Update

I had a harder time finding time last week to post. Michael went back to San Antonio for the weekend to catch up at work so I had to do Rach's appointments by myself. Michael's mom, Penny, has been staying with us to help with Emily. We're so lucky to have her because I can't take care of both girls right now. Due to the swine flu, Emily is not allowed at any MD Anderson facilities at all. Penny keeps her for me so I can take Rach back and forth. We've been lovingly and jokingly calling her the "granny nanny" because she does laundry as well! :) Emily is crawling and pulling up on everything so she wouldn't be very easy to take to the appointments anyway- it has worked out great having Penny here!

Rach is on her 3rd week of radiation. She has had 10 doses so far. This weekend was pretty eventful! The Oncology nurse called on Friday to tell us Rach needed a blood transfusion but they couldn't get her in on Friday so we had to wait for Monday. It's a pretty standard thing for cancer patients to need transfusions due to the harsh drugs in their system but Rach has never had to have one this whole time. Saturday she was very pale, lethargic, and vomitted more than usual. We thought she just needed blood so we took her in to the emergency clinic at the hospital to get her some. Turns out it was just the side effects from the radiation- it's pretty hard on her system! Her blood count came up on its own so she didn't need blood after all- YEAH! Just wish we didn't have to sit in the ER for 3 hrs to figure that out. We told Rach she has super blood because she always miraculously rebuilds her counts on her own. Don't know if she'll be able to keep it up with the radiation but we're greatful for making it this far without any transfusions. :) Having the weekend off from treatments helps her get strength and her body has time to recover some.

I am very worried she's about to lose her hair. :( She is shedding pretty bad right now but so far she doesn't have any bald spots. I know that there are worse things that could happen right now but it isn't fun to shave your daughter's head- this will be the 3rd time to have to do it. We have an MRI on Wednesday to see how everything is responding so I will make sure to post those results. We are very hopeful things are working. :)