Wednesday, March 18, 2009 a.m. Julia is having pain with her port and with her hip where they took the bone marrow. She has been experiencing pain since Monday with the port which was to be expected. We are so thankful for all of the gifts, flowers, cards, balloons, emails and phone calls.
Wednesday March 18, 2009 approximately 3:00 p.m. Julia's doctors, after checking her out again, told us that they might allow Julia to come home tomorrow instead of Friday as previously thought. The doctors are encouraged by how she is responding to her treatment so this is very encouraging and wonderful news. We are all so very excited and thankful to God for his attention to the prayers that have been offered up. Thanks so much to all of you for your kind gifts, your emails, your phone calls, but most of all for praying to a God who is able. They will check Julia out again tomorrow and if she still appears to be doing well, then they will let her come home tomorrow. She will have to go back for treatments but we know they would enjoy a couple of days at home.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
I ,(Melissa) talked with Sharon today and they seem to be holding up OK...considering. I am posting for now..... until Sharon or Jeff get to a point where they can take over. They are both overwhelmed with the schedule and the information that they are trying to consume at this time. She, Jeff and Julia are checking the site for your comments and I know that it means a great deal to them at this time! Thank you to each and everyone of you who are praying and offering your support!
We found out a little more today about the chemo treatments that Julia will be receiving this next 29 days. Sharon says... that this is the induction phase of the treatments. The Dr's are not talking much about what is beyond the next 29 days for now. Pray for Julia's little body to heal around the port area. They put the port for some of the chemo under her collar bone on her shoulder and you can imagine that this has been very disconcerting for an 8 year old, and it is very painful right now. Julia is having a hard time getting in and out of the bed and moving around in general. I know she must be sore from the bone marrow extraction and the spinal tap too but her discomfort is in the port area right now. So please pray for rapid healing in that area.
I found out today from Sharon that the results did show that the leukemia was in the bone marrow. However, they still send it off and examine it more closely for more detailed results and they will be getting those over the next couple of weeks. They also will be doing another spinal tap and bone marrow extraction on the 8th and 29th day of treatment according to Sharon's chart. So those results will continue to come in this month and will tell us if Julia is a rapid responder (which is what we need to pray for) or a slow responder...this is in response to the chemo treatments.
They began the chemo treatments yesterday during the surgery. Monday was Day 1. Apparently when they do the spinal tap they also give her a chemo treatment into the spinal chord. They do not think there are any leukemia cells in the spinal fluid at this time.... but if they do not treat that area then the leukemia could show up there later. Julia also received a chemo treatment through the port site last night.
So they will be treating the blood, the bone marrow and the spinal fluid (as I understand it).There are several methods of chemo treatments and a complicated schedule, Sharon and Jeff have alot to keep up with at this time.....I will try and list the schedule below for prayer purposes on the specific days...
Day 1, 8, 15, 22...they give her chemo through the port...(only a few cc's)
Day 4 or 5... she receives a chemo shot
Day 8, 29...another spinal tap and bone marrow extraction (chemo injection into spinal chord)
Days 1 - 28 ... steroid pills 2 X's a day for the 28 days (causes hunger and bloating)
I asked Sharon if the Dr's think she will get nauseous during this phase of the chemo, but they told them that pediatric patients usually do not have the nausea (they can ...but not usually) during the first 30 days. We will pray and claim that!
I am sorry if this is confusing...it is alot of information to share. Some of this may change as they go along but this is what the schedule is on Sharon's chart for now.
On a positive note.... Julia had a fairy godmother from Ireland come to visit her today in the hospital. (In honor of St. Patrick's day) and they had a couple of other visitors as well. I know that cheered her up some or at least got her mind of off things for a little while.
Please continue to pray for God's healing, a rapid response to the chemo, healing for the port site,.... peace, rest and strength for Sharon, Jeff and Julia.....a hedge of protection from other germs around all those that are with and around Julia..... the Doctors to have clarity of thought and good direction.
Your prayers are precious to us and much appreciated! Thank you every one!
