Clinic and a blood boost 12/16-17/10

Last week Cami was absolutely THRILLED that I forgot about her spinal tap and gave her chocolate milk, but she sure knew what was coming the following week.  Every day she'd ask me "is TOMORROW the day I have to see the sleepy Doctors?", it made for a very long week.  By the time Wednesday rolled around she was so terrified she could hardly sleep.  Once again, when she needed it most, a package arrived and in it was this darling bear that comforted her through the night and through the next day.  

The timing couldn't have been better!  

Thank you to Cami's secret Santa!

Grandma Lenna also came to help out and she was a HUGE help.  It is always so nerve racking sitting outside waiting for them to finish up Cami's Lumbar Puncture.  It is so wonderful to have someone to help ease my mind until she wakes up.  Thanks Lenna!

 When we got to clinic, Ben (the dog), came to visit.  He makes the kids SO happy!  Cami's favorite thing to do is give him treats.

In the waiting room at clinic they have a hat tree that the kids can pick a hat from.  I try not to let her take one unless she REALLY loves it because we have so many at home, but she just fell in love with this care bear hat.  It is her new favorite hat and she wears it everyday with every outfit.  

Clinic went well and although Cami is still in the most intense phase of chemo she will ever get, she is doing SO well.  The first part of this phase was complete torture on us all, but the second part has been much easier on Cami and the side effects are minimal.  We are just SO grateful that Cami is feeling so much better and just in time for Christmas.

We will finish up our last week of chemo at home a few days before Christmas.  The Doctors expect Cami's levels to drop and they told us that they might not be high enough to go to family parties for Christmas, BUT Cami has shocked them with how high her ANC has been and I am hoping she will be high enough to enjoy Christmas with her cousins.  If not, we will have a cozy Christmas at home this year.

Clinic stats:
Height: 107.1
Weight: 16.8kg (37 lbs.)

ANC: 1100
WBC: 1.5
Hematocrit: 25.2%
Platelets: 199

Cami's red blood was one point away from needing a transfusion.  Her oncologist said that she would definitely be dropping with the chemo at home and  she would need to come in for a transfusion the next week.  Since next week is Christmas, I asked if we could just do it now.  They said I could bring her in the next day, so we went back to clinic again on Friday to get a blood-boost that will (hopefully) get her through the holidays.

   

Here is Cami playing with her favorite clinic toys.. the horses.

After we got Cami's vitals done, one of the nurses handed her this GIGANTIC stocking full of fun things to do.  Apparently there is an amazing engineering firm that puts together and donates these stockings for the staff to hand out to the kids around Christmas time.  I cant even begin to describe how much it helped keep Cami entertained for the 6+ hours we were sitting there getting her blood.   What an amazing company to think of these kids and donate such thoughtful stockings.  

It was a busy day at clinic and we got to see 2 of our cancer friends.  Millie was there because she had a fever so unfortunately Cami couldn't play with her.  Cute little Chase was there too, and we sat by them while he got his chemo and Cami got her blood.  Chase is 2 and they live in St. George.  I cant even begin to imagine having to deal with the terrible two's, drive from St. George to SLC weekly AND all the cancer stuff at the same time.  Dani (Chases mom) is AMAZING (plus she has a newborn to top it all off).

What a woman!  

Cami was getting extremely tired and run-down with her low red blood counts.  Her energy has increased SO SO much after getting this blood.  I am forever grateful for those that give of their healthy blood.  It means so much to these little ones.