Well, Madelyn is still not feeling well... we are on day six. Poor thing. She is quite nauseated and vomited more yesterday. I am so sad that she is feeling this way in her last two weeks at home and her birthday week. Peter, Sophia and l are all feeling well; so basically she is just having troubles due to the stomach bug compounded by the chemo. I called the Hem/Onc clinic yesterday at Children's. Our doctor said the only action we or they can take is supportive. Unless she develops a fever there is nothing to do but weather through it. Luckily she is continuing to drink like a champ and is not dehydrated. The doctor did recommend reducing her Zofran (anit-nausea med) frequency from every 8 hours to every 6 hours. Hopefully this will help her...
She went to her Physical Therapy appointment today with Amy Harrington. Amy said she still seems quite strong - no significant troubles with neropathy - but obviously she doesn't have a lot of energy. She hasn't eaten significantly for 6 days.
It is so hard, when Madelyn is not feeling good for us (especially me) to function normally. This bout of nausea is bringing it all home again. Our little girl is sick. She has cancer.
The last few weeks it has been somewhat easy to push it out of our mind. She has been feeling good and acting like, well, Madelyn. I keep reminding myself that this girl of ours is resilient, strong and energetic. She will come through it. She is fighting and winning. This week, I guess, is preparing us for the next two months of battle. We are expecting more discomforting side effects this April and May. The doctor indicated nausea and vomiting, low blood counts, mouth sores, troubles with eating, hair loss and possible hospitalization.
I am so anxious for her. All I want to do is sit by her side and try to make it better. I can't do or think of anything else... at least not well. Last night Peter and I had a horrible time sleeping. And... the mistakes at work! Oh my goodness... I have forgotten to pay the WA State taxes, to order reprints and fill out our state annual reports. We gave Kimee (who's helping us at the studio soon) a bunch of images to design an album with. They were all images that were supposed to be REMOVED from the album, not included. Are you kidding me?! How can we be doing all this?
By the way, before I forget, I wanted to mention another blood drive going on in Anacortes:
April 7th 12noon-6pm at the Westminster Presbyterian.
I know you all love seeing images. So ... because I couldn't concentrate today... I finally went through our pictures from our trip to Switzerland last summer, pre-diagnosis. A month before this trip Madelyn had her first Leukemia symptoms. At the time they were very painful and mysterious leg pains that included two ER visits and her unable to walk. They eventually subsided, but never explained and we just moved on. "Kid stuff." Those pains finally made sense in November with diagnoses.
Thought I'd share. I love remembering these normal, fun, family times.
"Hiking" in the Bernese Oberland. Peter got a work out. Those of you who know him well, know that he LOVES this...
Close to our rented apartment.
Waving to Daddy and MJ from our apartment steps. We are in the high mountains here.
In Rüti (near Zürich) at Christian and Claudia's home. Playing in the sand box.
Isn't she adorable. Cousin Sarah.
A little Pingu time (great for kids that don't have a language in common) while we make dinner. They are all super tired after playing all day in the sprinkler.
The Swiss and US Kühnlein's together.
Peter's cousin Christian with his wife Claudia and cuties Sarah and Aaron.
Love it.
The Kühnlein home in Küsnacht (suburb of Zürich). This is where Peter's Dad, Urs, grew up.
Playing soccer with Uncle Heinz, Urs' brother.
The Küsnacht home has beautiful, wild gardens...
Looking out of the gondola on our ride up to a little town called Mürren in the mountains. This is where were rented an apartment. The girls LOVED this ride.
A little stop off the train in Bern for lunch and a little playground time.
Clowning around in the train.
Transit between trains.
On the long plane ride. They were like this almost the whole 10 hours.
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