Category: Serenity

Dentist

Serenity had a dentist appointment today. She was scheduled for a cleaning next month but yesterday the receptionist called and said they could fit her in today.

It wasn’t until we were there at the appointment that I remembered that her oncologist wants her to have prophylactic antibiotics a few hours before her appointment. I’ve forgotten in the past and they’ve always had us just hurry up and take some as soon as I remembered.

So I called the oncology department, a little embarrassed that I’d forgotten. The person I spoke with chastised me because she was supposed to get a CBC ahead of time in order to make sure her ANC is above 500. I’ve never done this before! I really think I would have remembered. I mentioned that we’d never done it before and I don’t think he believed me. He said they always want them to have a CBC ahead of time. He did agree to call in a prescription, but I wonder now what her ANC is and if everything will be alright.

We have an appointment next week for her monthly vincristine, and she’ll have another lumbar puncture with methotrexate injected into her spine.

No news

No news is good news. 🙂 I expected Serenity to get exposed to something over the holiday weekend, but she has been feeling great. A few days ago she had horrible dark circles under her eyes; it usually happens when she is about to get sick. But she’s looking better now and acting like her adorable sweet self.

Today was the last day we have health insurance. We’ve applied for Medicaid, so hopefully that will cover us until Phil’s able to find work. It’s funny to me that in some ways we’ll now have better insurance – no co-pays for prescriptions and hospital stays. Medicaid won’t cover home health visits so we’ll have to make more frequent trips up to Primary Children’s.

I think she will have another CBC sometime this week to see if her ANC has risen at all.

Still my low-ANC girl.

Today was another clinic visit. I expected the place to be packed but it was almost empty. That’s always nice. We were assigned to Room 3, which Serenity thought was very cool. 3 is her favorite number (because she is 3 years old).

Serenity got to talk to the Child Life Specialist for a few minutes. Serenity has asked to see her during the past few visits, but when things are crazy busy she’s not always easy to track down. This time she helped Serenity to pick out a toy. Phil & I laughed at the Care Bears toy that she played with. It was like a miniature doll house with all these different parts. Serenity picked up the big dinosaur-age computer and asked, “What’s this?” I don’t think she believed us that it was a computer because it was as big as the Care Bears and the chairs they sat on.

The appointment went quickly. Serenity has been especially bashful lately, so she kept her face hidden from the doctor and nurses most of the time. We managed to snap a few quick photos though!

Here she is getting her port cleaned, so that it can be accessed.

And getting her Vincristine (chemo).

She got to pick out a hat from the hat tree in the clinic.

I stopped by the pharmacy to pick up some Prevacid after her visit. It’s been a few months since we bought any, and I don’t know if our insurance was the same. The co-pay was $41! I was in shock. We’ve never had to pay more than $10 for anything. I only had $10 with me, so I left the medicine there. If she needs it we can have it transferred closer to home and pick it up in a few days.

Phil was laid off several weeks ago and we have no money coming in right now. He’s started applying for out of state jobs since so far nothing has come through locally. It will be a blessing if something comes through, but moving is complicated for the obvious reasons, but also because of Serenity’s treatment. If he is able to get a good paying job outside the state, it will mean him moving and most like I will stay here with the kids until she finishes treatment next year. We are praying that it doesn’t come to that. 🙁

Serenity seems to be feeling good, so we got a shock when the clinic called with her lab results. Her ANC is down to ZERO! I don’t know if it’s ever been that low. We always keep her out of public places when her ANC is low (less than 1000) but we are both very nervous that she’ll be exposed to something over the holidays. The good news – if you can call it that – is that she doesn’t get her oral chemo when her ANC is low. We’ve been holding her oral chemo for most of Oct and Nov now, so I do hope that her marrow responds soon and we see those numbers come back up.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have low ANC mom!

Serenity cracks me up. She asks me almost daily, “Is my ANC low or high?” She illustrates low and high by putting her hand close to the floor or by her head. She knows that low ANC means she won’t be going to church or preschool, so in her mind low ANC is a good thing. 😉 (She doesn’t like to be anywhere without either Phil or I.)

Her ANC is at 500 today, so she is still taking a break from oral chemo. We will have another blood draw on Monday to see where she is at.

She despises the taste of the Flagyl she is taking for C diff. So Phil devised a method that includes a quick shot of medicine flavored with orange syrup, followed by a drink of milk and a Skittle. So far she’s been cooperative and the other kids love the fact that they get a Skittle as well.