and God has removed all tumors and anything that may even appear to be bad. Ryann and I are on pins and needles about these scans. Thank you for your patience while I can't post and mostly for your prayers and support. We love you all!

Week 26  - August 21st - August 25th, 2006

    Time really does fly by! I apologize again about the delay on Hadley's Update. Ryann and Hadley got home around 11:30 Friday night and the weekend flew by after that. Hadley left Sunday at 4:00 for week # 4 of radiation. Hadley is doing very well. Hadley was admitted for chemo Monday and also had a daily dose of radiation. At first, Hadley got pretty sick but Bethany changed her nausea medicine and that did the trick. Wednesday night Hadley had her first night of this particular chemo without throwing up and had the same results the rest of the week. For a couple of days she lost her appetite for french fries and sausage and was on a strict diet of ice cream sandwiches (about 2-3 at a time). Thankfully, after she was given some medicine to help reduce esophagus irritation, she returned to loving fries! I guess most parents would cringe at their 3 year old eating 4-6 ice cream sandwiches a day but when its all she'll eat and not throw up, she has to have something! :) As far as radiation goes that was a success! David, from radiation, brought a wagon so Hadley could ride out and she absolutely loves doing that. Everyone at radiation is so nice, Hadley still loves going! She might even be sad when we stop. As outgoing as Hadley is I'm sure no one would mind a visit! Hadley is back in B'ham for just radiation this week. I will try my best to have a update as soon as she gets home Friday. Have a blessed week and please continue praying for her. We are all truly blessed and Hadley is an answered prayer!

Week 25  - August 14th - August 18th, 2006

    We're home! A little early though. Let's start with how this past week went. This was my first week of going though radiation with Hadley and she did great. All we had to do was ask her if she wanted to see the new puppy and she shot out of bed. We would drive two blocks to UAB (so we could leave at 6:55 and get there at 7:00) and go straight to the fish aquarium in the lobby. We never waited more than 5 minutes and the puppy would come get us and Hadley would walk the puppy to the back and usually they were ready for her. Either Ryann or myself would go into the radiation room with Hadley but it didn't matter because all of Hadley's attention was on the puppy. They would give her "magic milk" (it is a white sedative) and she would literally fall asleep while they were pushing the medicine. About 5 to 10 minutes later out came Hadley although she was a bit drunk! After about 5 minutes she would get it back together and walk the puppy back to the waiting area. The only problem was that she didn't want to leave! The good thing was her counts were good to take her out and we had all day to play. I would fill up a page to tell you her daily activities. Just a few were going to the pet store, going to the book store, going to the toy store, and riding on the carousel at the mall. One adventure I will tell you about because it was a first. We took her to the movie theatre Tuesday to see "Barnyard" which is a funny movie. At first Hadley got a little scared during the sound part but after about 3 previews she was loving it. She got through about 45 minutes of the movie and fell asleep. Not wanting to disturb her Ryann and I stayed and finished the movie.
    Well, come Thursday we were supposed to get admitted for a 5 night chemo but her ANC was 500 and has to be 750 so Dr. Watts told us we would try again Monday. That was okay because we got to come home for the weekend, otherwise we would still be there. Thursday we also started the "Boost" radiation which is more of a pin-pointed radiation (she was getting both full lungs treated previously). We have tackled 10 treatments and we have 18 more to go. Please pray her counts will be good enough for chemo Monday.
    A little sad news. We came home Friday around noon and discovered one of Hadley's puppies, Rocky, had been run over about a hour earlier. She called and called him. Hadley's other puppy, Elle, has been upset too. Elle and Rocky were originally mine and Ryann's. Elle is 8 and Rocky was 5. So to make Hadley, Ryann, Elle, and me feel better we have added a new addition to the family. A miniature Schnauzer, Oscar! Elle is also a miniature Schnauzer so they are cute together. Hadley adores Oscar and all Oscar can do is follow her around. Under the circumstances this seems small but it was a big deal to Hadley although I don't think it made Elle happy. She'll get used to him! There is a picture of Hadley and Oscar on the home page.

