Good So Far

This week has gone well. Wren and Paula have been able to get some sleep at night, and Wren has had lots of energy during the days. She has been enjoying frequent visits from Auntie M.A., and Paula has been able to get outside for walks each day. Wren's appetite has remained strong and she has had several physiotherapy sessions to keep her legs working.


Chloë and I miss those guys a lot. We've been keeping ourselves busy so as not to dwell on it, but we've both been counting sleeps. Tonight is the last one, as we will be flying down tomorrow to reunite with Paula and Wren at the Little House in the afternoon. We think that Wren will be discharged some time tomorrow and then re-admitted on Sunday night to start the second week of treatment. This first week of treatment was to stimulate her immune system. The second week will be much harder because it includes the antibody, which causes considerable pain and requires sedatives.

 Thank you for the supportive messages these past weeks. So far, so good.

Good So Far

This week has gone well. Wren and Paula have been able to get some sleep at night, and Wren has had lots of energy during the days. She has been enjoying frequent visits from Auntie M.A., and Paula has been able to get outside for walks each day. Wren's appetite has remained strong and she has had several physiotherapy sessions to keep her legs working.


Chloë and I miss those guys a lot. We've been keeping ourselves busy so as not to dwell on it, but we've both been counting sleeps. Tonight is the last one, as we will be flying down tomorrow to reunite with Paula and Wren at the Little House in the afternoon. We think that Wren will be discharged some time tomorrow and then re-admitted on Sunday night to start the second week of treatment. This first week of treatment was to stimulate her immune system. The second week will be much harder because it includes the antibody, which causes considerable pain and requires sedatives.

 Thank you for the supportive messages these past weeks. So far, so good.

Round Four of Five

Wren and Paula caught a 7:30 pm flight tonight to Vancouver. Right about now they should be finding a room on the cancer ward, 3B, and trying to settle in for the night. We've heard that the hospital is full, but that they would find room for Wren, so I don't yet know what that really means (Paula just phoned...they've got a room in the isolation section...little more than a cubicle with a sliding glass door, but a room no less).

Chloë and I will remain in Smithers for a few more days before heading to Vancouver. We both find it hard to be separated from Paula and Wren, our spirits seems to sink a little, and I've been finding the past few weeks difficult enough already. Maybe it is the time of year or maybe it's just part of living with childhood cancer. It's something new for me.

This round of treatment is two weeks long, with a short break for the weekend. During the last time through this regime, Wren was set back quite a bit--she couldn't walk by the end due to general weakness. We are hoping that it is a little kinder this time around. Wren finds it difficult to be essentially bed-ridden for such a long time. I suppose I wasn't expecting this antibody trial to be quite so hard on her.

Chloë and Wren have been singing and dancing around the house (they've got a few new songs) and are almost too prolific with the art work. Great heaps of it are gathered nightly. I have to make sure to get up early to light the wood stove (don't worry, we've saved a select few...hundred). Chloë has plans of selling artwork or gift cards with her artwork on them to raise money for Haiti and for childhood cancer. We are trying to find a way of supporting this project, but need to find some energy to help focus the effort. Stay tuned. Maybe she will have a table next to the tortilla and maple syrup vendors at the Smithers Farmers Market.

We remain so grateful for all of your kindness and care. The support we have received has taken on a myriad of beautiful forms: letters, visits from across the country, dinners, treats, incredible quilts and blankets, messages left on mountain tops, financial support and fund raising, house cleaning, firewood, our car driven 1200 km to us, spending time with the girls, gifts and craft supplies, books and clothes, massages, and countless anonymous donations and acts of kindness. We are so fortunate to have you near us. Thank you.

With love,
P2, C and W.

Round Four of Five

Wren and Paula caught a 7:30 pm flight tonight to Vancouver. Right about now they should be finding a room on the cancer ward, 3B, and trying to settle in for the night. We've heard that the hospital is full, but that they would find room for Wren, so I don't yet know what that really means (Paula just phoned...they've got a room in the isolation section...little more than a cubicle with a sliding glass door, but a room no less).

Chloë and I will remain in Smithers for a few more days before heading to Vancouver. We both find it hard to be separated from Paula and Wren, our spirits seems to sink a little, and I've been finding the past few weeks difficult enough already. Maybe it is the time of year or maybe it's just part of living with childhood cancer. It's something new for me.

This round of treatment is two weeks long, with a short break for the weekend. During the last time through this regime, Wren was set back quite a bit--she couldn't walk by the end due to general weakness. We are hoping that it is a little kinder this time around. Wren finds it difficult to be essentially bed-ridden for such a long time. I suppose I wasn't expecting this antibody trial to be quite so hard on her.

