Benefit Dinner

We are truly blessed!  The dinner yesterday was truly amazing and humbling.  Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the outpouring of love and support as we witnessed yesterday.  When we first walked in and saw all of the items that had been donated for the auction, I was floored.  Then, as the benefit began, people literally started pouring in non-stop for hours!  A very conservative estimate of the attendance was around 3000 people.  And with the outpouring of support and love, the words "Thank You" do not seem appropriate.  It does not seem to be nearly close to being strong enough words to express our feelings for everything.

We are truly humbled by the hard work that the police department and our church put into this dinner at such a short time.  I know many people, with whom we go to church, were floored by the show of love and support that the department has showed not only me, but my family in finding ways for me to be home where I am needed during this time.

Abby had a wonderful time yesterday, as well as the rest of us.  Abby was so excited that she did not take a nap until 5:00 pm and that was only because she fell asleep in her wheelchair.  I took her back to the nurses office where she was out cold on the lounger.  During the benefit she had a mermaid painted on her right cheek and a rainbow painted on her left cheek.  Mary-Beth had almost her entire face painted by the end and then she insisted on painting my face for me.  What I ended up with was a multi-colored beard.  So, I then held her and painted a mustache and then a line down her nose, with a line under her eyes.  Not nearly as clever as hers, but she didn't have much available space left.  Also, at the last count, I know that Mary-Beth had at least 5 cotton candies before I lost track!  Abby had at least 3, and Emily only had one.  Emily then went home with my parents and we continued the party until 8:30 pm when we finally loaded up the van and took Abby to the house.  Mary-Beth is staying with Maegan's mom so she can go to school.  We already miss her!

Once home, we unloaded the van and then loaded up our clothes.  Abby somehow managed to stay awake until around 11:30 pm.  We made it to my parents house at midnight and all of us crawled into bed.
 

Abby's treatment went very well this morning.  She was a little grumpy at 6:00 am, but woke up well and was in a good mood for the rest of the day.  She came home and stayed awake for a while and then took a nice 2 1/2 hour nap.  Emily did not want to take her nap, but eventually she crashed too, and had a good nap.  She is definitely in the terrible 2's stage.

Abby is in bed now and should have another day of treatment in the morning.  She still loves taking her chemo and hates taking the steroid.  They have lowered the steroid dosage, but that does not make it easier to take it.  She is excited to be totally off of it and we will be ready by then as well.