Week 24  - August 7th - August 11th, 2006

    My girls came home Friday afternoon just as lovely as every! Hadley had a good week and all prayers are answered so far! Hadley's blood counts soared up and she was able to stop taking her shot and she seems to be on track to continue chemo next week. She also doesn't seem to be showing any side effects from radiation. Her skin is doing well but she does seem to get a little fatigued but what 3 year old wouldn't after a week like hers. Five treatments down, Twenty-three to go. Hadley absolutely LOVES going to UAB for radiation. She never wants to leave the puppies or the fish that are in the waiting area. We just mention that we are going to see the puppies and she pops right out of bed at 6:00 in the morning!
    This week will be a challenge for Hadley and Ryann. Hadley will still have radiation first thing in the morning this week but on Thursday she will be admitted for a 5 night chemo. This chemo already wears her out and we are throwing radiation on top of that! Her last chemo will be Monday morning (08/21/06) after radiation, so when we are discharged we will have to stay in Birmingham for the rest of the weeks radiation. Needless to say this will be a long two weeks. Please continue to pray for Hadley and Ryann as well. I won't be home until late Sunday night so that should be my next update. Either then or Monday. God Bless!

Week 23  - July 31st - August 4th, 2006

    Sorry about the delay but I wanted to include Hadley's first radiation treatment. First of all Hadley has had a good week. She has been a little moody but she has also been getting pretty pale so we figured her blood counts were low. We were pretty much stuck at home but Hadley has such a great spirit so she made the most of it.
    Her first radiation treatment went great. Hadley had to have her port accessed at Children's at 7:00 (UAB doesn't do any "stickies" because they want the children relaxed). They drew her blood when they accessed her port and Hadley went on to UAB. Since her appointment at UAB was at 7:00 they were behind so another little boy was ahead of her and it was his first treatment too. While Hadley was waiting she got to meet Ms. Nena and Ellie. Ellie is a black schnauzer and it part of a program call Hand-In-Paw where dogs come in to comfort the children. These dogs are well trained to be around kids. They are even trained not to react if poked or pulled on. Hadley loved Ellie (its funny because our schnauzer here at home is named Ellie) and if you read the guest book Ms. Nena and Ellie loved her back. Ryann said that Hadley went straight into the radiation room while leading Ellie and talked and talked to Ellie until the medicine kicked in (which doesn't take long). After that Hadley had to go back to Children's to get a blood transfusion because her counts where indeed low. A long day for Hadley, Ryann, and Maw-Maw. They got to the apartment about 7:00 and Had's temperature has been around 99 so we're praying it will stay down. Fortunately (or I should say blessedly) they are 2 blocks from Children's. Treatment #1 went down without a hitch. 27 more to go!

Week 22  - July 24th - July 28th, 2006

    We're home!!! The beach trip two weeks ago didn't waste time in ending but the round of chemo took its sweet time! I guess that's how things work. All-in-all it was a good trip. We started Wednesday by meeting Dr. Jarrhus and Dr. McCarty about Hadley's radiation. I have to say that EVERYONE on staff was extremely nice! They talked with us a while and gave us a tour of everything. Hadley will go though 28 radiation treatments, Monday thru Friday, so it will take about five and a half weeks. We will start with low doses of radiation for both lungs. After that she will receive "Boost" (see Week 20 update) for the remainder of the treatments. We will be able to see her through the monitor but the door is a foot thick made of steel. A immediate side effect is skin irritation and fatigue. Long term may affect her growth through her upper torso and about a 5% increased risk of breast cancer. However, if we have to deal with those side effects when she's 30 this means the radiation worked! The whole process will take about 20 minutes but since they must sedate her everyday we will stay in Birmingham. They radiate children early in the morning for this reason. The treatments will begin August 7th so Hadley's blood counts will already be low so we will get to spend most of the time in the apartment. Hadley will continue chemo as scheduled so hold on tight and continue those prayers! In Week 20 Update, prayer requests 1-3 has been answered so lets lift up 4-8! God Bless!

