Later Sunday afternoon we had a great showing of help to rearrange our kids' bedrooms. They moved a twin over full bunk bed to the basement, a twin bed along with it's trundle upstairs, and Rourke's loft bed was moved over to the girls' room. The strong muscles and expert bed makers made the process go quickly. The end goal was to give Esther her own space for this next year. The kids were such troopers and understood the need for all the change.
Today Esther started her second round of chemo. She'll have an infusion starting at 7:30am each day for the rest of this week. On Saturday morning she'll start a growth factor med causing stem cell production and release into her blood stream. Those meds will continue the following two weeks until her stem cell production peaks and then they will extract her stems cells, filtering out her red and white blood cells along with her platelets. Those cells will be returned to her body and the stem cells will be stored to help her recover after the MIBG therapy and again following high dose chemo in December.
It was overall a good day. She handled chemo well and only got sick once. I think it was because her anti-nausea meds lapsed a couple of hours due to of a dosing issue. She lost a little weight and they had to re-dose her chemo and meds. It's not a huge loss, she was just 0.1kg under the previous dosing requirements but our doctor thought going with the lower dose might help her counts not drop so low after this next round of chemo and it's appropriate for her weight either way. I like Dr. Garrington, he's kind and Esther loves him. He had her giggling and playing peek-a-boo. Her ANC counts today were phenomenal, 6,111. I am thankful she's so high right now and hopeful these counts will give some wiggle room during this cycle.
Our friend, Thomas, is also recieving a 5 day treatment this week. He along with two cousins and another friend from our homeschool group are taking a logic course right there in the infusion center. Their instructor, Thomas' mom, Emily, is doing an excellent job! When they left, these four teens were growing lots of brain cells from all the learning they did. Tomorrow Rourke is going to join Esther and I and we're going to do a little school of our own. Lydia and Frannie will also get a turn to join us. What a fun and strange circumstance that something so normal to our lives, school, is happening in an oncology clinic.
We are planning to do this week of chemo outpatient and will drive down each day. Since it is likely she'll be admitted again at some point over the next three weeks, we are savoring each possible moment at home.
A friend from church whose daughter had leukemia when she was about the same age as Esther said as she walked through the halls of the hospital they were at she thought of Psalm 23 "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." We sung a song at church that is based on the this Psalm "House of God, Forever." It's a beautiful, hopeful song and accompanied me throughout the day as we walked out of the hosptial the line "Surely goodness, will follow me" sprung into mind. A sweet reminder fromt the Lord that He is right there with me. You can read the lyrics and listen below.
House of God, Forever by Jon Foreman
God is my shepherd
I won't be wanting
I won't be wanting
He makes me rest
In fields of green
With quite streams
Even though I walk
Through the valley
Of death and dying
I will not fear
'Cause you are with me
You are with me
Your shepherd staff
Comforts me
You are my feast
In the presence of enemy
Surely goodness
Follow me
Follow me
In the house of God, forever
Can I just tell you how great it was to see you all at church too!? I had to stop myself from just wrapping Esther and you in giant hugs! I wasn't sure about keeping my distance with germs and all, but I was so so so glad to see you. We love you guys so much! Words do a mediocre job of expressing it. Praying for you this round.
ReplyDeletePraying for you this week, Sam! Love you and praying. So glad you had a little time at home. Praying for strength and perseverance and mercy. Love you!
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