Highs, Lows, and In-Betweens

Rosalie has two more days of radiation therapy or "rainbow light." She has had some highs and lows over her five week course of treatment.

A definite high for Rosalie was a visit from her cousins Anna and Elise, her Aunt Mary, and her Uncle JJ. Rosalie was healthy and strong for their visit and was full of smiles just being in their presence.


Steam Train in Tilden Park

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Rosy and Elise

Rosalie and Anna

Playing at Baker Beach

Baker Beach

Cable Car

A low for Rosalie was when her port (central line) became infected. She ended up being hospitalized for a week. At the end of her hospital stay we decided to surgically remove the port in favor of another kind of central line, a PICC line.


Fever

Rosalie's new do

Anna the PICC / IV nurse

Rosalie getting her PICC line

Another high for our family was learning that Rosalie's tumor had shrunk considerably after the first two weeks of radiation. Her MRI shows a considerable difference with two spots markedly smaller and one spot gone altogether. Of course, we announce this with cautious optimism. We are still in the zone of "one day at a time" and Rosalie still has a long way to go in her course of treatment. But, HOORAY! This treatment is not in vain. We believe our little girl can beat this.


Daily Radiation Therapy
In the white coats are radiation therapists Rainier and Genvieve
In the blue is an anesthesia resident
In the pink is Dr. Laura Siedman, anesthesiologist
Nurse Rob is in the corner

Dr. Laura and Nurse Rob - Part of the Anesthesia Team

Another low for Rosalie has been a common cold that has made anesthesia questionable from day to day. Her cold started off quite dry, so her airway was fine despite her other cold symptoms. But yesterday they had to hold anesthesia because she was not "handling her secretions" in the prone position. This morning we were instructed to give her Sudafed before arrival. And it did the trick! She was dry enough to receive anesthesia, and consequently her radiation therapy.

Well, thank goodness that this cold was tempered by the fact that lots of loved ones have been in town. Uncle Paul from Philly was in town again for our niece Amanda's wedding. Paul, like Mark, is a kid at heart and keeps the girls busy, busy, busy. Poppy and Meema came in for the wedding from Miami and provided lots of love and laughter. Now my mother is here to help.

We still monitor Rosalie's blood counts. She has had two more transfusions since our last post. Her energy level is low, her appetite not great. But she is still plugging away. "I want to play a game!" is a common refrain.

She has missed all of her therapies over the past five weeks. I am very concerned about this and am exploring every avenue possible to provide her with home care for the remaining course of chemotherapy. She went to preschool one afternoon, but has not been able to be consistently there. We will just play it by ear throughout the year and do the best we can to make sure she gets to see all her friends at Sweet Peas. Our energy is obviously focused on Rosalie's health, but we will not let these other aspects of her well-being fall to the wayside.

In closing, I ask for your prayers that this radiation, this rainbow, will cure Rosalie. We pray for minimal side effects in the short and long term. Go, Rosalie, Go! We all believe in you.