Happy Birthday, Pappa!!

We hope you had a wonderful birthday today, and wish we could have celebrated it with you. Once again, I have a video I was going to add, and I cannot get it to download...I am going to seek help on this issue. So, hopefully I will be able to add the video to this post.

John's Update

Several people have asked me how John is doing or what the full story is, so for those of you who have not heard, here it is:

In April, John was diagnosed with a really rare blood disorder called TTP...only 4 out of a million people get it, and they don't even know how you get it. They have seen cases in people who have just gotten over a bad infection, but other than that, they don't know why it starts. It causes your body to basically attack itself, decreasing the number of platelets you have in your blood, so you can begin to have spontaneous internal bleeding, neurological problems, and eventually death if untreated.

Thank goodness, I think we caught John's early. About 30 years ago, this disease was 90% fatal, but then they discovered a treatment called plasma pheresis, where they hook you up to a machine that takes out all your blood and separates out the plasma and gives you new, donor plasma, and now it is 90% curable. The plasma contains all the damaged blood cells that cause the problems.

Anyway, we were fighting for 7 months to get John well. We were driving down to Emory Hospital in Atlanta for treatment. They started him out with plasma pheresis because his platelets were 7,000. The average person has 150,000 - 450,000 platelets. He was having flu-like symptons, but without the cold...he had chills, fever, headaches, and achy skin. It helped his blood get back to normal, but then after a little while, his numbers began dropping again.

After trying the plasma pheresis about 15 times, we had to move on to a drug to try and fix his blood. It also did not work. Then, we tried plasma pheresis again, and he had bad reactions to it and could not continue it. Next, we tried Rituxan, and it finally worked! We had read really good things about it on the internet, and people who had it said it is a miracle drug....and it is!!

So, John is finally well after 7 months. He now goes to Emory every 3 weeks for follow-up bloodwork, just to make sure his blood is staying normal. There are two numbers that they check...platelets and LDH. As of last Friday, his LDH was normal for the first time in about 3 months!! So, that is great news. His platelets started getting normal after he finished his Rituxan treatments about a month ago.

Life is finally getting back to normal!! Now, I promise the rest of the posts will be fun and cheery...although, this does have a good ending to it. :)

Wylie's 1st Fourwheeler

In August, John and I got Wylie a fourwheeler. We thought Wylie needed something fun and exciting, after all of the months of Daddy being sick.

Day 1
Here's Wylie eager to unload his new fourwheeler and get started riding. :)
Once it was off John's truck, Ashley was eager to try it out herself. :) I think she'll need to wait a couple more years.

Here's Uncle Jamie testing it out, and adjusting the governor so it won't go too fast.

Before Wylie got started, he got several tips from Daddy on what to do and not to do.

He also got some tips from Uncle Jamie.

Here's Ashley getting a ride on Mommy's fourwheeler...she was getting a little jealous and anxious to ride!

Day 2

Wylie giving his new ride a big thumbs up!

Wylie, proud of his new fourwheeler.

Day 3

Wylie's helmet and gloves arrived in the mail...they get two thumbs up.

Day 4

Wylie tries out his new helmet. Now, he thinks riding his fourwheeler is even better than it was before. He is better equipped.

Wylie is getting so fast, he's becoming a blur. :)

Kids...you gotta love 'em!

Ashley displaying her lady-like manners during breakfast...notice the milk running down the front of her. :)
Ashley...what a cutie!! :)

Wylie LOVES to do puzzles...

Ashley LOVES ice cream sandwiches...

Who knew Wylie had such musical talent? I laugh every time I watch this.

Geaux Tigers!!

Here is Ashley in her LSU cheerleading outfit that her Aunt Teal sent her...this is the one you sent her last year, Teal. I will have pics of her one from this year later.
Wylie is dressed in his LSU garb, too...

Check out this video...it's a little dark, but you'll still be able to tell what's going on...don't miss Wylie in the background.

Playdate at Memorial Park

We had a fun day at Memorial Park with Angie, Rachel, and Bradley. Wylie and Rachel just love playing together!

And, Ashley is very fond of Bradley...she couldn't stop kissing him and hugging him.

Feeding the ducks and geese (Mommy actually remembered to bring bread for the first time ever!).

Everyone was enjoying sliding...

Ashley went down the big slide by herself for the first time...

I think we're going to have to keep our eye on these two. :)

Sharin' the love!

The one thing I love most about my children is how sweet and loving they are. Here they are lovin' on Tyler...

And, each other...

Wylie found a Christmas sock in my room...among a lot of other laundry that is not quite put away from when John got sick. He decided to come out into the den and model it for me. :)

Camping at Stone Mountain

We had the best time camping at Stone Mountain, and thanks to the Graves and Atkinsons, we had a comfy place to sleep...well, I didn't get much sleep because Ashley was teething, but Wylie got some great sleep. :)

We were sad John couldn't make it, but he was only two weeks off his Rituxan treatments, and didn't have the energy for such a big outing. We missed you and love you, John/Daddy!

We're on our way to meet everyone at Stone Mountain...can't you tell how excited Wylie is?
Headed up to the top of the mountain on the skylift...

What a beautiful view on top...

Another great view...

Wylie and Ashley enjoying the view...

Wylie's favorite thing to do at Stone Mountain, well except for playing with Evan, was watching the skylifts come up to the mountain and go back down.

Tyler stretching his legs...

Looks like Beth has some monkeys weighing her down...

One little monkey...

Two little monkeys...

Rick and Ella...

Ashley just loves Tyler...

Mommy and Ashley...by the way, those are Tyler's clothes on Ashley. I was not prepared for the cold weather, so Ashley had to borrow some long pants and shirts from Tyler. :)

Bobby and Tyler...

Mommy and Ashley hanging out after breakfast, which was very tasty thanks to our chefs, Rick and Claudia!!

My sweet nephew, Tyler...

All the kids who camped out...what troopers! Luckily, we had campers to sleep in, not tents.

Wylie and his new best pal, Evan. Evan had a couple transformer toys that he brought, and was nice enough to share one with Wylie. Here, he is showing Wylie how to transform it.

Tyler and Ella...hey now, you're cousins. ;)

My sweet baby Ashley...

Tyler and Ella goofing off in the camper...Ella just stole the paci out of Tyler's mouth, and is looking very proud of herself.

Wylie, Ashley, and Evan playing in the camper.

Ashley drawing in the van while Mommy is packing up to head home.

I think Ashley had a little too much fun, and not enough sleep.