LaRosa's and or Chick-Fil-A

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has become a very important organization within the Lothrop home. My daughter is here because of this organization. I am not just saying this. It is fact! This organization provides at least 75% of the grants and funding in research for pediatric blood cancers. 4,000 children a year is not enough of a money maker for drug companies to put their money into and develop pediatric cancer drugs. Most of the drugs and chemo's used for these children are adult drugs that are tweaked to work for children. Leukemia and Lymphoma Society funds research for the cure. We are know at an 85% cure rate for the type of Leukemia that Elizabeth has, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. This organization cares and is making huge strides in the field of blood cancers.

Please consider eating out at LaRosa's tomorrow and or Chick-fil-A on Wednesday and team-up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Mason Middle School to fight and save the lives of thousands of children. One lost is one too many. Below is the information sent to me from the Middle School.

Help support the Mason Middle School Pasta for Pennies campaign by eating at LaRosa's! Please spread the word! This is an easy one folks. Order out for lunch or get it for dinner that day!

When: Tuesday, February 23rd (from open to close)
Where: Mason LaRosa's
How: By giving/mentioning the attached flyer when eating there. It is valid for eat in, carryout, & delivery.
Why: 20% of food sales will be donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through the MMS Pasta for Pennies campaign.

LaRosa's Mason Direct Number 513.398.0680

AND OR..........

When: Wednesday, February 24th (5-8pm)
Where: Mason Chick-Fil-A
How: By giving/mentioning the attached flyer when eating there. It is valid for eat in & carryout.
Why: A portion of food sales will be donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through the MMS Pasta for Pennies campaign.

Blessings,
Christine

Go for Monday!

Catherine, Lizzy, and Haley this past summer going canoeing.

We had Lizzy's lab work done and she is finally a go for her next big chemo. I feel like we are always fighting day 29. Her ANC is 950 and her platelets are 127k. Dr. Absalon, her primary Oncologist, was jumping with excitement when he saw her numbers. Thank you for your prayers for her.

Once again God continues to inspire me to always try my best and that is not easy to do. I fail at it all the time. I ran a race on Valentine's Day, oh how I wanted to quit that last 1/4 mile up hill to the finish line. Why do all races end on a hill and not going down the hill but up the hill???? All I thought about was Liz and how she would give anything to be out racing and doing things that we push ourselves to do because it hurts.......whaa whaa whaa. I didn't quit and it felt great! Not really, I wanted to heave my guts out but I am glad that I ran the race and did not stop.

Lizzy can't wait to get back into Volleyball. She said her goal is to get a volleyball scholarship. If anyone can do it, I know it will be her. If you want to see what a true fighter looks like just go to A5 south. I have never seen kids with such tenacity. Their will to survive and live a healthy life is something to admire.

We will go to Children's, at Liberty, for her chemo, Vincristine, Monday at 8:00am. Please pray for minimal side effects as this is the chemo that effects her joints and causes stomach pain. Liz will receive this chemo every 29 days; as long as her counts are 950 and 75k. Lizzy will also start back on her daily chemo Monday. We are now down to 363 days left of taking and having chemo. We are still in the Valley but we are walking toward the light with God always at our side.

Blessings to all,
Christine

Kids need your help

Liz giving a thumbs up to the donor of the blood and platelets that she was receiving.

I have asked a lot from all of you over the past 16 months; for prayers, for money to support our cause, fundraisers, walking events in support of Liz and the list goes on and on and on. I am going to prayerfully ask that you consider giving blood products. Elizabeth would not be her today if not for the generosity of selfless and giving people. I have learned so much from being a caregiver of a child with cancer. Elizabeth has gone through so many units of blood and platelets that I have lost track of the amount. She will never be able to give back by giving blood because of her type of cancer. This is something that really bothers Liz because she knows a persons life is depending on it. My child is here because of people who give and I cannot thank you enough.

Platelets take any where from one to two hours to give. The shelf life for platelets is three days, but no need to worry about them going bad, the last time I gave platelets the bag left with a name on it and it went directly to Cincinnati Children's. The Plasma I gave went to Shriners downtown. A person can give platelets every two weeks and blood can be giving every 56 days.

Patients continue to need life-saving blood, no matter the weather conditions. Like everyone, Hoxworth Blood Center is dealing with the snow yet again. Hoxworth will remain open! Donors can call 513-451-0910 to find a place to donate. All donors, 2/15-2/20 will be automatically registered to win a pair of Suite Tickets to the SOLD OUT Taylor Swift Concert on March 28th!

