My First Ambulance Ride...

My 10 day stay at home was cut short by a fever on Wednesday.  That afternoon, my temp reached 101 for 2 readings.  Once it is at 101, there is no waiting.  I must be taken to Valley Care Emergency where my UCSF dr. is contacted and gives VC instructions on which antibiotic to get me started on.  This too took 3 nurses to get an IV going after the port attempts failed.  More later on this...
USCF then arranges for an ambulance to transport me to SF... first ride ever in an ambulance. 

My stay at UCSF has been uneventful except for the "port" issues.  My fever went down almost immediately, probably with a little help from the antibiotics I am getting.  My blood counts are really low and need to come back up before I will be allowed to go home.  Waiting on blood results as I write....  but otherwise am feeling good and continue to have an appetite.  Swallowing has been a little difficult as my throat has sores (due to the low blood counts).  But I can feel them too getting a little better, which is a sign that my blood counts are improving.

As for my port (underskin IV), it is not working like it is supposed to.  During my last visit, the nurses were eventually able to get both sides working after some drug help which may have dissolved any little clots.  This time, only one side has worked and that too required extra drug help.  The other side is not working at all.
Later today, I will be having a dye xray test to see if it highlights any issues.  The xray techs will put dye into the port and then take xrays.  This should help see if the line is bent, not long enough, etc.  Or it may not show anything.  Either way, I may need to have it replaced next week.  In the meantime, it just means I need to have an IV in my arm, which I do not like getting as my veins are difficult to access.

Maddy goes to Senior Ball and Happy 16th Claire!

So on Saturday, I did get to go home mid afternoon.  I missed seeing Madelynn off to Senior Ball with her beautiful white gown, but did get to go to Claire's 16th Birthday party.  Had a great time and loved seeing all my friends.



Beautiful Madelynn!



Happy 16th Birthday Claire!!



Claire, Jenna, & Alexis



Me with Kyle & Jarrod

A spoon full of Pudding makes the medicine go down...

I have never had an issue taking pills, but when they start giving you 10-15 per day and some are not coated and taste awful, it quickly becomes an issue.  After gagging several times and trying new "tricks", I now take may pills with nothing else, but Chocolate Pudding.  It's a 2 step process.  First the pills are stuck into the pudding and then carefully they are fully covered one at a time... and with one big swallow 3-4 disappear without any bitter taste left in my mouth.
 

Round #3 Update

Well, today is day 6 of this round of treatment.  I am feeling good, just a little tired.  I am due for one more spinal tap tomorrow (#9 so far) then I will be going home for another 10 days.

This round was exactly the same as round #2.  It has agreed with me, no vomitting or allergic reactions.  As last time, my blood counts will drop around day 10-12 (Tuesday-Thursday), so the number of visitors will be limited by my parents :)

Thanks to the Lubow Family, there are now Red and Green Flags on my porch. 
Green, good to go and would love to see you, come on in. 
Red, am resting or my blood counts are too low, come back soon.

Thanks for all the prayers, visits, cards, etc...  I love you all.  Kaitlin

Allie's Friends

Today was Stuffed Animal Day at the hospital  Allie's Friends Foundation sponsored a stuffed animal event where the children could pick out a stuff animal and help them get a check-up.  For those of us that didn't attend, the volunteer staff came around to our rooms and we got to select our own friend.  Below is a picture of mine.  Help me pick out a name...

Leukemia treatment may be cure for AIDS

This week it was announced that there may be a cure for AIDS (HIV positive).

A Belgian who had been living with AIDs was diagnosed with Leukemia.  In 2007, doctors treated the leaukemia with a bone marrow transplant.  The bone marrow came from a donor that immune to AIDs (only about 1% of the population is immune).  The transplant cured both his Leukemia and his AIDs.

He is currently being monitored at SF General Hospital and UCSF.

Doctors examine AIDS 'cure' case

Truly amazing what modern medicine can do and how much is still not known.

Bald, not so bad...

Let me explain...  going bald is not a bad thing when it comes to cancer

Part of the chemo treatment is to kill all fast growing cells, good (hair) or bad (cancer).  So the fact that the hair is falling out, means the medicine is killing cells.  My back pain is gone as is the lump in my throat so we know the medicine is killing the bad cancer cells as well.

My uncle Bobby, gave me my buzz cut on Saturday before I came in.  I think he, Cody and my cousins had a little too much fun with it (pix me in a mohawk).  It is amazing how much hair one head can have.  When it was falling out, it was everywhere.  Almost like dog hair, but mulitplied by 10. Much easier not having to deal with that.  Have a few new beanies, pictures to come..

I didn't have a choice to be bald, but my doctor did and chose to be a hero... 

Dr. Kate Matthay has chosen to have her head completely shaven as a fundraiser for childhood cancer research.  She is working with the St. Baldrick's Foundation for the big event on June 8th.  If you are looking for a good cause to donate to, this might be it (just click the link above). If I am home and feeling ok, I will be attending this event and cheering her on. If anyone would like to join me, let me know.  It will be held at The Kezar Pub near the hospital in SF.

 The St. Baldrick's Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives.  They have generously supported clinical and laboratory research at UCSF and many other children’s cancer centers around the country. In 2010 alone, they gave over $14 million in grants for childhood cancer research.  And all because people chose to be bald!

Is there a real St. Baldrick?

To our knowledge, there's no real St. Baldrick. The name "St. Baldrick's" is a combination of the words "bald" and "St. Patrick's," since the first event was held in 2000 on March 17, which is St. Patrick's Day.