Grow cells grow

By -
I am so tired and although I have a lot to write and ALOT on my heart and mind to say (and I will when I can think a little straighter), I will keep this short for now. Charlotte’s fevers have stopped! All the fever spikes that would come and go every 4-6 hours and be accompanied by severe chills and shakes are over! Now we need her cells to grow. We like to playfully chant GROW CELLS GROW. Please chant with us so we can get our girl home before round 2 starts next week!

I have so much to update. I promise to do so but just wanted to let you all know she had the best day yet today and has turned a corner! We are hopeful her white cell count will improve very soon and start to climb so that we can go home. For now, she is receiving blood products when needed to help support her recovery (thank you donors! You help a little fighter like ours be able to continue their fight), receiving IV antibiotics to cover her during this time where she is susceptible to infections, getting her appetite back (mom brought some healthy smoothie ingredients to help supplement), and she’s playing and goofy and joyful. She got a little free time off her IV pole last couple days to go on walks with Brian or I. Today we went outside for a long walk and had a popsicle in the sunshine.

When searching for the silver lining, sometimes it can be found in the fact that life slows down during treatment or recovery from treatment in such a way that some extra special one on one time with Charlotte can occur. Brian and I get to experience some very special and precious moments in this space that fighting cancer creates.

We do have a new immediate prayer request: her hair has started coming out in clumps. She is so sad to lose her hair for a second time. She is no longer a toddler going through this, but a little girl. Our conversation about this initially broke my heart but then turned into a reflection of how truly special of a soul she is. I’m praying for help as we guide her through this, and for God to protect her sweet spirit from any emotional pain that can come from a little girl, about to start Kindergarten, who is losing her hair. Again. God give us strength and wisdom
#Charlottestrong









Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ROUND 2 under way

By -
Image
It was exactly 4 Monday's ago. We left our pediatrician and ended up here at Duke Children's just about this time of day where we were about to receive Charlotte's cancer diagnosis. It was any parents worst nightmare as we came to learn and understand this diagnosis. It feels like 4 months ago. We are still coping and feeling our way, but never in a million years could I imagine being in this "place" that we are today, emotionally and spiritually. We are still coping and going through the grieving stages, but hearing the news today that Charlotte is healthy enough to begin round 2 was great news. A couple weeks ago, hearing that your child needed chemo was gut wrenching but today it is music to our ears. It means Charlotte has recovered from round 1 and is ready to continue to fight and heal while we all cheer her on. Her spunky spirit is back. She had a wonderful, restful weekend home playing with Taylor and Parker and also getting to see some family and a few f
Read more

Reliving June 13

By -
Image
Today in 2019, was probably the hardest day of my life. You might have thought that would have been the day she was diagnosed or maybe that scary time we had during Charlotte’s transplant, but it was today. We snapped this picture below waiting for Charlotte’s doctors to come into her examination room during her standard check up at Duke. Mere minutes later, we saw more than the normal 4 feet in front of the door (the oncologist and NP that would see her). When the door opened and child life was there—Brian and I instantly knew. Child life had come to distract Charlotte so we could talk to her doctors. The world went into slow motion and I don’t know how I didn’t hit the floor if I’m honest. Brian’s face instantly drained of color. We knew immediately her scans had shown her disease, her cancer, had returned.  After all she had been through, all we had seen, all we had survived as a family…this day drained the hope out of me and I can still have a visceral response remembering it. Of c
Read more

Getting some sleep and planning on a wagon ride!

By -
Image
Good morning! They think we might get to a room later today! Steps closer to coming home! Her X-ray showed improvement with lung fluids. Still fighting a fever and needs oxygen. Finally got put back in solids and ate some bites of spaghetti last night. We both slept better last night too. We didn't get out yesterday so maybe today. We have a wagon and are hoping to take her for a ride maybe even to see the helicopter on the roof:) Got a little kick in the gut with some news specifically regarding her tumor genetics. I was really down and having a hard time last night. But woke to a new day. And Brian has a contact in Cincinnati who put him into contact with a leading researcher for high risk NB and after talking with him we feel better about not just our current plan here at Duke but also about all the new research that hasn't even been published yet which has MUCH better prognosis outcomes for someone like Charlotte. I really needed to hear that and the timing of this doctor
Read more