Nicole's story 2008

January 9^th Nicole started back on chemo today. The treatment will be one year of four-week cycles. Week 1 Carboplatin & Vinblastine; Weeks 2 & 3 Vinblastine and week 4 rest. Today she had Carboplatin & Vinblastine. She did ok, but was nauseated overnight and the next morning. (Week 1 / 47 Weeks to go)

January 16^th Nicole’s counts were ok so she had her Vinblastine. (Week 2 / 46 Weeks to go)

January 23^rd Nicole’s counts were ok so she had her Vinblastine. (Week 3 / 45 Weeks to go)

January 30^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had an MRI. Rest week No chemo today. (Week 4 / 44 Weeks to go)

February 7^th We decided to stay home on the 6^th due to the snowstorm. Nicole’s counts were ok so she had Carboplatin & Vinblastine. She did ok, but was nauseated overnight and the next morning. (Week 5 / 43 Weeks to go)

February 13^th Nicole’s counts were ok so she had Vinblastine (Week 6 / 42 Weeks to go)

February 20^th Nicole’s counts were ok so she had Vinblastine (Week 7 / 41 Weeks to go)

February 27^th Nicole’s counts were low. ANC=400. This was a rest week. (Week 8 / 40 Weeks to go)

March 3^rd Nicole’s counts were ok.

March 5^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Carboplatin & Vinblastine. She did ok, but was nauseated overnight and the next morning. (Week 9 / 39 Weeks to go)

March 12^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Vinblastine (Week 10 / 38 Weeks to go)

March 19^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Vinblastine (Week 11 / 37 Weeks to go)

March 26^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had a rest week (Week 12 / 36 Weeks to go)

April 2^nd Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Carboplatin & Vinblastine. She did ok, but was nauseated overnight and the next morning. (Week 13 / 35 Weeks to go)

April 9^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Vinblastine (Week 14 / 34 Weeks to go)

April 16^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Vinblastine (Week 15 / 33 Weeks to go)

April 23^rd Nicole’s counts were ok. She had a rest week (Week 16 / 32 Weeks to go)

April 30^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Carboplatin & Vinblastine. She gave us a bit of a scare when she had an allergic reaction to the Carboplatin and only received half of her usual dose. Next time she has Carboplatin they will pre-treat her with Benadryl. I hope it works. (Week 17 / 31 Weeks to go)

May 7^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Vinblastine (Week 18 / 30 Weeks to go)

 May 14^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Vinblastine (Week 19 / 29 Weeks to go)

May 21^st Nicole’s had her MRI today. The tumor is stable. Rest week (Week 20 / 28 Weeks to go)

May 28^th Nicole’s counts were ok. Dr. Goldman pre-treated her with Benadryl and Solu-Medrol. Afterward she had her Carboplatin & Vinblastine. She did ok. Just the normal nausea. (Week 21 / 27 Weeks to go)

June 4^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Vinblastine (Week 22 / 26 Weeks to go)

June 11^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Vinblastine (Week 23 / 25 Weeks to go)

June 14^th Nicole had fun at the annual Hematology – Oncology Picnic at Oz Park.

June 18^th Nicole’s counts were ok. This was a rest week (Week 24 / 24 Weeks to go)

June 25^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Benadryl and Solu-Medrol. Afterward she had her Carboplatin & Vinblastine. She did ok. Just the normal nausea. (Week 25 / 23)

July 2^nd Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Vinblastine (Week 26 / 22 Weeks to go)

July 5^th Nicole started two weeks of camp at One Step at a time Camp  She spent two weeks there and As usual, had the time of her life. We miss her but know she has fun.

July 6^th We attended the yearly “Celebrate the children” event at Nicole’s camp. Everyone had a great time.

July 9^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Vinblastine at camp (Week 27 / 21 Weeks to go)

July 16^th Nicole’s counts were ok. This was a rest week (Week 28 / 20 Weeks to go)

July 17^h Nicole turned 14 at camp. Gee, it seems like only yesterday, she was turning 4. Thank you God for your gift of Nicole and thank you for her quality of life.

