On June 16th, 2010, we received a call from our family Doctor that started the most difficult year our family has ever had to deal with. We spent that night in the Emergency Room at BC Children’s Hospital getting asked a million question and getting poked and prodded and at about 1:00am on June 17th an Oncology Resident came into our room and stated that initial blood screen results indicated that Angelica was fighting Leukemia. We were admitted to the hospital, tried to get a few hours of sleep and…
On June 17th, 2010, after a bone marrow biopsy, the diagnosis was confirmed as Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia – B Cell (with a few other specific gene type annotations). This became Day 0 and a whirlwind of activity began that changed the course of our lives.
June 17, 2010
Tomorrow is June 17th, 2011. One year since all this began and Angelica is still in active treatment. Her counts are very low, so we have an appointment tomorrow to get some blood transfusions. It will take all day in at BC Children’s, and we would like to celebrate.
We are not looking to celebrate a year of leukemia treatment… that is just morbid. We do want to celebrate a year of life, a year of triumph and a year of community coming together. As her counts are so low, and she is not really allowed to be around groups of people, we can’t go and throw a big BBQ in the back yard, but we can celebrate in other ways. I would like to ask you to send in a comment at the bottom of this post or e-mail (to: patti@xangelle.com) and share “something” with Angelica. You may have a moment in this journey that really sticks out to you. You may have a way that this journey has impacted your life. You may just be able to say, “I am still standing with you”. But please take a moment to share something. I would like to be able to share your encouraging thoughts and comments with her all during the day tomorrow at the hospital.
Jon
hi patti and jon
i feel you two are the only two people who understand me. i had always celebrated another year of life on the day i was diagnosed june 1, 1993. on those anniversary i always do something special, example ate my first lobster on my fifth, my first helicopter ride on the tenth, on the day of celebration i try to do something that i had never done before. words cannot describe why it is important to celebrate life unless you have been there yourself to understand it.. i really wanted to be there to see angelica in person on her first year another year of life. unfortunately i cannot be there i am cat sitting for a dentist. my thoughts will be with you tomorrow. glad the first year is over. i am so happy that angelica is going to new york. i have been there. words cannot describe the excitement of being there. You made it angelica and you will continue to make it another year another year another year etc. hoping tomorrow you got to do something you never done before. i am proud of you angelica. i am proud of you patti and jon as angelica’s support and parents. YOu did a great job taking care of angelica and xani and jeremy and josiah and judah. praying tomorrow would be full of sunshine and fun and togetherness and closeness and blessings. love you debra b.
Sending all kinds of love to you, Angelica, as you look forward to a new year with more freedom and less invasions of your life and time
. May it be the beginning of some wonderful years of building teenage memories (the kind you remember with smiles for the rest of your life).
. May you always remember that you are loved and thought about even when you don’t hear from us.
Blessings , Aunty Judy
Culley family,
You guys feel like my second family. For the two short years I have known you all I have received nothing but love. You are all SO amazing and so brave! I love you all!
Geli,
You are one my role models. You went through really tough times, and all the way through you kept positive and didn’t give up. You are so unique and beautiful, I love you so much!
Always here for you,
Zoe
P.S. Can’t wait to go camping this summer!
I have been following your journey for the past year. You are an amazing young lady. I have prayed for you and your family and will continue to do so. You will LOVE New York – enjoy the trip! I am looking forward to good reports and a year filled with good health and happiness for you.
Love
Ruth
Geli,
Your note on Danielle’s caring bridge site is one of the most special to me. You, just by being yourself, are a ray of hope for the future. Danielle was diagnosed 7 months after you on Jan 15, 2011. I pray that she can be as brave as you have been and in January we will be looking back on a year of courage and celebrating. It’s almost fitting that you would spend the anniversary in the hospital—just remember this year that you are there kicking leukemia’s butt! You go girl! I’ll be cheering from Georgia.
Amy
caringbridge.org/visit/samsury
IWantToSayYes.blogspot.com
You are so beautiful and brave Angelica and wise beyond your years. One year has passed and with Gods help you and your family have become stronger and closer.
Thinking of you and praying for you.
Val
Angelica,
While it is not likely that you know who I am, and that is definitely not particularly important anyway, I want to tell you that I think that your life and your family have been inspirational to many. Thank you!
