Procedures & Plans

Our family enjoyed a wonderful time together yesterday on Christmas day.  Today were down at Children's Hospital to complete some procedural testing to help us pinpoint the cause of some of the challenges Reya has been having over the last few months.  We expected to have an IV placed and scans done with and without contrast.  I wasn't certain how long it would last, so I packed up the bag with fun things to help pass the time and a bag of treats to have at the conclusion of the testing since Reya was not able to eat anything since last night. We reported to Radiology and after a considerable wait, there was a change in plans....no IV, no contrast needed.  With those two elements eliminated, we were done relatively quickly.

We are still in our maintenance phase of treatment and are routinely seen in an auxilliary Children's Hospital clinic in the West End. Since we were at the Main Hospital, we decided to take a trip down to our old stomping ground for a quick visit.  It is such a joy to see the smiling faces of people who were such a big part of the process and journey. The entire clinic experience starts with these two ladies and I truly love them both so much!!!  Reya was super happy to see Ms. Rachel and Ms. Roz. It was like catching up with family and friends.

 The girls attended the Clinic Preschool with this beautiful trooper. We are thrilled to hear all the great news happening in the midst of her 2nd battle.  God is so amazing! Continuing to pray and thank the Lord for continued progress and victory in her fight.

 As we were leaving the hospital we saw several familiar faces and ran into the Dietary Technician that cared for us while on the Bone Marrow unit.  She used to bring the latest movies to the room for Mireya and the children to watch.  She took great care of us and always knew how to put a smile on Reya's face.  It was such a blessing to us and I love that our paths connected again.

We have few additional appointments in the coming weeks to help us assess and determine a plan of action to manage these issues.  We are continuing to enjoy the 'new normal', but look forward to 2015 being a year that propels #TeamBolton to even greater places.

Continuing to Walk in the Promise

These last few months we've faced issues and situations that have had us on alert, but we are grateful for progress and even more thankful for God allowing us to continue to hurdle the obstacles and common issues that children encounter as latent effects of chemotherapy and some of the toxic medications taken throughout the process.

We have officially transitioned to the Peds/Hemoc Survivorship Program.  Our appointments continue to track every 3 months and will hopefully soon be stretched to every six months beginning in January and then annually for the duration.

Overall Mireya is doing well in the maintenance phase of her treatment.  She has some of the common struggles with sun exposure, fatigue, unexplainable stomach and headaches which make it difficult to flow through school days, but she loves learning and is doing exceptionally well in 2nd Grade despite it all.

 Makinley started Kindergarten this year and is adjusting well to a new schedule and routine.  Our Hero brother, Jalen has managed to admirably work through the anxiety and level of uncertainty that began to affect his day to day activities.  He is having great successes as a 4th Grader.  Paris is exploring the world through her studies abroad in Spain this semester and preparing to graduate in the Spring.  It is something I had the joy of experiencing as a child and I love that she has the opportunity to be immersed in the culture and life of another country. To capture her experiences visit lapuertaaespana.blogspot.com. 

Quentin and I continue to push through to get all areas of our lives on track and we make a conscious effort, to keep things in perspective, while savoring life in this new place. It has been several months, but it still feels different to exist in a space where you are free to live without major limitations. Simple things give us great joy. I cannot count the number of times there have been tears in my eyes or I've cried relishing the normalcy of a single moment or occurrence in time.

The Warmth of Sunlight on My Face

I'm Not My Hair, BUT I'm Back Where I Started

Take nothing for granted.  Handle others with love and a true measure of grace. Enjoy every day as it could be your last and remember every good and perfect thing comes from the Lord in HIS timing.  Several of you have shared how you've visited the blog and felt our absence.  Thank you for continuing to love, support and connect with us. Sharing and connecting with others is the beat of my heart.  Your support and presence with and for us, kept that beat strong even when it was weary.  I will work on consistently sharing the good that continues to happen with and for us.

Love and blessings always from #TeamBolton!

