Another chemo day  done!!

These 10 hour days have felt like full time job overloads. But another day is done, yay. Same as it has been all week: 1 hr. of pre-hydration, followed by the two chemo infusions, and 2 hrs. of post-hydration. Reba also had to start on Septra, an antibiotic she took for 6 months  last year. It helps prevent a nasty lung infection.

Zoe came to visit with Nana and Poppa today- which was the highlight of the day! It makes the time go by faster, for sure.

Cancer interrupts your life. It doesn’t care what your plans and passions are. Or where you work or what fun play dates and activities you had planned for the kids. Or the bills you have. But we won’t let it keep us from having fun when we can. Every day of treatment is a day closer to a cure.

  

Another day done! We are excited and hopeful that the chemo is attacking the tumor. 

Everyday of treatment is a day closer to being cured.

Very similar day in terms of order of events- we premedicated with Zofran this morning and Reba did not get sick in the car.  🙂

They did an hour of pre-hydration followed by the two chemo infusions and finishing wth two hours of post-hydration.

After the post-hydration, Reba’s PICC line was due for a cap and dressing change. This unfortunately was the hardest part of the day- during the dressing change (which ended up taking 20 minutes, Reba being held down, screaming) they were really making sure her sores around the site are clean and safe. Her little baby skin is so sensitive. Hopefully it heals under all that dressing. 

The upside was after the dressing change the “live therapy” partners, Cici and Guinness (a schnoodle and Yorkshire terrier) came to show us tricks and pets.

  
   

Today, Wednesday Feb. 24 Reba completed Day 3 of this chemo cycle. A very similar pattern to yesterday (feels like Groundhog Day), except Reba did get sick in the car early this morning on the way to LPCH. Tomorrow morning before we leave the house we will make sure to give her Zofran for nausea. 

She had one hour of pre-hydration plus her Zofran med, followed by the two chemo infusions (cyclophosphamide and Topetecan), followed by 2 hours of post-hydration.

She really enjoys walking around and seeing the “choo choo” while she is getting hydration.

   
  

 

We had an early start today for our 7   am appointment at the Bass Center. It was great to miss the heavy morning rush of traffic and the afternoon traffic as well!

Very similar to yesterday: One hour of pre-hydration and Zofran med, followed by the two chemo infusions of Cyclophosphamide  and Topotecan and then two hours of post- hydration.

Today seemed to go faster and smoother than yesterday. Especially since Zoe came to visit with Nana and Poppa!!

Day 2, done!

   
    
 

Today 2/22/16 was day 1 (of 6) of Reba’s first chemo cycle of 2016.

She had labs drawn first, then was given Zofran (an anti-nausea med) through her PICC line, then one hour of pre-hydration. That was followed by the two chemo infusions- Cyclophosphamide and Topotecan. Then two hours of post-hydration through her PICC line. 

First 6 hour chemo day, done!

We will be back at it tomorrow at 7 am.

 

  

 

We had an appt. today at Stanford to discuss Reba’s MRI results from last week’s MRI.

The tumor has grown 40% since her surgery (2 weeks ago). This reaffirms the need to begin more chemo. Because the tumor is aggressive and fast growing, it should hopefully respond well to the chemotherapy (which attacks fast growing cells).

So we will be at Lucile Packard next week, Monday- Saturday for cycle 1 of cyclophosphamide and Topotecan infusions. 

Let’s beat this Cancer!! Reba can do this!!

Also Nik has become a pro at the daily flushes for the PICC line. We had one cap change this week (resulting in the need for pliers) and today at Stanford she had her first dressing change (which she was not happy about). She also had labs drawn drama-free today thanks to the PICC line.

  

Today (2/11/16) we were back at Stanford for an MRI and placement of Reba’s PICC line (Peripheral Intravenous Central Catheter). 

We were also trained by a nurse on how to flush the line everyday and change the cap twice a week.

The MRI will give the Doctors a new baseline/measurement since her surgery. 

The PICC line is nice because they can do all blood draws/ injections/ chemo through this line- so no more extra pokes for awhile!

Today (2/9/2016) we met with our team to discuss the results of the pathology report. The report did not show that the tumor had matured; it showed there are still immature neuroblastoma cells. Which means more chemo. 

This time the chemo will be 5 days in a row with the Neulasta injection on the 6th day. Two chemo drugs will be used, cyclophosphamide (which she had before) and Topotecan (new to us).

They will do 2 cycles (each cycle is 21 days) then measure with MRI and MIBG. If needed after that point would be more cycles.

We are trying to stay positive. The prognosis is still very good in the long run. 

Because her port was already removed, she will now get a PICC line (basically a long term IV) in her arm, which we will need to flush daily at home and keep dressing on it.

 

  

 

Home home home home home!!!

Home is sooooo sweet.

Tuesday Feb 9th we meet with our oncology team to discuss the future.

 

  

 

We meant to update the blog yesterday, but our exhaustion got the better of us.

Reba is doing great! Yesterday, her bladder cathader was removed, as well as one of the IVs. She was cleared to begin eating and breastfeeding again, so we had a great time eating and drinking! We enjoyed cookies sent up by Nana JoAnn, yum! The simplest pleasures are really the best! Nana and Poppa came and brought Zoe for a visit, Auntie YaYa spent the night and stayed with us for most of the day, and our friend Alicia stopped by also. It is the best having visitors when you’re hospital bound!

They turned off her epidural at 3 am this morning and has been doing just fine on the oral meds.

We are waiting for the pain team to come this morning and remove the epidural, and then we will be discharged to go home!

Home sweet home!!!

Reba is such a trooper.

She will overcome this disease one step at a time. And this surgery was a big step!

Thank you for holding Reba and us in your hearts during this difficult week!