3 Month Clinic

John, Erin and I went to Primary Children's for Erin's 3 month clinic check-up.  As always, I get all nervous about going, but overall it was a wonderful experience.  Erin knows the routine really well now.  She was very excited to be at the hospital again and she tap danced down the hallway - she loves her new little sandals and the tapping noise they make.  We first went to the Lab to get her blood drawn.  She sat so calmly when the poked the top of her hand and inserted a needle, she whimpered a bit as they drew the blood, but she never pulled her hand away.  I think that is pretty amazing for a two year old!

She colored a pictured while we waited for our turn in the lab.

We got up to the fourth floor and we ran into none other than Elena and her family as they were leaving.  They had been inpatient for 4 days while Elena got high doses of chemo to kill her ALLeukemia.

I first met the Hoffman's at the Light the Night done by the Leukemia Society, we have loved reading their uplifting blog. 

This is the first time that Elena and Erin had met, yet they ran to each other and gave this BIG hug upon first meeting.  I think these little cancer kids can feel each other special spirits since they have gone through so much.

We had a little get-together in the hallway! 

Left-Right: Briana, Lizzie, Rachel, and Me.

It was so fun to run into our cancer friends. 

Briana was leaving the hospital, Lizzie was staying with her baby Andrew who has AML and just started the 35 day stay for round #4 of chemo.  Rachel was just arriving and bring her baby in for his bone marrow aspirate and getting ready to start his bone marrow transplant.  I LOVE these women!  They have comforted me, we have talked and laughed together, we have mourned each other's burdens.  It is wonderful to have such a great support group amongst these and many other Moms!  I was so sad we couldn't go into ICS and see many of our other friends.  They have restictions on kid visitors right now since it's still flu season.

Elena and Erin riding down the hallway together!

We then made our way to the Hematology/Oncology Clinic.

Erin and I read several books while we waited to see her Doc.

We waited for an hour in our room.

The Hem/Onc Clinic is always so busy with so many cancer kids.

We blew lots of bubbles!

Erin saw Dr. Verma and Dr. Fluchel.  They are so happy that she is doing so well.  Her sore on her bottom is nearly healed.  The lymph node in her hip is less swollen and her sore is so much softer and less inflamed.  She has had this sore for 5 months and I think it is actually starting to go away.  For good.  Dr. Fluchel brought in two medical students to meet Erin, he said that she is the cutest of all his patients.  Of course, he probably says this to everyone, but Erin loves the attention though.  He told them about some of her complications from the chemo.  I'm sure it's a sobering and good learning experience for these medical students.  I really love that Erin has such good care and that she is being treated by a University Hospital.

All done and her usual red Popsicle.

They have to go get a special Popsicle for Erin every time we are here.

In Erin's mind: Hospital = Popsicles.

We have officially stopped the Septra (anti-pneumonia) she was on.

Erin's blood work is looking really good. 

We are very thankful that she is doing so well.

Labs from 3 Month Clinic

White Blood Count 4.8 (normal 6.0-17.0)

Hematocrit 41.98 (normal 34.0-40.0)

Platelets 208 (normal 150-400)

ANC 2300 (normal 1500-8500)

Previous Labs from 2 Month Clinic

White Blood Count 4.7

Hematocrit 38.6

Platelets 202

ANC 2200