On Monday a home health nurse visited Ashtyn and her blood was sent to the lab. The results came back showing a good white blood cell recovery. Her ANC was up to 700. The instructions were that Ashtyn can do whatever she wants and be in public without a mask. After the news came, Ashtyn started to think about what she wants to do. Each day we will get out of the house and do something she feels up to doing.

Today Ashtyn did more than she has done since December. I woke her up at 11:30 a.m., checked Morgan out of school, and went to La Cocina for lunch, one of their favorite mexican restaurants. Afterwards we went to Old Navy. Every so often Ashtyn would find somewhere to sit and was able to last about 30 minutes before needing to go back to the car. On our way home she was in the mood for a Carls Jr. strawberry shake and Sonic chili cheese fries and chili cheese tots.

A couple hours after getting home we went to our church for a ward youth spaghetti dinner and auction fundraiser. Ashtyn was a little overwhelmed being in a room with 75 to 100 people. She walked into the room, sat at a table, ate dinner, talked with a few people that visited her at the table, and then she went home.

What was it like for Ashtyn to step out into the world? “It was weird but I liked it. It tired me out real quick.”

The results from her bone marrow aspirate that was sent to Seattle came back. There was absolutely no detectable cancer. None. The doctors were shocked. They were certain that some cancer cells would still be present. It is rare that cancer is completely gone after one effective round of chemotherapy. Ashtyn was scheduled to return to the hospital in two days to start chemo, however since she doesn’t have any detectable cancer the doctors don’t know yet what they want to do with her. The oncologists and the bone marrow transplant team are going to discuss what the next step will be. Will they do another month of chemo to keep her at zero? Will they decide to do two weeks of chemo instead? Or will they start the bone marrow transplant preparation and just do it? I should receive a phone call with the plan by the end of the day.

I know prayers are answered and miracles exist. It is a miracle that Ashtyn has no evidence of any cancer. Thank you for your faith and prayers.

“Most of us are acquainted with miracles that have occurred in our personal lives and the lives of those we love, such as miracles involving births and deaths and miraculous healings. All of these are fulfillments of the Lord’s modern promise to ‘show miracles, signs, and wonders, unto all those who believe on my name (D&C 35:8)’” Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Sand Coming From Friends in Oregon For Her Beach Collection

Ashtyn’s Sand Collection Rack

She Shoots, She Scores!