4 Month Clinic

Four months from finishing chemo and Erin's still living free from her Acute Myeloid Leukemia!  That's something to be very happy about.  Dr. Verma, our Oncologist, told us that the first 18 months after the Induction Phase of Chemotherapy is the time when a child is most likely to relapse.  Erin finished Induction the first of July 2010, which means that her 18 month window of potential relapse ends in December 2011.  December just cannot come soon enough!  After that 18 month window, it is still possible that she could relapse within 5 years, but the chance becomes very minimal.  After 5 years she is considered CURED!

Our family went to the hospital together and we had to laugh so hard when we got there and our 4 year old son was getting out of the car and said, "where are my shoes?"  I said, "I don't know.  Did you put them on before we left?"  Ha ha.  Of course he didn't.  That didn't stop us though, "Mr. Shoeless" enjoyed his time in the Forever Young Zone with his older sister.  The Forever Young Zone is a beautiful, most wonderful place at Primary Children's Hospital.  It is located on the 3rd floor and many many many wonderful people volunteer there.  The room is packed with FUN.  Crafts, computers, toys, a kitchen set, music things, more toys, and books.  Did I mention toys?  It's the greatest place for our kids to be entertained while we attend to Erin.  The staff there know us and our kids by name since we spent to much time living in the hospital.  It was a pleasure to finally introduce them to Erin!

Speaking of Erin, she is amazing.  We danced down the hallway to the lab to have her blood drawn.  She never gets scared or complains about having it done.  I look up to her courage and bravery so much.  She knows what must be done and she just does it.  She was poked in the top of her hand for her blood draw and I barely had to hold her.  She never even tries to pull her hand back.  Now, how many 2 year olds can do that?!

 In the elevator going up to Clinic.

She got that little stuffed elephant for being so brave in the lab.

I think her little fauxhawk is pretty awesome too!

John and I had a little extra time between her lab draw and her clinic appointment so we went to visit Tanner (and his Mom) in ICS.  He just completed his 5th round of chemotherapy and hopefully will be having his bone marrow transplant soon.  There is a huge fundraiser for him on Monday in Cache Valley, so if you're interested in coming to a fantastic party and dinner CLICK HERE.

Erin and John decorated an Easter Egg while waiting for the clinic appointment.

We got Erin's CBC (Complete Blood Count) results and everything looks good.  Phew!  We can breath for another month.  We really don't expect Erin to relapse, it's just that with a 50% relapse rate we are always nervous.  Always.  We do our best to forget about it. 

The Clinic was SO BUSY.  We were in our clinic room for 2 HOURS.  You know that if it is a busy day then there are a lot of sick kids there, I don't get upset about having to wait because I am thankful that my little girl is healthy.  I feel so badly for all the other parents there who have really sick kids.  Dr. Fluchel, our Primary Oncologist, said that he had seen so many sick kids that day.  When I say sick kids - I mean life threatening illness.  A lot of them had to admitted into ICS to get IVs and medications.

Dr. Fluchel told me that on Friday night he covered for another Oncologist for 5 hours.  Within that time frame he had FOUR FAMILIES COME IN that he had to diagnosis with Leukemia.  One of those families had a child whom he diagnosed with Erin's type of Leukemia,  AML.  I almost started crying when he told me that.  I feel so badly for those who are just finding out that their sweet innocent child has cancer.  I feel badly for that AML child who just started what we have finished.  I know how their parents are feeling and I wish I could meet them and tell them that they can do this, that they are strong enough to overcome.  I wish I could tell them that at first it may seem like the world has ended and that this life may appear so bitter and hard, but I want to tell them that there are so many blessing and miracles that they will see - if they can just keep their hearts open to see them.  During our 7 1/2 months in ICS I saw a miracle or blessing everyday. I truly believe our trials can become blessings.

During our 2 hour wait to see our Oncologists Erin spent most of the time playing with princesses.  One neat thing about the Hematology/Oncology Clinic is that they have awesome toys.  So many people from all over have given so generously to the Clinic.  We appreciate it so much.  Erin always picks to play with this princess set.

She also got some root beer, an otter pop, and chocolate pudding.  We did the otter pop instead of the traditional Popsile (for those of you wondering about her usual Popsicle).

Labs from 4 Month Clinic

White Blood Count 5.3 (normal 6.0 -17.0)

Hematocrit 41.8 (normal 43.0-40.0)

Platelets 215 (normal 150-400)

ANC 2700 (normal 1500-8500)

Previous Labs from 3 Month Clinic

White Blood Count 4.8

Hematocrit 41.9

Platelets 208

ANC 2300