Week 21  - July 17th - July 21st, 2006

    Sorry for the delay on the update. Nothing but good times though. Hadley, Ryann, and myself went to the beach last Thursday night and stayed through Sunday. Maw-Maw, Pop, Matt and Melissa joined us so Hadley had plenty of reinforcements to keep up with her. She played on the beach for hours the first two days. The ocean began to get full of seaweed but that was okay because Hadley developed a love for FunLand and Alvin's Island. She got to ride a small carousel for a quarter a ride while me, Ryann, Matt, and Melissa won tickets and she picked out a dolphin and alligator. She made a friend there and they rode together and the little girl gave Hadley three bracelets. It was sweet. Hadley also enjoyed "looking" for seashells at Alvin's Island. We took her on a boat ride to see dolphins in the ocean which she loved. We wished it didn't have to end. Please see Week 20 update for a reminder of the prayer needs. We go to Birmingham tomorrow (07/26/06) and meet the doctor who will oversee the radiation. There is a good chance the radiation will start August 7th. I will give full details when I return. After we meet the doctor they will simulate a session of radiation but without the radiation. I'm not sure what that involves so again I will have to update on that. Thursday Hadley will begin chemo as scheduled. This is a five day chemo. Please start praying for her recovery time. After only a week off of chemo the radiation will begin and as far as we know it is five weeks in a row. I will give a update Sunday or Monday on all that has happened. God Bless!

Week 20  - July 10th - July 14th, 2006

    Prayer time!!! Just to catch you up on things Hadley has been having a great week. She has done well since her last chemo and had good energy and felt great. Monday (07/10/06), if I were a betting man I would have bet the farm that Hadley would have needed a blood transfusion. I was wrong. Her counts were good; not good enough to stop shots but good. We had her blood checked today (07/13/06) however and they have gone down (they went from about 800 on Monday to 400 on Thursday). So, unfortunately we can't stop shots AND Hadley can't go out and do anything. She still looks and acts good but she is borderline in need of getting a blood transfusion. Please pray her counts come up before next Thursday so we can take her to the beach. This trip will mean a lot to us because of our next piece of news...
    Dr. Watts met with the tumor board yesterday to discuss Hadley's case. We knew from the beginning that there was a possibility that Hadley would have to undergo radiation because her tumors showing up in her lungs. All the doctors agreed (even her surgeon who removed the tumor) that the best course of action would be to do radiation to make sure all the cancer cells were killed. There could be cells that don't show up on the scans that could be in limbo but the chemo can't kill so this will increase the chances of killing those cells. The only other option would be surgery but since there is nothing to take out radiation is the way to go. We are going to meet the doctor that oversees the radiation next time we go in for chemo (that is in two weeks). The plan is to schedule the first radiation about the middle of August and it will be Monday thru Friday. Because the radiation is so precise Hadley will have to lay perfectly still for about 20 minutes. If you have a 2-year-old you know it is easier to win the lottery than get them to lay still for that long especially in a strange place AND we nor anyone else can be in the room when its done so we couldn't even hold her hand. So for five weeks Hadley will have to be sedated everyday. For the first eight treatments Hadley will be given what is called a "boost" which is higher levels of radiation directly where the tumors were. After that she will get low doses to both of her full lungs to cover anything that could have been missed. At this point the only side effects or concerns the doctors have is this could effect some growth where the radiation is done. This is minimal but it is a possibility. On top of all this Hadley will continue chemo as scheduled if she's able to. Needless to say it will be a tough five weeks for the little booger!
    SOOOO......here is our new laundry list of prayers: (1) Pray Hadley's blood counts will come up so we can avoid a transfusion, (2) Pray everything will work out so we can take Hadley to the beach next Thursday, (3) Pray for wisdom for the doctors to give Hadley the right treatment and dosage, (4) Start praying Hadley will have fast recovery time during radiation and chemo, (5) Pray these doses of radiation will be the tool used to COMPLETELY rid Hadley of cancer, (6) Pray the radiation will not affect Hadley's grow or cause issues down the road, (7) Pray for travel mercies to and from Birmingham and the clinic, and (8) Pray for Ryann, she will be the only one who is with Hadley 100% of the time and won't get to come home. So there it is. Eight things for your prayer list.
    One other quick prayer request. Even though Hadley does well with chemo and that is a blessing, not all cases are like this. Please keep in your prayers a family in Illinois who lost a little noble warrior. His name was Jack and he passed away yesterday morning (07/12/06). He was 3-years-old and had Rhabdomyosarcoma. His was in more of a critical area than Hadley's and he didn't respond to chemo. As some families say when a child is lost to chemo, he earned his angel wings. His mother said he was a angel though it all. Click Here for his Site.
    P.S. Not that this is important but Hadley has a new GuestBook (the link is at the top of this page and on the Homepage). This is for ANYONE to sign and I plan to keep this site for Hadley to see how much people cared. Please feel free to sign the book to let her know of your love and support. I know Hadley will love to see them when she gets older and heck...I love to see them! Thanks!