Please consider giving the gift of life, you never know who you are going to save!

Blessing and prayers,

Christine

Liz is having her her blood drawn this Friday, please pray that her ANC is 750 and her platelets are at 75k. Last time they were checked her ANC was 510 and her platelets were 63k. If they are at the right levels she will have chemo on Monday and go back on all of her daily chemo as well.

Liz is feeling really good, no chemo, it will do that to her : ) Please pray that she resumes her chemo on Monday and her counts remain high.

Blessings and prayers,
Christine

Movin on up, just like the Jeffersons

We are heading in the right direction; UP! We had blood drawn on Monday and her ANC is 540. WHOOPEEEEEEEE! This means she can wonder about like a normal person; NO mask and we can go places! Liz and I were like two school girls that were just asked to the prom. We danced, hugged, and wanted to cry but didn't. Who wants to be the first one to do that? JEEZ.

God is awesome. Liz and I prayed hard on the way to Children's that she would be at least 500. An hour later we called Children's and the prelims were at 450. The tech had one more step to do and this step usually brings the numbers down a bit. I told her "I am confident that God will work the numbers, I will call back in 10 min." called back and God gave us 540. The rest is HIStory. We were out the door to breathe the air and take in the day.

Liz needs to have an ANC of 750 and platelets of 75k to have her heavy chemo on Tues. please pray that her counts continue to climb and she is well enough to go back on her daily chemo. Feb. 17 , 2010 is one year away from her final chemo date. We will be celebrating our journey over the past 16 months and gearing up for the last 365 days. I don't know what we are going to be doing yet but one thing is for sure ...... the Lothrop house will be rockin. I can't wait to have the calendar count down like the kid's do at Christmas time.

Thank you all for your daily prayers, checking in and reading the blog, letters of encouragement to Liz, and your financial support for our cause.

Blessings and prayers,
Christine

Layups for Leukemia!

For those of you who could not make it out for the Layups 4 Leukemia, we made a little video of the highlights. Copy and paste the link below and enjoy. I don't have the total as of yet that was made for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society but when I do, I will let you know. Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odRazm4nui0

Winter Break 2010!

MASON vs SYCAMORE :)

Last year was a success but this year it needs to be even bigger! Our goal is to raise $10,000 for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society This year we have decided to have a competition between Sycamore and Mason to see who will sell more t-shirts! SO WHICH SCHOOL WILL IT BE?

Honored Heroes:
-Liz Lothrop
-Joel Brown
-Leah Jordan

T-shirts will be sold for $10. Students wearing the t-shirt to the game will get free admission. Adults wearing the t-shirt will get in for $3, without t-shirt regular $6 admission will apply.

Sycamore and Mason High School will be selling t-shirts during lunch on January 28th and 29th and February 1st and 2nd.

Whatever t-shirts are left, will be sold at the door.

There will be competitions at halftime- Sycamore vs Mason!

There will also be items raffled off throughout the game.

If you would like to make an on-line donation please visit the event webpage at: http://soh.lls.llsevent.org/layupsforleukemia

Questions, please contact event co-chair @ ashleyschaefer21@yahoo.com

THANK YOU in advance for all your support.

Ashley
Play by play, we are closer to a CURE!

Up hill? No wait, down hill.

Liz and Jim at Youth Group ")

Have you ever gone to a movie on the recommendation that "It is the best movie you will ever see". Well, maintenance is a bit like that. Liz and I had these illusions that when the tough weekly treatment was over and we hit maintenance we would "see the light". Let's just say that we are not breaking out the sunglasses. Although we are seeing less of the doctors and downtown Children's, we are not seeing more of the outside world. We do miss our doctors and the nurses. Believe it or not, hours of waiting at clinic now seems like a fun day out.

Lizzy's counts remain swirling at the bottom of the toilet. We had blood work done at Children's Liberty today and her ANC is 10, platelets 21k, hemoglobin 10, white blood cell (WBC) .05. If you want to visit, please call me first, also make sure you are not sick in any way, even having the sniffles. This is where her counts were when she was admitted in November and remained in the hospital for three weeks. Without an ANC ,immune system, Liz cannot fight her own bodies bacteria.

All chemo is stopped until her counts recover to an ANC of 750, and platelets of 75k. Last week Liz received two units of packed red blood cells and one unit of platelets. There is a critical crises for blood and platelets. If you have never given blood or platelets, please prayerfully consider donating. Your donation saves lives! Not every one can give financially but every one can see if they can give blood products and if they can it doesn't cost a thing.

