To A Princess On Her Birthday!

2 years ago today a princess was born, our Princess Sophia! She's 2! The big 2! Two years old! Oh my! I thought it went too fast when she turned one but now it's even faster. 2 years ago today hubby and I didn't know just how much our Sophia would change our lives. She is one of the greatest gifts that we have ever received and we couldn't be prouder of her with all that she's gone and going through.
Here are a few things about our 2 year old:
•she talks so well and does it all day
•she loves singing
•she likes saying Amen after praying
•she loves her cousins, all 7 of them
•she's super silly (like her momma)
•she's a Lakers fan (like her daddy)
•she loves being a little mommy to little brother and her dolls
•she's a little miss independent
•she's a daddy's girl
•she loves her grandma&grandpa
•she loves sleep and we love her for that :)
•her cancer is in remission, Yay!
•she's one of the biggest fighters We know!
I can go on and on because God gave us such a brilliant, precious and beautiful little girl. Happy Happy 2nd Birthday to our princess Sophia, we're sorry you have to go through something so awful especially on your birthday. We love you so so much and We look forward to the big celebration when this is all over but for now let's keep kicking cancer in its behind!

Sophia over the last 2 years...

Delayed Intensification

We've got lots going on so grab a drink, sit, and read. . .

Hello 2013 and goodbye 2012. I must admit I aint gonna miss you, maybe a little but not really. I am very thankful for all the blessings that 2012 brought our family even all the trials we went through, believe it or not. We are looking forward to what this new year has to bring for us, for our little Sophia. We're looking forward to all things new and we pray for Sophia's body to keep healing the way it has and to keep responding to the treatments the way it has. Overall when we look back we really haven't had to many downs to deal with besides the obvious "stab me in the heart and break it into a million pieces" since we found out she had cancer. There are a ton of side effect and she really only got a few. We pray it stays that way or no side effects at all.

12/28/12

This is the first year we didn't plan anything for New Years, no going out or spending it with family, just home...just us...our new family of four! My mom and I spent new years eve, most of the day, at the hospital with Sophia. She started a new phase of treatment called Delayed Intensification, its a 2 month phase; sounds horrible and I'm sure it will be. I'm not too sure why its called that but I can only guess its cause its an intense phase with a few breaks here and there. During this phase she will keep going in for chemo treatments, she will have a few more LP's, she will be on steroids, she will still be on medication at home and she still has her picc line, which is a new little issue on it's own. Before I get into how her day went at her appointment I'll start with us having to go to the hospital on Friday. Sophia has developed a slight rash around her picc line which has caused some slight discomfort, it really itches her, and her dressing started coming off so we had to go in to have it changed. Over the weekend I did my own dressing changes on her and it seems to have gotten better but we still have to keep an eye on it. Ugh! Okay, so yesterday she received 2 chemo's, vincristine and a new one called Doxorubicin, aka the red devil. It was red and scary, for me at least. The nurses said that it can cause her urine to be red so the rest of the day I kept waiting for red urine but it never came. I did read up on it and it says that as long as the patient stays hydrated the urine wont be red and Sophia loves her water and lots of it so I think that's why it never came.

THE RED DEVIL

Her taking this new chemo, along with another one, was also the reason she had to get the EKG done since it's so strong. She also started taking the steroids again so we can expect her appetite to go back up, her rage to go back up, her weight to go back up, her blood count to go down, and her hair to fall out again (it was coming in so nice but with that red devil chemo along with a new one that she's getting Thursday it should fall out again)

NOOOOOOO!

The start to this new year is a little bitter sweet for us. The sweet is because it's a new year with new beginnings and many wonderful things to look forward and just the fact that our daughter still has life. The bitter is for what has happened. Last year we were planning an eventful day in Sophia's life. Her turning 1, her first birthday bash, everything was great and this year we are postponing celebrating her 2nd birthday due to her not doing well; as if she isn't going through enough, she will also have a procedure the day of her birthday. A procedure usually takes her out for the day so she takes more naps and for a longer period and she'll be at the end of her steroid treatment for the week so needless to say she will not be herself. My poor baby, I can't wait to celebrate once she is done with all treatment.

SOPHIA WHEN SHE TURNED 1

The other day Sophia's great grandpa called to see how she was doing and he just reminded me to never take my eyes off of God because He is always there for us and I believe when he said that this year is going to be a beautiful and better year for Sophia. Love my grandpa!

So with all this chemo and meds I expect things to be a little rough around here. Pray for Sophia as she enters into this new phase that will alter her mood and appearance again. Pray for Hubby as he has to be at work all day working hard and can't be here for us until the evenings. Pray for me that God will give me patience and piece during this time caring for Sophia and Samuel's needs during the day and pray for extra strength for us all. Thank You to everyone for their continued support and for all the Love for Sophia in the past year and the years to come!

Running Up The Slide

Right about now I feel like this cat trying to run up the slide. 

 

So here's what has happened since the last update... Last week was exciting and rough all at once. I knew this was the week that I was going to be having baby #2. I was given a due date of no later than Thursday the 13th and long story short is we welcomed our precious baby boy on Wednesday December 12th, 12-12-12, how cool is that birthdate huh! Here is Sophia with her little brother Samuel, she is a tiny bit jealous but she mostly wants to hold him or help out with him, it's really cute. When she hears him cry on the monitor she'll say "let's go, let's go" while running to the room to get him, it's hilarious.

