Category Archives: E.

Discharged

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May 2, 2011

We’re home. Which is a wonderful thing and more than we had hoped for when we left here yesterday morning. The psych team believes that she is suffering from traumatic stress and that the past few weeks have been a little too much for her. In addition, they thought the aftereffects of the steroids could have played a role as well.

They didn’t think her antidepressant was to blame, in fact, they raised her dosage. She was on such a low dose and had gotten such good results initially that they felt they were helping.

It was reassuring to know they didn’t see any signs of mental illness; just too much stress for our little girl to take. The doctor said she believes that Tanner’s age group has the hardest time dealing emotionally with cancer treatment. Older kids are able to express themselves better and relieve some stress by venting and using coping strategies. Younger kids don’t really understand the seriousness of their treatment and are spared some of the fear of dying or of relapse. Tanner’s age group is old enough to understand, but not really old enough to express themselves and use coping strategies. Tanner, in particular, does not really talk about having leukemia or what stresses her. She just doesn’t.

Doing her best Transformer impersonation while getting an EKG

The next couple of days may still be a little bumpy, but I think we’re better prepared to deal with it until the increased dosage of antidepressant might help relieve some of the tension for her.

Thank you so much for all the love and support you sent our way; it truly buoyed us when we were drowning. And huge thanks to Beth, Kim and Ann, who went above and beyond, as always.

Love,
Beth

A Quick Update

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July 27, 2010

Jake hid in the garage during the shaving cream fight

Sorry it’s been a while since I last posted. A few of you… ahem… (you know who you are) have gently reminded me I have been slacking a little. As my friend Ashley said, though, when I don’t post for a while, it usually means everything is great.

It is. Great, I mean. We’ve been busy enjoying the end of summer before school starts in a few weeks. I’m having that thyroid surgery tomorrow, so summer is pretty much over for me and I’ve been trying to squeeze in the last little bit of time with the kids before I’m out of commission for a little while.

So, here’s the short story about the last week or so: We had water day in the cul-de-sac… slip n’ slide, water balloons, shaving cream fights, etc. We’ve checked a few items off our family summer fun wish list like making homemade ice cream and swimming at night with the lights on in the pool. Tanner’s in dance camp this week which will culminate in a show that neither John nor I will be able to see, but Aunt Beth and E. and Jake will attend. And, other fun summer stuff like bike riding, swimming and throwing rocks in the creek.

So, surgery for me in the early a.m. and I probably won’t post for a few days until I can be sure that my posts will be coherent (pain meds and public forums do not mix). We are, as always, well taken care of by our family and friends. Our support network is nothing, if not efficient, by now.

Wish me luck.

Love,
Beth

Nine Screaming Girls + Jake = One Good Time

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July 10, 2010

I’m sitting on the sofa completely spent from hosting Tanner’s Rock Star birthday party for nine little 7-year-old girls. Two super teens from the neighborhood did the girls’ makeup and hair, Aunt Beth applied tattoos, they all decorated cardboard guitars and then we did some dancing and singing and got our rock star on! It was one of the most fun parties we have ever had for the kids. Pressure is on for Jake’s next party; we’re going to have to make it a doozy!

We’ve spent the last few days mostly preparing for the party and swimming at the pool. Thursday night (for Tanner’s actual birthday), we had pizza with E. and LaLa, cupcakes with some neighbor kids and caught fireflies outside. Tanner finally got to catch some fireflies. They had a great time!

Even Domino wants to check out Tanner's fireflies

Thanks to everyone who sent birthday messages… Tanner and I sat at the computer for two days and read them all. They made her smile and feel special.

Poor Jake had a little bit of a hard time with Tanner’s birthday. He’s apparently just gotten old enough to realize that he isn’t getting the same special treatment she is. He would ask in his little voice, “Why I not get a cake? Can I get a car cake?” We made him a special non-girly gift bag for the party, which he loved, but he hid in the media room for most of the party, playing Star Wars wii by himself. Poor little man. When the excessive girliness and screaming was over, he came back out, busted a move or two on the dance floor, got a tattoo and ate his ring pop. It all turned out okay in the end.

Domino attended the beginning and end of the party, but stayed in his crate during the rest, hiding from the chaos. He managed to snag a piece of pizza from the trash after it was over, though. Score one for the dog. He loves him some pizza.

It was a really awesome party and I think Tanner and the girls had a great time, thanks to everyone who helped!

Love,
Beth

My Best Seven Years — Happy Birthday Tanner!

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July 7, 2010

Tomorrow, Tanner will be 7 years old. Impossible. Though the last year has been rough, I still wouldn’t trade it for the world. Any year spent with my family is a year worth living.

We’re planning on swimming in the morning and getting home in time for E. (John’s Mom) and Charlotte (her best friend and honorary Aunt) to come, bearing gifts and well wishes. Then, Tanner wants to make homemade pizza and make another attempt at firefly catching. We’ll invite a few neighbors over for cupcakes and to join in on the fun.

Her birthday party is on Saturday night… it’s a rock star party. I’ve been up late at night cutting out cardboard guitars for the girls to decorate.

Send her a birthday message, if you think of it. It would make her day to get lots of messages.

Love,
Beth

Clinic Day #31 — Or, How to Have Fun at Clinic

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April 8, 2010

So, here’s how you have fun at the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital Oncology Clinic:

1) Have counts high enough to still go to school, but not high enough to raise your chemo level (her neutraphils were at 1,100, down 200 from 2 weeks ago, so she’ll stay at 75% for now)

2) Make friends with the music therapist who is holding a music session in the infusion room. Get her to play your favorite Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift songs on the guitar so you can have a solo that makes everyone in the room clap. Tell her some other songs you like so you can plan to sing again next time.

3) Participate in a study that helps other people and get money from the doctor so you can buy ice cream downstairs.

4) Discover they are having a “medical play” clinic downstairs in the lobby and color your own “patient” doll which you can then give shots, access her port, set up an IV drip and generally use all your medical knowledge you have gained in your more than 50 visits to the hospital.

5) Get to see Dr. Mixan and Nurse Cari – our favorites

It was, hands down, the most fun we have had at Clinic. It is a testament to Vanderbilt Children’s that it is possible for a place that holds so much sorrow for so many is also the place that holds so much hope and light. We are forever grateful to have this community treasure so close by.

We’ve been on Spring Break all week and having a great time! We’ve been swimming twice, eaten out some, played in the yard and in the cul-de-sac a bunch, had playdates and now, E. (John’s Mom) is here! Tomorrow, we are hosting our church playgroup at our house and having a visit with Allison, the play therapist, in the afternoon. We’re hoping to get to the zoo this weekend to round out our super fun week.

Got some really fun news recently that Tanner is going to be one of the faces of this year’s local Light the Night, which is the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s big fundraiser. Tanner’s picture and story are on the invitation being sent to corporations to invite them to a kickoff breakfast. She is also going to be featured in the Country Faces Cancer campaign where country celebrities, like Blake Shelton and Nan Kelley, host walk teams for Light the Night. Tanner will have her picture taken with all the celebs who sign on and be in the TV public service announcements. She will LOVE this! My girl loves her some attention and loves anything to do with music.

So, we’re hanging and enjoying the week off. With her counts down to 1,100, we might rein ourselves in a bit to try to protect her, but overall, the doctor feels good about where she is. During maintenance, the goal is for her counts to be between 1,000 and 1,500, so she is right where she should be, although I’d always prefer to be on the high side, rather than the low.

Hope you’ve been enjoying the beautiful weather, like we have.

Love,
Beth