fun, fun, FUN!!!

The "end of chemo" party was a success! Everyone had a great time, especially Kaidan. I'm so glad that we are beginning a new chapter of life, chemo free.

We are so grateful to everyone of you that were able to make it to the party. We appreciate that so, so much. It was a lot of fun, so thank you! A BIG thank you to everyone who helped make the party happen as well. We couldn't have done it without you.

Kaidan's next check-up with oncology is the first week of December...I'm sure as that time nears it will be nerve racking.

Thanks again! We love you guys!

the big PARTY...

If anyone who reads this website that would like to come to the party, but has not gotten an invitation, please email me for the party details. I have sent out the invites, but I'm sure I forgot some people...sorry. I tried to remember everyone, but I'm still thinking of people that I forgot. So, if you are wanting to come party with us next Saturday, Nov. 7th, drop me an email and I'll get you the info. mysteejsuds@hotmail.com Thanks!

Everyone is doing well and we're getting excited for trick-or-treating!!

flu shots...

Porter had his 18 month check up today, which was great. He's a healthy, happy boy! Then...everyone had to have flu shots. Preslee, Cash, and Porter all got the regular flu shot and the H1N1 shot. They were not happy, but they did well. The person who was the most unhappy was Kaidan, she had already gotten the regular flu shot at her last clinic visit, but since they had the H1N1 available today, I decided she may as well get it (after I called oncology and made sure it was ok). She threw a fit like I've never seen before, but in the end it was fine. On the way home she told me that she was just unprepared and that is why it was hard.

Anyway, it's all done now, so hopefully the flu doesn't get us this year. Especially Kaidan, she deserves a year off.

chocolate pudding...

Porter thinks he's a big boy now...I guess he kind of is. He has decided that only he can feed himself. We are no longer allowed to help. So yesterday he had a snack of chocolate pudding. He had a great time, and I think he might have even eaten a little bit...

heading home...eventually...

Kaidan's counts are good. Her ANC is actually 4700, so it's good and high. We will be heading home as soon as they come in with discharge papers and remove her IV.

They wanted to do a nasal swab to rule out the flu, but she doesn't have any flu symptoms, so I said NO. She's had that done so many times, and it's not a fun procedure, so there is no reason to do it when she doesn't have symptoms. After being here all night, she'll probably get the flu in a few days anyway and then they'll have to do it...I'm joking, but there is some truth to that. You sit and wait with hundreds of sick people and then when you get to your room the doctors, nurses, techs, people stocking supplies, residents, people making sure you are going to pay them if your insurance doesn't, people just making sure it's not an empty room...I'm sure you get it...anyway, all these people go into the rooms of sick people and then into your room and you are bound to get something!! We'll hope not, but I wouldn't be surprised. Today was seriously CRAZY in the ER. I have never seen so many people here. It was like a scene from the movie Outbreak, everyone wearing masks. It was surreal.

Anyway, we're headed home, so I thought I'd let everyone know that we are good. We'll just keep our fingers crossed that the fever doesn't come back tomorrow night!!

what??!!??

We are currently sitting in the ER at Primary's. Actually we are in the radiology waiting room because the ER is FULL, and I mean FULL!!!! We are here because Kaidan came in from playing outside in the leaves and gave me a hug...of course, she was hot. I had her take her temp and it was 102.1. So, they said she needed to come in since she hasn't had labs in a couple weeks and she is still on treatment. So here we sit and here we wait. They told us we will get the first available room since she is immunocompromised, but it still could be a 2 hour wait.

This is insane...

I'll update more in awhile

moving on...

Well...what can I say? I can say that I have an amazing daughter. All my kids are amazing, of course, but today was Kaidan's day. She is so, so very brave.

Our day started with clinic at 9:00. I was extremely disappointed when the doctor that came in to see Kaidan was not the doctor we have requested to see. My initial feeling on that is that we put our feelings out there, we gave the proper people all of our concerns, and for what? Kaidan's doctor isn't even going to be there to answer all of the questions we have as we start this new phase of our journey? She's not going to be there to congratulate Kaidan for a job well done? So...I made my opinion heard. I complained. And, although we still didn't see our doctor, she did come down the the surgery waiting room to see us and the administration came down to see us in the recovery room to try to make things right. We'll see how it goes from here on out. I told the administration that I feel like this next year it will be even more important to us that we see the same doctor on every visit. Our trips up there will become fewer and farther between and I feel like it is very important for the doctor who treats her to know her. I will not tolerate seeing a different doctor every single month.

Anyway, back to the clinic visit. It went well other than the doctor mishap. Kaidan's counts were still a bit high, but much lower than they were last week. Her ANC was down to 2600, so that is good. They aren't going to increase her chemo anymore. After Kaidan had her chemo and labs done the staff brought in a beautiful quilt and some books and toys for Kaidan. They sang "Happy Off Treatment To You" to her. I don't think I've ever seen a bigger smile on her face!

After clinic we headed down to surgery. It was very hard to watch Kaidan walk away from us. She was fine right up until we had to part ways and then she became very sad and scared. She was crying and holding onto Nate, it was very hard to watch. (Jennette, I didn't see your message until just now about going back with her :( ) She finally mustered up the strength to go on with the doctor; again, I can't tell you how brave she is. A child shouldn't have to do that. The surgery went well, it took about an hour for the actual surgery, but Kaidan decided to take a nap afterwards, so it was another 2 hours before she was finally awake enough to go home.

So here we are. We are done. Kaidan will have oral chemo until Nov. 5th, but we don't have to go back into clinic until the first week of December. That's the longest we've ever gone without going up there...weird.

I'll update more later, but thank you for all the thoughts, prayers, and concerns. I took many pictures today, so I'll try to get some posted.