Ten down, 20 to go… Andrea will have two treatments on tuesday(10:05am and 4:40pm), due to the missed treatment from being closed on July 4th holiday. At the end of this week she will be half way. Met with the docter today – she told him she was bored of inside activities and tired by 7:00 at nite. He said go ahead and do some outside activities/but only 20 minutes of sun exposure and that tired is normal and may progress as time goes on and to expect hair loss in the 5 beam areas, but should grow back because her treatments are deep in the skull. Brother came over on saturday and we went to a movie and out to eat at Pizza Hut. Today they rented kayaks and went for a one hour trip and Andrea was pooped, but no sunburn. Now they are relaxing and looking up things on the internet. brother is hoping Andrea will want to play tennis before he leaves. Grandma Jo will come over on tuesday and Andrea is hoping to drag her to the Harry Potter movie on Wednesday – then that evening Andreas Band Director is taking her out for dinner at “Joes Crab Shack”, she can’t wait, and will show him her saxophone – that she is doing very well on. Another highlite was when she received a package in the mail from our neighbor and her daughter – she was so surprized and greatful. So all is going well.
Archive for 'Andrea'
#8 of 30
Categories: Andrea | July 9th, 2009 | by diane | no comments
Todays treatment went well. Andrea is grouchy today/tired. I will no longer be posting to the blog everyday, just consider it no news is good news. I will however post once a week/most likely on mondays. The reason for this is there really is nothing medical to report, until (if and when) she starts side effects – and those can show up anytime from 2 weeks into the treatment to 5 years from now. We are hoping non of them ever happen. So for now I can only report Andrea is in good spirits and taking this like a trooper of course.
#7 of 30
Categories: Andrea | July 8th, 2009 | by diane | no comments
Today Andrea is tired/sluggish – hoping it is just a down day and not a side effect coming on. She is starting to miss home/friends and her horse and dog. Fair will begin this weekend, I know she really wishes she was there. Next week Andreas band director and his wife plan to visit Ann Arbor and take her out for dinner and her grandmother is planning a visit for a few days next week also – this will give her something to look forward to. She received her first mail today at Ronald McDonald House (thank you brother). Just need to keep her mind busy.
#6 of 30
Categories: Andrea | July 7th, 2009 | by diane | no comments
Todays treatment went well – on July 14 Andrea will have a treatment at 10:05 am and again at 4:40 pm, this is to make up the July 3rd treatment (due to radiation/oncology being closed for the 4th). So we will be back on schdule and return home after the last treatment (30) on August 7th. Andrea met with the U of M teacher this morning and give her the Physical Science textbook. She will giv e the book to the student volunteer and then we will meet with him this weekend, only 3 more chapters to go then all the tests when we return in August. Her student volunteer is a Bio Chem Engineer in Livonia and is taking some additional classes this summer, nice of him to volunteer. Andrea loved her pottery class yesterday and already made two bowls on the wheel, she will return today. Not much more going one, just normal routine. Thanks for checking in on Andrea.
#5
Categories: Andrea | July 6th, 2009 | by diane | no comments
25 more treatments and counting – had the regular room and team today. Everyone was upbeat, recharged and sunburned from the holiday weekend (except us), even spoke to someone who celebrated at Torch Lake – like we used to (great fire works there). Received a call from our neighbor/friend today – Now we will relax and have a snack before going to Pottery class at 1:00.
Radiation Process
Categories: Andrea | July 4th, 2009 | by todd | no comments
Here are a couple pictures of Andrea getting set up for one of her radiation sessions. She lies on the table, they raise it and then put her mask on and snap it down to the table. The machine rotates around her taking two x rays to line up and then begins delivering the 5 beams of radiation. The mask is very tight and leaves waffle marks on her forehead, chin and nose for up to 30 minutes after. So far she has had 4 treatments and will have 26 more. She will not show short term symptoms for at least 5 more treatments, we are hoping for none. We are keeping her busy, so she has things to keep her mind occupied. Health and Science homework of course, saxophone lessons, a little shopping, pottery class next week and an art fair event the week after – and to keep her mind off missing fair with her 4-H club and open horse shows. She looks most forward to emails and phone calls from friends and family – please keep them coming.
fourth treatment
Categories: Andrea | July 2nd, 2009 | by diane | no comments
Different room and team, so took longer than usual. Mom said I didn’t have the waffle pattern on my face either – she is just hoping they did it right. We went to a movie today and then my first sax practice. It was alot of fun, only 1/2 hour long – but I did well and will have another lesson next week on Thursday at 4:30. Now I have 3 days off. Have a happy fourth of July.