We found out a little more today about the chemo treatments that Julia will be receiving this next 29 days. Sharon says... that this is the induction phase of the treatments. The Dr's are not talking much about what is beyond the next 29 days for now. Pray for Julia's little body to heal around the port area. They put the port for some of the chemo under her collar bone on her shoulder and you can imagine that this has been very disconcerting for an 8 year old, and it is very painful right now. Julia is having a hard time getting in and out of the bed and moving around in general. I know she must be sore from the bone marrow extraction and the spinal tap too but her discomfort is in the port area right now. So please pray for rapid healing in that area.
I found out today from Sharon that the results did show that the leukemia was in the bone marrow. However, they still send it off and examine it more closely for more detailed results and they will be getting those over the next couple of weeks. They also will be doing another spinal tap and bone marrow extraction on the 8th and 29th day of treatment according to Sharon's chart. So those results will continue to come in this month and will tell us if Julia is a rapid responder (which is what we need to pray for) or a slow responder...this is in response to the chemo treatments.
They began the chemo treatments yesterday during the surgery. Monday was Day 1. Apparently when they do the spinal tap they also give her a chemo treatment into the spinal chord. They do not think there are any leukemia cells in the spinal fluid at this time.... but if they do not treat that area then the leukemia could show up there later. Julia also received a chemo treatment through the port site last night.
So they will be treating the blood, the bone marrow and the spinal fluid (as I understand it).There are several methods of chemo treatments and a complicated schedule, Sharon and Jeff have alot to keep up with at this time.....I will try and list the schedule below for prayer purposes on the specific days...
Day 1, 8, 15, 22...they give her chemo through the port...(only a few cc's)
Day 4 or 5... she receives a chemo shot
Day 8, 29...another spinal tap and bone marrow extraction (chemo injection into spinal chord)
Days 1 - 28 ... steroid pills 2 X's a day for the 28 days (causes hunger and bloating)
I asked Sharon if the Dr's think she will get nauseous during this phase of the chemo, but they told them that pediatric patients usually do not have the nausea (they can ...but not usually) during the first 30 days. We will pray and claim that!
I am sorry if this is confusing...it is alot of information to share. Some of this may change as they go along but this is what the schedule is on Sharon's chart for now.
On a positive note.... Julia had a fairy godmother from Ireland come to visit her today in the hospital. (In honor of St. Patrick's day) and they had a couple of other visitors as well. I know that cheered her up some or at least got her mind of off things for a little while.
Please continue to pray for God's healing, a rapid response to the chemo, healing for the port site,.... peace, rest and strength for Sharon, Jeff and Julia.....a hedge of protection from other germs around all those that are with and around Julia..... the Doctors to have clarity of thought and good direction.
Your prayers are precious to us and much appreciated! Thank you every one!
Monday, March 16, 2009
We have created this blog to keep our wonderful friends and family updated on Julia's treatment and progress as she battles leukemia.
On Thursday March 12th Sharon, Jeff and Julia headed to Egleston in Atlanta to have testing done for some ongoing symptoms that Julia had been experiencing over the last couple of months. Her white blood cell count was higher than normal and her iron was low. Persistent fevers had also occurred along with general tiredness and unusual lack of energy for an 8 yr old. Her doctors had long suspected something viral, but a definite diagnosis and course of treatment had been elusive. On Thursday, March 12, in response to another blood test showing low iron, her local doctors wanted to do a blood transfusion. After advising the physicians at Egleston Children's Hospital about the recent blood test and the idea of a blood transfusion, the physicians at Egleston advised Sharon and Jeff to bring Julia on to the Egleston Hospital that day. The transfusion could complicate the diagnosis.
After arriving at Egleston Thursday evening they expected to be put in a room and testing begin on Friday morning but the opposite was true. The Dr's. began blood work and various testing and continued through out the night. A couple of the Dr's. had agreed by morning that the prognosis was leukemia. This came as a bit of a shock, as you can imagine. You never expect to hear those words about your child or loved one!
They admitted Julia to a room about 4am on Friday morning and she finally was able to rest a little. Calls went out to family and friends early Friday morning. Alice Faye and Andrew (Sharon's parents) headed to Atlanta on Friday morning.
Saturday, March 14th various family and friends came to offer support. We were among those who visited Julia. She was pale and somewhat quiet but seemed good. She walked toward us with her IV pole attached. They were giving her fluids and some antibiotics. She played for several hours with her cousins and saw several visitors before she wilted.
