Greta is almost done with her 12th round of chemo. She'll have one more today, then we have to wait for her last antibiotic and then we'll be heading home late tonight. Once again, she's doing great with it, eating and sleeping well and lots of playing. She's even gotten used to being confined to her room.
Greta did start losing her hair last week. We started noticing that her eyelashes were getting quite sparse until there weren't any, and her eyebrows soon followed. She has a little bit of hair around the back of her head, but the top has mostly fallen out. We're surprised that after dropping a drug she started losing it after holding onto it for the past 25 weeks. She fortunately has a pretty cute head!
We've decided that we will go through with the high dose chemo with stem cell transplant following her last regular chemo treatment. Doctors say we could be here as long as a month for the whole process. We're hopeful that she'll continue to respond and recover as she has so far so that we'll be home quicker. We're allowed only a couple predetermined visitors during that time so to limit her exposure to infection. Unfortunately, Gavin will not be able to see his little sister during that time. I think that will be hard on all of us. We've become accustomed to having family time together in the evenings at the hospital.
Again, we are grateful for all the help we have received and all the prayers. We couldn't get through this difficult time without you.
Love,
The Betz Family
Monday, October 27, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Still Waiting for the Decision...
Randy discussed Greta's treatment with her Oncologist on Tuesday and it looks as though we'll be doing the stem cell transplant in about 8 weeks. For those of you counting, that would put us in the hospital most likely during Christmas. Although not ideal, we know it would be just one Christmas and we could get Greta all better by early 2009.
The transplant doctor would first need to evaluate Greta's health to make sure she is a good candidate for transplant. We're not sure yet what that entails, but based on her health so far, we don't anticipate it will be a problem. We'll meet with the transplant doctor this coming Thursday when we bring Greta in for her next chemo admission.
Once again she is doing great, up and running and playing. Greta is spending the weekend in Clarkston at Grammy and Opa's house with Mommy, Gavin, Aunt Kari and cousin Aidan. Daddy is spending a weekend home alone so he's probably enjoying his peace and quiet!
Our hearts go out to the family of Jose who lost his valiant 10 year battle with cancer this week. We are so saddened to hear of their loss. He is such a happy spirit, he was always smiling and listening to music when we passed by his room. Our prayers are for his family and friends this week.
With love,
The Betz Family
The transplant doctor would first need to evaluate Greta's health to make sure she is a good candidate for transplant. We're not sure yet what that entails, but based on her health so far, we don't anticipate it will be a problem. We'll meet with the transplant doctor this coming Thursday when we bring Greta in for her next chemo admission.
Once again she is doing great, up and running and playing. Greta is spending the weekend in Clarkston at Grammy and Opa's house with Mommy, Gavin, Aunt Kari and cousin Aidan. Daddy is spending a weekend home alone so he's probably enjoying his peace and quiet!
Our hearts go out to the family of Jose who lost his valiant 10 year battle with cancer this week. We are so saddened to hear of their loss. He is such a happy spirit, he was always smiling and listening to music when we passed by his room. Our prayers are for his family and friends this week.
With love,
The Betz Family
Friday, October 10, 2008
In and Out
Greta's 11th round of chemo was a quick one. Only 24 hours to get hydrated and administer the two drugs. One drug is being dropped just in case radiation is needed. Greta also needed a blood transfusion I believe this was her 10th or 11th one so far.
We met with Greta's doctor Thursday and discussed some possible steps to take for the rest of Greta's care. There is still a possibility of radiation although her doctors and her parents are hoping to avoid that as it comes along with certain spinal growth retardation as well as a likelihood of lung or heart damage. It seems that stem cell transplant is our most favorable option. The Tumor Board at DeVos was to discuss Greta's case today and make their recommendation, unfortunately we had not heard the outcome of that meeting before leaving the hospital today.
All we know for now is that Greta will be getting 3 more rounds of chemo which would put us right around Thanksgiving for completion.
Please continue to keep us and the doctors in your prayers as we have a difficult decision to make in the next coming months.
Thank you,
The Betz Family
We met with Greta's doctor Thursday and discussed some possible steps to take for the rest of Greta's care. There is still a possibility of radiation although her doctors and her parents are hoping to avoid that as it comes along with certain spinal growth retardation as well as a likelihood of lung or heart damage. It seems that stem cell transplant is our most favorable option. The Tumor Board at DeVos was to discuss Greta's case today and make their recommendation, unfortunately we had not heard the outcome of that meeting before leaving the hospital today.
All we know for now is that Greta will be getting 3 more rounds of chemo which would put us right around Thanksgiving for completion.
Please continue to keep us and the doctors in your prayers as we have a difficult decision to make in the next coming months.
Thank you,
The Betz Family
Monday, October 6, 2008
Weekend at Home
This weekend was terrific - for the first time in a long time, none of our plans revolved around trips to the hospital, it was all about the fun!
Greta and her family enjoyed a great fall weekend, dinner at home on Friday, and a trip to Klackle's Orchard on Saturday morning. Then Mommy and Daddy enjoyed a night on the town with several friends and neighbors, with naps all around on Sunday.
I've posted some of the pics from the weekend - enjoy!
Love,
Kari
Greta and her family enjoyed a great fall weekend, dinner at home on Friday, and a trip to Klackle's Orchard on Saturday morning. Then Mommy and Daddy enjoyed a night on the town with several friends and neighbors, with naps all around on Sunday.
I've posted some of the pics from the weekend - enjoy!
Love,
Kari
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Our Miracle Girl!
We are so excited to share the news of Greta's biopsy results! All 5 areas came back negative for cancer cells. The 5 areas were all dead cell tissue, all that remains from her tumor. This is wonderful news. This means that Greta will most likely be spared of having to be treated with radiation, which could have had damaging effects on other organs in her body.
Her doctors will take a look at the results and make the determination of how to proceed with Greta's care. The issue now is how to make sure she stays cancer free. The most likely option could be stem cell transplant. This is a high dose chemotherapy that kills off all of her blood stem cells contained in her bone marrow and then the stem cells that were collected and frozen earlier in Greta's treatment will be transplanted back. This would require a minimum 3 week hospitalization, which sounds daunting, but as long as it reduces the likelihood of the cancer returning, we are all for it.
Right now we are home and Greta's next chemotherapy is scheduled for a week from Thursday so she can recover from her surgery. We are thrilled to have a week off from clinic and shots and hopefully, barring any other fevers, hospitalizations.
All we can say is thank you, thank you, thank you. Thanks for all the prayers, we know they are heard loud and strong. Thank you for sharing Greta's story with others so that the prayer chain is far reaching.
Love,
A Happy Betz Family.
Her doctors will take a look at the results and make the determination of how to proceed with Greta's care. The issue now is how to make sure she stays cancer free. The most likely option could be stem cell transplant. This is a high dose chemotherapy that kills off all of her blood stem cells contained in her bone marrow and then the stem cells that were collected and frozen earlier in Greta's treatment will be transplanted back. This would require a minimum 3 week hospitalization, which sounds daunting, but as long as it reduces the likelihood of the cancer returning, we are all for it.
Right now we are home and Greta's next chemotherapy is scheduled for a week from Thursday so she can recover from her surgery. We are thrilled to have a week off from clinic and shots and hopefully, barring any other fevers, hospitalizations.
All we can say is thank you, thank you, thank you. Thanks for all the prayers, we know they are heard loud and strong. Thank you for sharing Greta's story with others so that the prayer chain is far reaching.
Love,
A Happy Betz Family.
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