TEAM CHIN

Update

2012-03-02T10:03:00.000-06:00

Leanne had an appointment with her oncologist this week to check how her tumor is responding to the chemo and to make sure her white blood counts are up where they need to be. While the oncologist is pleased with the effects of the chemo thus far, they would like to do another round of chemo. So, she will have three more treatments then a week off. Then back to the oncologist for another check.

Please continue to pray for TEAM CHIN:
-Pray for continued health and strength for Leanne
-Pray for peace for Leanne as she struggles with fear
-Pray for Leanne, Ryan, and their families to continue to trust God's plan
-Pray for Leanne to continue to find her strength in God

Taking the Plunge!

2012-02-27T17:53:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday the youth group from St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Henning, MN held their annual Polar Plunge fundraiser. A few of the kids jumped in honor of Leo and a couple of other babies with health issues. Here are some pics of the event.

Yes, the boys are wearing diapers!

What a great event! TEAM CHIN is so thankful for the support! Please keep Leanne, Ryan, and Leo in your prayers. Pray that they would continue to stay healthy and strong.

Round 2: #3 and Home!

2012-02-23T20:40:00.001-06:00

Leanne has had quite a busy week! After a ~~too long~~ 3 day stay in the hospital for an infection in her stomach, Leanne was discharged from the hospital after completing her 3rd round of post pregnancy chemo. And I was the lucky chemo buddy!!

Yes, I am aware this pic is blurry. But we were in a hurry to pack up to head home when we remembered to take a picture.

Leanne is feeling much better! As she put it, she feels a million times better than she did on Monday. She also decided that she was going to stay home for a while and not risk getting sick and ending up in the hospital again! Leanne was sent home on an antibiotic which will continue to treat her stomach infection and a self given shot (boo) to boost her white blood cell count after chemo. She will have a week off from chemo next Thursday (!!!!!!!!!!!!!), but will go in for a check of her blood counts.

Thank you so much for your prayers! Praise the Lord she is home and feeling better. Please keep praying for her:

Pray for continued healing for Leanne
Pray for continued health and good growth for Leo
Pray for Leanne to rely on God's truth and not be tempted to have a spirit of fear

Thanks for all of your support, love, and encouragement! Leanne loves all of your comments on the blog and on Facebook!

visitor!

2012-02-22T18:44:00.000-06:00

Leanne had a sweet little visitor to brighten her day!

We ask that you would continue to pray for her in the following ways:

Health for Leanne; for the infection to go away completely
Continued growth for Leo
For Leanne to find peace in God's plan
Leanne to rely on God's truth and not be tempted to have a spirit of fear

hospital stay

2012-02-21T22:49:00.000-06:00

On Sunday Leanne began feeling a little under the weather. By early Monday evening, she was feeling ill enough to warrant a call to the doctor and a visit to the ER. She had a high fever, an achy body, and lots of drainage in her throat. Once her oncologist was called regarding her condition, she was admitted so they could try to find the cause of her fever. She was admitted on the oncology floor and had a sweet room! Look at all this space :)

Fran spent the night with Leanne. Here she is hooked up to her IV.

Thankfully, they found the source of her infection! The good bacteria in her stomach was destroyed during chemo which led to an infection. She is in isolation in the hospital and will get to have Ryan spend the night tonight (Tuesday)!!! So thankful they will get to spend time together.

Please pray for:

Health for Leanne; for the infection to go away completely
Continued growth for Leo
For Leanne to find peace in God's plan
Leanne to rely on God's truth and not be tempted to have a spirit of fear

Round 2: #2

2012-02-17T08:47:00.002-06:00

First, some pics of the sweetest little member of TEAM CHIN!

He likes to help Daddy with his bottle

Oooooh look at that precious face!

Ok, back to a chemo update. Grammie Fran went with Leanne to her second round of post pregnancy chemo yesterday. Prior to chemo she had a few appointments earlier in the day. Leo had a Dr appointment to check his weight and make sure he is growing like he should. He is up to 5lbs 15oz! Keep up the hard work Leo! (and Leanne & Ryan!) Leanne also met with her oncologist, Dr. Bloom, and he said the chemo is working like it should (!!!!!!) and they are going to continue with the treatments for the time being. He is optimistic about how the tumor is responding to the chemo! A crazy little lady got to skype with Auntie Leanne during chemo :)

It has been a busy week for TEAM CHIN, but we have not stopped giving thanks for your partnership with us! Please continue to pray for us:

Praise God for good growth for Leo!
Praise God for the support shown to Leanne & Ryan by the Cobbers this week!
Praise God for all the generosity show to TEAM CHIN!
Pray for Leo to continue to grow
Pray for chemo to shrink the tumor drastically
Pray for wisdom for the doctors as they care for Leanne
Pray for continued peace for Leanne, Ryan, and their families
Pray for Leanne as she struggles with relying on God to overcome fear

Thank you! We could not do this without all of you!

Cobber night!