Sunday, March 15th Julia received a blood transfusion to build up her strength before starting procedures and chemo. The blood transfusion went well.
Monday, March 16th Julia received some platelets to help build her up but she had an allergic reaction. She turned as red as a lobster. The Dr's gave her Benadryl to try and help alleviate the symptoms. After Julia was stable and the anestisiologist was satisfied that she was ok they got her ready for the bone marrow extraction and spinal tap.
Julia entered the operating room around 2:oo p.m. today and they put in a port for the chemo, they did a spinal tap to draw spinal fluid and they extracted bone marrow from her hip. We got news around 4:00p.m. that she was recovering and everything went well. One thing we learned was that the bone marrow would not be back for a week and a half to 2 weeks. The spinal fluid was clear...which the Dr. said was a good sign. The official results are not in yet but that was a comment that was made. If all goes well... the Drs. want to start the chemo tonight. We are not sure yet how many days straight she will have chemo. They had discussed 7 or 5 days of straight chemo but as of this moment we have not heard which. As we understand it....the bone marrow results will determine the treatment after the next 30 days.
Please continue to pray for Julia, Jeff and Sharon as she is just beginning this battle. She was tired and concerned about what was going on but she was doing well following the procedures today.
We will update again tomorrow! Thank you all again for the prayers and the precious gifts! The room is so full of balloons and stuffed animals, they can barely move!
On Thursday March 12th Sharon, Jeff and Julia headed to Egleston in Atlanta to have testing done for some ongoing symptoms that Julia had been experiencing over the last couple of months. Her white blood cell count was higher than normal and her iron was low. Persistent fevers had also occurred along with general tiredness and unusual lack of energy for an 8 yr old. Her doctors had long suspected something viral, but a definite diagnosis and course of treatment had been elusive. On Thursday, March 12, in response to another blood test showing low iron, her local doctors wanted to do a blood transfusion. After advising the physicians at Egleston Children's Hospital about the recent blood test and the idea of a blood transfusion, the physicians at Egleston advised Sharon and Jeff to bring Julia on to the Egleston Hospital that day. The transfusion could complicate the diagnosis.
After arriving at Egleston Thursday evening they expected to be put in a room and testing begin on Friday morning but the opposite was true. The Dr's. began blood work and various testing and continued through out the night. A couple of the Dr's. had agreed by morning that the prognosis was leukemia. This came as a bit of a shock, as you can imagine. You never expect to hear those words about your child or loved one!
They admitted Julia to a room about 4am on Friday morning and she finally was able to rest a little. Calls went out to family and friends early Friday morning. Alice Faye and Andrew (Sharon's parents) headed to Atlanta on Friday morning.
Saturday, March 14th various family and friends came to offer support. We were among those who visited Julia. She was pale and somewhat quiet but seemed good. She walked toward us with her IV pole attached. They were giving her fluids and some antibiotics. She played for several hours with her cousins and saw several visitors before she wilted.
Sunday, March 15th Julia received a blood transfusion to build up her strength before starting procedures and chemo. The blood transfusion went well.
Monday, March 16th Julia received some platelets to help build her up but she had an allergic reaction. She turned as red as a lobster. The Dr's gave her Benadryl to try and help alleviate the symptoms. After Julia was stable and the anestisiologist was satisfied that she was ok they got her ready for the bone marrow extraction and spinal tap.
Julia entered the operating room around 2:oo p.m. today and they put in a port for the chemo, they did a spinal tap to draw spinal fluid and they extracted bone marrow from her hip. We got news around 4:00p.m. that she was recovering and everything went well. One thing we learned was that the bone marrow would not be back for a week and a half to 2 weeks. The spinal fluid was clear...which the Dr. said was a good sign. The official results are not in yet but that was a comment that was made. If all goes well... the Drs. want to start the chemo tonight. We are not sure yet how many days straight she will have chemo. They had discussed 7 or 5 days of straight chemo but as of this moment we have not heard which. As we understand it....the bone marrow results will determine the treatment after the next 30 days.
Please continue to pray for Julia, Jeff and Sharon as she is just beginning this battle. She was tired and concerned about what was going on but she was doing well following the procedures today.
We will update again tomorrow! Thank you all again for the prayers and the precious gifts! The room is so full of balloons and stuffed animals, they can barely move!
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