Good Results
We got the results today from Dr. Kramer and she stated that the MRI looks good and she was pleased with the results. She stated that there was enhancement in the sites that had post operation surgery. There were no other areas that indicated tumor other than the sites that had underwent surgery. The area resembles what she would expect post operation surgery enhancement to look like rather than tumor. I’m very excited about the results however always worry about the microscopic cells and possible active neuroblastoma within the area, but I’ll worry about that when I have too right now I have to take the positive information and take it for what it is, that it resembles post operation enhancement.
We started the GCSF shot on Friday February 13. Lucky for me I live with so many people who have experience with giving the shot that I asked them to do it for me for the first 3 days. The doctors wanted to obtain a total of 5 million stem cells from Paris to freeze in case we need them in the future. On February 17 they harvested 1 million 1 hundred thousand stem cells; therefore we have to return to obtain more. Since I have to keep giving her the shot I decided that I am going to have to get over my fear and just learn how to do it. When I get back home I’m going to be 40 minutes from the hospital and will be alone with Paris not having the luxury of living with so many experienced families battling neuroblastoma to help me. So I rolled up my sleeves and just did it, telling my self over and over that I had too for her health. I was sweating bullets, questioning if I was in the right location and she was crying so that intensified things. I pushed in the injection fast because it burns them and after a few minutes she was fine. I must say that I did cry after the first time because I did feel very bad about sticking her. The second day I did it she twisted her leg and the needle came out before the injection went it, so that day she got stuck twice, I really felt bad about that. It sucks because every day that they don’t obtain enough I have to continue to give her the GCSF shot in the thigh muscle. I feel terrible after I give it to her, I am getting more comfortable but haven’t quite gotten used to sticking her. I even tried to do it when I thought she was in a deep sleep but as I gently touched her leg she opened her eyes and stared at me. No luck! To extract stems cells Paris; a line is hooked up to 2 tubes one to pump white blood cells out where stems cells are produced and the other tube replenishes the blood that is provided by donor blood. It’s a few hours and she usually sleeps through it. No pain just a long day. On February 18, we tried to extract more stem cells but only got 800,000. On February 19, we tried again and we got 2 million 600 hundred thousand. The grand total of stem cells collected and frozen were 4 million 500 thousand, they initially wanted 5 million but decided that that was close enough. Today we have an appointment to remove the temporary line.
Paris weighs 14.74 pounds and is maintaining her weight. Overall she is going great. She is a bit of a boss, when she doesn’t like that I am talking and wants attention she grabs my cheek and turns my face to her! Oh My I know I am going to have my hands full!
Treatement is still on schedule we will begin antibody 8H9 on March 3, hoepfully if there are remaining neuroblastoma cells the anitbody will attach to them. We are on a week break only needing to go to the hospital for blood labs/work and medication. A little break well needed for both of us!!! I’ll continue to keep you posted as we begin our next step of treatment in March.
Thanks as always for ongoing thougths, support and prayers