Reece's Fight !

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Enjoying My Break!

It’s been 2 weeks since I had Chemo. I have really enjoyed this break, last week my mom and dad teased me about missing my apt!

I have been going to school almost every day since my last chemo. I even started walking into school all by myself! For me this was huge since I was so scared and nervous to go alone, but one day I got out of the van all by myself and walked in. My mom was very happy and proud of me, I also haven’t been sad or cried at school since then. On Feb. 2^nd I lost my 4^th tooth! I was at the table eating dinner when I somehow bumped my mouth on the salt shaker…. which knocked out my front tooth. It was already loose and very ready to come out it was just taking a long time. It hurt and started bleeding a lot but I was glad it was gone after a couple days, now I can eat better and my mom says I talk funny!

I got to go to my friend Phoebe’s Birthday party a couple weeks ago. I was excited but also nervous but had such a great time. She had a unicorn party and we did lots of fun things. I came home and told my mom how much fun I had and how her daddy was silly and making us all laugh!!

I still get tired often and take a nap almost every day but I’m happy that I am healthy enough to go to school and play with my friends.

(Mom) Reece has made HUGE milestones and improvements since her last chemo. I am just so happy and proud of her. She is really enjoying this break as we all are! She started going to school without crying and even walking into the classroom by herself. The first day this happened I was in total amazement and just screaming inside. This small step was a HUGE leap for her. I immediately called Clinton and told him what had just happened. I honestly thought it was just a fluke but she has gone in by herself every day since and even allowed Jessica to take her to school.

I am so grateful Reece is strong and healthy enough to be able to go to school, play with friends and get out as often as we can. I was worried that being winter and all the bugs that go around during these months would make it very hard for us to go out. It’s been an amazing winter for us as far as not passing the usual bugs that typically go around the neighborhood. Reece had that one small bug a few weeks back but until yesterday none of us in this house have had so much as a cold, cough or running nose. I look at it as the biggest blessing for Reece. The common cold for anyone not battling cancer is hard enough but with her immune system very suppressed it would be much, much worse on her body. Yesterday I woke up with a very sore throat and aches so I stayed in bed and kept my distance from Reece. Feeling good today and hope that the bug I had will not pass to anyone else in the house. Just 17 days until baby brother comes. The kids are anxiously waiting for his arrival!

Monday, February 1, 2016

10th Chemo treatment

January 20, 2016

This past week was my 9^th Chemo treatment. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 9 weeks doing this. My mom says we are almost done and I get a break for a while. I am tired a lot and sleep often but try to do fun things and play. A couple weeks ago I got a virus and had to go to the ER to get some fluids and a dose of antibiotics. I wasn’t very happy about going but since my temperature was high I had to go in to make sure my port didn’t get an infection. It was a long 3 days of feeling yucky and having a fever but I made it. Good thing it was just a virus and I didn’t have to stay in the hospital. I have been going to school on the days I am home and feeling well. I am very nervous when I go but once I get to school and get involved I am happy and have a great time. I’m getting excited for my baby brother to come. My mom says he will be coming soon! Turner and I have been thinking of fun names for him but mom and dad are still deciding. I wish I had more energy and wasn’t tired all the time but my mom says it will get better after I’m all done with Chemo.

January 30, 2016

This week was a HUGE mile stone for me!! I completed my 10^th Chemotherapy treatment and that means that I get to take a little break before we start on the next course. So I have an entire 3 weeks before I have to go back for chemo!! My last chemo went very well and I did super well. My mom was very happy about my behavior and I felt good not fighting. Since I did so well I got a reward I had been asking for….. It’s a beanie boo, she is a skunk her name is Flora, and I just love her! After chemo my mom took me out to eat and then we got to visit the cats and dogs at the pound, this is one of my favorite things since I LOVE animals!

My aunt Rischel promised me that if I did really well at chemo that she would by me a cat dish for my kitty Sammy I got from build a bear. I’m excited to get to feed my kitty her new food. I went to school almost every day this week and it was great. I was feeling really well just tired as I always am.

(Mom) Reece has been doing very well with chemo, the Dr’s are very pleased with her treatment and her blood counts are recovering pretty well each week. She still has a little peach fuzz on her head but they said after this next chemo she may lose the rest of it. When she gets her “Doxorubicin” treatment that causes her to get very sick and causes hair loss more than the others. She has only received this one time in the very first treatment which is why she lost all her hair very quickly. With the 3 drugs she gets they alternate 2 of them every 4 weeks….. This is because of the side effects on the “Doxorubicin” which can potentially cause heart problems. As mentioned Reece just finished her 10^th treatment and now we star the “next” course!! Which means we get to go every 3^rd week instead of weekly. I am excited for a break and I know Reece is very happy about it as well. In this next course she will be getting 2 drugs every time instead of 2 every 4 treatments. Before she can start the next course she will have a CT scan, Echo, and ECG done. We have everything set up for Feb. 17^th just 10 days before baby comes!! Reece will also start the next course of Chemo as long as all the tests come back with good results. It will be a long day but Clinton will be taking the day off to help out. We hope that all looks good with the CT scan. This is to check and make sure the cancer has not grown any other tumors since treatment, which is very unlikely but with her cancer there is no tumor markers so the CT is the way they will determine her progress. The Echo is checking her heart, some of the Chemo drugs can potentially cause heart damage so after course they look at the heart very closely. I am 35 weeks today and feel more ready than I want to be. This baby is VERY active and sometimes feels like he is doing flips inside me. It’s very reassuring but I would like a little break at times! I had another ultra sound on Thursday and my placenta has slightly moved so I’m not considered placenta Previa which means we will go in for a normal delivery. If things go well that is the course we will take but if I start to bleed then I will be sent to OR for the C-section. I’m happy but was actually looking forward to not feeling the pains of labor!!

