Thursday, August 28, 2008

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Yesterday was Chemo Day.  It was hard to believe when they handed me her roadmap (treatment plan) that this was course 21 of this chemo for Kelly.  She actually did a little better yesterday.  I was worried after her last treatment two weeks ago, when I stopped counting at 7 buckets.   So I talked to Dana, her nurse, and she suggested that we slow down the Irinotecan infusion for her.  (You should be a nurse, Michelle!)  So we ran it over 3 hours (plus the avastin, anti nausea meds, and flushes) She was still sick, but not as much, and she wasn't so out of it.  She looked up at me from her bucket at one point and smiled.  She just said, "I really don't feel that bad." Comparatively speaking.  Most kids would be miserable with Kelly's "I don't feel that bad."  Today she is just tired, but doing OK.  We scheduled her next chemo treamtment for two weeks from now, but instead of the morning like we usually do, we are going to try 2:30 so she can make it to her French Class, and then go to her chemo appt.  That way, she at least won't miss French on Wednesday.  I just hope we still have time to run her infusion slowly since they close at 7:00 pm. Her next appointment will be an experiment to see if this will work.  Once again, Shannon came with us all day to the Infusion Center.  She really enjoys going there and is going to miss it when school starts.  

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month.  Even though Relay for Life is for all ages and all types of cancer, I just wanted to share this video from the Relay for Life we did this year.  You can see several shots of "Team Kelly"  and Kelly in her purple fuzzy hat. The beads she is holding are her survivor beads.  They get one strand for every year they have survived cancer.   Our team's theme was Childhood Cancer, and you can see the poster I made with facts and stories of childhood cancer.  Amy and Michelle, look for the stars with Kasey and Bailey!  Our poster and stars were gold because gold is the color of childhood cancer.  By the way, the luminary bag that says "In Memory of Gramcracker" is for my mom, who died of cancer 4 years ago.  All of her grandchildren called her that.  The Opening of the video shows Dana Point, the town we did the Relay in, which is close by.  The park where Relay was held overlooked Dana Point Harbor and the Pacific Ocean, which was such a nice view to have!

I just noticed something funny after I watched this video again.  After it is over, there are other videos you can choose to watch (since this is from YouTube)  If you scroll over the other choices and see one called CSI Dana Point, that is also something the girls did at Relay at Dana Point.  Kelly video taped it and they are just being silly and having some fun since we were there for 24 hours.  Ashley Diemer (Chloe's older sister) is the reporter.  Megan and her friend, Amy, are Phil and Tony.  The "guns" they use are marshmallow blasters.  They really do just  shoot marshmallows and really can't hurt anyone!  Thanks to Christy, who did all the editing on the girls' video.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is a GREAT video. A bit of a tearjerker with the epic movie track playing during the Childhood Cancer section. This site has really opened up Katie, and her acknowledgement of her OWN cancer, and truly knowing she is not the 'only one'. And I know she'll read this and roll her eyes, but I want to say I have so much admiration, for her, and Kelly, and every one of these kids who fight this fight.
XOXO-
MOM

Kathy said...

Heather (MOM),
We were so glad Katie was a part of our Relay for Life! She is an inspiration for Kelly (and everyone else there) with her NINE strands of survivor beads! You and Katie have made this journey easier for both Kelly and I!
Love, Kathy

Anonymous said...

Kelly,
I hate to hear it when you have bad chemo days. I really hope your appointment Wednesday works out nicely. The relay for life was a blast and I will definitely be joining you on team Kelly next year. I did not know that September was childhood cancer awareness month. That is new to me. It is great to know that I am not the only child my age battling this. It is great to have this to share with you. Thank you.
Katie
P.S. I didn't roll my eyes MOM(haha)

Anonymous said...

See I told you. You should really try to run it over 4 hours starting off a little slower and then bumping it up a little during the second half. I remember a kid saying that they would run one of his chemos over a longer period of time and one time they ran it fast and he was sicker than a dog. You should give it a try. Wouldn't that be nice if she could get through them without throwing up? Hey you should also instead of doing the chemo on wed you should do it thursday at 9:30 with us. And I bet that if you run it slower she would not get that sick. Just a thought to get you to hang out with us all day :)

Love the Spoonies

Anonymous said...

