100th Post - Olivia is 3!

When I started writing this blog, I knew that one day I would get to my 100th post, which would be something extra special. It wasn't planned but timing just meant for this to happen. My 100th post is dedicated to the special day of a special girl. Olivia turned 3!

Olivia was so excited for her day. She started wearing different costumes that she wanted to wear to the hospital. She knew what she wanted and we granted her all her wishes. She stopped by her old school to say hello to her friends. They sang her a happy birthday song which melted mine and the teachers' hearts.

Then off we went to the hospital for her blood counts. She was so proud and happy, telling everyone at the hospital that it's her birthday! She got a hug from her favorite doctor and nurse plus a lot of presents too!

After hospital,  we went to Target and she picked up more presents.  It's not all the time she gets to go to target so I just let her choose what she wanted. It was indeed her special day anyway.

At home, she was greeted by most of our family and we had a mini birthday party for her. She had all that she wished for.. a chocolate cake (specially made for her by our lovely neighbor), balloons (yes that's lots of balloons on her house alright!), time with friends and family, and of course the toy telephone she's been asking for.

Thank you very much for making her feel extra special on her birthday!Today she will begin the next phase of treatment -  Interim maintenance 2. She will get spinal tap and will be sedated for this treatment. This phase lasts for about 8 weeks if all goes on schedule. Her treatment will be dependent on her counts.  Hopefully no delays.

Counts not ready

Olivia's blood counts from yesterday show that she is not ready to resume chemo as scheduled. Her ANC fell below 500 (normal is 1500), so now we wait again. I actually thought she would be ready because she looks great just looking at her. She's been very playful and her counts last week were really good. I guess you can never tell how her blood counts will fluctuate.

Somehow I think it's a good thing..at least she would be off chemo for another week maybe. Perfect timing for her birthday this week!

Enjoying chemo break

This morning we took Olivia to Target. It's her first time going ever since she got sick 6 months ago! We made sure to go early in the morning when there's not a lot of people yet. She had so much fun!

She is due to come back on Monday for her blood counts and chemo resumes on Tuesday. She will be getting a spinal tap for the first day of her next phase.

For now, we are enjoying every moment while she still has the energy!

1/5 of treatment done

When I think about how far we've come and all the pain (emotionally and physically) we have gone through in defeating Olivia's illness, it makes me feel like it was the toughest and longest 6 months of our lives. Ironically though, it can't believe 6 months is over, like it was just yesterday when we found out she was sick. Throughout the first 6 months, Olivia was hospitalized 5 times, had a few bone marrow aspiration, numerous spinal taps, regular chemotherapy, had gone through all the discomforts of chemo and had lost her hair. It may be summed up in 1 line, but going through the journey was something more. A lot of learning and through all of it, we come out stronger everyday. We are definitely stronger than cancer. Olivia is our champion!

When Olivia was diagnosed, the doctors told us that she will be going through treatment for 2 1/2 to 3 years. I'm hoping for the 2 1/2 years instead of 3 but I would go for whatever will make sure her cancer doesn't come back.

The picture below was taken exactly a year ago today when we had an early celebration of Olivia's birthday. She is so excited this year for her birthday to come. Our family calendar has this month dedicated to her with all of her pictures and as soon as we flipped the page, she just jumped up and down showing her excitement!

We'll surely make this another memorable birthday for her again!

Olivia is currently on a 2-week chemo break with regular check up for blood counts. Her recent blood counts showed low hemoglobin count at 7.9. It was not that low to get transfusion though. If it fell at 6 and below, that's when she would need transfusion. Her ANC fell below 500 again and is considered severely neutropenic. She goes back tomorrow for her next blood count. If all is well, her next phase of chemo (Interim Maintenance II) will resume next week. 

Done with Delayed Intensification

We are officially done with the Delayed Intensification phase. This was supposedly the most intense part of her treatment. I am proud to say that although she had 1 hospitalization throughout this 2-month long phase, she was overall in good shape and happy for the most part. I think taking her outdoors to play helped a lot. It brought out positive energy within her.

Over the weekend, we had visitors from the Make A Wish foundation who asked Olivia what her one special wish is. She was so excited to see them and the thought of going somewhere for a family vacation really got us excited. She deserves this. I am glad to have these kind of foundations around that make kids like Olivia feel like normal kids again.

Olivia also went out to watch her big brother's soccer practice. She had fun at the playground until she got tired and asked to go home. We do notice that she is back to getting tired easily like a flip of a switch. When that happens, we just let her rest and sleep. It's good that she doesn't resist at all. She's the one who will even tell us that she needs to rest. She knows her limits and I am so proud that at a young age, she understands it.

Home now

Olivia got home on Wednesday afternoon after a brief stay at the hospital. Her fever was due to a viral infection. We're happy to be home and that her appetite is slowly coming back!

She went back to the hospital today for her regular chemo and while she has one more dose to go tomorrow, her oral daily chemo at home continues through Monday and then she's done with Delayed Intensification phase.

Here she is with her big brother. They missed each other so much!

Aaaand we're back...

I can't say we weren't warned...the inevitable has happened again. We are back in the hospital because Olivia developed a fever on Monday night. She also started coughing on Sunday morning with a mild temperature at 99.9. At that point I knew it was only a matter of hours or days before we she gets admitted to the hospital again. She didn't seem weak though and she was still able to go in the backyard to play for a little bit per her request. The weather was nice and I wanted her to have fun before she gets back to her "hotel'. Her temperature went down and was fine and active throughout the rest of the weekend. 

When I told her that she had a fever last night, she broke down and cried and kept saying she has a fever and she needs to go to the hospital right away. When I told that story to her doctors, they were amazed and said she's the only kid who wants to go to the hospital. I think she's so mature for her age. At not even 3 years old, she knows to follow doctors directions when she gets examined. She understands that some things just need to get done. Recently I started explaining more things to her too. She has to fast everyday for her oral daily chemo at home and it prevents her from drinking her pediasure, which she loves, whenever she requests. I used to try to get away with it by saying Daddy needs to buy more, etc. That didn't work though so I just explained to her that she cannot drink yet or else the medicine will not work. Then she stopped asking. She understood. Smart girl.

Here she is hanging out with Dad at the ER waiting to get admitted. She had chest x-ray done and results were good. She also tested negative from RSV virus. We got to our room at 2am Tuesday. She was wide awake and so Mom and Dad had "Early" breakfast at 3am with her. 

Now we just wait to see results from her blood culture. She was scheduled to get chemo today and the doctors decided to still push through with chemo. 

Here she is saying thank you to all of her supporters!