September Favs!

SISTERS! Olivia is very protective of her baby sister Alexia...
Mommy and Olivia Painting our toe nails and finger nails...each one had to be a different color!

The girls hangin' out with daddy while mommy was in the hospital!

Have you seen these girls toys??? They prefer to play with the car seat box...

...and the barbie condo LOL

...The girls helping daddy bake banana bread - an O'Neil household fav!!!

Mommy and Alexia....Look at all those teeth - she has SIX now!!!

Alexia LOVES to look out our front window...and jump on the baseboard heater :(

Beautiful girls!

The O'Neil's with Nanny and Grampa - I think they are at the Perth fair...

Princess!

Sleepy girl...too much excitement at the fair!

On the carousel!

Trying to escape out the back door!

HOME

As scheduled, i underwent my ASCT on September 16,2010 - but not without some complications unfortunately. That said, i did receive my stem cells back and now i wait to recover...

The complications, mainly as a result of the high dosed chemo before hand and a number of unpleasant side effects in combination with a plummeting blood pressure (with fainting) during the actual procedure. This caused allot of excitement and about 15 doctors and nurses in my room during the procedure and for sometime after. Thankfully most of this is a blur to me.

Unfortunately, it did land me in a two week hospital stay that was not expected and eight straight days that I was unable to see or talk to my children.

A little over 2 weeks later I am home now but incredibly weak. I am able to do very little physically. Regardless it is nice to be able to see my children, even if it is just a couple hours each day. I wish i could play with them more - but that will come....

I have to return to the hospital this afternoon, but hopefully only for blood work, some hydration and a visit with the doctors. I suspect i will be officially discharged and that means only weekly (not daily) visits to the Mod L clinic for followup. I look forward to the small breaks from the hospital where i can work on getting my strength back and slowly returning my life to normal.

Sometime later this month i will consult the radiation specialist again and come up with the final plan. Most likely the month of November i will be receiving radiation.

I`d like to comment on how amazing my husband has been holding down the fort and taking such amazing care of our children. It is obvious since i`ve been home how close Brad and the girls have become the last couple weeks. He is and excellent husband and and amazing father and for that I could not have chosen a better life-mate. Thank you babes.

I also need to thank everyone who has stepped up to help us...with the house, the kids, sending cards, sending food and treats - we really can not express how much we appreciate the generosity.

Of course we owe special thanks to our parents especially for making sure that each of us is taken care of as well as our children...thank you.

Each day going forward i pray for strength and hope to get stronger each day...it will come, i just need to be patient. Please continue the prayers on our behalf....

I will update more as I can and this week i`ll work on getting some new pics of the girls up :)

Love the O`Neil`s xo

Lymphoma Website

ASCT Update

*Started the high dose chemo protocol last Friday for the Stem Cell Transplant. Am trying to do as much of the transplant as out patient so that I am able to be home with Brad and the girls, but that means we must keep a very clean and very healthy household. Also pray that i do not come down with any fevers or that no one in the house comes down with anything as well. On that note - another friendly reminder for the next while about not visiting (or have us visit you) if there are any illnesses about (no matter how minor it seems to you)...
I return tomorrow (Wednesday) for my next chemo then again daily from Friday until Wednesday for 24 hour infusions. I will have my Stem cells returned to me on Thursday and hopefully a steady recovery from there. It`s estimated recovery can take anywhere from 3 to 6 to 12 months ish to recover from this procedure.
Also as discussed previously - it is likely I will receive radiation and this will be discussed further with the specialist again on October 27th.
That's about all I have to update for now. As always, thanks everyone for the prayers, thoughts and support...oh - and of course the FOOD lol :)
Love the O`Neil`s

Some August Favs!

Beautiful girl after a hard days play!
Planning something?

Sister love - i love it!

Old time friend Alex and her two children came to visit us all the way from BC...It was nice to see them and catch up after SO many years!! This is us with Gabriel, Dimitri, Olivia and Alexia!

Olivia and Gabriel.

Playing at Gibson and Maguires place!

Alexia and Boyfriend,,,

Brothers...

Always fun in the bath!

Alexia at playtime for kids!

Olivia at playtime for kids...

Alexia at our park...

Olivia at our park..she's finally big enough to go on the big girl swings and she is so proud!

My sleeping angel...

Daddy and Olivia at the Ex...

Mommy and Olivia at the ex...

