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What started out as a site to update on our daughter's cancer has thankfully grown into a site to update on our beautiful family of four. Enjoy our journey...

Saturday, April 21, 2007

we're back....

at Children's in Omaha. Charli spiked a fever this morning of 102.5. Her white blood count is basicly zero - so we had to come down to Omaha as soon as we could. We got here and her temp was lower, but not totally - it varied from 98.9 - 99.9. I hate taking her temp, it is so hard to get a good reading. Either way, the 102.5 was too high for what her count was...and here we sit.

They are doing blood work to see if there is an infection. Her throat is red, but we don't know if that is a cause or a result of this. It sounds like we will be here until atleast Monday, when the results are back. Her counts have to be above 100 before she can leave, no fever for 48 hours, and negative blood cultures. We were goone for less than one week before returning!

We knew that this trip would happen at some point, but I wasn't expecting it to be now. I wonder what I (or we) exposed her to that we shouldn't have that could have gotten her sick. In the begining I thought no matter what choice I made it was going to be the wrong one (when to take her to childrens vs. giving columbus another try) - that is how I felt again today. Did I wait 30 minutes to see if her temp dropped, and possibly regret the wait. Or take her down and hope it was a wasted trip? Ugh, being a mom definatly needs to come with some training. How does everyone else seem to figure it out?

We hope that by morning her counts will be up to 100, or more...and that we just need to wait on the negatve cultures. I don't know what caused the fever, but as long as it goes away and her numbers are up - that is all I care about!!

I will try to post quick little updates when we learn things this weekend. Hope all is well for everyone :-)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for keeping us informed.
WE just have to keep praying.
Give Charli a hug from Grandma and also her Mom and Dad.

AndreaChad said...

Brenda,
It seems to me that the way you are handling the whole situation you were born to be a mom!! You should be giving classes to the rest of us that would not handle this with the grace and love you have shown! Keep up the great mom work!!
xoxo for Charli!!

Anonymous said...

Hey guys~So sorry to her about Charli, I hope everything turns out negative. It is better to be safer than sorry...if I were you I would have brought her to Childrens. If you need anything I will be home this weekend and I can bring up things if you need them give me a call! Sheila

Anonymous said...

Charli is sooo cute! I came to your blog through the listserv-neuroblastoma support group. My daughter is 26 months and has stage IV neuroblastoma. She was diagnosed at 18 months last August. She is getting ready for her 10th round of chemo and is currently getting radiation too. I know you are just at the beginning with this nasty beast and the road ahead feels uncertain. I will tell you it gets easier. It may sound strange to say that dealing with your child having cancer gets easier, but in a way it does. In the beginning, I only seemed to absorb what I could handle and in time as I was ready I absorbed more. I think in a way I will never fully let all that is happening sink in. I don't think many of "us" do. We take in as much as we need to to help our children and the rest we hand over to God. It sounds like you have a wonderful support group around you. You'll find that same support on the listserv. I look forward to following Charli's journey. Stop by our site to see my little angel Ila Jean. My prayers are with you!

Jennifer Rathbone
Shenectady, NY
www.caringbridge.org/visit/ilajean

NB Warrior said...

awe! I am soooo sorry to hear that little Charli got a fever. We will be praying for negative cultures.

And you are a wonderful mom and thre is nothing you did that made her sick. If it's going to happen, then it's going to happen. Nothing you can do about it. ;o) Don't beat yourself up.

Anonymous said...

Dear Brenda,

Your Charli is beautiful. I read your blog and know precisely how you are feeling (I have an NB child too). Your journal will be a wonderful record of your fight for Charli - what truth you can manage to put in it, right?

If not tough, Brenda, I don't know what either! Keep on fighting for your girl as hard as you can, as any mom of a child with cancer would fight. :-)

We hope the fever is not serious and that you are all home soon! And we will keep good thoughts and prayers for Charli.

Sincerely,

Colleen K.
www.caringbridge.org/visit/janie

Anonymous said...

give charli hugs n kisses from us !! hope she is doing better...im callin you now~jen n justin n baby widhalm

Melis said...

Hi - Been reading your posts on ACOR. Hope your little cutie is feeling better! Regarding this post - there is nothing you can really do to prevent post-chemo infections/fevers. There are bacteria in all of us just waiting for a break... sometimes they get it, sometimes they don't. Hang in there - your girl is going to be fine!
XO - NB Mom to Max www.mikulak.org