2012-02-16T19:02:00.000-06:00

Leanne and Ryan (plus Ryan's parents, Leanne's dad, and sister) made the trip up to Moorhead last night for the Cobber women's basketball game in honor of Leanne's fight against breast cancer.

There were t-shirts for sale, TEAM CHIN wristbands, and some stories about Leanne's past few months. Needless to say, Leanne and Ryan felt incredibly loved by their Cobber family. Prior to the game, Leanne's former coach shared Leanne's story with the crowd.

Here is Leanne with Coach Rahman.

Leanne was amazed by the number of people who came out to show their support. Former teammates, former teammates parents, former professors, family members, former coaches, Leanne's family she nannied for in Fargo, and many more.

And to top it all off, the Cobber's won! TEAM CHIN is so thankful for the Cobber's support for Leanne and for dedicating their game to her.

P.S. One lucky lady got to spend the night with a special little guy :)

Coming tomorrow: a chemo update and some more pics of Leo!

A couple of links

2012-02-15T09:51:00.000-06:00

Of course we already know this, but apparently word is getting out that Leanne is kind of a big deal :)

Her Alma Mater, Concordia College, is dedicating its annual Cancer Awareness/Think Pink game to her fight against breast cancer. In the past two days, two articles have been written about the game. I thought I would post the links here and here.

And just in case you are not able to attend the game in Moorhead tonight, you can watch it online here. Once you click on the link, scroll down and click on the link that says Women's Basketball vs. Gustavus - 5:45 p.m.

Cobber love for TEAM CHIN!

2012-02-12T20:43:00.000-06:00

**Just a little background: Leanne played basketball for 4 years at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN**

Attention all Cobber fans, TEAM CHIN fans, residents of the Fargo/Moorhead area, or anyone interested in a fun road trip on Wednesday:

Thanks for the pic cobbersid123 :)

On Wednesday, February 15, 2012 the Concordia College women's basketball team will dedicate its Pink Zone breast cancer awareness game to Leanne and her fight against breast cancer. (How awesome is that?!?!)

If you are interested in coming, the women will play at 5:45pm in Memorial Auditorium on the Concordia College campus.

Please join a few members of TEAM CHIN on Wednesday to show your support for Leanne. Hope to see you there!

Round 2: #1

2012-02-09T16:05:00.000-06:00

Leanne had the cutest little sidekick at chemo today! (sorry Ryan)

Leo went with his mommy as she started her second round of chemo. Leanne's oncologist said that the side effects from this type of chemo typically are not as harsh as the last round. So hopefully that will be the case :)

I am just going to make it easy on you :) and just copy & paste the prayer requests from yesterday.

Peace for Leanne and Ryan as they begin the next phase of treatment (John 14:27)
Leanne, Ryan, and their families to depend on God during this time (Isaiah 26:3 and Psalm 55:22)
God to continue to work good in this situation, even though it may not seem like it to us at the time(Romans 8:28)
Leanne, Ryan, and their families to trust God's plan for their lives (Jeremiah 29:11)
Continued good health and growth for Leo
The chemo would drastically shrink the tumor quickly
Continued wisdom and knowledge for the doctors as they treat Leanne

It starts again ...

2012-02-08T21:18:00.000-06:00

Chemo .... Thursday morning.

The appointment with the oncologist today was not quite what we were expecting to hear, but God doesn't promise that. Dr. Bloom said that part of the tumor was responding to the hormone therapy, but the rest of it was not. So, in order to do surgery and get the cancer out of Leanne's body, she will start chemo on Thursday. She will have chemo once a week for 3 weeks and then will have a week off.

Please pray for us. We know that we can claim God's promises about these things and ask that you would partner with us in praying for the following:

-Peace for Leanne and Ryan as they begin the next phase of treatment (John 14:27)
-Leanne, Ryan, and their families to depend on God during this time (Isaiah 26:3 and Psalm 55:22)
-God to continue to work good in this situation, even though it may not seem like it to us (Romans 8:28)
-Leanne, Ryan, and their families to trust God's plan for their lives (Jeremiah 29:11)
-Continued good health and growth for Leo
-The chemo would drastically shrink the tumor quickly
-Continued wisdom and knowledge for the doctors as they treat Leanne

home!!!!!!

2012-02-06T22:47:00.000-06:00

After much waiting, this little guy (who was tuckered out after enjoying a good bottle)

got to go home today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Praise the Lord for allowing Leo to come home so soon!

We continue to be so thankful for your partnership in prayer! Please keep praying for Ryan, Leanne, & Leo. Here are some specific requests:

Pray for confidence for Ryan & Leanne as they begin life with their baby boy at home
Pray for peace for Ryan & Leanne as they adjust over the next days & nights with a newborn
Pray for continued health for Leo
Pray for wisdom for the Dr's as they meet with Leanne on Wednesday to discuss the next step in her treatment

Someone ...

2012-02-02T19:06:00.000-06:00

Passed their car seat test!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was this ~~little~~ big guy!

As long as he does not have any apnea spells between now and Sunday, he will get to come home without a monitor!

Someone else took a CPR class today. It was these two ...

