Abby's Journey

We'd like to invite you to read Abby's Journey from the beginning. We hope that her story may help a family who is facing the same battle with DIPG. We are praying for a cure and are praying for every child who is diagnosed with cancer.

This is Abby's story.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Treatment Info

We are in St. Louis tonight and had gone to the St. Louis Children's Hospital earlier and spoke with the nurse who is in charge of the clinical trial.  She gave me the chemo with explicit instructions that Maegan is not to be near it and I have taken that to heart!  The nurse explained to us that Abigail is the first person to be involved in this clinical study, and that they have tested SAHA before with great results on tumors, but this time they are testing how the chemo reacts with radiation.  She told us that the SAHA alone has had great results against tumors, and this is the first time that they are testing how well it works in conjunction with radiation.  If she gets adverse affects from the chemo, then they will lower the dose (from her 3.3mL current dose).  If it continues to have a negative impact on her, they will discontinue the SAHA during the duration of the radiation.  After the radiation then, they would put her back on the SAHA at what they know to be an affective dose for the year.  We are really excited to get this started!


They gave us some new medications for Abby, one for nausea, one for her stomach to keep her from getting nauseous, one for any diarrhea, an antibiotic to keep her from getting a form of pneumonia, and a prescription mouthwash to help her mouth and throat from sores from the chemo.  Luckily, the nausea medicine, according to Abby, tastes like cherry soda, and the chemo tastes good too!  That will make taking medicine much easier.  I made sure that Maegan was on the other side of the house when I got the chemo out and into the injector, and then I would not let her get close while I gave it to Abby.

We are feeling optimistic and energized at this point, knowing that we have an army of angels on our side fighting with us.  Abby is very excited for her party on Sunday and we just thank God for the little miracles that he shows us and gives us daily.

Abby's therapy is scheduled for 7:30 am tomorrow and should only take about 20 minutes to complete.  Then it will probably take around an hour for her to wake up from the sedation, and then we will come to Grandma and Grandpa's house to pick up the other little girls, and head home for a couple of days.  Please keep my Abby in your prayers!  If you saw the news story on her, you have seen how strong and brave she is!  We know that it is from the power of prayer!  

1 comment:

When Abby smiles, the world is a brighter place. said...

I wish we could be there on Sunday. Please take a lot of pictures and have someone bring a video camera.

<3 the Utah Jensens

2 Timothy 1:7

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.