Huh.. I am having a heck of a time trying to access you tube video's on my computer! I don't know why. SO I am going to try it on Kasey's laptop. I am glad Kelly had a better day with chemo. One day, Kasey looked up at me from his bucket and asked me for a rice krispy treat! These things we will never forget!
Thinking of you guys hoping school is good and that all works out with french and chemo.
Have a good weekend.
Hugs from up north,
Amy... Kasey's mom

Anonymous said...

Dear Kelly,

That was a great video! I hope your afternoon infusion next time goes well.

Do you know if Bailey ever got to visit Paula Deen? I certainly hope so.

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend, et bon courage avec le francais. I took 24 credits in college in another century.

Take care,
Henry

Anonymous said...

Hi Kelly and Kath,

Ok, it's a good thing I don't have to go anywhere this morning because I've shed a tear or two (ok, maybe a bit more) reading your post and watching the video just now! When they showed the childhood cancer poster and the stars you made and the luminary bag for Gramcracker, I was in tears. Then, Kelly with her purple fuzzy hat looking down at her beads! Very touching!

I'm glad that the chemo treatment yesterday was a "I don't feel so bad" day even though it was still pretty tough. Kelly's definition of "I don't feel so bad" would probably have most of us under the covers unable to move!

September sure is an important month primarily because it's Kelly and Megan's Birthday (Uncle Bob also!) and it's so important that childhood cancer is recognized!

Have a wonderful weekend and hope you're feeling better and better Kellly!

Love,
Aunt Jenny

Anonymous said...

Hi Kelly and Kathy,
Just saying hi this morning to everyone, and I hope you are feeling MUCH BETTER today, Kelly!! I really hope your afternoon treatments work out, and that by doing it more slowly, will lessen your nausea. I know you won't want to miss French! Did I happen to mention I also took French in High School? ( It was about a hundred years ago..haha!!!!) Also, my maiden name is French: DuBois.

Anyway, I loved the video. It certainly brought tears to my eyes!Thank you for sharing it with all of us.....

You are such a trooper, Kelly. I cannot even imagine to understand what you and your family have gone through, and are still going through! Just know that there are SO MANY people who love you (and your fam) and are praying always, for you!

Have a good weekend!

Sent with love and prayers,
Patty J.

Anonymous said...

Hey Kelly
It is me J.P.
funny vid. sorry u died as a cameraman.
thanks for making CSI Dana Point! :)

~nattie~ said...

most kids AND ADULTS, regardless of gender, would feel miserable with Kelly's "I don't feel that bad". she's such a trooper! i often come here for inspiration, and was ecstatic to read that her last MRI came out clean. loved the video, too. the shot of Kelly contemplating her 1-year beads is really touching.
love and hugs,
nattie, your neighbor in Newport Beach!

Anonymous said...

Kelly and Kathy, Thanks so much for putting the you tube video on the blog. Yesterday was my husband, Don's birthday and when I looked on the blog, there was the video and Bapa Don's luminaria was there. For me it was special. Thanks for posting it.

I am glad chemo went better. Thinking of you.

Marilyn

Anonymous said...

Dear Kelly,

Now that you're going to take French, let me share with you what I hope you will find to be a helpful hint. When it comes to learning French vocabulary, you have to learn the words AND their genders. So, for example, the word for hand in French is feminine, while the word for nose is masculine. So, you have to learn that hand is LA main, and the French for nose is LE nez. I used to make my own flashcards. I would write "Nose" on one side of the cards, in blue ink. On the other side of the card, also in blue ink, I would write "Le nez." In the case of "Hand," which is feminine, remember, I would take a red pen, and on one side of the card, I'd write "hand." On the other side, I'd write "La main." I found that the color coding made it easier to learn the genders. I know it sounds like a huge pain in la derriere right now, but compared to irinotecan, it's nothing.

Enjoy the day, and have fun with the French. After all, it's just another language.


Henry