Thursday, January 31, 2008

One month checkup


Alexandra had her one month doctor's appointment today. She weighed in at 10 lbs., 1 oz. and 22 inches long. That puts her in the 75th percentile for both. We had a couple concerns that we talked to the doctor about:
1. Her acne- seriously looks like she is going through puberty and we know that is normal but it seems to be getting worse. The doc confirmed that the acne peaks right around 4 weeks so we should start seeing an improvement.
2. Her fervor for eating- she gulps her bottle like she has never been provided food. The doc said that there was no harm in a healthy appetite and that we should be happy that we have a good eater....I guess having a pickie eater is more troublesome than dealing with a gulper.
3. Immunizations- with my chemo I can't be around live vaccines. The doc mentioned that the only live vaccine coming up was the rotavirus vaccine- rotavirus causes diarrhea. We agreed that Alexandra will forgo that vaccine.

All in all, a really good visit for Alexandra. Her development seems right on track and she is healthy. Tomorrow I go to round 2 of chemo, hopefully I will have as good a visit as my daughter did today.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Bath time revisited...

Thanks to diligent internet research,














we tweaked our bath time plan and had a much happier baby....

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Alexandra loves the lazy lion


Alexandra is 4 weeks old. It seems amazing that it has already been 4 weeks since she came into the world. She is doing really well- eating like a champ and starting to sleep for longer stretches of time. This week she has begun to focus on things around her. This is a picture of her staring at the picture frame above her changing table. She is so content looking at her lazy lion frame. Her one month check up is this Thursday.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

5 days post first chemo treatment

All in all, the first chemo treatment went well. Well I say it went well but I am only talking in regards to the effects on me. I have had some issues sleeping but no other side effects from the drugs. Not sure if the sleeping issue is due to having a 3 week old baby or the cancer. Maybe a combo of both.
I have an ECHO on my heart this week. One of the side effects of the drugs is to weaken the heart. This test is to get a baseline on my heart function. I am getting experience in regards to all kinds of these tests- PET, Ultrasounds, ECHOs.

Today...



...I am at work for the first time in like four weeks. I am going to post a few pics just so that I can feel like I'm keeping an eye on my girls.


Monday, January 21, 2008

Mock if you must...


More diaper/feeding trends...

Everything seems to be rockin' and rollin' in the eating and voiding departments. We are now officially on 100% bottle feedings with the start of Michele's chemo, so those numbers should start to be more accurate.

Beginning today I am hoping to start tracking Alexandra's sleeping in an effort to begin moving toward a more rigid schedule in the coming weeks. Hang on tight... there may be more graphs to pour over starting next week.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Bust out the rubber ducky...


Alexandra had her first real bath on Friday. She wasn't very happy about the actual bathing process, but she came around and was comfy wrapped up in a hooded towel post-cleansing.







Rock 'n roll.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Day after chemo treatment #1

Wes provided a really good summary of the treatment in yesterday's entry.

I felt fine during the treatment. When the chemo was being administered it felt like nothing at all. Afterward, when I stood up I felt a bit light headed but nothing else.

I started to get a headache before we got home. I took a nap thinking that it would help, but still woke up in pain. The pain grew and by the evening had a migraine. I hadn't had a migraine since I was first pregnant with Alexandra- really haven't missed them. Along with the pain in the head, and light sensitivity, I was quite nauseas. Not sure if it was the migrane or the chemo. I had taken 3 anti-nausea medicines throughout the day but still added one more. I think the migraine was generate from the tension of the last few weeks and just culminated because of the events of the day. I took a bath and another anti-nausea medicine that also helped me sleep. Wes took the entire night shift with Alexandra so I was able to sleep for 8 hours. It has been since the second trimester that I have gotten un-interupted sleep. I owe Wes big time.

Today I feel pretty good. I am getting a bit tired again but I have no headache or nausea. I am glad one treatment is done. I am still anticipating some more side effects in the next couple days but so far so good.

Thank you for all the people that have continued to provide support through well wishes, gifts, flowers and food. The generosity has been overwhelming to both Wes and me. Thank you.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Day one of chemo

Today we went to Michele's first chemo treatment. I will let her discribe how she/it felt tomorrow, but here is what went down...

We went to St. Joe's for our 10am appointment and Michele was in a pretty upbeat mood. Plus, she was looking rather cute.

We signed in and spent several minutes cracking each other up in the waiting room. The somber crowd around us appeared to be uninspired by our frivolity. A nurse, Patti, came to get us and began the tour... here are the bathrooms, there is the pantry stocked with goodies (ice chips, juice, crackers, etc.), and here is a room full of recliners with people getting chemo. I hate to describe these people as generally sickly looking, but...

Luckily, as first timers, we were shown to a private room with a bed and some privacy so that Patti could give us tons of info without interuption. It was apparently the best room and was referred to as "a room with a veiw" since the window looked out on a garden area. We found it amusing that in this garden, right next to the Cancer Care Center, there was an older gentleman enjoying a refreshing cigarette. Surreal.

Michele was happy to be getting started with her treatment, but still a bit sad that she had to endure it in the first place.

