Treatment Tree

Mimi had her monthly clinic visit after school Wednesday, all five of us went, we like to add chaos to everyones work day. The girls love going to see everyone at clinic. Mimi is well, not much to report, still dealing with dry skin and scalp but we got it under control with creams and shampoos. Hopefully when it starts getting nice out it won't be such an issue.

Counts 2/8/12
WBC - 5.3
Hgb - 13.3
Platelet - around 200
ANC - 1900

While at clinic got a wonderful surprise from Lisa (nurse) she gave Mimi a gem Tree filled with a collection of Swarowski crystals. Each bead representing a procedure or event while at clinic, such as beginning treatment, transfusions, port access, surgeries and so on. It is a gorgeous tree representing each child's unique journey through treatment. A big thanks to Griffin's Friends for sponsoring that and to the nurses at clinic for putting their love into it!

Mimi's Treatment Tree

White Halloween!

On Saturday the three Princesses and I were at the annual Costume Bowl held by Griffin's Friends. Thank you Griffin's Friends and volunteers! The girls always look forward to bowling with our clinic friends every year! This year Iza has shown a hidden talent, she seems to magically make the ball do whatever she needs it to do. She won twice!

At some point while we were bowling big giant white fluffy snowflakes started coming and covering the ground, turning the outdoors into winter wonderland. It was really pretty but also very strange seeing the fall colored leaves covered by snow. Due to the cold and snow the last soccer game of the season was cancelled and so was their schools Pumpkin Festival. Good thing though because winter wonderland turned a little scary, all the heavy snow was too much for the trees that still had leaves, all night we kept hearing branches snapping and trees falling. There were a lot of power outages and power lines down on the streets. We stayed home and when it got too chilly we went to my parents who somehow did not lose their power. Everyone was safe. Monday school got cancelled, Halloween was a day off. Miss MagiBoo got to spend the day with her family and friends, we will always remember her 4th birthday as the Snowy Halloween complete with a SNOWkin made by Toto.

Happy 4th Birthday Magi!!! You are our little Treat :)

Six Flags... More Fun!

We were all very exited to visit Six Flags for the annual Griffin's Friends Picnic. We started the day with lunch with some of our clinic friends and off to the park we went! The girls grew a lot since last year and were able to go on most roller coasters, they were SO happy! So was I since I get to enjoy the speedy, twisty, and thrilling rides with them now! The only unhappy kiddo was Magi she tried so hard to stand on her tippy-toes to get on the big rides, to keep her happy she got to go on her sized rides and got some extra treats from daddy. It was a fun long eight hour day at the park! Thank You Griffin's Friends for keeping us happy!

Halloween Festivities

I really enjoy Halloween and all the fun that comes with it. Last weekend we had a jam packed fun weekend that started at a Halloween Party by Griffin's Friends. We had such a great time with clinic friends and made some new friends as well. Each girl found a high school volunteer who helped them make some very creative cookies, loaded with several layers of colorful icing and topped off with all sorts of candy. Good thing all those cookies did not come home with us. Mimi asked if some of the volunteers can come home with us. (Hi Sam!)

Right after the Bowling Alley we headed over to the schools Pumpkin Festival. Although it was chilly the kids did not seem to mind they ran around played games, jumped in hay and got their faces painted. Trunk-or-Treating was the girls' favorite part, it is the first time they have ever done it and really enjoyed it. We finished the night off with a haunted house and headed home for a good night of sleep!

The Happy.

This whole weekend was filled with fun! I have said it before and I will say it again we are making up for last August that we spent in the hospital.

Friday night we got treated to a Rock Cats Baseball game by Griffin's Friends. We took Auntie Mary and Auntie Meghan with us. We ate LOADS of food and every ice cream they had to offer, watched the game and the fireworks afterwards. It was a late night but we all had a blast!

Sunday we were all over the place one of the highlights was a ballet show at the Eric Carle Museum, the girls really enjoyed it. Amherst Ballet presented Hansel and Gretel. We stayed after the show made some watercolor paintings and also went to story time.

The Hungry Caterpillar Bug!

"Bad Girls" photo by Toto

The girls were playing with water balloons outside

and decided to draw faces on them and pretend they were babies. It was pretty funny!

Clinic Day (Yesterday)

We made a quick trip to the clinic to check counts which were fine. Miss Magi got to go she was very excited to see Mimi's nurses who she got to play with at Six Flags last week (see photo). She thought her big sister was very brave at the clinic. After some foot massages and taking too many stickers we were back home for a day filled with fun in the sun and a Hannah over for a sleepover!

Counts:
WBC - 1.55
Hgb - 11.7
Platelets - 131
Neutrophil - 780

Ahhhhhh Shark!

Thanks Griffin's Friends for a fun day last weekend. I braved Six Flags with the three girls in the 600 Degree weather and the 200% humidity and the kid that SHOULD have been tired (Mimi) was the only one that kept saying "More, More!" It was a great day spent with some super awesome staff from the clinic!

Clinic Day.

It is a million degrees outside, okay so maybe just 103 according to my car, but it is HOT! So other than the clinic we will be staying home for the most part. Mimi got her port accessed, while getting her feet rubbed, got her chemo (Vincristine)and we waited for counts. Which were not so great, but we will continue all chemo and check counts next week to make sure they are going up. Which I really hope they do because she is very excited to go to Six Flags next Friday with everyone from clinic, thank you to Griffin's Friends! Next weekend we are planning to drive to Camp Sunshine in Casco, Maine. So we need good counts! Today is also a start to a five day steroid pulse.

Today's Counts:
WBC - 1.26
Hgb - 11.2
Platelets - 173
Neutrophil - 580