Relaunching & Paying It Forward

Giving the 'Stress Talk'

If you know anyone that has been through any sort of medical journey, you know or can associate with the financial burden that treatment over an extended period has or can have.  As a result I had truly been seeking direction on what it is I needed to do to help my family's financial bottom line.  I started reaching out to former colleagues and Managers about the possibility of going back into the conventional workspace.  I've had the opportunity to be at home with my children for the last 10+ year and I've enjoyed it very much. The thought of going back to the Corporate environment was even more of a concern when I considered having to find something that would allow me to make enough money to cover the expense of having my children cared for and still allow me to take care of the obligations that need to be addressed.

Many of you know or may recall I had a growing Spa and Wellness business that afforded me the opportunity to go into the home, workplace and community to share the importance of eliminating stress and give the 'gift of relaxation' through an amazing and relaxing spa experience. I help others 'de-stress and increase face value' through the education of proper skincare and the essentials of taking care of ourselves.  I have not been been able to pursue this business over the last few years as we've dealt with my daughter's illness and ongoing treatment.  I have been affiliated with and representing this company for a long time.  Connecting with people and helping others is my passion. Whether it is through providing solutions to issues, giving people permission to take 'the pause' or through helping them make changes in their lives by taking advantage of this opportunity for themselves and their family.   I pondered and prayed about what I could do, and the Lord continued to instruct me to 'use what is in your hand'.  Several months ago, my daughter was transitioned to the maintenance phase of her treatment and a few weeks following that, I revived and relaunched my business.  To connect with me or learn more check me out at www.facebook.com/beautispava

   

I work with an amazing group of people and have never been more excited about this business until now.  About 4 weeks ago I was at a Leadership Conference in Dallas when a BIG announcement was made.  Let me preface the announcement by saying, BeautiControl has an amazing Foundation, W.H.O (Women Helping Others) www.whofoundation.org that has granted over 5 million dollars to community focused charities and organizations serving overlooked women, children and families.  I have seen dollars from the W.H.O. Foundation granted and serve the Richmond area several times over the last 10+ years.  I was at a loss for words when BeautiControl unveiled their partnership with the Make A Wish Foundation. I sat in that meeting sobbing as a Wish Family came out and shared their journey to victory over illness. Understanding their plight and knowing first hand how tremendous this is for families made me PROUD of this company I represent. Our collective mission in one month was to share this opportunity with 4,500 people. My personal desire was to do my part to make this happen by sharing it with everyone I could. The reward of going out and working on behalf of 'Paying it Forward' and blessing others for me, was bigger than any other reward the company could give.

Incidentally during a break the day before, I took a detour to a bathroom off the beaten path and ran into this beautiful lady. Obviously, she got the black and coral memo.  We chuckled, decided we had to take a picture because what were the odds amongst 2000 women you would 'happen' to run into someone in a long bathroom line dressed just like you.  Nothing happens by chance....she lives in Pennsylvania and her brother happens to be a Veterinarian in Glen Allen, Virginia (a short 20 minutes from where I live). We messaged one another a few weeks after our meeting in Dallas.  I shared with her my excitement for the Make A Wish partnership and she shared with me that she sat in the audience that morning in tears because her family was a Wish Family and her daughter has been in treatment for the last 3 years with a brain tumor. The odds just increased and I know without doubt our paths were intended to cross on that day.

Our lives were more connected than we could ever have imagined

I'm also so proud to say not only did we meet our goal, but we surpassed it and were able to share this opportunity with over 4,900 people.  The impact this will have on and in the lives of these two families is immeasurable.  I am thankful for opportunities that have opened up for me and people that have embraced my decision and helped me thus far in and through the process.  Together we can make a difference and the best is yet to come!! 

Settling in Our Groove

These last few months have been a time to really getting back into our groove and enjoy the regular rotation of life.  It's very easy to want to jump right back into everything, but honestly just taking a step at a time, being present in the moment and living each day to the fullest without medical constraints or restrictions has felt like a true luxury.  I wish and want this for all our friends and family we know and love in the varying stages of caring for a child with illness and in treatment.

We continue to be so thankful for the restoration of Mireya's health.  Seeing her smile and knowing she is healthy brings us great joy.  The joy of the Lord continues to be our strength.

Psalm 19:8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.