We just got back from clinic so here is an update. She gets a break from the vincristine today, (the chemo they put through her tube each week) and will get to be finished with the steroids in 2 more days. Hopefully we'll all still be alive in 2 more days! haha. So we are hoping that once the steroids are done, she will be a bit happier since she didn't have the vincristine. We'll see. It was a rough visit because she had to fast for the bone marrow aspirate and lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to put chemo in her spine. We gave her some benadryl hoping that would get her through the night without needing any food, but it only lasted until 4. So she woke up at 4:00 wanting to eat, and we couldn't give her anything. She literally screamed from that point until we got to clinic. It was awful, we felt so bad. She just kept asking for different foods, popcorn, cereal, crackers, anything she could think of that we might give her, and the answer was no, no, no, each time. Poor girl, she was starving. She's used to eating all night long! Then we had to get through her clinic appt before getting the tests done. They were running behind in the RTU, so she didn't get sedated until 11:00. It was a nightmare to not let her eat or drink for that long. When she was finally sedated and we were waiting in the hall, I heard one of the doctors say "poor little steroid girl having to starve for this long!" It made us chuckle, he knows how these steroid kids are!

Her counts looked good, except for her ANC, which was at 500. That is better than last week, anything under 500 is in the danger zone for infection, so 500 is right on the line. So no church or store, but she can go play outside (not that she would play right now) and be around people we know aren't sick. That number has to come up by next week or we will not be able to start the next phase. It needs to be above 750 to start Consolidation. So we are pretty much done with Induction phase!!!! Just the 2 more days of steroids! We will find out the results of the bone marrow aspirate in the next couple days, and hopefully she will be in remission and ready to move on.

She also had to get an x-ray of her stomach, because she has been crying a lot that her stomach hurts, and we thought she was constipated. The doc said that sometimes we you are really constipated, you can get diarrhea, which would explain the diarrhea the other day. Sure enough, she said that Brinley is FULL of poop. So we need to up her dose of mirilax to try to get that out of her. Her stomach is HUGE! She said the vincristine causes constipation, so we will probably be dealing with it for a while. One of the many lovely side effects of chemo.

I can't tell you how happy we are to be almost through with induction. I honestly don't know how we have survived this month, it has been absolutely overwhelming. I guess we survived with all the help we have had and all the prayers that have been said for us. We would not have made it without that. I have a prayer in my heart every single day that the Lord will get us through that day, even that hour sometimes. And the next day, I pray for the Lord to get us through that day. That's the only way we can survive this, to get through each day and feel accomplishment for making it through that day. Looking at the long-term picture is too much right now. Two more days of steroids, two more days, two more days........

If you read Ali's comment the other day, you know that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and there was a great article/pictures posted in the Boston Globe.
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/09/childhood_cancer_awareness_mon.html


Brin having one of her middle of the night snacks:
Tostitos, toast, pizza, fritos, mack n cheese, and milk.
She's on the Michael Phelps diet.


Check out my new shirt and headband :)


After crying since 4am she was eating these chicken nuggets in her sleep on the way home.



8 comments:

Anonymous said...

These pictures are so sweet, thank you for sharing them. Bless all of your hearts ;) tons of love & hugs.
Aunt Nancy

Ashley said...

Ha! Eating in her sleep. I loved the pics of her midnight snack. That's how it should be done!

Amy said...

I love seeing her eating asleep! SO cute! She looks so cute in her big bow head band too! Sweet girl, just 2 more days Mom!

Stacy said...

Oh she is so sweet. What a precious picture! Hang in there Brinley. We love and pray for you every single day. When Dawson says the prayer for family prayer, he has been asking for Brinley to get better and then he asks that David and Kristin will be blessed to be able to take care of Brinley. Sweet. It brings tears every time I hear that. 2 more days!

Melanie said...

Is that what David looks like when he eats in his sleep? Haha-those pictures are sweet!

Huenu said...

Melanie, right on! LOL. Those are the sweetest pictures. Two more days, then no more steroids and all will be better (crossing fingers). Thanks for sharing the snack monster with us.

Lidia said...

My beloved Children, Kristin and David: How great is it about the progress on the Brimley situation. She look an angel, and she is an Angel. I'm happy for you, for the very special dedication and love for your sweet Brin and for Jade and Tay, my dearling grand doughters. I'm happy for your humble and prayer actitud before Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the real way and you both are right in the Celestial way. And feel confident about your desicions and care for your family, because I know with all my heart that you are not alone.
Reading tonight your post, I feel a sweet emotion of gratitude to Heavenly Father and I remember the phrase:" I'll rise my eye to the mount. From where will come my succour?...My succour come from Jehova, who make the firmament and the earth."(Music and Spoken Word-from spanish translation).
That is exactly what are you doing: rising your eyes to the mount....
My dear Kristin, you are very special doughter of God and David an very special son of God. Please, GO AHEAD...HEAVENLY FATHER IS HELPING YOU...!!!! BE STRONG!!!YOU CAN DO EVERITHING YOU WANT TO DO WITH GOD ON YOUR SIDE!!! AND YOU ARE SUSCCESFULL AT THESE TIME AND HE WILL CONTINUE HELPING AND BLESSING TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
I love you very very much. And thank You for shering your experience, your pain and your hapiness woth us. Again: GO...GO AHEAD!!
and be happy on the trouble and in the happines time. That is the life on earth...
Grandpa David
(sorry for my English)...

Anonymous said...

Those days were so hard. And now you guys are past induction. Isn't that a great feeling? Brinley looks a lot like Serenity in photos (I think). I am glad things are going well for you all.