Week 19  - July 3rd - July 7th, 2006

    We're home again! We got to the hospital Monday morning and since we already knew her counts were good everything went pretty smooth and before we knew it we were in our room. Hadley was doing very well and felt great but they gave her the Cytoxin around 7:00 pm and things started to get tough on her. She was such a big girl though because she just laid there looking as pitiful as possible without crying or fussing. Hadley threw-up about 11 times Monday night and Tuesday morning despite her nausea medicine. All those prayers kicked in about 4:00 am Tuesday morning because Hadley fell into a deep sleep and slept until about 9:00. She got up groggy of course but being her usual playful self. We got discharged about 2:30 pm Tuesday and came on home. Although we had some rough spots all our prayers were answered and God brought our baby through yet another round of chemo. Even though we have until March of 2007 to go we only have 15 more treatments. We still don't know rather Hadley will have to get radiation but we are knocking these treatments out.
    Tonight (07/04/06) we gave Hadley a firework show that she really enjoyed. Please continue to lift her up in prayer for her blood counts. This type of chemo is the worst on counts for Hadley.

Week 18  - June 26th - June 30th, 2006

    We're back!!! First off the great news. All our prayers were answered yesterday. We prayed Hadley would have no problems getting a blood return and they got it the first time. We prayed Hadley would have no discomfort in the hospital and she didn't cry once all day. We prayed her noodle would stay in and it did. And most important we prayed that her scan would be clear and leave no room for doubt and they were. Hadley did so good during scans. She has to lay absolutely still during the CT scan to get a good reading and they scanned her pelvic region which took about 5 minutes. Hadley was so big. How many 2-year-olds will lay still for 5 minutes!
    Now for the reason we are home. We failed to pray for her blood counts because they were too low to start chemo. We were so relieved with the scans we didn't care but we have to get her blood checked in Troy Wednesday and probably head back Thursday. Please continue to pray that she has a easy time during chemo and that her counts will come up.
                                                                                                    UPDATE 06/28/06
    We are here and staying here. Hadley is feeling great and she did really good while they drew her blood but her counts were at 390 and they have to be at 750. This will put us a week behind so please pray her counts will come up by Monday so she can get the chemo. We like having good days but it is also scary going too long without chemo.
Congratulations Ashlee and Cliff!!!! Hadley loves you!!!
 

Week 17  - June 19th - June 23rd, 2006   *****PRAYER ALERT*****

    Again it's nice to go through a whole week thinking things are normal. Hadley came off her last chemo like a champ and had a great week Unfortunately we had to stay inside most of the time because of the heat. Closer to the end of the week the weather changed and Hadley's asthma took a turn for the worse (yeah, on top of all this she has asthma). She developed a cough and a wheeze but her fever stayed low so we didn't have to rush to the hospital. We are in big time need of prayers again! Hadley has scans Monday (06/26/06). Lift her up for continued clear scans. We are hoping that if all is clear we can skip having to do any radiation. Hadley will have just one night of chemo but if she doesn't feel well we will have to stay until she does. Pray we can come home Tuesday! I'll give an update when we get home.
    There is a treat for you all...a new photo album on the home page!

Week 16  - June 12th - June 16th, 2006

    She's back! Hadley cam back from Birmingham after her second week yesterday. I was in a teacher workshop all week so I was glad to see my girls. Hadley had a very good week. Since this was her second week the chemo started to take its toll but only minimally. This form of chemo only lowers her blood counts slightly but has a side effect of diarrhea. We have some medicine that controls that so Hadley takes about 5 medications every morning and night. Near the end of the week Hadley began to get pale and cranky from low blood counts so she got a blood transfusion Friday and came home feeling good! That's what important. I know everyone prays for Hadley because she is very fortunate to still be going strong after all this. Hadley (and Ryann) gets a week off this week and we go back the next week for 1-2 nights. I will be able to work on the WSFA interview this week. I will really try to get it uploaded. I'll update later this week. God bless you all!
    P.S. - I got a new picture of Hadley on the homepage!

