Delayed Intensificiation

My next phase of chemotherapy was supposed to start on Thursday, but my counts were still too low to qualify for treatment. My immune system took quite a hit during the Delayed Intensification phase, and my bone marrow is still trying to recover. I even had some home nurses come to the house to administer chemotherapy four days in a row, two weeks back to back. I guess that's a good thing, that the meds this last phase really did a good job of killing all the immature cancer cells. They killed some of my good and healthy blood cells too and I needed a blood transfusion. But, that's pretty common with Leukemia. That's why my mom is hosting a blood drive in June. She's going to collect blood for me and kids like me, and grown ups too, undergoing cancer treatments.



Yep, so it's just taking a little longer than my doctors thought for my bone marrow to repopulate. I can't start the new meds until I'm strong enough to handle them.



So in the meantime, I just wait. I wait inside my house because I can't risk catching something in the grocery store or at church. But soon, maybe this summer, I'll be able to go out in public a little more. Plus, cold and flu season is almost over, and spring is almost here in Wisconsin.

Here are a few pictures from my trips to the clinic and things I've been doing the last few weeks to keep busy.

My home nurse.

Riding a toy airplane while waiting for my blood transfusion.

Playing with my dolly in my hospital crib.

The blood, tubes and clock during my transfusion. THANK YOU BLOOD DONORS!

At home, snuggling with my big brother. 

Helping my big brother with his homework.

Blow drying my head (my hair is on holiday.)

Me

Reading my favorite book with ELMO!

I'm learning to eat with a spoon all by myself!

Pajama party with my brother and sister. 

Getting ready to go to Children's Hospital.

This one needs a caption, any ideas? 

I'm learning to blow bubbles with my speech therapist. 

Bedtime storytime!

Playing dress up.

I love stealing my mommy's earmuffs and wearing them in the house. 

Smiling pretty in my horsey shirt and overalls. 

Mommy and Daddy found a princess castle and I partied in it all day March 21, 2014. World Down Syndrome Day!

I feel good.

I feel good. - James Brown

Things may change by the end of this week, but I'm still hanging in there. My counts are on the way down, which is what my doctors wanted. I may even need a blood transfusion, but as long as I stay my playful and joyous self, I might not need blood products. The nurses come to my house again this weekend, to give me chemo four days in a row. Then I earn another two weeks of rest. Mom and Dad are hoping I can avoid another fever and 4 day hospital stay as next weekend comes. I'm hoping for that too. But honestly and truthfully and from the top to bottom of my being... I feel good.

This week at clinic I sat all by myself like a big girl while the nursing staff took my vitals. I never did that before.








I read a book while I got IV fluids and chemo.









I came home and took some selfies while wearing a new hat. I'm not sure who sent it. Mom says the packaging said it was from China. Thank you anonymous donor.






































Thank you to all anonymous blood donors too. Giving of yourself is such a generous gift. There are kids each day, like me, who can make it another day to play and sing and jump and trap themselves in the bathroom so well that their Moms have to call 911, just because of you. Yes, that last part is true... I kind of did trap myself in the restroom last night. A big shout out to the nice officers who came to our house to help me break free. Luckily, they didn't have to cut the door down. Daddy was able tell me how to get out of there and I was able to follow his directions. Poor mom was a bit hysterical.










I hope you have a good day. I plan to have a good day, too



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