And Grammie Fran was also there. Please keep praying that Leo will be apnea free so that he can come home on Sunday!

sweet baby!

2012-02-01T09:59:00.000-06:00

We are so thankful for every one's prayers! It is so evident God was working in this little guys body before he was born, preparing him to come early.

Lots has been happening in this little guys world! He is feeding tube free, eating from a bottle at every feeding. Praise God! Leo is now in a bassinet, not the isolette. He gets to wear lots of cute clothes to keep warm :) And this ~~little~~ hefty guy is up to a whopping 4lbs 8oz!

Initially, we thought Leo would be in the hospital for a minimum of 4 weeks. However, he is doing so great that he could possibly come home on Sunday! Leo will take his car seat test on Thursday. He will have to sit in his car seat for 1 hour and not have any dips in his heart rate during that 1 hour span.
If he does not have any apnea (meaning he will stop breathing for a short period of time) episodes he should come home Sunday. If he has an episode he will come home with a monitor and maybe some medicine.

We appreciate your continued partnership in prayer. Please keep Leanne, Ryan, and Leo in your prayers. Please pray for:

Continued growth and health for Leo
Leo to come home on Sunday
Leo to pass his car seat test
Leo to be apnea free
Wisdom for the Dr's as they make decisions about Leo
The tumor to keep shrinking
Wisdom for Leanne's Dr's as they make treatment decisions for Leanne at next weeks appt.
Peace for Leanne and Ryan as they prepare for Leo to come home

Now for what you really want, more Leo!

more Leo!

2012-01-24T10:19:00.001-06:00

Leanne updated her blog today with lots more pics of Leo! Check it out here!

guess who?

2012-01-23T08:15:00.000-06:00

drank out of a bottle this weekend?

This guy did! He drank 10 ml from a bottle and then got the rest in his feeding tube. Leanne got to feed him his first bottle! Leo is continuing to do great! Thanks so much for praying for Leanne, Ryan, and Leo. Please keep praying!

Please help!

2012-01-17T15:09:00.000-06:00

I am sure you have been waiting for another way to help Leanne, Ryan, and Leo :)

Well, here it is!

There is this amazing website called Care Calendar and it is a way to organize help for a loved one who needs it. So here is the link to the calendar we have set up for Leanne, Ryan, and Leo:

http://carecalendar.org/logon/98734

When you get to the site, please use the following information to log in to their calendar:

CALENDAR ID: 98734
SECURITY CODE : 8797

On this website there are a few ways you can help:

Bring meals
Run errands (Target, grocery shopping, etc)
Housework

When you get to the calendar, you can click on a particular need you would like to help meet. Then you will be asked to fill in some information. After entering your information, please scroll down and click Sign Up. Then, your name will show up on the calendar to let others know this need has been filled. You will also receive an email as a reminder that you signed up to help.

If you live far away, but would like to help here are some suggestions:

Gift cards to Target to purchase groceries, cleaning supplies, etc.
Gift cards to grocery stores in the area: Cub Foods, Wal Mart, and Rainbow Foods
Continue to pray!

update!

2012-01-16T14:21:00.000-06:00

Thought it was time for an update! Leanne was discharged from the hospital on Friday and has been resting and recovering. Since Leanne and Ryan cannot be at the hospital with Leo all the time, Grover keeps Leo company.

Leo took a vacation under the lights and mom and dad had to join in the fun with their shades!

And lastly, Leo got to wear his first outfit ever! Then, later he initiated his mommy and daddy into the parent club by peeing and pooping on them :)

Leo update: He is doing great, off all oxygen, moving in the right direction. Eating more every other feeding and decreasing his IV. Loves skin to skin snuggle time with mom and dad. Again, he is doing great!

Leanne update: Her oncologist said Friday that the tumor looks like the medicine is working already! Praise the Lord! We go back in 3 weeks to determine what the next step is.

Thanks for continuing to pray for Leanne, Ryan, and Leo. Here are some specific requests:

Praise! They are so thankful for the nurses and doctors that cared for Leanne this week and their wisdom and compassion.
Praise! For Leanne and Ryan being able to snuggle Leo daily.
Praise! They are so thankful for the knowledgeable nurses and doctors that care for Leo daily.
That the tumor would keep responding to the medicine and shrinking.
That Leanne would continue to heal from surgery.
That Leo would keep growing and doing well.
That Leanne and Ryan would have peace as they leave Leo each night. They know he is in the best hands but it is still hard.

As promised ...

2012-01-12T16:31:00.000-06:00

Here are lots of pics of the Miller 3!

First, here is a pre-surgery picture of Mommy and ~~Dr.~~ Daddy.

Now for some Mommy and Leo moments

And we don't want to forget the Daddy moments

The whole family :)

I couldn't leave out the pictures of sweet Leo!

Look at that precious face!

