As most of you already know….Kayla’s daughter Ariana was diagnosed with Leukemia in late October 2008. Since then, Ariana has undergone multiple surgeries, weekly chemotherapy, weekly doctor visits, physical therapy, lost her hair and has missed MANY days of school. Ariana will continue to receive treatment for the next 2.5 years and at Minneapolis Children’s Hospital, MN. Although their situation has been stressful and heartbreaking at times, the Lord has blessed Ariana with a very favorable prognosis.
Spending time with Ariana, you would never know she was a cancer patient. Even though she has lost all of her hair and continues to lose weight, her spirits are as high as ever. Despite the nausea and vomiting, Ariana gets up every morning begging to go to school to be with her friends. In fact, she absolutely loves taking the bus. Kayla has also enrolled her in gymnastics, which is something the doctor encourages for bone and muscle development. We think Kayla could do without all the cartwheels and headstands in the house, but she wants to be as encouraging as possible.
Ariana and her family are going to need all the support possible in the next couple months. Ariana is now in the most intense part of her treatment plan (delayed intensification), which will last until the end of May. This means more sick days from school, possible blood transfusions as well as hospitalizations. Clearly, this has be very hard on everyone, however with the Lord’s help, they seem to be coping on a day-to-day basis with each and every new struggle.
A benefit is being planned, Saturday, May 2nd at the Berea Lutheran Church activity center in Inver Grove Heights, to help support Ariana in her struggles with Leukemia and help ease the families financial burdens. Loving support is a huge part of a successful treatment plan and is what has helped them get to where they are today. It is our hope to provide them with as much support as they need, to get through this difficult time . Please remember them in your prayers and if you would like to be a part of her benefit, please consider volunteering, giving a donation or attending. You can find more information and updates about her benefit here. http://benefitforariana.blogspot.com
For those of you that would like to follow Ariana’s journey, you can visit her Caring Bridge site at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/arianadoyle
Sincerely Kayla’s family and friends,
Allyson Bailey
Rebecca Zimmerman
Lori Mueller
Alicia Czarnecki