third treatment
Categories: Andrea | July 1st, 2009 | by diane | no comments
27 more treatments to go. Todays went well, I don’t feel much different yet. Mom, my friend and I went out to Dominos Farms – not much to tell, just U of M doc offices now and a small petting zoo with two really cute foals. So we headed out for a road trip to Julies Music Store, that didn’t really compare to Marshall Music – so hunted one of those down in Novi. I purchased a cleaning rod for my Sax and a book to take to my first lesson on Thursday at 5:30. Then mom wanted to take us to a Sonic (her and dad went all the time when stationed in texas). It was real good, can’t wait to go back sometime. Now we are resting and will go to bed by 10:00 again tonite – my friend will leave in the morning and Mom and I will really miss having her here. Hope she had fun visiting. Mom took pictures of me on the table prior to radiation today – don’t know if she will post them on the blog or not. Hope everyone has fun plans for the fourth – we saw an advertisment for a parade in Ypsalanti, maybe we can go. Happy 4th of July. Oh, and tonite Dominos Pizza brought pizza to everyone at Ronald McDonald House – we didn’t eat any, we had just ate Sonic.
second treatment
Categories: Andrea | June 30th, 2009 | by diane | no comments
Todays treatment was rescheduled for 11:00 – but everything went fine. This morning the “Just for Kids” organization gave me a huge gift basket, it was a great surprise. It contained drawing books and supplies, candy, card making kit, horse books, stuffed pig, Applebees gift card, walmart gift card and best of all a saxophone and beginner book. Mom knew all about it for over 3 weeks, because she was contacted by a lady she had been talking to at Mott Children’s Hospital when I had my surgery and that lady contacted the organization and told them how brave I have been with all of this and how fast it all happened. I feel very lucky that they choose me to get a gift basket and can’t believe I now have a saxophone so I can play in jazz band. I will also have a few lessons while here in Ann Arbor. I am very excited. If I get good enough maybe I will play the saxophone at my CMACB sometimes too. While Lauren is here we are keeping busy, so we went to a plaza shopping to day and she found a real cute dress for her sweet sixteen birthday party and we had ice cream at “cold stone” and we all really liked it. We are all tired and need to get up earlier for Wednesdays treatment that has been moved to 9:35 – they said this should be the last time they will move it.
First Treatment
Categories: Andrea | June 30th, 2009 | by todd | no comments
Hi everybody! Mom said i, Andrea, could type about today. The first treatment went great. Beforehand though, we dropped our things off at the Microtel, Dad came down for the day to be our muscle – cause we kinda brought alot of stuff. We then went to my treatment. And for my first week here in Ann Arbor, my friend Lauren came down to help get me settled in with my mom.
To me the process wasn’t scary, but mom came back to the waiting room, for the treatment patients, and didn’t like what she saw. But i won’t tell you that part. it’s kinda embarrassing and yeah. So i have to wait in the lobby waiting room with first time patients and followup patients. But that’s okay, i don’t mind.
The doctor said that I’m getting 5 beams total. I won’t go into details cause it’s kinda confusing with the technical names and everything. But i get about 15 minutes of treatment a day. My mask is very tight and I have waffle marks on my forehead and nose, for over 20 minutes after. Tonight I have hot red cheeks and cold feet, but won’t really see any side effects for 2 more weeks.
On our way back to the hotel, we got a call from Ronald McDonald House saying that we got in. After we got settled, good thing dad was still with us to be muscle again, we went and got some groceries cause we didn’t know where we would be and if we would have a fridge or not. After that me and Lauren went down to the game room here and played pool. She won only because i hit the eight ball in. then we just played around on my laptop and now I’m typing the blog. that’s about it for today. IF you want to write this is our address:Ronald McDonald House 1600 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 or email me at my address or call moms cell phone. Thanks
June 12 2009
Categories: Andrea | June 15th, 2009 | by todd | no comments
Today we had a 6:10 am appt for Andreas baseline MRI – this was to check on the progress of her inside healing so that she can begin radiation. She then had a 8:30 SIM – this was to get fitted for her mask, get a CT scan, tour the dept and learn how to self check in on the computer, change into a gown, what waiting room to be in and see the machine she would be on for treatment. If Todd has time I will have him show a picture from the book of what Andreas mask is like. She will receive 5 radiation beams – 1 in the corner of her right eye, 1 in the top center of her forehead and 3 more around her head. She may or may not loose her hair in those 3 areas, she has lost a lot of the hair that was left in front of the incision – this is due to stress of a major surgery. Also, I will not be going in the dept with her – she wanted to go in alone. As of now, Andrea will begin on June 29th – her appt is at 2:15 and this first one will be approx 2 hours long, so they can line everything up with the 3D imagining they took on friday then we will be scheduled for the same time every day for 6 weeks, hoping for a 9:30 or 10:00am time. We will be staying at the Microtel of Ann Arbor and continue to try everyday to get into the Ronald McDonald House (a more normal home away from home). We hope to see some sights, take in some culture, attend some free outdoor concerts depending on how Andrea feels as we go along and be home by the evening of August 7. So don’t forget to call or email Andrea often – she will need the support.