Please pray for her ANC to recover
that she does not get sick
that we "see the light" soon
for the researchers and funds that have allowed there to be an 85% cure rate

Blessings,
Christine

Layups for Leukemia

UC Relay for Life is back again!

Hello Family and Friends :)

I am back at this again this year! I am hoping to raise $3,000 with my team and bring us a few steps further in finding a cure for cancer.

This year, I am helping save lives from cancer by taking part in the American Cancer Society Relay For Life Event, and I’m hoping you will help by supporting me.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life® is a life-changing event that gives people in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay, teams of people camp out on the University of Cincinnati campus and take turns walking or running around a path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events up to 24 hours in length.

In addition to helping people celebrate, remember, and fight back, Relay For Life® also helps raise much-needed funds and awareness to help the American Cancer Society save lives from cancer.

Please support me in my efforts by visiting my personal web page to make a secure, tax-deductible online donation at
http://main.acsevents.org/goto/cat.lothrop

Every donation really does make a difference. I know that times are tighter than normal for many of us, but any amount you can give truly can help save lives. Just $5 gets us one step closer to the exciting goal of a cure!

Thanks to your support, the American Cancer Society can:

• Help people stay well by helping them take steps to prevent cancer or detect it early, when it’s most treatable
• Help people get well by being in their corner around the clock to guide them through every step of their cancer experience
• Find cures by funding groundbreaking research that helps us understand cancer’s causes, determine how best to prevent it, and discover new ways to cure it
• Fight back by working with lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and rally communities worldwide to join the fight

Each of us has our own reasons for caring about the fight against cancer … whatever your reasons, I hope you’ll choose to make a difference by making a donation online to support my efforts. I’m so grateful to have people like you in my life who want to see an end to cancer in our lifetime as much as I do. Together we can save lives.

If you want to learn more about Relay For Life®, please visit RelayForLife.org.

Thanks so much everyone :)
Catherine Lothrop

Counts down

The Lothrop "trickle train"

We are now 35 days into maintenance and her chemo may need a little adjusting. Lizzy's blood work today was not encouraging. Her ANC ( immune system) is at 80, well below the 500 mark. We had her at a basketball game last night; please pray that God was watching over her and will protect her from any type of sickness she was exposed to. Her platelets are only at 15k so here we sit at Children's getting a platelet transfusion.

Life is funny; you wait for this miracle of "Maintenance" and you find that you are still battling the same demons. I guess the first three months are a bit of a roller coaster until they have the dosage right for her daily chemo.

The plan as of now is to stop all chemo until her counts recover. ANC 750 and platelets 75k. Once that happens she will go back on 100% dosing of her 6mp chemo and see if she can hold her own. If not, her chemo will be held again until her counts have recovered and she will start back up at 50 to 75% dosing of her 6mp.

Please continue to pray for protection from illness,
her counts to recover,
minimal side effects,
the families and children on A5 South.

Be a blessing to someone today,
Christine

Count back

Liz and Batman riding home from Fort Myers

I was just going through my binder from the past 455 days of Elizabeth's treatment and here is a 14 month in review for you.

125 days in the hospital (3.5 months)
295 days at the hospital ( clinic, blood draws, blood/platelet transfusions, fevers)
35 days at home without running anywhere

God and you were with us every step of the way. No one could make it through that ordeal without the love of God, family, friends, and community. Thank you for being with us during our darkest moments and sharing some of our most wonderful moments of growing as individuals.

Please continue to pray for minimal side effects from her chemo and just the daily routine of all the drugs that she has to take.

Blessings,
Christine

Layups for Leukemia is fast approaching!!!

Last year was a hit...this year we are going to PACK THE HOUSE and SAVE LIVES!!!
The event details are:
Feb. 2nd 2010 7:30pm during the Boys game
Mason at Sycamore.

Event being held by Sycamore Womens Basketball team.
Questions contact co-chair Ashley Schaefer@ ashleyschaefer21@yahoo.com

T-shirts will be sold for $10. Students wearing the t-shirt to the game will get free admission. Adults wearing the t-shirt will get in for $3, without t-shirt regular $6 admission will apply.
There will also be items raffled off.

The webpage address if anyone would like to make on-line donations is:
http://soh.lls.llsevent.org/layupsforleukemia