Olga Button

Spread The Word for Olga

Sunday, June 20, 2010

We Are Still Home!!!

Sorry for the lack of posts. I think it is mainly due to the fact that my camera isn't really working anymore and usually my motivation for a post has to do with my having a cute picture that I want to post. I am afraid that I will have to suck it up and buy a new camera, I sure wish it was in our budget!! As you will see from the pictures below, the quality has gotten really poor and it won't take any pictures using the flash which of course is all pictures taken in the house.

Yes, we are still home. Ella's blood counts still weren't high enough as of our visit to the outpatient clinic last Wednesday. There is a certain number they look at called the ANC (absolute neutrophil count) which has to do with the immune system. That number is suppose to be 1000 for us to start the next round of chemo. She has gone from 534 when we left the hospital to 764 four days later and then down to 595 another four days later and then finally this past Wednesday when it was 525. So basically she is just bouncing around all over the place. According to Heather (Zoey's mom) this isn't unusual for our kiddos. And I really can't complain because it has given us an extra week at home already. I am suppose to get her blood drawn again tomorrow (monday) and if her numbers are high enough, then we will go back in the hospital either tuesday or wednesday. The good thing is that all of her other counts such as platelets and hemoglobin have looked great so thankfully we haven't needed any transfusions or anything.

Today, I put my older girls on a plane to Dallas, TX by themselves. We have tried to plan a lot of things over the summer to keep them occupied so we aren't having to stress about who has them each day. Since we used to live in TX (and love visiting whenever we can) I thought it would be fun for the girls to spend some time there visiting old friends. I was doing fine with them boarding the plane but it was watching the plane take off and rise up into the air that actually got to me. It was the strangest thing to know that my kids were up in the air without me. Thankfully they arrived safely into the arms of one of my oldest childhood friends, Michelle. Another mom of the year moment.....after borrowing my sisters camera so I could capture this first solo flight, the camera stayed conveniently in the bottom of my purse the whole time. Bummer!!

As for Ella.....the child is a human tornado!!! Seriously. She was at my mom's house last night while I took the girl's out to dinner and did a little last minute shopping. When we got back to my mom's, it truly looked like a tornado had struck. Then, today, while I took Abbey and Emma to the airport, she stayed with my sister.....same story, different address!! So, you can imagine what my house looks like daily. But, alas, I tell myself that none of this matters...be thankful that she is SOOOO full of energy.

You may be wondering why I have not mentioned anything about Father's Day today. Well, we kind of celebrated on Friday because daddy had to work today and the girls were leaving. So today was just another day for us. But Happy Father's Day to all the great Daddy's out there.

Here are a few (crummy) pictures of Dr. Ella. She got to bring her stethescope home from the hospital and the child seriously cruises around the house all day with it around her neck. It drags on the floor but she doesn't seem to mind.







And finally, a video taken by Abbey of Emma showing Ella how to do some karate moves. My favorite is the kick at the end.



14 comments:

my family said...

thrilled to hear she is doing so well...I really like the doctor look too.I amglad you all were able to spend a special day with dad.

Is the address you sent me last time still a good one? It was a hospital address

Rochelle said...

Even with a camera that isn't taking great pics she is adorable.
Glad you have had another week at home and the girls made it safely to TX.
Praying for her counts.

Bulldogma said...

I LOVE the stethoscope! Clearly she hasn't felt too traumatized by all the doctors - LOL! What a great video too!

We used to live in Dallas too! Moved to VA only 2 years ago. Both my girls were born at Trinity in Carrollton :o) Then The Skink was transferred to Med. City Dallas Children's for some surgery.
Small world :o)

Kelly said...

Happy to hear that things are going well and that Miss Ella is full of energy....you are so right, that is MOST important!! Praying that her count gets where it needs to be!

Now, of course any pic of Ella is going to be ADORABLE (flash or no flash, Ella's got it that way)!!!!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the video. Great job Abbey and Emma, not only are you a great Karate instructor, but you are both AMAZING big sisters!! That's a whole lotta love packed into that 24 seconds:)

Denise, I am sure that was very difficult to put the girls on the plane without you!! Just another thing added to your SUPERMOM list!! It's nice to see that you are trying to keep balance in your life (especially right now)!! The girls are safe and I am sure they will have tons of fun!

BTW, Landon has just begun to turn into a "human tornado" himself!! And I have the pics to prove it!! LOL I feel your pain:)

Cammie Heflin said...

I LOVE it! SO cute!

Kim said...

Love the video! I just love how that imitate everything! Ella looks like a Kung Fu Pro!

So glad Ella has been able to stay home a little longer~ we've been thinking about her a lot :-)

Your girls are going to have a great time!

The VW's said...

So dang cute!! Love, Hugs and Prayers!!!

Lacey said...

Oh what are your girls teaching Ella? How funny! I didn't put my boys on the plane, just picked them up, but those two days without them was so hard. And I worried that they would be so scared they wouldn't get on. But they had a blast, and I think it was a good experience for them. I think its great to let them go visit friends instead of worrying about hospitals and what your going to do with them!

ANewKindOfPerfect said...

It sounds like your girls are going to have so much fun in Dallas! :) I can imagine how hard it was to send them off though.

I'm glad to read (and see!) that Ella is doing well. I hope her counts go up soon so you can get on with her treatments. Let me know when you're back at CHOC, I'd love to come visit again!

And seriously, the karate video is hilarious! :)

Mama Mason-Mann said...

love the pics of Dr. Ella! I got a lump in my chest just thinking about you and your kids ascending into the air!!!! aaacccckkkkk!!! I'm sure they'll do great and how fun for them! And how brave of you! I'm sure it's hard and great all at the same time!!!!

Julie said...

Adorable! So glad she's feeling like destroying the place! Enjoy your whirlwind!!

Heidi said...

Ella you are too cute!! So glad she is still at home! I will be praying for you as you think about the next round of chemo.

Bulldogma said...

D - to answer your questions, The Skink is currently 3 but will be 4 on August 6... I can't believe my "baby" is getting so grown up!

In my 12 years in the Dallas area, I lived in Dallas, Carrollton, Addison, Irving, Grand Prairie, Frisco and Little Elm. Sheesh... I moved around a lot, didn't I?? LOL!

Y'all will be in my thoughts!!

Melissa said...

You're doing better than I am at both posting and commenting! I'm hopefully getting caught up again. I was missing my Ella pics. :)