I am so very sorry that it's been a while since the last post. Let's see, what's new.

Kami went back to the hospital for a little to get rehydrated and receive a part of her chemo treatment. She had to stay for about a week until she got through some rough spots with some of the side effects. She developed ulcers in her mouth again and had to get a blood transfusion. She pushed through all of those and is doing better.

She wasn't aable to be home for Thanksgiving, but the docs released her for a couple of hours to be with us all at Grandma's house for a huge Thanksgiving dinner. It was great to see her with the rest of us, she's a big reason for why we are all so grateful at this time of year. She played with her cousins and sisters, ate a little teeny bit of Thanksgiving dinner, and sat on our laps. She was smiling and giggling and giving high fives.

She was discharged the next day and spent the weekend at home. Kami was at Spencer's , my son, birthday party, last night, and asked to sit closer to Spencer when she couldn't see him open his present's from across the room! She was in good spirits, but pretty tired and little cranky towards the end.

Tomorrow, Kami leaves with her sisters and Grandma for Pittsburgh. In the event that she needs to have a transplant or a more complicated surgery than the docs can handle in Hershey, she will need to have preliminary tests and work done before hand. They will be in Pittsburgh for a couple days. Her fourth round of chemo will start after she gets back.


Thanks to everyone who has helped and prayed and donated and done some much for my brother's family. It means more than you can ever know.

Auction

Kami's blog auction is going great, largely in part because she has the best friends.

There are TWO weeks left and lots of stuff to bid on.

Check it out at

kamiskancerauction.blogspot.com

SHE'S HOME!!!!!

Kami came home Saturday night! We love it when she is home. She was in for a week and received her 3rd chemo treatment last Wednesday. She came home 3 days later!

KAMDYN!

You are AMAZING!

This is the latest, from her father:


Well, good news and not good news. The good news is that we just saw the tumor and it has shrunk. It is about 20% smaller than it was when this whole thing started. The not good thing is that the tumor is directly over the central part of her liver. Unless it shrinks away from critical parts of the liver, she may need to have a liver transplant. So for now, we're "on the radar" with the transplant committee out of Pittsburg. After the holidays her progress will be reviewed again and the pediatric surgeons will discuss the possibility of removing the tumor. If they feel like they can not remove the tumor without damaging her liver, we will be referred to specialists in Pittsburg. She's making progress, but we're far from out of the woods. Basically, plan A is the tumor shrinks away from critical parts of the liver and it can be removed here in Hershey. Plan B, the tumor does not shrink away from the critical parts of the liver and she will need to travel to Pittsburg to have it the tumor removed. Plan C, Pittsburg decided that the tumor can not be removed without damaging the liver and Kami will need a transplant. Hence, we are now on the radar for a transplant. The good news is that Pittsburg specializes in tricky tumor removals when organs are at stake. Transplant is the absolute last resort for those guys. At least that is what we're told. Pittsburg also has the technology to actually remove both the tumor and her liver, repair and clean up effected parts of her liver, then place her liver back in her body. Anyway, that's the latest for now.



Currently she had the mediport in her chest removed today because it was infected. Accessing the port posed the possible threat of blood infection. The plan was to install a new clean port but the infection was too wide spread under her skin. As a result she will need to wait until her infection clears up to have a new port installed. A PICC line will be placed in her arm in the morning to allow for her 3rd round of chemo. Most likely she will have the PICC line throughout the duration of the 3rd round of chemo.

Going trick or treating through the hospital.

Kami had to go back to the hospital sooner than expected, on Friday instead of today. She had an infection around her port that needed attention. Today she is slotted to have surgery to place another port in her chest, in a different spot, and then receive round 3 of chemo later tonight.

My mom went to visit her last night and said Kami looked really good.

Some of the things Kami did while my mom was there:

-called mom on her cell 10 minutes before she got to the hospital to say hi and to tell my mom she was in the "hopital"

-asked to go for a walk with ther wagon and walked without the wagon a lot

-played/walked in the hospital's playroom

-played with Shannon and Bristol

My mom said she looked the best she has in a while. Her body is recovering well and adjusting great and her counts are going up as hoped. The surgeon said her tumor has shrunk "signifcantly!"

Today she is looking good. She will get knocked back down with round 3. Here's hoping her body recovers easily.

tomorrow.....

we are headed back to Hershey for a CT. we are hoping for good news. :)

Say hi to Kami!

Kami's has been home for a couple of days, and while her body has a lot to deal with, she is making progress and her counts are up a little bit. She still has her feeding tube and lost a little bit of weight, but has gained 1 pound since she left the hospital! Her body is slowly figuring out how to fight this cancer and it's doing a great job!!!!