Week 15  - June 5th - June 9th, 2006

    Well, the week is over! Not a bad weeks all-in-all. Hadley had a few hiccups here and there but good overall. The had a little trouble getting her port to get a blood return which is typical for Hadley but they got it going. Hadley got sick a few times but didn't lose her appetite so she felt pretty good. We had a bit of a scare Tuesday. Ryann found a lump under her short arm and of coarse thought "tumor" right away. Bethany looked at it and called Dr. Watts but he had already felt it Monday. It is some scar tissue from her last biopsy which is typical so he didn't mention it. That was a relief.
    Hadley did however keep the nurses and Dr. Watts entertained. She went around clinic scaring everyone with Maggie (Hadley's favorite doll). She also wanted to speak to Dr. Watts one day when he wasn't in clinic so the nurses got him on the phone and Hadley talked to him to make sure he was okay. I think she has stolen some hearts. Well...unfortunately Hadley is off again next week for more Irinotecan. She will get a week off after that then get Cytoxin overnight. Take care!

Week 13 & 14  - May 22nd - June 2nd, 2006

    What a wonderful week. Hadley's counts came up after only 10 shots and she has been feeling good! We are taking her to the beach this week. She can't seem to talk about anything else. She will go back to Birmingham next week and the following week for some Irinotecan. This is the treatments that she does daily but gets to go back to the apartment afterwards. Make sure to watch out for her Saturday on WSFA. I won't be posting until June 6th or so.
    The little girl I mentioned a couple of weeks ago is still in the hospital. Her name is Kinsley. Go to her website please. She really needs some prayer support.
                                                                                            Update 06/03/06
    We got back from Destin yesterday and to say the least Hadley had a BLAST! She thoroughly enjoyed the beach this time. She had a great time at the Gulfarium and the Outlets (nice playground while Mommy shopped!). We are making the trip to Montgomery for the Children's Miracle Network Telethon tonight and tomorrow Hadley will leave to start her two weeks of Irinotecan. Please have her in your prayers.
 

Week 12  - May 15th-19th, 2006

    Sorry for the delay in the update. Hadley came back a day later than I said in the last update. She was a bit nauseas so they wanted to observe her one more night. She came back in high spirits and has had a good week. She's been very pale though and Ryann and I have been thinking she might need a blood transfusion. We were right. Today Hadley had blood work done and she has to go to Birmingham tomorrow (05/23/06) to get a transfusion. They really make her feel good so I'm glad. We are going to take her to the beach next week so that should help. Next hospital stay isn't until the first full week in June so Hadley's got a nice break. I will post and let you all know how she's doing.

Week 11  - May 8th-12th, 2006

    I guess you can worry and worry about something and forget that God answers prayers. Hadley, as of right now, is still in the hospital but doing great! I met them this weekend in Birmingham and to my delighted surprise Hadley was feeling as well as she always does. She had a episode or two of nausea but beside that she is one happy baby...err toddler. Saturday night (after a dose of Benedryl and Fenegrin?? which is supposed to knock her out) was spent streaking though the halls and making all the nurses laugh. We had to slow her down when she tried to outrun her IV pole! She awoke Sunday morning with chemo bag still attach running through the hospital and climbing all the stairs in the lobby. Paula, one of Hadley's nurses, claims it wasn't a chemo bag at all but clear Red Bull. HAHA! We pray she will continue to stay healthy. Hadley gets one more chemo tomorrow (05/15/06) and comes home.
    Please also keep in your prayers a little girl from Andalusia we met this weekend. She is 4 years old and was diagnosed with Leukimia (sorry but Ryann isn't here to spell check me). I didn't ask for permission to post her name but please pray for her. She is a beautiful little girl.

Week 10  - May 1st-5th, 2006

    All is well! Hadley did so well today (05/03/06) for her biopsy! She was the only child having surgery at UAB (that we saw) and was treated like the princess she is. Thank you SO much to all the nurses and doctors that made Hadley feel comfortable and to Michelle who got medicine for Hadley when she was hurting! Hadley handled the pain like a big girl and besides being sore and stiff she is doing great! The best news is Dr. Siegel said what he got was a collection of fluid caused by natural reactions to amputations and wearing a prosthetic. Her lymph nodes  were clear as well from the frozen samples he took. Of coarse they will send everything off for further testing but our prayers are once again answered. Thank you all who prayed for Hadley and everyone who was up at 5:00am praying for her during her surgery and prep time. Hadley is home now. Dr. Watts postponed her next chemo round until next week to give the wounds time to heal. So Hadley will have one more good weekend before getting chemo!
  THE RESULTS CAME IN!!! Dr. Siegel left a message tonight (05/05/06) while we were at Relay for Life saying that the results of the biopsy are in and everything is clear. No tumors were detected. What a answered prayer. A HUGE thanks to Dr. Siegel for working late and calling us on a Friday night to tell us. By the way, Hadley did well on her second Relay for Life "Survivor Walk".  Everyone was so nice clapping and cheering for her. She had a good time. Again, we will return this coming Thursday to start her next round of chemo. Also be in prayers for Delaney, she wanted very badly to come to Relay for Life but she is in Birmingham undergoing chemo. Have a blessed week!
Hadley's site received 41,563 hits for the month of April!!! ALL CLEAR BIOPSY!!!

