She was scheduled for chemo today, but her counts are low, so she gets a week off. The numbers aren’t so low that we have to be overly-cautious, but low enough that it wasn’t wise to give her the drugs. She goes back to CHLA next week for MRI.

Searching for the product that glitters and screams “Jordan” “I’m not ready to go yet,” she exclaimed as she rounded another aisle at Sephora. “You have nearly 10 items on your list,” Jeanette replied. She held the spiral-bound notebook Jordan used to record all the things she’d like to have as future gifts. “But I’m trying to find something that is glittery and that screams Jordan!” Jeanette raised her hand to her mouth to suppress a laugh.

Girl and the Internet The first week of chemo is usually no sweat. But a few weeks in and she starts to feel it. She’s been achy and nauseous and generally uncomfortable today. She stayed home from school and napped a lot. When she speaks to me, she whines, but the whines are interspersed with hugs in which she leans in to me and thanks me for asking how she is.

Jordan, age 9 ½ in April She’s very excited today because she’s been invited to interview with a video crew doing a piece for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. This morning she asked her mom about it. She wanted to know what questions she might be asked. Jeanette helped her recall her experiences. Sometimes, Jordan’s memory is fuzzy. For instance, when we asked her about her first symptoms, she recalls losing power in her legs.

Jordan Portrait I am strong. I am temperamental. I am blossoming. I am confident. I am apt to laugh. I am prone to indulge in sweets. I am transfixed by music. I am loving school. I am perplexed by my brother (and sometimes my mom). I am a princess, and a young lady, and still just a girl. I am funny and profound – very often dizzyingly so. I am smart.