Chloë and Wren have been singing and dancing around the house (they've got a few new songs) and are almost too prolific with the art work. Great heaps of it are gathered nightly. I have to make sure to get up early to light the wood stove (don't worry, we've saved a select few...hundred). Chloë has plans of selling artwork or gift cards with her artwork on them to raise money for Haiti and for childhood cancer. We are trying to find a way of supporting this project, but need to find some energy to help focus the effort. Stay tuned. Maybe she will have a table next to the tortilla and maple syrup vendors at the Smithers Farmers Market.

We remain so grateful for all of your kindness and care. The support we have received has taken on a myriad of beautiful forms: letters, visits from across the country, dinners, treats, incredible quilts and blankets, messages left on mountain tops, financial support and fund raising, house cleaning, firewood, our car driven 1200 km to us, spending time with the girls, gifts and craft supplies, books and clothes, massages, and countless anonymous donations and acts of kindness. We are so fortunate to have you near us. Thank you.

With love,
P2, C and W.

Wrennie and Paula are Home

A foot of snow was not enough to deter the good pilots at Hawkair from bringing my Wrennie and Paula home tonight. We are all very happy.

Wrennie and Paula are Home

A foot of snow was not enough to deter the good pilots at Hawkair from bringing my Wrennie and Paula home tonight. We are all very happy.

Discharged Today

Welcomed news. Wren was discharged this afternoon and went with Paula to spend the night with Auntie M.A. and Uncle Jim. Wren is doing well and seems to have maintained lots of energy through this week of treatment. Paula and Wren have a flight booked for tomorrow night, but I am a little anxious because the weather forecast calls for snow and flights sometimes don't make it in. For example, on our last trip north we ended up spending a night in Terrace.

Three rounds of treatments down, two to go. We return to Vancouver in two weeks for the next one.

P.

Discharged Today

Welcomed news. Wren was discharged this afternoon and went with Paula to spend the night with Auntie M.A. and Uncle Jim. Wren is doing well and seems to have maintained lots of energy through this week of treatment. Paula and Wren have a flight booked for tomorrow night, but I am a little anxious because the weather forecast calls for snow and flights sometimes don't make it in. For example, on our last trip north we ended up spending a night in Terrace.

Three rounds of treatments down, two to go. We return to Vancouver in two weeks for the next one.

P.

Extended Stay

Paula and Wren had a rough night last night in the cancer ward. Wren was having laboured breathing and was in obvious discomfort despite having finished the antibody infusion. Her breathing rate climbed as her breaths grew shallower and her oxygen saturation (glowing red toe sensor) dropped. Even with supplemental oxygen, Wren's saturation remained too low. Paula endured a sleepless night while trying to comfort Wren and figure out what was going on.

The week had been going really well, better than expected. Visits from grandparents and Auntie MA kept Wren happily busy. Paula even got to escape the hospital for an hour or so on most days to go for a walk and buy groceries. Wren's energy remained high and her appetite strong. All was smooth sailing, or so we thought.

We have tried to learn not to get ahead of ourselves, to allow events to unfold as they may. This was yet another reminder.

The good news is that she is feeling much better right now and she may be home by the end of the weekend (see, I never learn). We are still not sure what was causing the pain but suspect that it was a combination of the effects of the antibody with a cold virus and pretty bad constipation brought on by the bed-rest and pain medication. Now things are moving again and Wren is feeling much better. Paula is hopeful for a better night, maybe even a discharge in the morning (early afternoon).

As you can imagine, Paula is exhausted. Chloë and I are holding the fort, we've been making birch bark Valentines cards for her kindergarten class (poor kid, stuck with botany obsessed parents). We really missing those two.

Love P2, C and W.

Extended Stay

Paula and Wren had a rough night last night in the cancer ward. Wren was having laboured breathing and was in obvious discomfort despite having finished the antibody infusion. Her breathing rate climbed as her breaths grew shallower and her oxygen saturation (glowing red toe sensor) dropped. Even with supplemental oxygen, Wren's saturation remained too low. Paula endured a sleepless night while trying to comfort Wren and figure out what was going on.

The week had been going really well, better than expected. Visits from grandparents and Auntie MA kept Wren happily busy. Paula even got to escape the hospital for an hour or so on most days to go for a walk and buy groceries. Wren's energy remained high and her appetite strong. All was smooth sailing, or so we thought.

We have tried to learn not to get ahead of ourselves, to allow events to unfold as they may. This was yet another reminder.

The good news is that she is feeling much better right now and she may be home by the end of the weekend (see, I never learn). We are still not sure what was causing the pain but suspect that it was a combination of the effects of the antibody with a cold virus and pretty bad constipation brought on by the bed-rest and pain medication. Now things are moving again and Wren is feeling much better. Paula is hopeful for a better night, maybe even a discharge in the morning (early afternoon).

As you can imagine, Paula is exhausted. Chloë and I are holding the fort, we've been making birch bark Valentines cards for her kindergarten class (poor kid, stuck with botany obsessed parents). We really missing those two.

Love P2, C and W.