LAST DAY

Here we go...  

Last day of chemo!!!  

One dose of steroids and one chemo pill and this girl is DONE.

Here is a detailed account of her LAST port accessing, LAST spinal tap, LAST biopsy and LAST infusion which happened on Monday Jan 28th!!!

Showing off her Emla cream - it numbs the skin so she doesn't feel the needle going into her port-a-cath.

First stop after checking in is always the coloring options and crayons.

After accessing she likes to take care of things.  Seattle Children's and their nursing staff are so patient, helpful and understanding.  She does the injecting of the blood in the test tubes, pushing her own heprin and saline and shaking the blood.

Into the bag they go!

Then there is the usual height and weight...

Sophia is crowding next to the MA so she doesn't forget her stickers!

Mommy!  Stop it!

Little reading while we wait.

After meeting with our Oncologist, she was called over to the "Sleepy Room."  We got lady bug pillow pet and flower blankie for snuggles.

Getting her "tubey" out for Nurse Emily.

Nurse Emily is always fun.  Always smiling.

While Madelyn and I went through the procedure of getting MJ prepped and asleep, sis sat in the next room playing a little Angry Birds.  She is an incredibly patient four year old.

Last Methotrexate in the central nervous system!!  Whoo Hoo!!

She falls asleep quite quickly.

Waiting for our girl.

All done.

Still asleep.

Starting to wake up...  She is always very discombobulated and groggy.

NOT fun.

We headed back to the infusion area next for her Vincristine and a bolis of fluids.  Here she is flushing her port...

LAST Vincristine!! ... and having some snacks after being NPO all morning.

(This is the one that causes the neuropathy in her feet and ankles).

Watching a little movie as we wait!

Now... for the hardest part of the day!

Taking the dreaded tagaderm off (the clear film over her needle)!

Again, she wants to do it.  No help, thank you.

Using a little Detachall to help remove it.

It takes awhile and nurse Kristin is so patient.

Ouch!

Tagaderm is off!

... and... out it comes!  Last time!

YES!

 

See ya people.   We're outa here!

Her biopsy site hurt and has continued to this week.  After the appointment we let the girls snuggle up in our hotel room for a little princess movie action.

THEN at dinner that night we got the exciting news that she was free and clear of cancer!  The results came earlier than we were expecting.  When I received the call we were at a restaurant in Wallingford, Bizzaro (which besides having great food is fabulous for a game of "I Spy").  Peter and I immediately broke down crying and the four of us had a big, long family hug followed by high fives and kisses.

We had a fabulous dinner which was donated to us by Bizzaro!  We, of course, made quite a ruckis when the call came and had to explain why.  They were simply wonderful to us!

After that we headed over to Trophy Cupcakes and each picked out a special treat.  Madelyn wasn't feeling too good by then (pain meds were wearing off) so we took them back to the hotel.  I made them wait to take a bite until I took a picture and, well, Sophia was NOT very happy about that!

After we were settled in Madelyn called everyone by herself.  Grandma Terry, Grandpa Jim, Auntie Jill, Auntie Jen, Auntie Kim, Ashley and her best bud Alaina and Peter called his parents in Hawaii because he just couldn't wait!  

It was a very, very happy moment in time for our little family.

 

2 more days!!

2 more days... 2 more days... 

2 more days!!!

YUP.  We are officially at the end of this!  Tonight she takes a Dex and a Mecaptoperine.  Tomorrow morning a Dex and finally tomorrow night a Dex and a Mecaptoperine.  

And THAT IS IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She really is not feeling very good, but as always she is a trouper.  We removed the two super sticky large bandages yesterday.  She is struggling with back pain from the infusion and from the biopsy site.  Emotionally she is doing the swing back and forth between ok and sad and scared frequently, but she is always better at school.

When she arrived at school on Wednesday all her classmates ran up to her and gave her a big group hug.  MAN I wish I had my camera.  That really made her day!!

Summer/Fall 2013:

We decided to make our annual trip to Europe extra special for the girls this year since they deserved it!  So that included EuroDisney and british speaking Disney Princesses!  

Here they are in a private meeting with Aurora.  Oh la la la...

MJ was still having trouble with her feet and leg neropathy so we rented a stroller each day.  This day Daddy was the stroller.

Waterslide park!  My little dare devil went again and again and again and again...

And seriously now, what is a trip to France without eclairs??

Taking pictures of Mr. Eiffel.

Picnic in a grassy patch near Mr. Eiffel.  Daddy is always sooooo funny.

There was a lot of family silliness this trip.  It was wonderful! :)  This day we arrived in our little french town in a torrential down pour.  They didn't seem to mind though.

Checking out the canal we would be floating and sleeping on.

MJ helping Phia wring out her clothes after falling into the canal.

We rented a boat and went along a canal in Burgundy for a week.

Toodling about off the boat.

In the french Loire Valley the dips and curves and roundabouts were taken VERY quickly by  Daddy.  The girls loved it.  Mommy got nauseous.  "Use some of my Zofran, Mommy!"  

MJs solution.

This castle had costumes for the girls to wear during our visit.

While with family we made a trip to the Oncology Department at the Zurich Children's Hospital.  They are always so accommodating and helpful.  Madelyn goes for accessing, port flush, a CBC and an examination with an Oncologist.

Waiting in the Oncology Lobby.

Heading to the cafeteria after her appointment.  They had a savory and sweet pie bar.  Peter was in heaven.

First Day of School!  First Grade!  Phia "my backpack is sooooo heavy!"  It has her sweatshirt in it.

 

She loves her new school Mt Erie Elementary.

 

Waking up from the Sleepy Room is always hard.

Infusion time.

Finally starting to wake up 

Her constant drawing continued.  Her favorite subject is, of course, horses.