Appt. change 6-5-09
Categories: Andrea | June 15th, 2009 | by todd | no comments
Andreas MRI needed to be moved to the Mott Childrens Hospital Radiolgy Dept and it needed to be done prior to her SIM appt – so with such short notice to the dept, her MRI will be on June 12th at 6:10 am and her SIM appt is at 8:30. We are also hoping to go to the Kellogg Eye Center where we were told they have an eyeglass center with many safety glass options. Will have to see how Andrea is holding up, may need to do that another time. Also received news that we will be able to stay at Red Roof or Microtel for 10$ a nite during our six week stay – still going to be 420.00 plus all their taxes, but better than 80.00 each nite. Unsure if that will be a regular room or suite – hoping atleast for a way to cook some meals and save money. Today is the last day of school, kinda, Andrea still has 4 weeks worth of work to complete and tests/finals to take. Trying to iron that out with the school now, U of M teacher will help if Andrea needs it and administer tests – need to get our school to agree to that. Her U of M teacher does not know Physical Science so she is trying to get a volunteer U of M student for that. So our plans are to leave for Ann Arbor on June 28 and return on August 7, with all school work completed and ready to enter 10th grade. I will continue to post on the blog throughout the summer and can also put mailing address of where we are going to end up staying – oh, depending on if we get in and if Andrea wants to move – we may still go to Ronald McDonald House to stay, but will post that if we are. have a good summer.
Radation Oncologist Appt.
Categories: Andrea | June 15th, 2009 | by todd | no comments
A long and very informative appt today, thank you Grandma for taking us and helping listen to all the information. We will return for part two of that appt on June 11. We will start with an MRI at 8:00 am, because of her titanium plates and screws she has to have a special MRI machine that is in a special room. Then from there we will go to her 10:30 SIM appt, this will be about 3 to 4 hours and will involve a 90 minute CT – the making of her plastic mesh mask, her 5 tattoos (on the mask) for her beams, photos, introduction to the radiation machine, her body bean bag fitting and the scheduling of her 5 days a week for 6 weeks of treatment. We are told the first session will be approx 2 hours and the rest should take about 45 minutes each. We have not found a place to stay yet (that is affordable), but plan to stay right in Ann Arbor to avoid costly travel/wear and tear on the vehicle and most of all Andrea. Plus we are trying to arrange a volunteer U of M student to help Andrea with her Physical Science work, she should be able to complete all other class work independently and we are working with the U of M teacher to have her administer the class tests throughout the 6 weeks. It is work that needs to be completed from the 4 weeks she missed of the 4th marking period. She has completed and passed the 3 weeks of 3rd marking period class work – all A’s. She wants to stay on track with her 4 year high school course plan. We are hoping Andrea does not experience many of the long and short term side affects of radiation. She said she does not want to have radiation or any of the side effects, but knows she has to have it to delay the return of another tumor – so wants to get started so it will be over. That is all for this posting, I will spare you all the details of radiation. Thank you for your continued caring.
5-27-09 appt
Categories: Andrea | May 28th, 2009 | by diane | no comments
Not alot to tell that hasn’t already been done/said/heard. Was surprised that the doc Andreas Neurosurgeon sent us to was not a Neuro Opthamologist after all. He actually is a Eye Plastic and Orbital Neurosurgeon. He said we could continue our care with the Neuro Opthamologist in Lansing, unless something changed in Andreas care needs. She of course went through the long exam with a tech then intern then doc. She is starting to develop what they call an orbital island – she can see through a small hole out her right eye when she covers her left eye. She sees black/ivory/purple swirls and can see the shadowing of the upper corner of a doorway – this may improve or may stay the same, they said give it a year and then not expect anymore improvement. He could see permanent damage and said it will not be 100% again and to wear eye protection at all times and take very good care of the left eye. That was about it, but a very tiring day for Andrea so she is home from school to sleep today.
5-26-09
Categories: Andrea | May 26th, 2009 | by todd | no comments
Andrea will have an appt with the Neuro Radiation Oncologist on June 2nd at 1:00 – we will learn about what to expect and they will see if she is healed enough yet to begin radiation. Then we will return for an MRI just before radiation is to begin to be sure everything is looking like it should. I am having the two Neuro Oncologists checked out by my niece and we will also be asking the radiation team about having radiation in Lansing. We have been told U of M does it at Sparrow – but will have to get the OK from her Neuro Surgeon first.