He is on some oxygen and does have a feeding tube

Working on that sucking reflex

And for a size comparison, here is Leo next to Ryan's hand

A little update about Leanne:

With the great news yesterday that the cancer has not spread anywhere else in her body, the doctor's have changed their plan of care for Leanne. Right now they are trying some hormone therapy to slow the growth of the tumor. (The cancer Leanne has is hormone driven, so they are essentially trying to take its food away) We do know that most likely a combination of more chemo, radiation, and surgery are in the future. We just don't know when. But, like the past few months, we will trust God that He will give the doctor's wisdom to know how to best treat this cancer.

We still need lots of prayer! So please keep praying for Leanne, Ryan, and Leo:

Praise! that Leanne and Ryan were both able to hold Leo
Praise! that Leanne and Ryan have both been able to get good rest
Pray that Leo would continue to grow healthy and strong
Pray that the cancer would quit growing
Pray for wisdom and knowledge for the doctors and nurses that are treating Leanne and Leo
Peace for Leanne, Ryan, and their families as they await what the future holds for them
Peace for Leanne and Ryan as they head home (either Friday or Saturday)

Great news!

2012-01-11T20:44:00.000-06:00

No baby pictures today (I promise there will be some tomorrow), but we got some great news today. After two scans today, the doctors told Leanne that the cancer has not spread anywhere else in her body!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Later this week Leanne will know more about the plan of action for her care.

On a Leo note, he was moved from the NICU to the special care nursery this afternoon. The special care nursery is for babies like Leo who just need a little more attention than is given in the typical newborn nursery. He is also off his CPAP! Meaning, he does not have to wear his oxygen face mask anymore. And Leanne got to hold his sweet little head today! Such a special moment for this new mommy :)

Keep those prayers coming! We are so thankful for your partnership in that way.

Introducing ...

2012-01-10T16:09:00.000-06:00

Leo Christopher Miller

3lbs 9oz

17 1/4inches

Isn't he precious?!?! Sweet Leo was born via c-section this morning at 11:37am. He is in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), but doing great! Leanne is recovering well and very thankful to have such a sweet baby boy to celebrate. And Ryan is one proud Daddy! Both sets of grandparents have been to the hospital and are prouder than words can express. And all the Aunts, Uncles, and cousins send LOTS of love from far away! A little meaning behind the name ... Leo is Ryan's grandpa's name who passed away when he was younger; Christopher is Leanne's dad's name. And Miller is obviously their last name :)

Even though things didn't go as planned, we are so thankful for your prayers. Besides, God's plan is far better than anything we could ever think or imagine! (Jeremiah 29:11-13) Please continue to keep Ryan, Leanne, & Leo in your prayers. Here are some specifics:

PRAISE!!!!!!!!!! the Lord for a beautiful baby boy!
Praise! that Leanne was able to deliver Leo without complication
Pray that Leanne and Ryan can enjoy Leo without the burden of what lies ahead
Pray for wisdom for the doctor's and nurses as they determine the next steps in the care of Leo and Leanne
Pray for strength for Ryan as he leads and makes decisions for his new family of 3
Pray for rest for Leanne and Ryan
Pray that Leanne's pain would be under control
Pray for wisdom & knowledge for the doctor's as they determine the plan for Leanne based on the results of scans she will have done tomorrow.

Thanks for praying and keep checking back for updates!

Almost here!

2012-01-09T15:26:00.000-06:00

Leanne is 32 weeks and Grover will be here tomorrow! The excitement is intoxicating! Amidst all the tough stuff going on with Leanne, God has such a blessing in store for them. As they head into the hospital tonight we ask that you would be so faithful in prayer over the next 24 hours. Here are some very specific requests from Leanne. Please pray for:

A natural delivery for Leanne
Wisdom for Dr's & nurses as they guide Leanne and Ryan in making decisions
Peace for Leanne and Ryan as they navigate the care of Leanne & Grover
The ability to enjoy every moment with Grover without the burden of what's ahead
God to reveal His plan for Leanne, Ryan, & Grover

**From Leanne: Thanks for every single text, email, message, card, & letter. We have read all of them and appreciate it more than you know. It has been such an encouragement. You are such a blessing to us. We wish that we had enough time to respond to each one of you, but we can't. We love you all and can't wait to introduce our son to you tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!

celebrate!

2012-01-01T21:22:00.000-06:00

There has been a lot to celebrate! We celebrated that Leanne has made it to 30 weeks!

Only 2 more weeks and we get to meet sweet, little Grover!

Leanne and Grover were celebrated in Henning with Ryan's family & friends. Isn't that diaper cake the cutest?!

Leanne got tons of cute stuff! Thanks to all who were able to celebrate with Leanne in Henning.

After Christmas, Leanne and Grover were honored at a shower in Eden Prairie.

Once again, Leanne and Grover were showered with lots of love and cute stuff! Thanks for coming out and loving on Leanne.

Please continue to pray for Leanne, Ryan, and Grover as they await Grover's arrival on January 10th. Please pray for:

Safe, natural delivery for Leanne
Continued growth for Grover
Continued health for Leanne
Peace for Leanne, Ryan, and Grover

Thanks for all of your love and support!

Grover update

2011-12-30T16:51:00.000-06:00

Leanne had an appointment today to check on Grover. He looked great! I even got to go to her appointment with her!

