Thursday Clinic Visit

The Start of Maintenance

Today was a HUGE milestone with Kaitlyn's treatment - she started the Maintenance phase of her treatment. This phase will consist of the same 3 week cycles for 1 & 1/2 years (until October 2010).

These cycles will consist of the following:

• Vincristine - Day 1 (same dose as previous cycles)
• Methotrexate (oral at home chemo) - Days 1, 8 & 15 (different med)
• 6-mercapturine (oral at home chemo) - Days 1-14 (same dose as previous cycles)
• Dexamethasone (oral at home steroid)- Days 1-5 (much lower dose than previous cycles)

Today's clinic visit consisted of the following:
1) Port access
2) a blood draw
3) Vincristine (Chemo)

This is A LOT milder than the past 3 rounds have been. We are so happy that Kaitlyn is in maintenance. I am hoping that this will be a lot less taxing on her body and she can start to be a lot more "normal".

Here are some pictures from today's milestone clinic visit.

Kaitlyn reading with the childlife specialists...

Kaitlyn & Jen, one of the Nurse Practitioner's at the clinic...we love Jen :-)
While Jen was examining Kaitlyn, she couldn't stop asking about her "boyfriend". She said, "I love my Dr. Keuker". But, once he came in the room, she became little Miss Shy...lol. He didn't stay long, hence I didn't get any pics of him today. I am wondering if he won't be as involved now that she is in maintenance and it is pretty routine treatment from her on out. I don't know, he didn't say. I hope that's not the case because Katie would miss being "tickled by her boyfriend" when he examines her...lol.

Kaitlyn & Jeff from Hole in the Wall Gang. He volunteer's at the hospital and Katie loves him...ok, so do Mike & I. He is one of the most lovable people I have ever met and he always makes us laugh. Today, he was teaching bunny how to eat crayons and then poop them out...ah, good times...lol.

And of course, Katie with Helen. I can't say enough about how much we love Helen. She is Katie's main nurse at the clinic and we absolutely love and adore her. She is so loving and kind and Katie calls her, her best friend :-) Today, Helen let Katie help in administering her own medicine. (OK, so she didn't let her push the chemo, but she did let her help with the saline flush). Katie was thrilled that she "did it herself".

Can't leave without a hug for her best friend!

Thank you all for everything that you do for our little girl!!!