January 27, 2023 was Brooklyn’s last day of her last round of chemotherapy. February 21, she rang the End of Therapy bell. Obviously we were all over the moon that she had overcome such a huge milestone by completing her 6 cycles of chemo at 20 months old. Things are looking bright here at the Russell household!
Brooklyn continues to astound us as she keeps getting stronger. She is talking up a storm, using signs and words regularly, with the addition of the word “no” including a frantic head shake to go with it. Brooklyn is smart and knows what she wants. To watch this child think about her answer before she responds blows my mind. She has added “ummm” before her response, making it that much comical when she combines it with “no”. We have done a word count and have determined that she has over 55 words, including her signs. This makes our hearts melt because we didn’t know if our child would ever be able to speak due to her tumor and the amount of her brain that is missing. Brooklyn loves animals and knows the sounds that a dog, cat, duck, chicken, cow, snake, tiger, giraffe (don’t ask) , sheep and horses make. She has become quite affectionate and has learned how to properly give kisses, and is learning to do more with her right hand, like hug.
Speaking of her “helpie hand”! We have noticed that Brooklyn makes more deliberate and concentrated movements with her right hand. She has been in Physical Therapy for the last 4 or so weeks and makes gains after every session! Brooklyn is working on pulling to stand, playing in a tall kneeling position and working on a sit to stand playing position on the couch. Since we have been going to therapy, Brooklyn has been seen spontaneously grabbing the toy basket, putting her right hand in her mouth frequently and even putting it in food on her tray during meals. It is more relaxed and open, and less fisted which makes everyone very optimistic. We have been leant a gait trainer from Help Me Grow in hopes that it will motivate Brooklyn to attempt to try to walk. I have taken her to the park to try and encourage her to walk to the swing and that seems to work pretty well -with some help from me obviously. If she had her way, she would scoot forever but, progress is being made!
With all of the gains we have watched Brooklyn make since she has ended therapy, there are still daunting appointments, like her upcoming MRI and her EEG that she had last week. Hopeful that her EEG would show improvements, while it remains unchanged, I was disappointed to learn that it shows she is still at risk for epileptic and seizure activity- this does not mean she’s having seizures, but that she is at risk. What makes her at risk you just asked? I still don’t think I’ve gotten a comprehensive answer that really makes senes to me. So we keep asking questions, right?
In regards to her MRI, there are a lot of feelings of anxiety, fear, apprehension, you name it, I’ve got it. Previously, I told you the story about Brooklyn attending the Padre Pio healing service and the things that happened after we went to that service. Having faith is hard, because it’s not tangible. You can’t physically see faith and it kind of feels like you’re walking around blind but when looking at the things that have happened to our daughter after being continually prayed for, blessed…6 clear scans during treatment, its’s hard NOT to believe that she has been touched by God. If you would have met me 4 years ago, I wouldn’t be saying the same thing. I’ve talked about it before but I was angry, faithless and truly believed that prayer meant nothing, it did nothing, and that God didn’t care about me- because if He cared, He would have saved my sister. Maybe it was Loren’s time. I wish it hadn’t been….god do I wish it hadn’t been, but maybe God saw our struggles and just held us a little bit closer when Brooklyn was diagnosed. I pray every day that God keeps his hands on our sweet peanut, and her medical staff, that the decisions they make, the treatment they give, continues to save lives. What if we are witnessing a miracle in Brooklyn? Watching her grow, develop, and defy the odds one day at a time IS a miracle and we are blessed to be her parents!
This little peanut continues to flourish, and blossom into a fierce little human with tons of personality and attitude, along with independence, determination and a fighting spirit and I am so proud to say she is the BEST DIY project I’ve ever been a part of.
She is Fearfully and Wonderfully Brave.
Fearfully and Wonderfully Brave 