Saturday, February 23, 2013

Inpatient chemo - week 31

We have arrived home safely after our 2 night stay for Cheyenne's chemo.  I was pleasantly surprised that we were able to stay out of the hospital the last round infection free.  Cherry on the top was that a stomach bug hit our house last week and Cheyenne avoided it.
We went in for her bloodwork and assessment thursday for pre-admission.  For some strange reason the machine eith 'accepts' the blood or 'rejects' it.  This is the second time now where it has been rejected (remember a couple weeks back during the snowstorm?).  The blood slide is then sent by taxi down to the JCC(Henderson) Hospital to be manually read.  This meant an extra 2 hour wait for blood results.  A long day for us and a couple other families thursday.  Before we even left the hospital we had got the call that Cheyenne had a bed reseved for thursday night.  We were fortunate to room with Cheyenne's friend Crystal and her mom Ida again.  It makes such a difference when you are in a room with someone you know and can talk to.  Even being able to leave the room and go off of the ward knowing that Cheyenne will have company is comforting.  Cheyenne spent most of yesterday lounging in Crystal's bed.  She keeps them laughing and helps to keep Crystals mind off her chemo.  Cheyenne doesn't really know what her chemo does and how serious this is.  To her it is no different than a cold, or a headache.  For the older kids they understand so much more. 
After chemo yesterday she was really nauseous, and so when supper cart came around she didn't want anything (in all fairness the fishsticks and fries arent exactly appetizing).  Usually I bring along food from home and she will eat something.  Although she didn't want her supper, she didn't want me to eat her perogies either, so our room ordered Swiss Chalet delivery.  For a little girl who wasn't hungry, she ate the better portion of my meal.
As usual she was so excited to come home and see 'the kids'.  We will be going back thursday next week and wednesday the week after.  This will gain us a couple days to get her back on her original schedule so that she can finish her chemo just before her 5th birthday.
Thanks to all who have kept Cheyenne and our family in your prayers.  We also are thankful for the many who have helped to meet our needs in so many different ways.  We are truly humbled by your support.

Friday, February 15, 2013

week 30

Yesterday we headed down to McMaster for counts.  We went a day early for a couple reasons.  First, her counts were not actually completed last week and I was concerned about her haemaglobin being even lower and potentially needing a transfusion.  Second reason was that my sisters father in law, Grandpa Beef as the kids call him, passed away. The funeral is tomorrow but initially wasnt sure when it would be.  While talking about funerals we overheard Cheyenne telling the other kids that Uncle Roy was going to plan her funeral.  A long chat followed about how yes death is possible for all ages and that is why you must be prepared for eternity, but we pray that she will not die and that God will heal her from her cancer.
While at clinic yesterday I was amazed at Cheyenne's blood counts.  Her neuts were 0.7 and her haemoglobin was 86.  So we didnt have to have a transfusion, and so far it looks like her counts will be recovered high enough for chemo next week.  She is scheduled to be inpatient next week and in order to proceed with the next round of chemo her neutrophils(immunity) have to be 0.75.  Once Cheyenne starts to climb, she usually jumps leaps and bounds.  This also is important to me because it will also mean that we won't have to do the gcsf shots.  I realize that over time her body will get tired and have a harder time rebounding from the chemotherapy, but the less amount of things that she needs extra, the better.
Because Cheyenne's counts were ok yesterday, we were able to stop in and say hello to her classmates.  She wasn't able to stay for the party, but she enjoyed just seeing everyone.  Hopefully by April when the colds and flus should be over she will be able to resume going to school a couple days a week, dependent on her counts of course.  You can really tell that she spends a lot of time interacting with adults.  It shows in her mannerisms, vocabulary and behaviour.
On the home front we all seem to be over the cold that went around.  Cassidy has popped 2 teeth in the past weekend, and I am very grateful for my happy little girl back.  Words in her vocabulary include, HI, DAD, ITS HOT, and MAMA, but she never calls me that when I am around.  Apparently she calls for me when I am not around, I wouldnt believe it, but yesterday when I came back from the appointment she was calling for me.  The minute she saw me she started calling for dad.  The kids and David all enjoyed the snow last weekend.  Plenty of rides and tobogganing.  It made for a quiet day indoors.
Please continue to pray for our family and Cheyennes healing.

Friday, February 8, 2013

Week 29

This past week has not been the easiest, but we managed to stay home and not have any fevers, so for that we are grateful.  The nasty cold bug that is going around found its way into our house and over the past week all 4 kids as well as Dave have been fighting it.  Happy to say that it seems to be over, except for Cassidy, but she is teething also so it is hard to tell which symptoms are from what.
We headed to the hospital bright and early this morning.  It was a long, crazy drive.  The main roads hadn't even been plowed.  I wasn't really concerned because we have 4 wheel drive but then we came to the huge windy hill going into Dundas.  it was horrible.  There were vehicles spinning out coming up the hill and people were going down the hill one at a time.  Isn't too bad as long as everyone is patient.
Cheyenne was the second person into clinic so we didn't have to wait long, but we didn't get her complete counts.  I do know that her haemoglobin and platelets have dropped some, but the results were still pending for her neutrophils(immunity).  I called back when I got home, but I think the team finished up clinic early and headed home.  I think in total only 5 kids came in today.
So I don't really know what her counts are like and we just have to watch for fevers.  Please pray for Cheyenne that she will start feeling better, and that her blood counts will pick up.  I will update the blog once I know what her counts are.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Week 28 completed

   We are home after Cheyenne's inpatient week 28.  We were at clinic thursday for her fingerpoke and physical.  Her counts were high enough for chemo to proceed but not as high as usual.  They were 1.1.  With everything going around they told me that her body is probably just trying to fight something off.
   On thursday evening we headed in for hydration overnight.  We were fortunate in that just before we got there the roommate had been discharged, and we had the room to ourselves until suppertime yesterday.  Cheyenne was not in good spirits when we arrived and she never really perked up while there either.  By yesterday she had developed a good productive cough.  She has no fever so for now we take a watch and see approach. 
Our stay was pretty uneventful, she was a little more nauseaus than normal, but they just gave her some additional gravol. 
   We were discharged this morning, and when we arrived home the kids were so excited to see each other.  To my dismay all the kids have the cold.  So I unpacked the bags, did wash, and am working on repacking the bags.  I anticipate that if she gets a fever we will be back at the hospital.
Please pray for Cheyenne that her body can fight this cold.  And that her counts will not bottom out for too long.  Depending on what happens in the next few weeks could mean that she needs to be started on the GCSF needles.