The week before last Sophia developed an infection internally that most patients going through chemo can get, it wasn't too bad but she had to go on a 10 day medication that required us to give her a dose every 6 hours so waking up in the middle of the night to give her meds wasn't fun but it had to be done. While hubby and I were at the hospital our Sophia stayed with her grandparents til we got home so they were able to take her to her doctors appointment for us which was nice but at the same time I wanted to be there with her, but I guess I can't be in two places at once. She had her EKG done, which I still don't know the results of but since they haven't called I'm guessing things are okay, and her blood levels came out good so she was good to go on her chemo treatments for the day. She has quite a few appointments coming up that involve another LP w/chemo and I believe she will be getting new meds. She is also going to go back on steroids :( ugh! Her having Leukemia is already horrible but her being on steroids is even more horrible. I know things could be way more worse and I am so thankful they aren't but the things she has gone through and has to go through are just too much for a little body. I can't wait for all this to be over with. 4 months down and approx. 20 more to go! Oh aaand on top of all this she came down with a cold. So between the chemo treatments and the cold she had a really hard time wanting to eat. Apparently she didn't want to eat much but since she's going through so much I don't expect much from her and if her doctor isn't worried then either am I, and since I'm not allowed to give her anything while she's sick all they say is to keep her hydrated which she always is. Sophia likes loves water, seems like she guzzles it down by the gallons and she'll drink sips of juice here and there but doesn't really like it, so I don't worry about her being hydrated.  

So between what's to come with everything Sophia will be going through and having a new baby in the house and learning his ways and learning how to be a family of four it feels a little overwhelming. I feel like we are that cat above trying to run up the slide. I know we will eventually get up the slide (even though the cat might not make it, we will) but right now we're not even half way there. Prayers for us are welcomed as we head into what may seem like yet another rough patch on this road to recovery. I'm praying it wont be too rough since we've gone down this road before and we know what to expect but we never know how Sophia will respond to treatment til she goes through it. Her next treatment will be on new years eve so until next post I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season, I know we have a lot to celebrate this year and we cannot wait to start a new year!

Forever Greatful!

This past week was a busy and great week and it looks like this week is headed that way as well, but what week isn't right!

Besides having doctor appointments I decided to take Sophia to possibly her last mommy and me class, well at least at this place, we'll see what the future holds. Her 1st teacher is retiring :( and I'm a little sad she won't get to experience this teacher til she goes to kindergarden but I'm so glad Sophia and I got to cross paths with this awesome teacher. She just so happens to have the same name as I, it's quite a beautiful name :) but Sophia has been with her since she was 5 months old. She has learned so much from her class and I will be forever greatful for this teacher and this class even though it was short lived, especially since we couldn't make it this semester due to Sophia's illness. Boo! Cancer Sucks! Anyways, we had no idea what we were in for this day. Before I say what went on I forgot to mention a couple weeks ago Sophia's awesome classmates apparently made shirts to wear or wore orange in support of her and we were supposed to visit but Sophia got sick so we couldn't make it, can I say again, Boo! Cancer Sucks!

SOPHIA'S WAY COOL CLASSMATES!

 

Okay, so we went to class and to our surprise the class had a surprise for Sophia and her, unborn, brother Samuel. They gave both a bucket full of stuff. One for Sophia's birthday in January and one for Samuel and his soon arrival. I was so shocked and greatful at all their support they have thrown Sophia's way. I didn't know what to say but Thank You! It's people like this that tells me our God is in control of every situation and knows which people to place in your life when you need them. Also another biggie, one of the ladies here, who takes her grandson to class, works for a cancer organization and they gave a nice check in honor of Sophia. How ridiculously cool is that. I wish Sophia knew just how much she is loved, thought of and cared for. This is exactly why I do this blog so that one day she will know all that was done to her and for her throughout treatment.

 

Clothes & Toys for my babes!

 

Also at the end of class there was a surprise party for Sophia's teacher, the turnout was great and it showed just how much she is loved and is going to be greatly missed.

 





Mrs. Priscilla & Sophia!



Fast forward to today, Sophia had another LP w/Chemo (LP = Lumbar Puncture) and it went pretty well. Her blood counts came out great this time so everything was a Go! My dad usually goes with us to these appointments but this time my mom was able to go since I will be a little occupied pretty soon. She got to learn the routine, all 8 hours of fun! going to this room and that room and just waiting. This time around Sophia also got 3 doses of chemo (a dose of methotrexate in her spine and picc line and a dose of vincristine in her picc line) and so far she's had no negative effects to it. Her doctor said if she were to start getting mouth sores it would be within 4 days of today since they did up her dose again but he also said only about 20% of kids get these sores, so we're praying she's not one of those 20%. She is almost done with this phase of treatment and will be entering a new one which requires her to get an echocardiogram done to make sure her heart is good to go. Sounds so scray that they have to take a precaution such as this for this next phase; chemo is already is big deal. More to come on the next phase. We just pray she's continues doing well and responding well. I'm so proud of my little Big girl, she let's the nurses and doctor do what they have to do and doesn't cry anymore. She already knows the route to the hospital because as we are driving up she says "I want sticker" she knows that she's going to get a pass, that's a sticker, and a sticker from the nurses so she associates the two and puts them together, it's too funny. The Lord is doing great things inside and out of her little body and we are so thankful! Sophia likes to play with items that are used on her, such as this blue glove in the picture below, she put it on because that's what the nurses do and I do at home, and she fell asleep. I'm glad I am able to keep her comfy in her stroller asleep as she received her chemo through her picc line. Until next time (hopefully I'll have had our little boy by next time) . . .

Nice and Comfy, sound asleep!