Leukemia for Dummies (like me)

Hi all – we say a lot of medical stuff in our posts, and while reading Thomas’ kids book on Cancer this morning I thought they did a better job of explaining it than I’ve seen anywhere on the internet. Anybody that has ever done a Google search on Leukemia knows its pretty overwhelming, so […]

Rough Start, Better Ending

Hi all – I got to the hospital around 7:30am so Nicole could get to work. When I arrived, I learned that Sally’s platelet level was still bottomed out at 7 (supposed to be around 150) so she had yet another transfusion. Nicole also remarked that she was very lethargic and after downing some food, […]

Transfusions and Mouth Sores

Transfusions and Mouth Sores

Hi all – our nurses came in at around midnight to take a blood sample from Sally. At 6am we were told that she needed to have platelet and blood transfusions that morning. A normal child’s platelet level is 150-200, hers dropped to 6 and her hemoglobin was at 7.0 which is the number you […]

Doing Better

Doing Better

Hi all – Got Sally asleep and I am going to try and join her, so a quick update: – Sally doing much better. She received antibiotics and fluids which have broken the fever. She is being given a very small dose of morphine every 4 hours to help with the pain she has due […]

Admitted

Hi all, We were with Sally at MSK until just after 1am, when doctors cleared her to leave as all tests came back negative and her blood counts were where they are expected to be. She also had a 9:30am appointment for chemo, so would get to see her primary care doctors then. We got […]

At MSK

At MSK

Hi all – just a quick update. I expected to go to Costco tonight, but instead we are at MSK. Sally has had stomach issues since yesterday, and has had obvious discomfort. She does not have a fever, but has not been herself the last 2 days. Nicole called this in today and we were […]

A Lock From My Love

Hi all, Yesterday I noticed blonde strands on Sally’s shoulders. It was a rough day. The boys had left for school and camp. Matthew dropped them off and was on his way to work. I was home alone. Immediately after noticing  I grabbed a pair of scissors and cut a lock for keeping of her […]

First Outpatient Trip

Hi all, Today Nicole and our friend Tina took Sally in for her first outpatient visit to Sloan Kettering after being formally diagnosed with Leukemia. I was at work receiving text updates from Tina (note to whoever goes to appointments with Nicole, expect to send me several texts and deal with my questions) as Sally […]

A Good Weekend Home

Hi All, First off, if we don’t send an update, it means everything is fine and we’re just enjoying our time together as a family. Us not sending a lot of updates is a good thing, it means everything is progressing as expected. As the title says, we had a good weekend with Sally home. […]

Home Sweet Home

Hi all – Sally was discharged and came home late this afternoon, ending a long and emotional week for all of us at MSK. How did she celebrate? A bottle and off to bed in her crib. Today was a sleepy day (as you can see in the photos), probably an after effect of the […]