Leanne will have one more appointment next week before Grover enters the world. They will measure him and do some tests at that appointment.

Please continue to keep Leanne, Ryan, and Grover in your prayers. Pray specifically pray for:

Continued health for Leanne
Continued growth for Grover
A safe, natural delivery for Leanne
Continued peace for Leanne, Ryan, and their families
Praise! that Leanne & Ryan are all moved into their townhouse!!
Praise! that Ryan will start his new job on Tuesday!!

trusting

2011-12-22T10:47:00.000-06:00

Leanne and her parents met with the care team on Wednesday, all 16 of them. The meeting went a little differently than planned, but isn't that the case with life? It did, however, go according to God's completely sovereign plan for Leanne, Ryan, and Grover.

So here is the new plan:

January 10: Leanne will be induced (a.k.a. we get to meet Grover!!!!!)
January 11 & 12: Leanne will have tests and imaging done to make surgery easier
January 13: Leanne will have a single mastectomy

First and foremost, Leanne, Ryan, and their families trust the doctor's and their knowledge about how to best care for Leanne.

With that being said, the doctor's want to deliver Grover so they can move on to the next round of chemo sooner. They also want to deliver him before surgery so the medicine and anesthesia won't affect him. Leanne, Ryan, and their families have a lot of peace about this. They are trusting God that, even though this is not what they expected, He will continue to watch over them. As Leanne said to me, "Look at how God has already been putting the pieces together?! This is just another piece to the puzzle."

Once again, here is where you come in. We are BEGGING that you will spend LOTS of time over these next few weeks in prayer about the following:

That Grover would be a BIG, healthy baby.
That Leanne would have a natural delivery (no c-section)
That Leanne would have a smooth recovery from surgery on the 13th
Continued health for Leanne, Ryan, Grover and their families
Continued wisdom and knowledge for the team of doctors
Praise! God's continued provision and planning in each step of this journey!!
Praise! Leanne had good blood counts at chemo this week!!
Praise! A great team of knowledgeable doctors!!

Due to the health and safety of Leanne, Ryan, Grover, and their families, we ask that you would use extra caution while being around them this Christmas season. The best gift you can give them is the gift of health. To put it bluntly, if you are sick, feeling sick, getting sick, or recovering from being sick keep your distance!

TEAM CHIN is praying that you would experience the peace and provision of Christ this Christmas season.

The Lord is my shepherd, I have all that I need.
     He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
        He renews my strength.
   He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
    Even when I walk through the darkest valley,
   I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.
   Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
     You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.
   You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
      My cup overflows with blessings.
    Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,
   and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23

New Living Translation

#4

2011-12-20T14:51:00.000-06:00

Leanne had her final chemo treatment before she delivers Grover today! And she had some fun company ...

Tim and Aimee were both in town and decided to bring a little Christmas cheer to Leanne and the other chemo patients. Happy ugly Christmas sweater Tuesday! Leanne will meet with her Oncology team on Wednesday to discuss the plans and timeline for surgery. We will keep you posted!

As you celebrate Christmas with your family, we ask that you keep Leanne and her family in your prayers. Please specifically pray for:

Health for Leanne during this Christmas season
Continued growth for Grover
Peace for Leanne, Ryan, and their families as they await Grover's arrival
Wisdom for the doctors as they decide the plan for surgery and treatment
Leanne to carry Grover to 37 weeks

And Praise the Lord for the successful move this past weekend! Thank you to all that helped! Merry Christmas from TEAM CHIN!

Grover & moving update

2011-12-14T10:40:00.000-06:00

Leanne had a perinatologist appointment yesterday and got to catch a glimpse of Grover. I don't know about you, but I cant wait to kiss those sweet cheeks!! Thanks so much for your prayers. Grover is growing (2lbs 6oz!!) and doing well. Leanne even gained a pound :)

On another note, there have been some changes with the moving plans. Here is the new schedule:

Saturday December 17, 1:00pm - Load the truck in Fergus Falls

Sunday December 18, 1:00pm - Unload the truck in Eden Prairie

Please call, facebook message, text, or email Leanne and/or Ryan if you are interested in helping.

We are so thankful for your partnership in prayer. Please continue to lift Leanne, Ryan, and Grover up in prayer. Please pray for:

Continued growth and health for Grover
Continued health for Leanne
Rest and peace for Leanne, Ryan, and their families
Leanne to carry Grover to 37 weeks
A smooth move this weekend

Moving!

2011-12-09T10:11:00.000-06:00

*Written by Leanne

God is so good! He is answering prayers and proving for all of our needs right now. What a powerful experience it is to sit back and watch Him work and learn to be patient and wait for His timing!
We have been praying since the beginning of this cancer journey that God would somehow open up doors for us to be in the Twin Cities. There were a number of reasons behind this prayer but the two most important ones were that:

1. Ryan and I could be together as I go through treatment and once Grover is born
2. I could be near my doctors so that if anything odd happened we would not have to drive 3 hours to get to a doctor who knows my case.

