June update

It's been a long month for us. This 3rd cycle of chemo with the cytoxin has been rough. I can probably count on one hand the number of bites Sophie has taken of food since June 3. With the first 2 cycles, she would still eat a little bit, but with this one, she keeps telling us that everything tastes yucky. She is still getting TPN every night, which gives her what she needs, but what we would give to add some meat to her bones. I so wish I could transfer my excess to her!

Our time in between cycles is usually 6 weeks, but between the 3rd & 4th, 6th & 7th is only 4 weeks. So next week is cycle 4. Given last week's 3-night stay at the hospital b/c of her fever, we will have been at the hospital every 2 weeks in the past 6. Doesn't feel good. No one gets good sleep, we are separated as a family, and it just wears on you.

But we move forward. Soph's counts were super-low last week, ANC down to 5 from 6/17 labs (normal is above 1500), but from 6/24 labs, she was back up to 1445. It will go down again towards the end of next week, beginning of week of 7/8, but hopefully will rebound quicker than this past cycle.

We are looking forward to our CG retreat this weekend. It will be the first time outside of home or the hospital that we would be spending the night. I'm a bit nervous, but we'll figure it out. Soph will still get her TPN overnight, but the difference is we'll all be in the same room. Should be fun. We don't want this cancer to keep us from enjoying normal life. A weekend at my parents' in July is also in the schedule.

Seah has been in the terrible two's stage for a few months now. Doesn't listen, purposely annoys her sister, screams. The good news is that she turns 3 on 6/29, so hopefully she'll start to turn the corner. Sophie turns 5 on 7/1, so this weekend will be weekend of birthdays for the girls, though we'll be at the retreat.

Jeannie was able to get away for a weekend last weekend to NY, to visit with my sister. It was a nice break for her, and I survived. :-)

Please continue to keep us in your prayers. 21 weeks pregnant for Jeannie, busy at Elkay for me, and for Soph to start eating at least a little bit.