July 19^th Dad, Michael and Samantha picked Nicole up from camp. Mom had to work and I’ll bet the clock seemed to slow down as mom’s day progressed.

July 23^rd Nicole had an MRI today, her counts were ok. She had Benadryl and Solu-Medrol. Afterward she had her Carboplatin & Vinblastine. She did ok. Just the normal nausea. (Week 29 / 19)

July 30^th Nicole's counts were ok. She had Vinblastine. She did ok. (Week 30 / 18)

August 6^th Nicole's counts were ok. She had Vinblastine. She did ok. (Week 31 / 17)

August 13^th Rest week Nicole's counts were ok. (Week 32 / 16)

August 20^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Benadryl and Solu-Medrol. Afterward she had her Carboplatin & Vinblastine. She did ok. Just the normal nausea. (Week 33 / 15)

August 27^th Nicole's counts were ok. She had Vinblastine. She did ok. (Week 34 / 14)

September 3^rd Nicole's counts were ok. She had Vinblastine. She did ok. (Week 35 / 13)

September 10^th Rest week Nicole's counts were ok. (Week 36 / 12)

September 17^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Benadryl and Solu-Medrol. Afterward she had her Carboplatin & Vinblastine. She did ok. Just the normal nausea. (Week 37 / 11)

September 24^th Nicole's counts were ok. She had Vinblastine. She did ok. (Week 38 / 10)

October 1^st Nicole's counts were ok. She had Vinblastine. She did ok. (Week 39 / 9)

October 8^th Rest week Nicole's counts were ok. (Week 40 / 8)

October 15^th Nicole’s counts were ok. She had Benadryl and Solu-Medrol. Afterward she had her Carboplatin & Vinblastine. She did ok. Just the normal nausea. (Week 41 / 7)

October 22^nd Nicole's counts were ok. She had Vinblastine. She did ok. (Week 42 / 6)

October 29^th Nicole's counts were ok. She had Vinblastine. She did ok. (Week 43 / 5)

November 5^th Rest week Nicole's counts were ok. (Week 44 / 4)

November 12^th Nicole had an MRI today {The MRI showed a 30% decrease in the size of the tumor on Nicole's brainstem between 7/23 and now. THANK YOU GOD!}, her counts were ok. She had Benadryl and Solu-Medrol. Afterward she had her Carboplatin & Vinblastine. She did ok. Just the normal nausea. (Week 45 / 3)

November 19^th Nicole's counts were ok. She had Vinblastine. She did ok. (Week 46 / 2)

November 26^th Nicole's counts were ok. She had Vinblastine. She did ok. (Week 47 / 1)

November 27^th Thanksgiving. Mom and dad had to work. Nicole, Michael and Samantha went to grandma and grandpa's house where mom met them after she got off of work. We have a lot to be thankful for. Namely Love, Happiness and Health. Nicole's tumor shrinkage and her quality of life are great. Grandma made a great thanksgiving feast and we dropped off dad's dinner at his work. He said he had a happy tummy.

November 28^th Today is mom and dad's 16th wedding anniversary. We reflected by looking at the pictures taken in the last 16 years.

December 3^rd Rest week Nicole's counts were ok. Nicole is done with chemo! Yeah! (Week 48 / 0)

December 8^th Minor setback. Nicole had 5 seizures today. She has never had seizures before. She is at Children's Memorial. Shunt series and CT scan were normal. They will be running more tests tomorrow.

December 9^th The EEG test showed abnormal electrical activity in the Right temporal lobe. They will give Nicole an MRI in the morning.

December 10^th The MRI was essentially the same as the scan on November 12^th. We brought Nicole home this evening. She is now on an anti-seizure medicine. She will go back to school on Monday. Nicole never missed a beat, asides from being afraid at first, she quickly got back to her routine of making the other kids feel better.

As always Please keep Nicole in your prayers

They really DO work!

Upcoming events: 

December 25^th Our savior's birthday. We already received the best Christmas present. Tumors are smaller. Thank You God!