The Beginning, Esther's Treatment Plan & Current Update

This blog began as a very infrequent chronicle of a mom with five young children. We have a son, twin daughters, and another set of twin daughters. Life is fun and always busy.

In June 2012 we began to notice a bump on the top of our yongest daugther, Esther's, head. One June 22, 2012 she was diagnosed with a stage IV, high risk solid tumor cancer called Neuroblastoma. At that point we began to update and process our journey through this blog.

The first post about Esther's diagnosis and journey through cancer is from June 22, 2012, Victorious Is Her Name. We hope you are lead to see that even through a nighmare, God is good, trustworthy, and kind.

When I read other cancer journeys I want to know where they started and where they are along treatment. This is Esther's current treatment plan. Esther's treatment includes 5 or 6 rounds of chemo therapy, a stem cell harvest, surgery, MIBG therapy followed by a stem cell transfusion, high dose chemo followed by a stem cell transplant, radiation, 6 months of immunotherapy and retinoic acid treatment.

Round 1: 5 Days of Chemo followed by two weeks of rest (June 30-July 4)
Round 2 : 5 Days of chemo followed by two weeks of rest (July 23-27)
Stem Cell Collection (August 8)
Round 3: 4 Days of inpatient chemo followed by two weeks of rest (August 14-18)
Round 4: 3 Days of inpatient chemo followed by two weeks of rest (September 5-8)
Surgery to remove primary tumor location
Round 5: 4 Days of inpatient chemo followed by two weeks of rest (October 11-14)
Round 6: 3 Days of inpatient chemo followed by two weeks of rest (November 7-10)
High Dose Chemo & Stem Cell Transplant (Chemo Begins December 12, Transplant will be December 19 followed by about 2-3 weeks of inpatient time)
Radiation (20 Days)
Possible surgery on secondary tumor location (Not needed! The entire metastasize is gone!)
6 months of immunotherapy (5 days inpatient every 4 weeks, completed 7/19/13!!!!!!!) and antibody treatment (along with retinoic acid taken at home). This is to teach her cells to fight cancer to help prevent relapse.
Final scans and line removal!!!!

How is Esther now?
Esther is currently cancer free!  After finishing treatment in September 2013, Esther's body was declared "No Evidence of Disease".

Over all, she's a happy, healthy child.  At her last birthday, she turned 7!

She still loves pink, Taco Bell, Miss Rebekah, Mr. Ricardo, and the Hiccupotamus.



Esther is an unbelievably kind soul.  She considers the needs and hopes of others constantly before her own.  Cancer has taught her heart beautiful lessons.

Sometimes she's afraid her cancer will come back.  We are too.  Neuroblastoma is notoriously difficult to keep away, but she's doing great.

She wears sparkly hearing aids, but it doesn't interfere with her ability to carry on a conversation.  She's usually a bit shy at first, but once she gets going, she'll chat with you for hours.

She's still quite small and might need some help to grow.  That's common for kids with cancer.  

We are still overwhelmingly grateful for the ways our hearts and minds have been shaped by walking through our daughter's cancer.  There were (and still can be) many terrible days, but God was constant and His goodness was established in our hearts in a way that brought peace no matter how many days Esther would live on this side of heaven.

Special thanks to Maddie B Photography for these lovely photos.  Andrea takes awesome pictures.  She does it for free for families with children who have or had cancer.

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