VALDOSTA — For three weeks after being diagnosed with a form of leukemia, a 4-year-old Valdosta girl was not allowed outside much and only with a mask. Finally, the day came when her doctor told her she no longer had to wear the mask. That night, Addison Seacrist prayed, “Thank you, God, for helping me not to wear that mask today.”

“She’s starting to appreciate the smaller things,” her dad, Jason Seacrist, said.

After Addison came home from her last six-day stay in a Jacksonville, Fla., hospital, she told mom Jayci Seacrist, “It feels so good to be in my bed.”

The little blue-eyed blonde and her twin, Emma Seacrist, are in pre-K at Brookfield Academy.

“Both of our kids have been high energy,” their dad said.

But where Addison used to enjoy running outside and playing with her sister, “she only wants to sit on the couch,” said her dad, who lovingly calls her “Boo.” Her energy has been drained.

Four weeks ago, Addison was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia with positive Philadelphia chromosome.

“For two or three weeks prior, she had strep,” her mom recalled. “We had been through several antibiotics.”

When labwork revealed abnormal bloodwork, they were called to Dr. Brian Griner’s office and sent immediately to Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, where Dr. Eric Sandler made the diagnosis that evening.

A whirlwind of medical treatment began, with surgery the next day for port placement, and chemotherapy begun. Not only has the little girl had to battle leukemia, but diabetes as well produced by the medications and fevers.

“She has learned how to prick her finger four times a day,” her dad said.

Addison has received five shots of insulin every day in addition to a myriad of medicines plus an antibiotic that went into her port three times a day.

Finding a way to keep her medicine down has also been a challenge. Her mom tried putting it in the cherry syrup made for medicine, ice cream, pudding, applesauce, mac and cheese, and even icing.

“Finally, Jayci taught her to swallow a Tic Tac, and she began swallowing her medicine,” her dad said.

The little girl has been told that her blood is sick. When she takes her medicine, she and her parents say together, “We are kicking leukemia’s butt.”

Addison must have an intensive regimen of chemotherapy for the next two years, with the family traveling to Jacksonville for inpatient and outpatient visits. She is treated in the clinic at Nemours Jacksonville.

“I think we have just recently come out of a shell shock,” Jason said after Addison’s first month of treatment. “In the first 20 days, we had 16 out of the 20 in the hospital. Since then, we only had been back to the hospital for one day. That’s given us the opportunity to see what the situation is long-term. Right now, we are really encouraged by the early results.”

Addison is on a research trial with a chemotherapy drug in an attempt to achieve a remission.

“Previously, children with the Philadelphia chromosome were given a poor prognosis and treated with a bone-marrow transplant,” Addison’s mom said. “The research trial has provided promising results in achieving remission and hopes to avoid a transplant.”

Not only have the Seacrists had to deal with Addison’s treatment, but they also have another child to consider as well.

“Through all this, you have this other child, Emma, who has been farmed out to family and friends,” Jason said in the Tuesday interview at their home. “Last night, Addie told her sister, ‘I love you.’ Emma replied, ‘I missed you, Sissy.’

“Emma has handled this well. Brookfield has done a fabulous job in helping us with Emma.”

The Seacrists have learned to take their challenges “one day at a time ... sometimes, it’s one hour at a time,” Jayci said.

“You learn to appreciate the good days,” her husband added. “There’s no way anyone can get through this without a support system — family, friends, church (for them, First United Methodist downtown).

“You always see these groups raising money, and you think it’s a worthy cause,” Jason said. “But you just can’t imagine the impact they have on people’s lives until you’re in this situation.”

An account, “Jason or Jocelyn Seacrist, in trust for Addision Seacrist,” has been established at the Bank of the Ozarks, for donations toward Addison’s medical expenses.

“Many local friends have teamed up and planned fundraisers,” Jayci said.

Amanda Morris, a family friend, and AnnElise Snellgrove, who has never even met the family but was touched by their story, decided to help the family. Morris is selling “My Friend is a Fighter” T-shirts via Facebook or akmorris@valdosta.edu; Snellgrove is selling “Prayers for Addie” bracelets via Facebook or asnellgrove@valdosta.edu.

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