Week 9  - April 24th-28th, 2006

I know this post is a little early to start telling how the week is but we need prayers to start going up. Dr. Watts called us today and where Dr. Siegel and his radiologist have some suspicion that the places in her arm that showed up on her last MRI, they can't be sure and since she has had a reoccurrence Dr. Watts feels a biopsy is necessary. We also would like to know what it is so every time she has a MRI we won't worry. We will meet with Dr. Siegel Tuesday (5/02/06) and talk about the biopsy and the procedure will be Wednesday. It will more than likely be outpatient. Hadley will still have her chemo Thursday as planned so it will be a rough week for her. This is the newest chemo to Hadley and lasts 4 nights in the hospital. This chemo (Ifosfamide & Etoposide) will decrease her blood counts to the point of a her first blood transfusion of this round of chemo. So there you have it. If your prayer plate needed filling that should do it. I will update this weeks update as we get closer to the biopsy. Have a great rest of the week!
    Hadley's benefit went very well. It was a singing at Hephzibah Baptist Church on 4/22. Thanks to Chris and Kim Sasser. The benefit was for Hadley and a beautiful little girl, Delaney Davenport. Please visit Delaney's site at http://www.carepages.com. You will need to register for a user ID but its free and completely worth it. Just type in her name with no spaces.

Week 8  - April 17th-21st, 2006

What a great week! Hadley was able to kick the week off with painting Easter eggs (she painted Rocky a little with side walk chalk too)! We haven't heard back from the doctors but I am sure if Dr. Watts was concerned we would've heard by now. More answered prayers! We have more now though. Even though Hadley is acting and feeling fine her blood counts are REALLY low. Her ANC was checked Thursday and where 500 is pretty low Hadley's was 24. We have to monitor for any sign of fever and keep her away from any size public but at least she is feeling good. Please pray her counts will come up soon because she started taking nightly shots and she just gives the most pitiful cry whenever we have to give them and the sooner her counts come up the quicker we can get her off the shots. Had gets one more week off so I will update at the end of next week with hopefully good blood counts. Have a great week!

Week 7  - April 13th-14th, 2006

    This had been a roller coaster of a week. Many mixed emotions. To start Hadley had a MRI on Wednesday afternoon and was such a big girl about not eating from 7am to 3pm. She chowed down on some food after though! :) Her CT scan went just as smooth on Thursday. We were admitted Thursday afternoon. We went through clinic pretty quick and saw Dr. Hilliard (Dr. Watts is out of town) and Hadley's scan looked "the same if not even better looking". We hadn't received the MRI results of her arm but didn't expect to and didn't think much of it. We grabbed some lunch and went to the room. Everything could not have gone better. She was done with her chemo about 9-9:30 and they started her Mesna (recovery drug) but Hadley started to cry about her "noodle" (the line in her port) which was unusual because she never has complained before. The nurse came in and we noticed around her port had swollen to about half a baseball size. Her needle had come out of the port but stayed in her and fluid was building. They had to get a longer needle to reach through the fluid but after they did that she wasn't getting a blood return. Eventually (around 2:30) the swelling had gone away and she was getting good blood return. That was an answered prayer (if she doesn't get blood return then they have to stick her in the arm for blood). Then after feeling great all night around midnight Hadley got sick. She tried so hard to sleep but she threw up about 10-15 times. We thought for sure we were going to be staying one more night. However, another answered prayer came to be...Hadley finally hit a hard sleep around 5:30 or 6:00 and woke up at 10:00 feeling good. She woke up talking and kept talking all the way home (and is still talking)!
    I wish it ended there. This is where our emotions have been on a roller coaster. Another doctor came in to see us about Had's MRI. The radiologist reported an abnormality on her "little" arm. It appears that four tumors are at the end of the arm and her lymph nodes are swollen which indicated cancer in her lymph nodes. However Hadley has had a abnormality at the end of her arm since last June and has been diagnosed as a Bersa (fluid). Also Hadley's lymph nodes were swollen last June and were gone in December. We learned the radiologist wrote the report without comparing to the December or June scan. We are in the process of getting it sent to the surgeon who amputated her arm to further look at it. Hadley has fallen a few times on her prosthetic and this could be something that is caused from trauma to a amputated limb. We believe God has healed, will continue healing, and will eventually heal Hadley completely. Please lift this situation up in prayer and ask God for this to be a mistake. We know that God's hears and answers prayers for Hadley and she needs many of them now. Also please pray daily for a side effect from the new chemo Hadley received yesterday, mouth sores. Doxorubicin causes mouth sores that are very painful and may lead to a feeding tube put in. Prayer constantly that Hadley will avoid these sores. Sorry the update was so long, there was a lot on my mind!
LOTS of prayer needs this week!

