A group of homeschool teens decided to do a fundraiser for Serenity several months ago. The timing of the money was perfect; things are really tight this month. It just amazes me that these young people who have never met her would decide to do this. This is just one example of the generosity and love that’s been shown for serenity by many people. So thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Serenity’s ANC is back up to 1000 so she is off antibiotics. Yea!!
We go back to the clinic at the end of the month for her lumbar puncture.
Today was a long, emotional day for me. The short version is that her blood draw last night showed some abnormalities and there was some question as to whether the cancer cells were back. After several more tests and several hours of waiting (and I cannot even begin to describe how hard those hours were), the dr concluded that she is probably ok and her bone marrow is just doing some funny things as a result of the chemo combined with a probable virus.
It came as a huge relief, but I still have some concerns because her ANC is still only 100 after 5 days of round the clock antibiotics. We will be doing blood draws twice a week until her ANC is above 500.
Oct 1 – Serenity had a routine clinic visit for her intravenous vincristine. When we got the results of her blood draw, her ANC was quite low – only 400. (Anything under 500 is considered neutropenic.) We were told to hold her chemo (oral chemo, not the dose she’s just received) for 2 weeks and then her blood would be re-drawn and her ANC hopefully high enough to resume chemo. So although I was a bit worried that her counts were low, I thought it would be a nice break for her system from the chemo.
Oct 7 – Home Health nurse comes to take Serenity’s vital signs. No blood draw but everything else is good.
Oct 8 – Serenity wakes looking sick, with a fever, but it quickly disappears on its own and she is back to normal.
Oct 9 – Serenity wakes looking sick. Her fever of 101 degrees lasts for 2 hours, then I call the clinic. (I am supposed to call at one hour but things were crazy getting the other kids out the door for school, so it didn’t happen.) The oncology nurse wants me to take her to the nearest ER saying kids with a fever can get really sick, really fast. We compromise by me agreeing to phone the clinic when I get to American Fork after dropping the twins off with my mother in law. Her fever is 100 degrees by that time and she looks fine, but the clinic wants me to bring her in. Her ANC is only 100, and after some IV antibiotics and some discussion she is admitted to the Immune Compromised ward.
Oct 10 – Her ANC is up to 200.
Oct 11 – Her ANC is back down to 100, but no fever for 24 hours and she looks great. She is bouncing on the bed and asking to go home. We are discharged, which I had mixed feelings about. I was ready to be home, but several kids at home have sore throats and I am worried about her low ANC.
Oct 12 – Home Health is back again, to do a blood draw. Her vitals are good and she is feeling alright, although she is particularly cross today and throw several MAJOR tantrums, which is unlike her. Her ANC is back up to 400, but the clinic wants to see her tomorrow for another blood draw.
Serenity awoke today looking and feeling much better. Her ANC is now 200. Not great, but an upward trend is good. She hasn’t had a fever since yesterday afternoon so if all holds, we will be going home tomorrow.
Her lips look a little funky to me – some sort of rash maybe – but overall she feels good. She’s been an adorable bundle of energy today, which makes being confined to a hospital room even harder.
She is still coughing a little so this morning the nurses did a VRP test – suctioning some nasal secretions with a tube up her nose. Not fun, but I’m glad it’s over with. At least 5 children on our floor are being tested for influenza.
Your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes are always appreciated!