For the last few weeks we have been working on details so that we can move to the cities. Ryan found out at the beginning of December that Titan would work with him and allow him to keep his job and work out of the Shakopee store. What an answer to a prayer! They worked out the details and he will start there in January. I have been in Fergus Falls this week and have been working to pack as much as I can. Ryan's mom and dad came over on Tuesday and were a HUGE help! They helped me pack sooooooo much! My parents are on the other end and have been looking at places for us to live and found one last night! It is close to them so they can be there quick if we need them.

Here is the timeline:

Friday December 16- Celebrate Aimee's COLLEGE GRADUATION!!!!!!!!!!!! (our baby ... ok, my parent's baby is all grown up)
Saturday December 17- 1:00 pack up truck in Fergus Falls
Saturday Evening- unload truck into Chris & Fran's garage

We would love to have help here in Fergus on Saturday. The truck will be here around 1:00. If you want to help please send us an email, facebook message, comment, or text. We could also use some help once we get to the cities but we don't exactly know what time that will be yet.

This move is what we need to do right now and as hard as it is to leave the Fergus/Alexandria communities we need to do what is best for my health. We pray that if it is His will, God will bring us back to the area someday.

Thanks for loving us and supporting us through this. We could not do this without TEAM CHIN!!!!

Bump update

2011-12-01T16:12:00.002-06:00

Leanne is 26 weeks along! She had an appointment with her perinatologist (aka baby doctor) this morning and Grover looks great! His heartbeat was in the 150's; which is normal for him. Leanne is doing great and the Dr. said everything looks wonderful. Praise the Lord for continuing to knit Grover together in his mommies womb.

Please continue to pray for Leanne to have a safe, healthy, and long (37 weeks) pregnancy.

#3

2011-11-29T21:50:00.000-06:00

Chemo treatment #3: Done!

Leanne had her third chemo treatment today. She also had an appointment with her oncologist, Dr. Bloom. They measured her tumor and said it had shrunk 1cm!!!!!!!!!!! Praise the Lord!!

Please continue to keep Leanne, Ryan, and Grover in your prayers. You can pray specifically pray for:

Continued growth for Grover
Continued health for Leanne
Leanne to carry Grover to full term (37 weeks)
Minimal side effects from the chemo for Leanne
Peace for Leanne, Ryan, and their families as they trust God with their future plans

Thankful

2011-11-26T19:25:00.000-06:00

We know it has been a while, but we have been busy celebrating all we are thankful for. Oh, and eating, laughing, and loving on these three.

We wanted you to know that we are so thankful for you! We are thankful for your prayers, support, encouragement, and love. We could not do this without you Team Chin.

Leanne has her next chemo treatment on Tuesday. Please pray for

Continued health for Leanne
Continued health and growth for Grover
Leanne to carry Grover to full term (37 weeks)
God's continued provision for Leanne, Ryan, and Grover in all areas of their lives

Grover update

2011-11-15T13:43:00.000-06:00

Leanne had a Dr. appointment this morning. The Dr. said that baby Grover looked great! He is weighing in at 1 lb and 6 oz. Grover is growing and looking healthy. Thankfully Leanne is lucky enough to have frequent ultrasounds of Grover so we have a picture to share!

Please to continue to pray for:

Continued good health and growth for Grover
Continued good health for Leanne
Rest and peace for Leanne

Baby Bump

2011-11-12T10:09:00.000-06:00

I am sure you all have been itching to see some baby bump pics. Well here it is! 23 weeks is looking good on Leanne :)

Praises:

Healthy pregnancy thus far for Leanne and Grover!
The support Leanne, Ryan, and Grover have been shown over the past month! Thank you!

Prayer requests:

Peace for Leanne and Ryan
Health for Leanne and Grover
That God would continue to provide for Ryan and Leanne in all areas of their lives
Good news from the Dr. on Tuesday

wear it!

2011-11-10T20:42:00.000-06:00

As promised, here is a way for everyone to help!

Once Leanne was diagnosed, we began brainstorming ways that we could help Leanne, Ryan, and baby Grover. So we got online and ordered some bracelets figuring we could give them out to those wanting to join TEAM CHIN and ask for a donation to give the Miller's some financial support. A few weeks later, all the way from China, we got these! Doesn't my niece look cute modeling the bracelets?!

So here is where you come in. Email me at teamchinny@gmail.com with the following info in your message:

Your name & address
How many bracelets you would like (Youth sizes also available)

I will connect you with your closest TEAM CHIN retailer :) or just mail them to you. Once you receive your bracelets, we ask that you would send a financial donation of any amount to:

Leanne Miller

17639 George Moran Dr

Eden Prairie, MN 55347

More than any type of financial support, we really covet your partnership in prayer. We specifically ask for prayer for:

Peace for Leanne
Leanne to find her true beauty in Jesus Christ
Continued good health for Leanne

This has been a hard day for Leanne. With lots of tears and the support of her mom and Michelle, at DK International, Leanne shaved her head today. Please keep her in your prayers. Doesn't she look beautiful in her wig!!!!

