Clinic Day.

Just a quick blood draw for counts today. Numbers are not looking so great though, Mimi is still neutropenic. So we will be hanging out at home watching movies which is okay since the weather outside is gross - wet, slushy and cold. Dan is home this week too so we are having a family home-cation!

Counts:
WBC - 1.44
Hgb - 8.7
Platelets - 139
Neutrophil - 210

Reporting from Tantrum Central...

You would never know it looking at the above picture that Mimi screamed, cried and pouted for 45 minutes or more all while getting dressed to go outside, during the car ride, and in the middle of the park. And yes she has lots of reasons to scream. But today it was because first NONE of her shirts felt right they were all "bugging" her, then the straps of her car seat were "not normal" and after all that she no longer wanted to be outside she wanted to be home. There is probably a book out there that tells you how to deal with a cancer child who is throwing a fit, but I have not had time to find it or read it so today I was just winging it. That is what I do I wing it. I let her scream and yell, I think she needed to get it out and she was not harming anything or anyone, although I think all the animals who were hibernating have left the park today. I simply told her why she needed to get dressed, why the car seat straps had to be there, and we were at the park to have fun. I did that as calm as a parent who might also loose it could. She did not have to have fun she could sit in the stroller and wait for her sisters to be done and we would go home. She did realize she wanted to have fun when she saw Iza and Magi on the see-saw and we ended up having a great time at the park. With a picture and a new rock collection to prove it.

I think part of why she is feeling like this (aside from the obvious) is adjusting to being at home after the week hospital stay. At the hospital she presses the magic red button and wishes are her commands, she gets mommy all to herself. She comes home to rules and sisters. Not that she minds her sisters or even the rules but it is an adjustment.

Since we are living in a bubble right now hoping for higher counts on Wednesday, we have been crafting maniacs. Auntie Stacey brought us HUGE paper rolls that we have made life size paper dolls out of, we have also colored them and labeled body parts, so our art class turned into science class and then turned into reading class... I will do anything to avoid tantrums from the five year olds the two year old I guess has to be TWO.

Day 7. And we can go HOME!

Yey. Mimi is going home with an Levaquin (antibiotic) for five days. She has a really hard time with liquid meds staying down but the docs were able to do a pill she will just take it twice a day, instead of the liquid once a day. We are do at the clinic Wednsday. I just really hope and pray that there will be no fevers and counts will go up while we are at home.

I realized that it was exactly six months ago that we were here for 10 days during induction...

Day # 6

I waited to post until I talked to Mimi's Onc.

Last night Mimi had a random "throw-up" incident. She didn't feel sick or anything just asked for her bucket, got sick and went to sleep. A doc checked her out and she looked and sounded fine. She slept all night and slept in this morning.

We might go home depending on a couple of things.
Since Mimi's heart rate has been high off and on they might do an EKG, just to check if there is anything off. The other thing is if she is sent home today she will go home on a 5 day antibiotic since her ANC is low, it is just up to me if I want her on that antibiotic. Our other option is to stay the night wait and hope for the counts to go up on their own and go home without antibiotics... oh the decisions.

4:30 Update
We are staying at the hospital tonight. The plan is to watch the counts and hope they go up. She came in they were zero, they are at 200 we are hoping they get to 500 but she will probably be able to go home if they get to 300, that way we know they are going up. The antibiotic that Mimi might go home on is Levaquin but we will address that tomorrow. The EKG and heart ultrasound results will be in later today. Mimi liked watching the ultrasound of her heart but she said it would be better if it was in color LOL.

Day # 5...

We have been moved into a new room last night while Meg was here to hang out with Miss Mimi. We redecorated with the hearts and had some new ones to add! She is in a room with a view, good thing since she will be here another night. ANC is still low (300) and Dr. L would like to see it a little higher before she goes home. Tomorrow sounds more promising.

Mimi really likes to know about how things work and why, she wanted t know all about platelets so we did a bunch of research and she got to see some pictures. One of the best books I have found that you can read online is Chemo To The Rescue. It explains Chemo and Leukemia to kids in kid terms.



Iza was overjoyed to see Mimi yesterday. They got to be goofballs together while Mimi was getting her platelets. Iza was psyched to have the hospital snacks, saltine crackers, graham crackers, and a cherry popsicle.

Thank you Miss Shelley's Pre-K Class from West Chester, PA for the hearts in the mail and prayers!

Inatient Day 4

We just got word that there will be day #5 also. Mimi's counts dropped from yesterday, which could be partly to the fact she got a double dose of Thioguanine (pill). Since her platelets dropped to 18 from 26 yesterday she will be getting a transfusion this afternoon. Her liver enzymes were also elevated, which does happen with Thioguanine, but she will be monitored today.

She is doing okay being stuck here, keeping busy crafting, playing games and watching way too much TV. Iza on the other hand is really missing her sister she was so sad this morning, I went to the "stash" of toys to cheer her up a bit.

Hospital School.
Mimi has been doing really well sounding out and writing words she decided to practice below, soon she will be writing her own posts!
find book in book store x-ray dog book milk lisa pops nana lily ella hannah magi mommy love kat kate princess box fox cup izabella

Inpatient Day 3

We are still here... Mimi's counts are a bit better she looks great. She is getting silly which means she is ready for home. She spent most of the morning with Toto and Eryn while I went home to take care of Iza who was resting from a 12 hour stomach bug and MagiBoo who needed mama snuggles.

We will probably go home tomorrow as long as counts keep going up. Her platelets went from 22 yesterday to 26 today so no platelet transfusion needed today.

Okay I am off to find a flashlight for the fort on Mimi's bed.