Week 6  - April 3rd-7th, 2006

What a wonderful week! I apologize for not updating Friday but with Hadley being off chemo and she felt so good I completely forgot. Things felt so normal I forgot she had to do chemo. Well, all things must come to an end but let me share a couple of high points of the week. Hadley is showing almost none of the side effects from chemo. She has been eating very good (of coarse if we were offered any and everything we could chow down too, right?). Hadley felt well enough to go and see Will (cousin) for his birthday (HAPPY B'DAY buddy!) and they had a blast! To top everything else off Hadley has acquired Peanut. What is Peanut? A miniature horse! Hadley's great Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Kaye got her a horse that was given to them very graciously. She LOVES this animal. He is 6 years old and his back is only 29 inches high. I am posting a new photo album to Hadley's main page. This will be Photo Album 3. Please pray for Hadley this week. She has a MRI Wednesday afternoon and a CT scan Thursday morning. From there she will start her chemo and we'll come home sometime Saturday. I won't be able to post until I get back but I will as SOON as I do. God Bless you all.
If you would like to receive a anonymous e-mail when the website is updated, see the main page to sign up. For those who don't know you can share that www.hadleymay.com will take you to this site.

Week 5  - March 27th-31st, 2006

Another great week for Hadley! Hadley came through better than expected being the second week in a row she had five days of chemo. She had a minimum number of episodes of side effects. Hadley came home Friday full of energy and feeling good. If I didn't know any better I would have thought Hadley was playing all week and didn't go to the hospital. Hadley now has a well deserved week and a half off before returning to Birmingham. Hadley will return for a MRI, CT scan, and her first round of Cytoxin. This is some of the chemo she received on her first go around and tends to make her really tired and sick. We expect her counts will start dropping to the point of needing blood. While Hadley will enjoy her time off (and Ryann as well), please pray for her in the upcoming treatment. I will give a short update next week on what she's been up to and how her week off went.
In the month of March Hadley's site had 36,520 hits!!! That is unbelievable! Thank you all for caring for our baby and all the prayers! I know that's why Hadley's scans were clear! Also, Hadley has a new cousin, Jacob Lee May. Congratulations Tommy, Amanda, and Will! See Jacob here!

Week 4  - March 20th-24th, 2006

It's been a great week for Hadley! Hadley had five days of treatments and for the exception of one morning of nausea, she has felt great. Dr. Watts put her on a new antibiotic, Vantin, and it has worked like a charm! Hadley has had minimal side effects and her energy has been good. Hadley's blood counts are slowly going down but the counts are still good considering the chemo. Hadley will come home for the weekend and head back to Birmingham for five more days of treatments next week and then have a week off. I believe we will take her up for scans her week off. After that she will start the tough chemo drugs like she took last time. These will definitely effect her counts more than her current drugs. Please continue to pray for her next week and start the prayers to help prepare her body for the tough drugs. God Bless!