#2

2011-11-08T20:00:00.000-06:00

Chemo treatment #2: done

Leanne had her second round of chemo today. Ryan surprised her last night by coming down to the Twin Cities so he could go to her appointment with her. Ryan's mom, Deb, was also in town to go with Leanne. She is feeling pretty tired, but isn't feeling the side effects ... yet. The doctors said that she could most likely expect the same side effects as her last treatment:

Days 2-5: feeling pretty tired and sick
Days 5-14: tired and low counts (so don't get sick!!)
Days 14-21: regaining strength and appetite

A family friend (Cindy) dropped off some of her famous sugar cookies for Leanne to munch on over the next few days. Yummy!!!

Leanne will remain in the Twin Cities until the 15th of November. After the 15th, she will head up to Fergus Falls until Thanksgiving. Thanks for all the love, encouragement, and support you are all showing Leanne and Ryan during this time. We appreciate your prayers more than we could say. Please continue to pray for:

Health for Leanne and baby Grover
Peace for Leanne and Ryan as they are making decisions
For Leanne to experience God's unending peace in all areas of her life
Leanne to feel beautiful (because she is :)!!!) as the chemo begins to take its toll on her body

Want to help?

2011-11-06T20:43:00.000-06:00

I know a lot of you have been wondering how you can help. Well, here is a very practical way! Leanne wrote this on her blog earlier today.

Okay well I have lots of needs. . . BUT I have a need that you can help me with. . . One of the things I have been struggling with the most in this whole experience is fear. I can't explain it all but it is one of those things that just creeps up when I least expect it. It is the devil's way of getting into this situation and trying to take the glory away from God. I am working really, really hard to conquer this fear and repeat verses and phrases in my head to help me. I was thinking about how I can continue to conquer it and I decided that I wanted to write verses on 3 x 5 index cards and bind them together so I can flip to one every time the fear creeps in. Here is where all of you come in. Pick a verse, write it on an index card, write your name (and a note if you want) on the back of the card, and send it to me. I will put them all on a ring and keep them with me all the time. Here is the address:
17639 George Moran Drive
Eden Prairie, MN 55347

Thanks for being a part of my support team and for letting me be real. . . I know I can count on you to help me conquer this fear and show the devil that my God is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more powerful that he is!

Stay tuned this week for more practical ways to help!

Please keep praying for Leanne this week. She has her second round of chemo on Tuesday. Pray for strength, health, and peace.

Look Good, Feel Better

2011-11-02T08:40:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday, Leanne and Fran went to a class called Look Good, Feel Better. It is a class aimed at helping women who are going through chemo by offering support, encouragement, and beauty techniques. You can learn more about it here.

Here is some of the sweet stuff that Leanne got. Hello Chanel, Clinique, and Estee Lauder!

She said the class was helpful for learning things like how to draw on your eyebrows (in case they fall out). She was also pretty encouraged by one of the speakers who came up to her after the class and shared how she is really inspired by Leanne. She encouraged Leanne to keep fighting and that she will get through this.

Leanne also had a good time with the sweet, older lady who sat next to her :)

Good thing Leanne was there to help show her how to hold mascara, which one is the eyebrow pencil and which one is the eyeliner, and how to clean your face to get the makeup off!

After the class, Leanne had a Dr. appointment for baby Grover. They had an ultrasound today ... always fun to see the baby! The Doc said everything looked great! Heartbeat sounded good and the baby looked great!

Please keep praying for:

A continued healthy pregnancy for Leanne
Health for Leanne while undergoing chemo
Peace and trust for the entire Miller and White families

support

2011-10-25T17:36:00.000-05:00

I know I can speak for Leanne and Ryan on this one. They have felt so supported, encouraged, loved, and lifted up in prayer in the past two weeks.

Our cousin, Jen, and her volleyball team were playing for a CURE this past week.

Leanne is back in Fergus Falls until next Tuesday, November 1st. Please pray for:

Rest for Leanne
Health for Leanne; that while her immune system is low she would not get sick
A continued trust in God's plan for Ryan, Leanne, and Grover

praises, wigs, & grover

2011-10-21T17:09:00.000-05:00

Leanne had an MRI this past Wednesday and she got the results today that the cancer has not spread at all! Praise the Lord! Thanks for your prayers!
On another note, Leanne, Fran, and Katie went shopping for a wig on Thursday. It was hard, but needed to be done. The ladies at DK International were fantastic! Michelle, Leanne's wig lady (for lack of a better name), was awesome. She was really helpful and had lots of encouraging information to share. Here are a few snapshots of ones that Leanne decided NOT to get ...

The Danielle:

The Grandma :

You will just have to wait and see which one she actually got!

**Just so you know, Leanne and Ryan are not actually going to name their little boy Grover. It is just a nickname :) While visiting this summer, Leanne was reading her niece the book Goodnight Grover before she went to bed and thus the nickname Grover was born!**

#1

2011-10-19T17:09:00.001-05:00

Chemo treatment #1: done

Leanne, Ryan, and Fran left early this morning for an appointment with Dr. Bloom. They learned that Leanne will have 4 chemo treatments (3 weeks apart) before she has surgery. Then we will wait with eager anticipation for Grover to make his entrance into this world!