Patti sprayed on some numbing spray and plugged the IV into Michele's port, which she loves and is far superior to getting poked in the vein, and started to run saline. Then she pushed small syringes of Decadron, a steroid, and Aloxi which helps fight nausea for the next five days.

At this point Michele was given some ice chips to suck on. One of the side effects of the chemo drugs is the possibility of mouth sores. By sucking on the ice and slowing the blood flow to her mucus membranes while the drug is going in she can reduce the likelihood of getting these sores. Then it was time for the first real drug, Adriamycin. The bright red liquid was pushed in to the IV by hand using four separate syringes. This took less than an hour. Next, Patti hung a bag of the next drug, Cytoxan. It took about an hour for the bag to run.

While this was running we were twice visited by a man that we have come to call "Viking Mike". Mike is another chemo patient who had been, for the entire time we had been there, walking around and around the facility with IV cart in tow. Eventually he stop in and introduced himself by asking, "So what you got?" Michele, of course, answered, "Breast cancer... what you got?". Mike went on to describe his infliction as "Viking Cancer". That is, he couldn't pronounce the real name but only Scandinavian men usually get it so he figured it was viking cancer. Apparently there have only been five cases in Michigan and he is boastfully "number five". Truthfully he ended up being a pretty sweet guy and won our hearts by teaching us that a suitable replacement for the phrase "good bye" is a hardy "rock 'n roll".

That was pretty much it. I'll leave the rest of the story for Michele to tell. She has been kind of worn out tonight and had a migraine, but hopefully a good nights rest will make for an easier tomorrow.

Thursday, January 17, 2008


Alexandra lost her crusty little bit of umbilical cord stump last night. This means she can soon have a real bath!!






As an added bonus, we no longer have to be creeped out by the shriveled up little thing sticking out of her belly.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Alexandra by the numbers


For anyone who is interested, please find here a breakdown of daily diaper changes and ounces of formula that Alexandra had from January 5 through January 15. Diapers are broken down to just wet, or soiled (which includes those with both poo and pee). Feeding trend does not include frequent breast feedings that vary and are difficult to track by volume.

Boring? Possibly. Ridiculously anal retentive? Most
assuredly.

Do with this info what you will... but I love charts!


Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Latest from the Oncologist

No cute baby pictures in this entry...

Went to the oncologist today and she confirmed some good things:
- tumor has shrunk a bit
- cancer is located in the breast only
- protocol is the same as previously discussed- 20 weeks of chemo, lumpectomy, radiation, and herceptin shots
The best news of the appointment was that she classified my cancer diagnosis as curable. When the oncologist says that, you know it is good!!

I am ready for round one of chemo on Friday. I just want to get the treatment started. It has been almost 3 weeks since I found out that I have cancer and I want to start doing something about it. The daunting aspect of the treatment is the length- 20 weeks of chemo, 7 weeks of radiation and then take the herceptin for 9 months. Happy to get week one started.

Bath time...

Here is Alexandra post bath. This was one of the few baths that she has had that wasn't an emergency (aka, I was changing her too slowly and turned back from the Diaper Champ to find her doing the backstroke in a half gallon of urine).

She does enjoy the warm water!



This picture is dedicated to her Aunt Robin who has a phobia about naked baby pictures. Ha!

Monday, January 14, 2008

You must focus...




Alexandra seems to be starting to focus in and stare at things. She clearly prefers bright lights, bold contrasts, and her mommy. And, she loves a good foot massage!

Hey, we got to go to the hospital!


We went to get Michele's port put in today. It is a little plastic catheter that sits under the skin and will allow for the chemo and blood draws without having to get poked in a vein. She is pretty sore but happy that she won't have to endure further prodding in her already unhappy veins.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port-a-Cath

We also attended a "Chemo 101" class and learned more about the procedure and some of the possible side affects. Interesting/scary/encouraging... judging by the other people in the class, we are handling this all pretty well.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Getting ready for chemo




Step one of the ever shorter hair... Jacki hooked up the pixie cut!

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Night Owl


If you should choose to visit us between the hours of 12 am and 4 am, this is the baby that you are likely to meet. : )

Friday, January 11, 2008

Good news from the Doctor


Alexandra went to the Doctor today to get a weigh in. She was born at 8 lbs 9 oz. Last week she weighed in at 7 lbs 11 oz. The doctor was a bit concerned with her weight lost so we went back in for a weigh in.

Her weight today was 8 lbs 11 oz. She gained a whole pound in one week!! The doctor was pleased. Mom and Dad were pleased. The doctor saw no reason to have her come in again before her one month check up.

Michele also received good news from the Doctor today. The oncologist called to let her know that the PET scan from this week showed no other cancer in her body other than in the right breast.

Good news from the Doctor for the Harrington women!!!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Baby Girl


The addition of Alexandra Sabina Harrington has made Michele and Wes a family.
She is a healthy eater, more than her parents can keep up with!
I wonder how much she will weight when we take her to her next doctors appointment...
Although, she looks quite small next to Wes she is a big 11 day old.