R.O.C.K. Ride - Little Bios

Rose

Rose was born September 23, 1998. In October 2005 she had some lumps appear behind her right ear. After tests and referrals to different doctors and while awaiting an appointment for an ultrasound she became very sick. Doctors at the local hospital sent us to McMaster. We were sent to the 3F Clinic of the Children's Ward. We were heartbroken to see all the children with no hair. I was terrified for my child. On November 15, 2005 she underwent a bone marrow test (aspiration) and we were told that she did have Leukemia. I thought it was a death sentence for her. She was diagnosed with 'Standard-Risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia' or ALL for short.

She was admitted to MAC the next day and was too sick to begin chemotherapy. She had to have antibiotics intravenously for a few days until she was well enough to have a surgery for a Hickman catheder inserted into her chest. Rose began chemo on November 20th. She had steroids, different chemo drugs, and a couple of weeks later she was able to come home for a few days. After two days at home she had to return to MAC with a fever. She had a very low blood pressure and ended up in ICU on medication to elevate her bp. She was also ill with Inflamed bowels. She had to go with no food for several days waiting for her bowels to pass. Luckily, they did and she was on the mend. She had blood transfusions, blood tests every morning.

We spent Christmas in the Hospital. So many people came through with gifts for the kids. Between Christmas and New Years she had 3 seizures. It was determined the seizures were caused by hypertension, which was from all the steroids she had to take. Fluid had collected on the brain from high blood pressure. The third seizure was on New Years' Eve, she stopped breathing on the CT scan table and was left with complete memory loss. After a few days she started remembering everyone again. I thank God she had no permanent damage. Blood pressure and anti-seizure meds were added to her many chemo meds. She was admitted to ICU again after the third seizure, sedated and on a respirator. After another week she was able to go home again.

Her brain waves were monitored and a nurse came daily to check her blood pressure. Eventually things were better again and she no longer needed the blood pressure and anti-seizure meds. She lost a great deal of weight and needed an NG tube. It went up her nose and down to her stomach and pediasure was given during the night to help her gain weight. She underwent surgery again, to replace her Hickman catheder with a Portacath. The Portacath is under the skin and allows the child to swim and bath with no worry of getting the catheder wet.

Rose was going for chemo twice a week, each week starts with a finger poke to check her blood counts. She was receiving a leg needle once a week for 30 weeks. In May 2006, Rose had an echocardiogram, two blood clots were found in her heart (caused by the leg needles). She had to have a blood thinner injected twice a day for 6 months. One clot still remains but it is inside the tube of her Portacath. Her arms got so bruised from the needles. She gradually lost weight and needed the NG tube again for the month of August.

In September 2006 she came down with Chicken Pox, and had to spend 3 days in hospital. She was released on her birthday, she was so happy, it was the best present she could get. The next month she tripped at school and landed on her hand and knee. She had a tiny fracture in her elbow. In November 2006, Rose had a bone density scan, it was determined that she has weak bones and she began taking medication for Osteoporosis.

Currently Rose is doing pretty well. She goes for chemo once a week, chemo is due to end in December. She's had a cold for awhile and it doesn't seem to want to go. She has gone to Camp Trillium in Waterford for a week last summer and again for a weekend in January this 2007. She also went to the daycamp offered by the Camp in Hamilton last summer. She absolutely loved it. We were able to go to Disney on Ice in March 2006 and Wonderland in July 2006 thanks to Help a Child Smile. These programs offered for cancer kids are just great. It helps ease some stress for the parents too. I thank God everyday for my daughter and pray she will have a full recovery with no more complications.

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