Kicking Cancer's Butt and Icky Chemo

Waiting at clinic

Today marks almost a year since Kennedy was diagnosed with ALL B-cell leukemia.  It was February 2, 2012, when we learned our 4-year old baby was in for the fight of her life.  Here we are, almost a year later and we are 1/3 done with treatment.  Some how we face the year anniversary of her diagnosis with dread; I don’t know if we will ever erase the feeling of that day from our hearts but we will certainly try to move past it.  So now it’s time to party, to celebrate her life and this past year of kicking cancer’s butt.  I’m not quite sure what we’ll do yet but we will definitely thing of something!

CureSearch 2013 Brochure

I mentioned in my last blog that Kennedy was being used in a video montage for CureSearch.  Well, we also found that they are using Kennedy for the nationwide CureSearch Walk brochure cover.  It’s part exciting and part sad.  It’s exciting that out of a ton of patients and pictures, they chose Kennedy to represent CureSearch in a big way.  It is sad because it is for children’s cancer and I wish from the bottom of my soul that she didn’t have cancer to be a model for.  Guess what charity is my focus this year????  Anyone gearing up for that September, CureSearch walk yet?

K and Zoe Snowball

Kennedy had chemo on Wednesday – the yucky kind called a lumbar puncture (or intrathecal).  They inject Methotrexate into her spine to prevent any rogue cancer cells from entering her brain or spinal column.  This treatment is the worst for us as parents to watch since Kennedy is put under.  This time it was particularly painful because she was overdosed with Ketamine and it took three attempts to puncture the correct part of her spine.  The procedure started with the anesthesiologist (that I never met before – Dr. Ebogi?) administering 20 mg of Ketamine.  Her normal dose is 20 mg and he pushed it in rather quickly.  Once Dr. Sarvita punctured her back, Kennedy mumbled “ow” lightly; this is typical.  Then K repeated “ow” and then added “Hi Doctor” – not good.  The anesthesiologist decided to administer more Ketamine, 10 more mg, way more than she needed.  After 2 more attempts, Dr. S punctured the correct part of her spine and we were done.  Another highlight of last weeks visit is that her 6MP dose was upped.  K didn’t gain weight but she did get taller – darn those growth spurts.

The after effects of the chemo weren’t good.  She normally handles it all pretty well but she was terribly nauseated for the rest of the day, exhausted and complained of back pain.  All of which could have been avoided.  The good part about the clinic visit that day is that we were in and out quick, under 2.5 hours, which never happens.  Also, Kennedy received a special bald American Girl Doll from Megan, K’s child life specialist and my friend.  Her new friend’s name is Zoe Snowball – aka Snowy.

Roller Skating

Skiing

Safari Land

Safari Land

Outside of an unpleasant clinic experience, all else has been going well.  Mom had the flu so we spent a week a part where I couldn’t hug or kiss my princess - masks and sanitizer were a big must in our house.  I took 2-weeks off during holiday break and spent much needed time with both kids.  We went ice skating, roller skating, had play dates, visited John Hancock Observatory, Safari Land and anywhere else we could think of.  When dad was home we did more ice skating and even went skiing.  As a crazy working parent, this time with them was more precious then I could have imagined. Going back to school and work was sad for all of us!

That’s all for now…18.5 months until we are done with stupid cancer!

Observatory

Hanging with Emma