Chemo here we come. . .

Today we spent almost two hours meeting with one of Stella's neurooncologists, Dr. Hastings.  We received a ton of information that I am still digesting.  The short of it is that Stella starts chemo next Tuesday, August 20.  Thankfully, Children's Hospital Oakland operates a clinic in Reno and Stella is able to do her chemo there.  She will be on Carboplatin and Vincristine.  Her protocol will last approximately 58 weeks.  She will have 10 weeks straight of chemo, then a 2 week break.  Then she will go onto "maintenance," which consists of 4 weeks of chemo then 2 weeks off.  She repeats that 4/2 cycle 8 times for a total of 48 weeks.  The weeks she gets Carboplatin (which is most of the weeks) we will be at the doctor's office for approximately 4 hours, so I am going to have to come up with lots of creative ways to keep her occupied.  I am sensing a lot of Wiggles in my future. . . .

She will have an MRI in 6 weeks, and another MRI 6 weeks after that.  They will likely go to every 3 months after that.  We will be watching to see if the tumor stops growing, shrinks, or continues to grow.  If the tumor is not responding, we will switch up the chemo.  Hopefully this chemo will work well since, according to the Dr., this protocol tends to have less side effects on the patients than the others. 

Dr. Hastings says it is "likely" Stella will lose her hair, although she did say that some kids don't.  Stella will probably feel nausea, low energy, some loss of appetite and at times her immune system will be very low.  If you are visiting ever during these times, just know we are going to have to be extra vigilant with the hand washing, etc.  And don't even think about getting near Stella if you are sick.  Those who know me well are probably laughing because I am the parent whose kids are always rolling around in the dirt with a runny nose.  This is going to be an adjustment!!!! 

We will be seeing a hearing doctor to monitor her hearing because one of the side effects of Carboplatin can be some hearing loss.  There are various other side effects that Stella could experience, but we will just deal with them if we have to.  We are also going to have a consult with Dr. Finlay out of Children's Hospital LA.  He is one of the leading doctors in pediatric brain tumors and Dr. Hastings is going to meet with him to discuss Stella and keep him in the loop.  I am glad he will be on our team. 

So, tomorrow Stella and I head to Oakland and will spend the night at my friends Moira and Daniel's house.  I am excited for Stella to get to play with their daughter Evie.  Then on Wednesday morning Stella will have a short surgery at Children's Hospital Oakland to insert her chemo port.  That is a permanent port that they put in her chest under her skin that hooks directly to a major vein.  That way they don't have to put in an IV every time she gets chemo - they just stick a needle into the port.  We will hopefully be back home by Wednesday night. 

Rob and I both have big stomach and head aches right now trying to digest all of this, but we will get through it.  I hope that once we get started and we get into a routine it will feel less stressful.  We just feel so bad for Stella and all she is going to have to endure over the coming year.  She has already been through so much and has no idea what is coming. 

Enough of my pity party. . .  this is going to have to be a productive week because next week is going to be busy!  Max and Eli start school on Monday (Max in first grade, Eli in kindergarten) and Stella starts chemo on Tuesday.  Send good thoughts to Stella this Wednesday during her surgery and next Tuesday during her first chemo appointment.  xoxoxo