I just knew she was going to be fine. When the Oncologist called I said "soooo... we are kinda old hat at this... this is what I'd like to do... I want her to go to Island Hospital. We are not driving to Seattle tonight. Could you call ahead to the ER and request all the tests and prepare them for our arrival?" The doc was great. She did and we went to Island. We were there until 9:30pm and then discharged with a diagnosis of a cold and ear infection. But only after she had been poked, prodded and forced to wait for four hours. Her counts were excellent, RSV negative and Influenza negative. The doctor in the ER gave her some IV antibiotics to kick start the ear infection treatment and we were sent home with a prescription.
Nice birthday dinner, eh? Well, I ended up having a Birthday Dinner Take 2 the next night and it was nice because my Aunt, Mom's sis, could come.
SO! We begin our last 10 days of chemo! I thought for the next 10 days I would take a look back over the last two years. Each day I will post images from our two year journey.
Feb 1st will be her last day of chemotherapy! Again, we are asking people to mail a card or a picture to Madelyn and Sophia with hopeful arrival day being Feb 1st. Email me if you'd like to participate! lisa@kuhnlein.com
Here are the first four weeks; November/December 2010:
Day 1: out for her first IV Pole Walk and getting ready for her
first bone marrow biopsy and first lumbar puncture.
Day 1: baseline echocardiogram
This precious thing has cancer???
Day 4: visit with sissy!
Day 4: showing off her new port-a-cath.
She did a lot of this during her first 10 days inpatient at Seattle Children's.
Day 6: watching cartoons.
Day 11: first full day OUT of the hospital and exploring our new apartment in Seattle. Look at my beautiful, 4 year old girl...
Our apartment building a mile from Children's hospital.
Sophia so happy to be living back with us again. Those 10 days separated from her family at 2 years old were confusing and difficult. She wouldn't let us out of her sight for weeks.
During our first visits to the Hem/Onc clinic at Seattle Children's, Child Life Specialists helped in Madelyn's adjustment to her knew life. Teaching her what was happening and why and accompanying us through this foreign process.
Madelyn is listening here, but has that look of
"whatever woman... basically you are going to poke me and it is going to hurt."
3 weeks into treatment and she is starting to show significant signs of the month long steroids and intense chemotherapy treatments. Cheeks and stomach ballooning, hair thinning and she is having trouble walking.
Trying to have fun at our family Christmas get together... but reallllllly not feeling well.
Our plans for Christmas changed quickly, but we all got together in Seattle.
3 1/2 weeks and MISERABLE.
Another lumbar puncture.
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