BEST NEWS EVER TODAY!!

We just got the lab results back from the bone marrow check done on 3/20/12. The official molecular report reads that the percent change (measured against the beginning date of 2/3/12) of leukemic cells is 99.6%!!!!
This means that the chemo treatment she just went through the whole month of Feb killed off 99.6% of all the bad cells ( at least the ones that the test can detect). This molecular test can detect 1 bad cell in 100,000. It is the best test for this type of leukemia that they have to date. The doctors were only expecting at this point about a 60% change.
Thanks for all your prayers. GOD IS GOOD!! :-)))))))))

PS. ANC is up over 4,000!!

Mar 26- First day- round 2

Soooo we were up very early this morning to drive to Children's for our first session. They accessed her port for the first time at 8am which went smoothly (Yeah!) and then we high tailed it downstairs to cardiology for a 12 lead EKG at 8:30am Then back up to hematology/oncology for treatment. it is now 1:30pm and we are still waiting to start the 2 hour long infusion. The doctors got the ok from cardiology. The medicine or should I say poison has been mixed in the approved lab. We've just been told that everyone is very busy. Luckily they had a great party here today with pizza, cake, candy, toys, face painting and superheroes. (thanks to Hope for Henry). Jessie got some awesome pictures on the White House lawn with Batman and Spiderman!! I hope she let's me post them. :-) so maybe we'll be home at 7 or 8 pm by the way this is going.....

2:48pm- just started arsenic. Seems to be going well....so far, so good. :-) should be over in 2 hours. Then home in traffic :-(

Mar 24- Getting ready for Round 2

Jessie has been sore but doing very well the last few days. Other than the fact that we learned she has an adhesive allergy! She has a rash on her neck and shoulders from the drapes that were used during surgery. She is itchy. We've been putting hydrocortisone cream on it and taking some allergy medicine to help ease the discomfort.
She hasn't been able to go back to school yet since the surgery, but is trying to get lots of work done. When the port moves inside her ribcage, it freaks her out. She had a talk with another cancer patient the other night and did some bonding.

Her next treatment starts Monday. We go down there early so an EKG can be done for a baseline reading. The next medicine she receives MAY cause some heart issues so they do an EKG EVERY Monday. Once that is read and deemed ok, she gets the IV Arsenic Trioxide. I think it takes about 2 hours. I'll have plenty of time to blog when that's happening!!

Mar 20 - Surgery

We got up dark and early this morning to come down to Children's Hospital surgery center. Jessie is getting a port placed for easy IV access and the oncology team is doing a bone marrow check at the same time when she's under. I am in the waiting room now while she's in the procedure. Mike got the other two off to school and is headed down with breakfast.
Jessie did get a little freaked out when the doctor mentioned a breathing tube. "I didn't have that last time!". I told her she would never know because she'd be asleep. The doctor said she might have a sore throat for a day or two. She is my hero. She is so brave.
Jess is losing weight. She finds it amusing that BC (before cancer) she had to work so hard to lose it and now she feels like she stuffed herself the other day and it is still coming off. At least there are some perks!

Mar 14 & 15- smooth sailing

Jess went to school for a few hours each day. She also has met with her home/hospital tutor and has been doing work each day.
I asked her if she's been tired lately and she replied, "Mom, I haven't felt this good in a long time!".
Tomorrow the plan is to go for a surgical appointment back downtown to Children's for a Port that will be put in on Monday. Also the wound care nurses want to get a look at her wound to see how it's healing. And of course- take blood to get her current counts. That's a given.

Mar 12 & 13 -Back to School!!

Mar 12 was a day at home resting. Also the home/hospital tutor came to the house and had a session with Jess.

The big day was the 13th. : her first day back for a few hours. We spoke to the counselor when we first got there. He has been super supportive. Then he asked if Jessie wanted to go to the en of her first period class. She did and I found out later that the kids clapped for her when she came into the room! It brought tears to my eyes. I am so proud of her.

Mar 11 - Busting Loose- Take 2

Her ANC tripled! That coupled with the fact that all others numbers are very good sealed the deal. She's coming home today. She texted me so excited this morning when she found out. Our plans seem to change moment by moment so this was no different. We headed down to the hospital to pick her up.
We got there and spoke with the doctor. He wants her to start back to school. I am terrified. A small virus just landed her in the hospital for a week! What is he thinking?? This is crazy talk. We talked about it on the way home and decided to try for a few hours on Wednesday to see how it goes.
When we got into her room we were faced with one last task, her daily bandage change from her wound near her old PiCC line. The special material that is used to dry up the wound got stuck in the wound. Now what ? No wound specialist there. We looked up the info from the manufacturer which said if it gets stuck, use saline to help loosen it. The nurse was using wound cleaner so we switched to saline and that worked.
Change done. Packed up. Ran out as fast as we could before they could change their minds!!!