Chemo treatments are scheduled for:

November 8
November 29
December 20

Please pray that:

Leanne would feel healthy and strong in the days following her chemo
Leanne would be able to rest
Grover would continue to grow
Leanne and Ryan would trust God's plan for their lives

tomorrow

2011-10-18T09:52:00.000-05:00

It will be a big day. Leanne and Ryan will meet with the oncologist, Dr. Bloom, in the morning. They will get more information about the full details of Leanne's plan for treatment. She will most likely have her first chemo treatment tomorrow.

Please pray for Leanne and Ryan. Pray for:

Wisdom for the doctors as they make decisions about treatment plans
Effective communication between the medical team and Leanne & Ryan
Strength for Leanne as she has her first chemo treatment
Peace for Leanne and Ryan
Safety for baby boy Miller

Thanks in advance for your partnership in prayer.

it's a

2011-10-17T17:12:00.003-05:00

BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Leanne and Ryan had their ultrasound today and found out they are going to have a little boy!!!! They could not be more excited!!

Please pray for:

Their sweet baby boy to continue to grow healthy and strong
Healthy pregnancy for Leanne
Peace for Leanne and Ryan
For Leanne and Ryan to continue to trust God's plan

let's start

2011-10-15T20:41:00.000-05:00

at the very beginning ... (written by Leanne)

God created the heavens and the earth. . . ok ok I know that is not what you are looking for. . . I will try again. . . At the very beginning. . . it was a cyst. Two doctors confirmed it and I felt confident in their diagnosis. They told me to just watch it and let them know if it ever changed or grew. That was March 2011. Fast forward to June, Ryan and I get pregnant. I continue to watch the cyst and it does not change over the summer. Mid-September I notice that the cyst has grown and is starting to hurt. I call the clinic and they advise me to wait until my appointment the next week. At the appointment (September 27) the doctor decides she wants an ultrasound of the cyst. September 29th: I have the ultrasound done and get a call the next day saying they want me to meet with a surgeon. October 3: we have the meeting with the surgeon. He wants to do a biopsy. October 6: I have the biopsy done and we wait for results. October 10: the surgeon calls and says he wants Ryan and I to come in the next morning and he will not give any information over the phone. October 11: we meet with the Surgeon and the Certified Nurse Midwife I have been seeing throughout my pregnancy. They give us the news and let us know that they are referring me to the Piper Center at Abbott Northwestern in the cities. We get really scared and nervous, pray, and call our parents to come to us. We spend the rest of the morning at Marty and Mandy's house being distracted by their two beautiful little boys as we did not think we could drive home and did not know where else to go. (We are soooooo blessed with good friends) We eventually meet up with our parents and spend the afternoon at home in Fergus deciding on what our plan will be. Wednesday we go to my parents house and are surrounded by some of the greatest people in the world Tim, Danielle, Crosby, Katie, Bret, Mollie, and Aimee.

Fast forward to Thursday, October13. We (Ryan and I and both sets of our parents) meet with Dr. Johnson, the surgeon. We feel calmed by the discovery that we can do chemotherapy and other treatment while I am still pregnant (There are two kinds of chemo and I will need both. One is safe during pregnancy and the other is not. The one that is safe to have while pregnant I will start soon and the other I will have after Grover makes his/her entrance into the world). We talk about surgery and he lets us know that it is not if but when. He and the big, huge team of doctors and oncologists will meet Monday, October 17, to talk about my case (they do this for every case) and decide which will come first, chemo or surgery. We also meet with Dr. Bloom, the oncologist who laughs at my answer of "duh" to the question "why are you here?" He answers a lot of questions and wants to start treatment right away. He decides that because of the risk of infection and the way that chemo will lower my immune system that I not return to school this year. He recommends that we be transferred to a perinatologist (high risk pregnancy doctor) and think about doing chemo in the cities because other places might not be comfortable giving chemo to a pregnant person. (This is also because Dr. Bloom, Dr. Johnson, and the Perinatologist are all at the same place and can easily communicate with each other to streamline my care)

We have an appointment Monday (October 17) with the perinatologist and will get to find out if Grover is a boy or a girl. We want to check on Grover and make sure everything is alright before we start treatment. We will also find out what the doctors decide is the plan for treatment and surgery.

Please pray for us as we journey on the long road ahead. Check back Monday to find out who is growing in me!!

welcome!

2011-10-15T10:26:00.000-05:00

to Team Chin!

This blog will be updated often with the latest news, praises, and prayer requests about Chin's fight against breast cancer. So be sure check back soon!

Current prayer requests:

Peace for Chin and Ryan
Wisdom for the doctors as they meet on Monday to decide on a plan of action
Continued safe development of Baby Miller
Encouraging ultrasound of Baby Miller on Monday
That God would continue to show us how big He is

Your partnership in prayer is the most effective way to help Chin at this time.