Isabel's Birthday

Yesterday Isabel turned 10. We went over for some cake and ice cream. Jen told me that she slept in until 11, which for Isabel is very unusual. Jen went & woke her up to eat, and Isabel couldn't believe she had slept so long.  At her birthday party, she was in very good spirits. Running around playing tag with the kids, eating pizza, cake and ice cream.

Treatment 1 of 22

 Isabel has completed her first treatment. She got home about 9:30 last night.  She was very sick the majority of the treatment. Anyone wanting to sign up for a meal for the first week of January, please E-mail me. This will be the first 5 day treatment. We will be doing meals:
Tuesday January 3
Wednesday January 4
Thursday January 5
Friday January 6
Saturday January 7
We will also need help taking hospital shifts and watching children.  Nate will be going down with Isabel Tuesday day. That is as far as we have gotten. Please E-mail with any times you are able to help.

Treatment Week 1

Isabel is having her first treatment today. It is a 36 hour treatment. They are using some different chemicals for this type.  She & Jen will also have a little class going over the different types of treatment they are using, what the side effects are & what to watch for.

Isabel had an EKG today to make sure her heart was strong enough to handle the chemicals. Her EKG came out fine, they also got the bone marrow biopsy results, all good, no cancer in her bones.

I talked with Jen over the weekend- Anyone wondering what to so or how you can help; here are some ideas:

With the type of port Isabel has, they prefer her to wear a zipper, button, or snap shirt, one that can be undone at the top, so she doesn't have to change into a gown & still be comfortable. Anyone that has some hand-me-downs in a size 10 for girls- it would be much appreciated. This can be an every day shirt, or pajamas.

Also, Isabel loves to read. Anyone wanting to donate a book, magazine (or magazine subscription), activity book- Something that will help keep Isabel occupied during those long 5 day stays.

Meals- I have a calendar made up of when Jen will need meals. Next week, we are going to see how the IV push goes. If it is a quick shot & out the door, no meals will be needed. If it is an IV drip that will take a few hours, we will be scheduling meals for those treatment weeks as well.

Time- As independent as Isabel is, Jen would feel much more comfortable if on her 5 day stays & 36 hour stays, if someone was with her at all time, or as close as we can get. If you would like to take a shift at the hospital, or watch kids, so that Jen can be with Isabel, let me know.

If you need Nate & Jen's address, want to sign up for a meal, or have any other thoughts ideas or questions, E-mail me.
Amber_hadley@hotmail.com

Results are in

Isabel has what is called Ewings Sarcoma. This is a newer form of cancer and is not recurrent. Her cure rate with this type of cancer if 80%. Had it been Rhabdo, it would have been 50-70%. This form of cancer only has a 22 week treatment plan, not the 40 originally thought. The Oncologist said this type of cancer is extremely rare, but a better type of cancer.

Treatment plan:
Week 1- a 36 hour (overnight) stay
Week 2-  IV push (a few hours)
Week 3- a 5 Days (5 overnight) stay
Week 4-  IV push (a few hours)
-- Then start over.
The first treatment will start Monday, December 19
I will be making an excel spreadsheet this weekend & we will map out dates of when Jen would like to have dinners brought in.

Port

Isabel's port surgery went fine, they also did a bone marrow biopsy, so she is pretty soar.

Isabel

Isabel is having her port put in today. Her surgery was pushed back to 4:30, so no updates on how it went yet. They haven't heard back on the labs yet as to what type of cancer it is.