Yay Violet!

On Thursday my Mom and I took Violet to the hospital for her labs, doctor appointment and chemotherapy. While we were in the waiting room after her blood draw, we were approached by hospital staff wanting to know if Violet had been enrolled in the Beads of Courage program. I let her know that I wanted to enroll Violet and that I had sent them an email but hadn't heard back yet. She then told us that they had a photographer there and they wanted to know if Violet could be in a little photo shoot receiving her first beads. The hospital wanted to use these photos of Violet for promotion of the program!

I agreed and they took us to a room where they had the beads all set up, the photographer ready to go and representatives from the hospital/program. I put Violet up on the hospital bed and they began to ask me which procedures Violet had gone through so that they could give her all the beads that she had earned. She held up her bead packages for everyone in the room to see. It was so special and I was so proud of our baby girl. She deserved something fun like this! When they were all finished the hospital asked me to sign a paper giving them permission to use the photos to promote the program and they let me know they would contact me if any of her photos were going to be used in a billboard. Yay Violet!

This wonderful program was started by an oncology nurse for children who are going through a serious illness and are receiving treatment. They receive special beads for everything they endure and each milestone they reach. I think it is so awesome. I know that Violet is too young to understand it now, but I know it will be a wonderful thing for her to have and share in her future to show how amazingly brave she was and how God saw her through every step of it.

When we saw Violet's doctor afterwards, we ended up finding out that even after postponing the chemotherapy by a whole week her ANC was still only at 500. Her doctor wanted her ANC to be in the 700 range or higher by this time and since it wasn't he made the decision for Violet to receive a Neulasta shot along with her usual treatment for this next month. I was disappointed that her count did not come up on its own. This shot was something that Josh and I wanted to avoid ever since we heard about the possibility of it a couple of months ago.

Neulasta is an injection used to lessen the chance of infection in cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy and have a low ANC that is struggling to come up on its own. This medication helps the body make more neutrophils (blood cells needed to fight infection). Unfortunately, it increases cell production in the bones and therefore, has the side effect of bone pain. This injection continues to work over a period of about a week or more so the pain can last that long. I did not want Violet to have to go through that, but I did understand that she needs it to protect her body and to help it recover.

The very great news that we were told at this appointment was a more detailed result from Violet's MRI. Her tumor is small enough now that it could be treated with a laser! The only thing hanging that up is the tumor is still on her optic nerve. They cannot laser it while it is in that position because it would kill the nerve. They will be doing another exam under anesthesia in 4 weeks to see if this round of chemotherapy has shrunk the tumor off of the optic nerve. We are praying hard that it does!

Violet did very well during her chemotherapy. She even took a nap on my lap for a while ...

The next day I took Violet back to the hospital for her second chemotherapy infusion. This was the first time that I had to take her for chemotherapy by myself. It was definitely harder without the support of Josh or my mom, but we made it through and Violet did very well again.

Violet continued to do well that night and the next day. She never got sick. We praise God for how amazingly strong Violet has been through her infusions. Josh and I look at each other practically every night after watching her and revel at the fact that she is still a happy little girl, growing and reaching milestones through this fight with cancer. 

On Sunday, Josh and I took Violet to the hospital again for her Neulesta injection. I had called ahead of time to ask if I could apply the numbing cream that I usually apply to her chest port site on blood draw and chemotherapy days. They said that I could and told me where on her thigh to put it. It would help Violet not feel the poke of the needle, but it would not mask the pain of the medication going in. Unfortunately, this was one of those injections that burn/sting.

The nurse came into the room with the injection and while she removed the cream on Violet's thigh and cleaned the area I got a bottle ready to help distract Violet. Josh gave her the bottle and the nurse administered the injection. Violet didn't react when the needle went in, but when the medication went in she cried. But, she recovered so quickly! She literally cried for less than 10 seconds and then continued to have her bottle. We were so happy that she handled it as well as she did. 

That night Violet didn't show any signs of pain. And, still today, she is showing no signs of discomfort. We pray that she continues to handle this medication well over the next week. 

After 4 days at the hospital this past week, I am really grateful that we have 3 days of a break before we need to go there again. Please continue to keep sweet Violet in your prayers. It would be such an amazingly wonderful 1st birthday gift if she could be cancer free on that day! It's coming up so quickly (December 6th)!