Yesterday, we went to the always fun, always successful St. Baldrick's event at Dell Children's. We had several friends shaving for the brave, and we also go to catch up with old friends we don't see as often at the clinic - kind of a reunion of sorts. It's a good thing that they're moving on and away from treatment, but it's always nice to see how everyone's doing and catch up. There were delicious cupcakes from the fabulous Becky and Bountiful, music and games, and - Ivy's favorite - the miniature horses from Minis and Friends. At last count, the fundraising total for the event was over $100K! An afternoon well-spent, indeed!
We put our handprints on the Hope-Strength-ATX sign from ColorCancer.
The Batmobile was there, too!
The report from Georgia's clinic appointment on Wednesday was mixed: strong counts; weak bones. The bone density scan confirmed that she has osteoperosis. While we don't necessarily have to suit her up in bubblewrap, we do have to address and treat this as soon as possible to avoid any further damage or fractures. Next stop is endocrinology and a thorough look at her hormone levels, and then we should be able to put together a plan in addition to just boosting her Vitamin D level. Weight-bearing exercise is a great way to build your bones, so we're looking at getting an elliptical machine for her to try, and, as always, she'll just keep swimming.
While we're not really surprised by the diagnosis, it's still a glaring reminder of the cost of treatment. Steroids and chemotherapy are necessary evils, and we're so thankful that of all the possible effects Georgia could be dealing with, this is one that we can do something about, to some extent. But I have to believe that there's a better way to treat and cure these children. Dr. Neff said it was his fault that Georgia's bones are weak, and I said it was also his "fault" that her leukemia is gone, so I think we'll call it even.
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