Oh my what to update over the last 2 weeks! I cannot believe it has been two weeks since our last update!I will update with Pictures to make up for the delay between updates!
McKenna is doing wonderful! We enjoyed and celebrated 2 years since McKenna’s diagnoses, Super bowl Sunday February 7 2010. Someday Superbowl Sunday will just be Superbowl Sunday. I must admit emotionally this year was easier than last year. Maybe it will get easier each year!
McKenna had NO desire to get dressed on Superbowl Sunday. So she spent the whole day and party in pajamas at Granna’s house! Some battles are not worth fighting with a toddler. There is nothing wrong with wearing Pajamas all day some Sundays!
McKenna has started taking the Bus to school, because she really really wanted too! She told us every day “Mommy/Daddy when it Mckenna turn ride yellow bus to school? Not today… Maybe tomorrow?” So we went ahead and signed her up to take the bus! She loves waiting for it in the mornings. She tells me “I am going to go on my yellow bus to school. It okay I gonna leave you mommy!” I enjoy waiting for her in the afternoon. She is so sweet running of the bus to tell me all about her day!
McKenna also made her first Valentines for school! It was so sweet! There are only 10 kids in her class so it was very sweet to hear her talk about all of them and their Valentine ’s Day!
(Side note: Just noticed uploading these pictures that her “Christmas Monkey” pj’s seem to be her Favorite lately! Both Superbowl Sunday and then 2/11 as well!)
McKenna’s next set of scans will be March 6th and 7th. She will have her usual MIBG (Specific to Neuroblastoma) and CT. This time she will also have an Echo and EKG just to take a look at her heart. She is monitored closely for side effects from such high dose chemo and investigational treatments. It is routine. We did recheck her urine this last week because her urine levels (VMA/HVA) had been elevated last month. We wanted to check them again before scans, just to see what they are doing. Dr. Eshun is not worried about it, so we are not going to worry about it unless we are told otherwise!
McKenna is so psychologically conditioned when she sees Phoenix Children’s Hospital she gets So excited and has her “Routine” that must be followed! Even just going in to give a little pee can take 20+ min with this little lady. First you have to walk up to (the old) main entrance and say “Good morning! May I want stamp please?” and get two stamps, one on each hand, from the front desk ladies. She always says “Thank you!” Then you must go back outside to the outpatient clinic (where we would usually see “Her” Dr. Eshun, just not today) and go pee pee in the cup. Which she does amazingly well for a 3 year old! She cracks me up because EVERY TIME she announces “I pee pee in cup! Not on mommy’s hand!” After she potties she has to be the one to walk her pee pee to the lab. Where she tells the lab ladies “Good Morning! May I want Sticker please?” gets stickers. Says “Thank you! Have a good day! See you later!” Lastly, before returning to the parking garage you have to go back again to (the old) main entrance and see the front desk ladies for another set of stamps, again one for each hand, but this time you say “Thank you! Have a good day! I see you later!”
Considering she could have some form of PTSD or traumatizing memory of the hospital I much prefer the routine of stamps, stickers and smiles! During all of her treatment I only remember one day, just one, that she did not want to go to the doctor, she did not want stamps or stickers. Only one day in her 2 years of going to Phoenix Chlidrens has she ever said “Please not today. We go tomorrow.”
It is truly a beautiful journey when you think of it all that way.
Every year the Children’s Miracle Network and Phoenix Children’s Hospital do a “Fashion Show” Luncheon and silent auction. Last year McKenna was inpatient receiving treatment so McKenna was only able to participate in the Inpatient little fashion show they did on the Oncology floor for fun. She really did have a great time walking the little cat walk. This year we are happy and excited for McKenna to participate in the actual “Twist and Shout” Fashion Show at the Biltmore on March 4th. We are blessed and excited to help Children’s Miracle Network and Phoenix Children’s Hospital in any way we can. Their amazing medical team has been so supportive from stamps and stickers to life saving treatment. Words could never express how much both wonderful companies mean to us. Thank you for giving McKenna a Second Chance.
(Last Year on the Oncology Floor)
Wow did not realize how long this update became! Sorry will try not to go so long between updates again! Hope you enjoy the photos and great news!
Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers and support.