Sunday, January 10, 2016

New Year! New Update

We had a busy month in December it just flew by and I am just shocked it’s already January and a new year. Hoping that 2016 will be a good year to our family!!

Christmas was wonderful. I enjoyed opening my gifts and it was fun to see all Santa brought my brother and I. I had my chemo 2 days before Christmas so I was not super energetic L but I tried my best to enjoy the day. My family was very blessed this past Christmas, this will be a Christmas we will all forever remember and cherish.

After Christmas we took a very quick trip to Mesa, AZ. I had my chemo on Wednesday the 30^th and we left right after. Since I'm still going weekly we had to be back the following Tuesday. It was a great trip although it felt short. I had so much fun visiting my cousins and being in the warm sunshine. My daddy's friends at Treager got me a gift card to Build A Bear. On Saturday my mom and dad took Turner and I to get a stuffed animal. I choose a Siamese cat and named her Sammy. Turner got Chewbacca from star wars and named him Chewbaqi! My grandma and grandpa Turner also drove down for a visit and stopped at my house before they left for Mesa. Turner got to drive down with them a few days before we arrived. He really enjoyed it and had such a great time playing with his cousin Talan.

(From mom) Last week it was a horrible experience. She was very mad and upset and after we got to the clinic I had to call Clinton to come back because she was screaming and hitting me, throwing things. It was so sad and frustrating to watch. I did my best to keep control but I could not control her or calm her down. Being 30 weeks pregnant made it a little difficult. Clinton came back and took her out to try and calm her down so we could get an x-ray before chemo. It took about 30 minutes but she was better. Port access was a fight but we made it.

I had my 7^th Chemo treatment on Jan. 6^t,I was very scared and nervous. I fought my mom to get into the car. My mom had to physically carry me to the car and lock the doors and start driving before I tried to get out. I was not happy and very mad at her. I said a lot of mean things that i didn't mean to say.

(Mom) I didn’t anticipate having my cancer stricken daughter scream at me for 30 min in the car while driving to PCH for Chemo…. Telling me she hated me, wanted to hit me, and didn’t like me, screaming with frustration… on and on L It was a lot of tears from both of us and although I understand her frustrations her actions were not okay. I said a prayer during all this yelling pleading for help, and asking for Reece to calm down so both her and I could arrive and we could make it through this day. It was about 5 min later that she was quiet and the rest of the drive went well. We made it to the clinic checked in and she perked up once the CLS Rachael had a fun activity to do.

That was the first day in a LONG time that I lost control, I lost my frustrations and felt like a failure as a mother. I was so upset and for the fist time EVER said how much I HATED Reece having cancer :( I wanted so badly to wake up from this horrible dream, or to run away from this entire situation. Watching her go through this and seeing how it makes her mad, sad, angry, sick, or have no desire some days it’s heartbreaking. But one thing that was a reassuring testament that day while driving (I always knew, but sometimes you lose focus) is that God HEARS and ANSWERS your prayers!! I know for a fact that the Lord heard my cries, he heard my pain and pleading for some help that day. I know that he feels Reece's pain, her frustrations, her anger, her fear, he feels my pains, and Clinton’s pain. He understands more than we all do. I’m sure it breaks his heart to have to watch her suffer, but he is stronger than all and he knows the future and he knows All Will Be Well, we just have to put our trust in his plan.

I have been struggling a lot with going to chemo and school and church. Friday my mom took me to school. I was very scared and nervous but when I arrived the “Monkey” was in my chair!! It made me smile and laugh. I thought it was silly and took the monkey out and put him in my cubby. I sat down and started working on our day project. My mom left without me even knowing and I stayed all day. I got sad just 2 times but was very brave and realized I really missed and loved going to school. When my mom came to pick me up I was happy and excited. I told her I got sad just 2 times but had a good day.

(From mom) We continue to hope and pray that Reece will start be more excited to go to school and church and not get scared. She has been through a lot and I’m sure she has a lot of fear not knowing. She has shown us that she can be strong and do hard things. I am doing well with my pregnancy and baby is healthy. Today is 32 weeks and I’ve started to get to that point of “I’m done”!! Although I am glad that he is safely inside me for the next 7 weeks so I can focus on Reece and Turner, but some days I wish my body was in better shape ! Reece has 3 more weekly chemo treatments then starting February we go every 3^rd week!!! This will be very nice for her and for all of us. She is doing very well with chemo and hasn’t been getting super sick. I was anticipating this last chemo to make her sick for a day or two but she did very well and has been eating and actually gained 1 POUND!!! We had been working very hard to keep her from losing weight and we did it! I was so excited when she stepped on the scale and he weight was up not down. She has been taking an appetite stimulant to help since Chemo has destroyed her appetite. Although she is very picky about foods I’m glad she is eating more. Here’s to another week down and hope we continue to keep strong and have positive attitudes with all that has happened.

my very fist day back to school after surgery!!