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.
Archive for June, 2009
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.