August 28, 2014

Ella and co. had a really great day. Ella is a little superwoman.

1). She had a hearing test, which she’ll need between each round of chemo. One of her chemos (cisplatin) can take some of her hearing, and that would be detected at this time. The audiologist said her hearing is great and that her ears are responding beautifully. Awesome. No deficits as of now.

2). Ellas stem cell harvest started this morning at 7:30am. Her blood counts were off the charts! This meant her harvest went from lasting a possible five hours to only three. In fact, the doctors were aiming to harvest 10 million/kg stems, but ended up with 145 million/kg. Ella. Just crushing everything! They wanted at least 4 bags (photo below), and had to use 6. All fantastic news, especially after the multiple fevers, hospital stays, and the struggle to respond to her neupogen shots.

3). Ella also made a trip to the dentist today. (This 22-month old gets more done in a day than most adults!) Her gums were bleeding a bit last night, but the dentist said that her teeth look great and everything is as expected for someone going through chemo. 

Round two of crushing cancer/chemo starts tomorrow. Keep on rooting for little Ella, Joe, and Sarah. Send all positive thoughts, love, prayers, and support their way!

“Hey Kansas City. I’m going to conquer cancer, then you.”

Taking dad’s blood pressure. Doctor in training.

Stem cell harvest domination.

Applesauce!

 

 

August 27, 2014

Ella had a tough day. She received some blood this morning, (all her other blood counts were great) but she didn’t nap until the catheter was placed around 3pm. She was sedated for the procedure, woken up to make sure she was doing OK, and has been sleeping since. She really needs the rest, because due to her bone pain, her nights haven’t been very restful. 

The apheresis will happen tomorrow morning at 7:30am to harvest her stem cells. Joe says they’re praying the doctors get what they need tomorrow (could take 3-5 hours). If they don’t, it’ll be repeated Friday morning. The other Ella-problem for this harvest is that it requires Ella to lay in bed the whole time. (Uh, yeah right guys! Ella is borderline-uncontainable! Cancer, literally and figuratively, can’t hold her down).

If all goes well tomorrow, Ella could start round 2 of chemo tomorrow. But it’s likely that she starts Friday. 

August 25, 2014

Ella had a nice and quick clinic visit today. Her WBCs are 4.6, which Papa Joe says is awesome! Her other counts are good as well, and she didn’t need any transfusions. Ella is definitely experiencing some bad bone pain, so she’s often irritable and sleeping has been a little tough. Due to her jump in WBCs, the doctors have TRIPLED her neupogen dosage. (Good for Ella’s WBCs; not good for her bone pain).

Sarah and Joe are planning for Ella to be admitted Wednesday, stem cell harvest Thursday morning, and chemo treatment round 2 to follow — Which means round 2 of crushing cancer will begin either Thursday night or Friday. YOU GO ELLA!

Frosty for Ella!

Nom nom nom.

The coolest kid at the clinic.

August 24, 2014

Ella’s day was tough. She didn’t sleep well last night, got sick this morning, and was super crabby today. (Joe thinks Ella might be starting to feel bone pain). She’s watching Frozen and feeling a little better now. This could mean that she is finally responding to the neupogen shots — fingers crossed her white blood cells are finally being produced. Ella has a clinic appointment in the morning for a blood draw. Keep rooting for those WBCs!

“Cheeeeeese” – Ella

August 22, 2014

Ella has been in the hospital since Wednesday, but is finally preparing to head home. (Ella and co. will go home tonight). She’s been fever-free for almost 48 hours and blood cultures are negative.

We’re really hoping for no more bumps in Ella’s road. As you can imagine, Joe, Sarah, and Ella would like to spend some time at home before Ella’s next chemo treatment. And active Ella needs her space to roam and run wild!

 

August 20, 2014

Tough day for tough little Ella. She is back in the hospital with a fever that doctors say could go up and down all night. Sarah, Joe, and Ella will need to stay in the hospital for at least another 48 hours (again). She’s low on platelets and white blood cells, and her hair is starting to fall out. (Yet of course, she’s still the cutest thing in the world).

Sending love and prayers their way. Hopefully Ella (and Sarah and Joe) can soon spend her non-treamtment time at home and not in the hospital.

August 18, 2014

Ella started eating and drinking a bit. We think she is using her last bit of control by choosing not to eat much. (She’s also wicked smart and is clearly wary of meds being hidden in tasty chocolate pudding and apple juice). The doctors started her on an appetite stimulant, though we won’t see the effects of that for a few weeks. (Really hoping these work so Ella won’t need a feeding tube).

Ella’s blood cultures have been negative for 48 hours, confirming that she does not have an infection (hooray!), and her fever was caused by her cold. Doctors will continue to check the blood cultures for five days to see if any bacteria grows. She was taken off antibiotics, and the doctors were happy enough with her eating that she was allowed to go home today!

Although she was discharged, her white blood cell count is too low to harvest her stem cells. (After the first three rounds of chemo and after the second three rounds, she’ll get high-dose chemo with what they call “stem cell rescue” using Ella’s own stem cells). Her stem cell harvest (and maybe even her next round of chemo) might be pushed back. Her WBCs will improve with neupogen shots, but it’ll take time for her body to repsond. Once the WBCs are up (which she also needs to fight infection), Ella will be able to start round two of crushing cancer.

Until Ella’s able to fight infection on her own, she’s got a strong new bear from Aunt Libby to protect her. I’d rather have the white blood cells, though. He looks kind of soft.

Bear hugs!

August 17, 2014

Ella went into the ER Friday night with neutropenic fever and a 101.5 temperature. (Her immune system is weakened due to the chemo). She was given fluid and antibiotics, and her temperature went down by Saturday. She has a cold (rhinovirus), which doctors say is the culprit of her fever.

Blood cultures have been administered every 24 hours and they are not growing any bacteria, which is great news. It’s hard for Ella to fight the cold with her weakened immune system, but once she starts eating and drinking (she refuses to eat much or drink anything), Ella and co. will be able to go home.

(Since Ella has a cold and could get other patients sick, she is not allowed to leave her room. If you know Ella, you know staying in one place for this long is NOT her jam. Hoping she and her crew can get home soon).

August 14, 2014

As you may have heard, Ella went home on Tuesday after successfully completing round one of chemotherapy! She will have 5 more treatments, every 3 weeks. She will also go in twice a week for lab tests and once every 8 days for a short 10-minute chemo treatment. (This brief chemo is to prohibit cell division).

Ella has already proven to be the strong and resilient little lady we all expected. While playing with her when she returned home, she showed very few signs of the battle she fought this week. Sarah says she’s even been sleeping through the night in her own bed. (Probably accompanied by the small zoo of stuffed animals she received from all her great supporters while in the hospital).

(And in case you didn’t hear — the Kansas City Royals took over first place in the AL Central the day they visited Ella. No surprise there. She makes everyone’s world better. Ella’s own baseball skills highlighted in the video below).

A determined Ella on the move

The outdoor enthusiast: Ella LOVES to pick grass.

August 11, 2014

Ella continues to be a strong little trooper! She had a blood transfusion due to her low hemoglobin this morning. She also got itchy (a side effect of chemo) and was given some Benadryl to relive that.

In other trooper news, Ella’s bone marrow biopsy showed no signs of cancer cells or tumors (meaning it hasn’t spread to her bones — great news!), and Ella and co. will be heading home tomorrow.

Ella had lots of visitors again today, including Kansas City Royals Alex Gordon and Mike Moustakas. Ella, however, wasn’t that impressed. She slept through their visit.