Don
Geli, I am so proud of you. I remember all your smiles and how you have pushed through so many hard times. Times when you came over and said you were building up your strength for the next round, and then you would go walking. Or times when you needed to get your blood sugar down and you were walking or exercising it down. You have been pro-active and you are amazing. You are my Hero! I love you! I love playing cards with you! doing things with you! I will give you another chance to beat me at Catan for sure! 🙂 I thank God for giving you strength through this time and for helping you! What I saw happened this last year is a very sick young girl becoming a beautiful confident healthy young lady! Love Nana Karen xox
Well, now that I have read everyone’s comments and am crying I guess I can write one of my own. 🙂 Geli, All I can say is you are amazing and I love you. The song that resounds in my head for you is LOVE CAME DOWN. I don’t know if you have heard this one but it is amazing and I think of you every time. you have come through some storms with your hands raised Believing. You are stepping into this next phase with grace, confidence and dignity. As His promises come to fruition in your life, continue to remind yourself of all that he has done and brought you through, and no matter what to sing out and remind your soul daily that you are His and He has brought you each step of the way and the power you hold will be and has been all along in sharing your testimony with others. You are a Hero! xoxo Love you (http://youtu.be/GEPEYphZk8s) that is the song if you want to listen. 🙂 Aunty Chelle
Angelica,
You are an amazing young lady, kinda feels like there arent words to really tell you how amazing you are. I have not been very good at communicating but I have read every post, and I continue to pray for you always. This is a day to celebrate YOU, your year of life, your smile and courage, God’s continuing strength and of a family that has blessed more people then I think you will ever know. Am looking forward to celebrating many more years with you, and one of these days in person 🙂 Have a wonderful time in New York, what a way to celebrate YOU!
Jon & Patti,
Truth is I wish I could dissolve miles and, give you guys a hug and tell you how proud I am to be your cousin. What fantastic parents you are! As you celebrate today, I celebrate with you, and pray for His arms to wrap you all.
Hugs to the whole family!
Hi Patti, Angelica, Jon and family….. What a beautiful day celebrating 1 year of life! Patti your blogs have been so REAL and emotional i cried through most of them. My family has prayed for your family daily at the dinner table…we will continue to support your family in prayer….you are finally in the home stretch! Praise God. Thank you for sharing…until i read your blogs i lived in complete ignorance of how much someone suffers while fighting for their life! Thank you for opening my eyes. I mean for REALLY opening my eyes! God bless you guys…Angelica you are amazing and 1 of the bravest people i know! Love your friends Tammy -Dan-Amber and Luke Goertzen.
PS have an amazing time in New York! totally awesome. 🙂
Geli,
I am so proud of how you have handled this journey in your life. I know we have never talked but seeing you walk around our school, staying strong, and reading your moms blog, makes me see that i have a thousand reasons to be proud of you. Your face when my lit class gave you the ipod was truly breath taking. You are such a sweetheart and as you are a year in, I know you can finish the rest of the treatment off strong!
-chelsea
Geli,
What an amazing young lady you are. You have handled this time of your life with dignity, courage and most of all, the amazing hand of God is on your life and the lives of your family. You are inspiration to myself and Syd. We pray for you everyday. May this coming year be a year of full remission and healing in your body. We love you
Jon and Patti, There are no words to express how proud I am of you. I remember the two of you at the age of Geli and see how God has taken you through this journey with such a positive and amazing outlook. I love you guys and pray God’s riches blessing on your entire family.
Love Mama Lorna
Geli and family,
You have all been very brave and have overcome many things and I’m sure know much more of the sustaining presence of our loving Father than you did a year ago! we will continue to pray!
We love you so much sweetheart. Jack didn’t love that you were in the hospital but he sure loved coming to visit you! We are so proud of everything you’ve accomplished this past year. Love Uncle Denver, Aunty Debbie and Jack Giovani
This song makes me think of you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9dRtuun0RI
Hi Angelica!
We’ve been reading about what you’ve been going through and praying for you daily! You are a strong, talented girl! I love seeing you at the Kennedy events- you love to organize and you are a leader.
Hope this next year is the best one yet!!!
Love- Matt, Carissa, Katie & Zach
geli you rock
Geli, we’ve been praying with you and for you since day 1 and will continue to do so. You are an amazing, strong and beautiful young woman. I’m doing what I can to get you some spending cash while in NYC. Those Tshirts rock!!
xoxoxoxoxo
Hard to believe that a year has passed. Probably not for your family, because it has been such a stressful and difficult year. I have enjoyed reading every post. Thank you for sharing your journey, and letting each of us be a part of it. I have shed many tears, and had some laughs too – you are so open, honest, real, transparent – it is wonderful that you have this blog, to see where you have been, and to know that the Lord, and many others, have walked with you along the way. I am so encouraged to read the posts. To see the support of your wonderful family, churches, school, the community. We have prayed for you all many times, and we will continue. I love seeing all the pictures that you have posted. I enjoy seeing Jeremy and Xani/Xandra at the school, and chatting with them in the hallways. I am always happy to see you Patti or Jon, dropping off at the school, or driving by, or around the community. I have enjoyed getting to know your mom Karen, and having a few great chats with her at church, and chatting with your sister Debbie a few times too. You are a wonderful family, with beautiful children, and I am so encouraged by all that you do, and for your strong faith. I am hoping that you will keep on with your blog….I would miss reading it. I bet you are so looking forward to summer, different schedules, lots of family time, Angelica getting stronger each day, finding a new normal. Angelica is such a beautiful young woman, who has been through so much, so strong and so brave. It sounds like she has wonderful friends, and I know she has a very supportive family – to walk through this journey with her, encouraging her each step of the way. I am happy to have met your family, and I look forward to seeing you around, and hearing updates if you continue your blog. Enjoy your summer! Enjoy each other! Enjoy life! Many blessings, hugs and continued prayers for all of you,
Julie Klassen