August update

This blog was written a few days ago, but nevertheless here it is...


Cami had two clinic appointments this month (well one was the very end of July, but who's counting?)  We are having a bit of trouble with Cami's ANC.  The ANC is the number that the oncologists use to measure almost EVERYTHING in the cancer world.  When Cami has a low ANC is is because the chemotherapy has killed off her neutrophils and she is prone to infection.  Obviously the Doctors don't want Cami's ANC to drop so low and put her in danger of serious illness or infection, BUT when that number drops, the Doctors know that the chemo is doing it's job.  While in maintenance the ideal ANC would be anywhere from 500-1500.  Cami's ANC  has been consistently too high.  Her Doctors keep upping her daily chemo dosage and that darn ANC has just not been dropping.  Obviously we are delighted that Cami can be out in public and we don't have to worry as much if one of her friends has a runny nose, BUT it is also scary because we desperately want and need this chemo to do its job.  Poor little Cami is now taking 150% of both her chemo pills at home.  With that 150% comes an extra 50% of side effects and let me tell you, she is feeling them.  Her legs are hurting a lot more, she is nauseous again, and she gets exhausted easily.  These chemo pills are most defiantly effecting her little body, I just wish they would effect her cells on the same level.  


Here is Cami at clinic on 7/28/11
They gave her a giant stuffed bunny and she was thrilled!

Clinic stats 7/28/11:

Height: 112.0 cm

Weight: 19.4 kg (40.9 lbs.)

ANC: 1,900 (too high...boo)

WBC: 2.2

Hematocrit: 33.4%

Platelets: 213




Cami's next appointment was just today and good news... her ANC has dropped into the "good range"!  We aren't getting too excited just yet because last time we upped her chemo we had one month in the "good range" and then back up that ANC went, but we are happy that the higher dose seems to be dropping her ANC, at least a little.  


Here is Miss Cami today going into PCMC



and here she is about to make a wish in the fountain..

Clinic stats 8/25/11:

Height: 112.5 cm

Weight: 19.6 kg (40.9 lbs.)

ANC: 1,400

WBC: 2.1

Hematocrit: 32%

Platelets: 193

 the rest of our month has been crammed with every last minute summer activity we could think of.  We got to go to a Hope kids birthday celebration.  They get a cake and all the kids who have birthdays from June-August get to come celebrate with cake, gifts and roller skating!

We had a play-date at the splash pad with some of our cancer friends.

We packed up last minute and went camping at Pine View with Cami's cousins.  

The kids (including Baylee pup) were worn out!

We had another fun Hope Kids activity at the Dinosaur museum.  

Where we met up with some friends

What is summer without a stinky, sizzlin' hot, sweaty trip to the zoo.  It's everyone's favorite right?  Um, this I can live without, but the kids love it so I took one for the team...
 and I only whined a little.

 

Pat and Grandpa Dave enjoying the only 5 inches of shade in the entire zoo.

Pat doesn't look terribly thrilled about sitting this close to his father-in-law :)

Pat found the dinosaur that is sponsored by his company.  

If you have kids, check out Animal Jam...the game Pat's working on.  

My kids LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!!

Summer just isn't complete without a baseball game.  

The kids wanted in on the action...

 Pat and I got to sneak away for a few days to go to our friends Justin and Ashley's wedding in Huntington Beach.

Pat has been best buddies with Justin since 1st grade, they lived on the same street and went through all of school together.  A bunch of our good friends came so it was a super fun trip!

We ate WAY too much yummy food...

 

Here we are at Ash and Justin's beautiful wedding

Phil (another bud since Kindergarten) and his cute mom Kathy at the wedding.

Jon and Nic

This is the best picture of the wedding I got.  It was so beautiful!

Love these boys.
(all these guys were Pat's best men at our wedding almost 8 years ago,
what great friends!)

We went to an Angels game.

I got to go to Sprinkles (thanks for indulging me guys).

 -a BIG HUGE thank you to Pat's sister Jess and Grandma Di-Di for watching the kids while we were gone.  You should have seen the lists I sent them (insurance info, pill schedule, phone numbers, ER instructions, food instructions, etc).  I was a little nervous about leaving Cami, but she did great and it was good for both of us.  Thank for putting up with me guys.  Love you both!