Trip to Omega Parc

The O'Neils

Updated info as i know it:

*Had CT Scan (to use as baseline test) last Thursday (results are complete, I'll find out the details of them next week)
*Had a Lung function test today to use as baseline tests and to determine the type of high dose chemo I will receive as a part of the transplant.
*Have an apt with a radiation specialist next Wednesday to discuss radiation options
*I am scheduled for my "Planning Session" next Thursday and will have firm transplant dates, but it looks like all will likely start that weekend the 28th/29th.

**********************************************

I had a followup appointment last Friday at the clinic. I don`t know much more than I did before really. My blood work counts are currently extremely low (to be expected post chemo), so I am at risk for infection which means extra cleaning and hand washing at the O`Neil residence. I`m pretty tired right now due to the low blood counts but otherwise feeling OK. I`m pleased that i was able to tolerate the last chemo fairly well and again with little nausea (thanks to my magic pills). The stress of this all still plays hard with my emotions - but I'm managing best I can.

I should find out possibly Tuesday the dates for my next scan which will be used to determine how much further the tumor(s) have shrunk as well to use for baselines. I suspect the scans will be in about 2 weeks. I also suspect the week after that will be a meeting with the doctors to discuss the transplant which i am anticipated to undergo either the last week of August or first week of September.... We did discuss radiation again - and I will most likely receive some form of radiation as a part of the treatment this time around. Either total body radiation during the transplant or a determined course of radiation after the transplant. This will be discussed again after the scans and with a specialist.

The 7 days of the transplant protocol will be very difficult. I will undergo 7 days of chemo and an infusion of my stem cells back (as well possibly radiation). It will be the most toxic chemo i will have received yet. I will be left with no immune system and at very high risk for infections etc. I`m going to try and do as much of this as out patient so that I may spend most of my time at home if I am well enough. Days that I am not well enough I will be admitted to the hospital.

Like I said, I will be at high risk of infections due to my recovering immune system for a number of months after the transplant. I`ll remind everyone that during this time, it is SO important to not visit or have us visit if anyone is ill. Especially since we`ll be getting into flu season as well soon. Another challenge we`ll have is keeping Olivia well since she does attend daycare. We will likely keep her out of daycare if there are any illnesses there to try to avoid spreading them at home. We`ll play this by ear.


Brad will be taking some time off during the transplant to be with the girls as we continue to try and keep things as normal as possible for them during this time. We will be taking up everyone on their offers for help during this time as well.

Also, here's agood time to make a shout out (and great big huge THANK YOU) to our friends Andrea and Brad who drove all the way from Barrie, ON carting a number of coolers FULL of freezer meals!!! Our freezer is packed and that is awesome! Thank you EVERYONE from Barrie and Belleville who sent their homemade meals along - I understand there are meals that came from a number of households!!! Seriously - we appreciate the food!

The hair came off today. I though Olivia would be traumatized. She was totally fine...helped Grandma cut it and daddy shave it... We have been explaining to her about mommy`s hair falling out and why. She is mostly concerned if I will still have a head when my hair falls out. Good question - some days I wonder myself. We also shaved daddy's head - with a Mohawk!

So - time to enjoy the next 2 weeks as I don`t have to make any visits to the hospital as far as I know. Life can be somewhat normal for another two weeks. I look forward to hanging out with the girls as usual :)

MORE BIRTHDAY PICS from the second 3rd bday party!!!

Alexia was fascinated with the helium balloons!
The pool - always a big hit!!! (Jordan , Olivia and Gibson)...

Me with my Godson Wyatt...

...and with his baby sis, Sydney!

Baby Maguire!

Baby girl with daddy...getting out the bubble machine!

Mya and Olivia playing with the New Barbie Condo!

BFFs!

Alexia helping her big sis tear into presents - Alexia was right into it - it was very cute!

PRESENTS! Gibson gave Olivia an awesome frames collage of varies play dates they've had over the last 3 years - Super-cute!

...The cake and singing...

...friends Wyatt and Jordan playing....

Cutie COUSINS, Mya and Olivia

Auntie Nadia and her wee man Tristan...

Sisters:

Mommy and Daddy with our THREE year old:

FAMILY: Our children are so blessed to have such wonderful, caring active grandparents - THANK YOU all for everything you do for us and our girls!

The girls with Nanny and Grandpa:

The girls with Pops and Grandma:

Auntie Andrea and uncle Brads great ART work: