Monthly Archives: March 2010

We Didn’t Make It

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March 2, 2010

We didn’t escape the fever. Tanner developed one this morning and we headed into clinic after dropping Jake off from school. We’re still here. She’s receiving a dose of IV Rocefin (a powerful broad range antibiotic) and then she’s getting an IVIG infusion. That’s the antibody infusion I referred to in my last post. IgG is an antibody that should normally be between 600 and 1,000 in a blood sample. Tanner’s was 478, which is really not especially low for a kid on chemo. The chemo, along with killing cells, kills the antibodies in the blood. But, she has been sick so much, especially with coughs, ear infections and pneumonia, which are indicators of a low IgG level. They hope by giving her an infusion of IgG, she will feel better and her immune system will improve.

The IgG she will receive is compiled from the plasma of up to 100,000 donors, so she will have the combined immunity of lots of people. AMAZING… DOCTORS AND RESEARCHERS ARE AMAZING. Just yesterday, the guy putting the countertops in our kitchen said his wife was a researcher at a local cancer center. I told him to tell his wife we thank God for her and others like her every day.

It’s a little unnerving to have this transfusion; there is a low risk of her having a reaction (much like someone could react to a blood transfusion) and it concerns me that she is receiving a product that is donated by so many people. But, the doctors have assured us the risks are very low, but the possibility of a reward of an improved immune system outweighs any risk.

She feels lousy and is just done. She has broken down in tears several times over small things that wouldn’t normally have rattled her so much. We are tired of being here and tired of the rollercoaster. It’s almost too much for me to bear today, so I don’t know why a six-year-old should have to bear it either.

The nurse just came in and hooked her up for the infusion. Should take several hours and then we will get to go home.

I’m telling you… this is one wild ride.

Love,
Beth

The Inevitable

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March 1, 2010

Tanner in the flower girl dress she would have worn the day she was diagnosed with leukemia.

Tanner finally caught Jake’s coughing virus. It was probably inevitable. The good news is I took her to clinic and her counts were still very strong (4,000!!!!) and her lungs were clear. They think she probably has the same virus he had, but the steroids have suppressed the fever aspect… hopefully. We’ll find out when she goes off the steroids tomorrow. She takes her last dose in the morning. She’s done really well with them this time. Her emotions have been more in check than in the past. She is still tired and doesn’t feel well and, tonight, not sleeping well, but all in all, better.

So, here’s hoping the cough doesn’t turn into something else. Her counts are certainly high enough to fight it off.

The doctor also decided to test her for something called hypogammaglobulinemia… really… I’m not making this stuff up. It’s an immune disorder that would have been caused by both the leukemia and the chemo that make’s Tanner’s immune system weaker than normal, even for a leukemia kid. They see it occasionally in kids with ALL. If she has it, she will need a monthly transfusion of IV Immunoglobulin during her clinic visit. The doctor says he has seen great results for these kids. We’ll find out next week at our clinic visit.

So, not what we planned for today, but it turned out well. Hopefully, she’ll get over the virus uneventfully and we can take advantage of these crazy good counts and have some fun!

Love,
Beth