ABBEY'S STORY Abbey's Mom wrote this. I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The crispness of fall was in the air. Abbey (2) and her brother were playing outside at my parents house. Daniel and I were inside visiting with my parents and Abbey's uncle Brian. I remember Abbey coming inside crying because she had bumped her head and kissing it better. I remember lifting her hair to see the bump and seeing a huge swollen lump the size and shape of a small banana on the back her head that had filled with blood. I remember asking my parents and brother if they thought we should have it looked at. And for some reason, when Brian said go, I knew we had to go. I remember the doctor at the Insta Care asking who lived in the house with us as he documented all the bruises on her body. Then telling us he couldn't do anything for us there. That we needed to go straight to the hospital. I remember stopping at my parents house on the way to hospital to grab a few things and bursting in to tears the minute I saw my family. I remember driving to the hospital wondering specifically “what if Abbey has Leukemia?”I remember sweet little Abbey sitting on the gurney in the ER seemingly healthy, without a care in the world!! And apologizing to the doctors for crying when they told us it was in fact Leukemia.But most of all, I remember the peace I felt that day, that everything would be okay.“Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those thing and still be calm in your heart.” -Unknown I honestly feel that my Heavenly Father prepared me for that life changing day 10 years ago. I could NOT have made it through that day without HIM. So today I spent my day remembering, and being thankful to my Heavenly Father for sending me His Comforter in my darkest hour.SIDE EFFECTS OF CANCER TREATMENTA monster is createdThe first phase of chemotherapy is called Induction. This is when Abbey was given high doses of chemo and steroids in hopes of killing the cancer cells and obtaining remission. Worked like a charm. :) By the end of Induction, Abbey was in remission.These miracle drugs didn't come without consequences however. The steroids caused Abbey to have some serious cravings. She would wake up at 5 in the morning screaming for hot dogs. (And I mean screaming) Some days she would HAVE to have ketchup, but it couldn't be touching her hot dog. Some days the ketchup HAD to be ON the hot dog. Some days the hot dog HAD to be cut, other mornings, man, if we cut that thing, the world would END! But through all the madness, Abbey always amazed me. I remember one night laying on the bed with Abbey as she was having one of her "steroid" fits. Nothing I did would console her. I was tired. She was miserable. I rolled on to my back and started to cry with her. I just didn't know what else to do. The next thing I knew Abbey was on top of me. She had stopped crying and was staring in to my eyes. "What's wrong mommy, why are you crying?" she asked... as SHE began to console ME. That is the epitome of who Abigale is. She ALWAYS puts her concern for others first. I feel so blessed to be Abbey's mom. Even at such a young age she didn't miss a beat. What a great example my sweet girl is to me.