A Chemo Update

We have 7 out of 8 treatments done in Delayed Intensification 2!  Wahoo!  We are done with ARAC shots and have one treatment left until Sadie can start to recover and get ready for Maintenance.  I can hardly wait!

With all that I'm looking forward too, these next few weeks could be pretty scary   We're nearing the tail end of a really brutal phase and the chemo is doing it's job.  Tonight Sadie is going to sleep with an ANC of 700, Hemoglobin of 7.9 and platelets of 23.  It feels like I have a little porcelain doll sleeping in the other room.  Low platelets scare me the most.  Low red blood cells don't slow her down much: she sleeps a little more and yells a little more, but other than that...she's jumps, and runs, and climbs as usual.  But she's got bruises all over her body, and it took two bandaids and a big wad of gauze to stop her port from bleeding after de-accessing her.  Worst of all, a head bonk could send her to the ER.

I'm a little paranoid right now.

But we're getting there!  I actually had a conversation today with Sadie's oncologist about taking out her port during maintenance.  That's exciting!
 

Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving Feast 2012

We have so much to be thankful for this year...every year really....but I feel especially grateful for where we are today compared to where we were last year.

2011 Dave and I spent Thanksgiving at Lucile Packard with Sadie.  I think of our room that became home, the hum of the machines and fans, the hourly vital signs, the smell, the voices and footsteps outside the door, the couch bed and crib.  I think of the wonderful friends who shared their feasts with us so we didn't have to eat hospital food.  I think of the wonderful doctors and nurses who care for Sadie and have completely earned our trust. I think of the other families who were our neighbors at the hospital during that time, and who were and are experiencing heartache for their child.  I think of the many generous friends and family who have shared their time, money and kind thoughts with us to ease our burdens.

I expect every Thanksgiving, I'll look back at November 2011 and realize how truly blessed our family is.

Andrew Turned 6

Andrew's my spider killer.  My peacemaker.  My cuddler.  He's definately the most patient, and observant.  The most giving and generous.  He loves to work and he loves to be silly.  He's the perfect middle child....a fantastic little brother and the best big brother.  He's a joy to have and watch and learn from.

(P.S.  Last year we celebrated Andrew's birthday in the hospital with Sadie newly diagnosed.  This year, he got two parties...one with family, and one with friends.)