Week 3  - March 16th, 2006

Wonderful news!!! Hadley had a CT scan to see how effective the chemo has been over the past two weeks. Dr. Watts stated that the results were "dramatic". We looked at the before and after picture and where the tumors were very obvious on the before, there was nothing on the after! All our deepest prayers were answered as Ryann and I looked for what we thought would be a shrunken tumor, there was nothing. The presence of scar tissue and staples were there from the surgery but all the masses were gone. What a miracle! Hadley will continue her treatment as planned to catch any cancer cells that may be in her body but this treatment is the answer. I know this seems odd that she should have to go through 47 more weeks of chemo but it is vital for this cancer to be completely rid from her body. God has truly answered our prayers and shown that he is in Hadley's midst. Many churches and individuals have been praying constantly this week and God has revealed His healing hand. Hadley will be in Birmingham next week receiving daily doses of Irinotecan. These take place in the morning between 9:00 and 12:00. Lift her up in prayers next week. I will update the site next Thursday or Friday after all is though.

Week 2  - March 6th-10th, 2006

Hadley has made it through another week of chemo! She has done very well. The mild side effects have taken there toll such as diarrhea and nausea but Hadley has done very well and mostly sleeps through her chemo. A lady has been coming to clinic with a puppet to help Hadley with any anxiety she might get from needles and taking blood. Hadley gets to give the puppet a needle in his port and give him medicine. It seems to have worked well because Hadley has a blast in the infusion room instead of being tense. Hadley will get next week off except for a CT scan late in the week. I'll be updating the 17th on how the scans went.

A special thank you to the church in Birmingham who gave us the wonderful box of food and toys for Hadley. Thank everyone for the money donations and food that is given locally. Your prayers sustains Hadley and your charity keeps us going! 

Week 1  - February 27th, 2006

In true Hadley fashion, Hadley coasted through her first chemo treatment without a fuss or a worry. Dr. Watts laid out our road map today and explained what treatments Hadley will go through in the upcoming weeks. The first chemo drug Hadley will get is called Irinotecan (Ireen-o-te-can). This will be given daily for the next two weeks. Hadley will come home over the weekend and go back Monday. The process is outpatient and the infusion takes about an hour or so. Today and next Monday Hadley will also be given a drug that she received last time, Vincristine. She will then get one week off and repeat this same drug again for another two weeks. This is a new chemo drug that doesn't kill cancer cells but prevents them from repairing and spreading. On the sixth week Hadley will be scanned to see if the drug was effective. If so she will start other chemo drugs for the remaining 44 weeks. She will take some drugs like last time but she will also be introduced to new drugs as well. Six in all.

We would like to especially thank Roebuck Parkway Church of Christ for providing us a apartment close to the hospital. This is a blessing and a answered prayer. Thanks Jared and Emily! I also want to thank those who have graciously donated money to help us. Your prayers are being heard. Please continue to lift up our baby in this fight.

Preliminary  - February 21st, 2006

We talked with Hadley's doctors today.  A small spot of cancer has been found in her left lung and another tiny spot was found in her right lung this past Monday.  Hadley will start chemo Monday with a new drug combined with another.  She will receive it in the clinic Monday-Friday of next week, everyday for 1 hour.  We don't have to stay in the hospital yet but will be staying in Birmingham for the week as her doctor says that he wants her to be nearby.  She will receive this drug for the next 6 weeks for 2 weeks in a row and 1 week off or 1 week and then 2 weeks off...that is all still up in the air at this point.  She will be scanned at the end of the 6 weeks to see how she responded.  After this she will begin the rest of her treatment schedule which will last anywhere from 37 to 50 weeks, depending on how she responds to the chemo.  It sounds crazy but we are hoping for the 50 weeks because that means that she responded to the first drug and they are incorporating into the rest of her schedule.  After 12-16 weeks of treatment, she will have surgery and/or radiation, which one depends again on how she responds to the drugs.  After the first 6 weeks of treatments, she will be receiving 4 other drugs along with the first 2 she started.  She will be inpatient at the hospital every 3 weeks alternating between 5 night and 3 night stays.  We will go sometimes in-between those treatments to get chemo in the clinic, blood products, etc.  This regimen will be somewhat tougher on her as we are pulling out the "big guns" to try and take care of this once and for all.  Most of the side effects will be similar to last time, with the first drug having fewer side effects than most of the others.  She will also have an echocardiogram on her heart next week to make sure her heart functioning is normal, as one of the drugs she will get this time can affect the heart if used for a long period of time.  Other than that, that is all of our news for now.  Please keep Hadley in your prayers and pray hard that the first drug she gets will shrink these tumors away.