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Bianca was diagnosed with cancer in 2007
No matter how hard the journey, Bianca always finds time to have fun and time to laugh
Every single bead represents a procedure, treatment or admission that Bianca underwent
Our new blog:
Funrazor 2009
Bianca was diagnosed with cancer in 2007
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At the beginning of June 2007, Bianca was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or ALL for short. This was approximately 2 weeks before she turned 4. The diagnosis turned our world upside down and we were completely devastated. Not only did we have to make a lot of adjustments and changes, but we did not have the luxury of time to make those decisions, it was simply a matter of jump in and do what we needed to do.
This blog is about Bianca and her treatment as well as some of the things the family gets up to.
We are constantly amazed at the courage Bianca shows throughout the process and how she just does what she needs to without complaining. She is just a typical four year old who loves being a big sister to Caitlyn (born February 2007).
It is a bit of a bitter-sweet experience: Every day that we get through is a day that we won, it is a day closer to the final day of treatment, but it was also a day that we lost, a day where Bianca couldn’t do what she used to do or perhaps couldn’t see a friend because of her low levels.
But we made the decision that we would remain positive and that we would run this race one step at a time.
No matter how hard the journey, Bianca always finds time to have fun and time to laugh
Summary of our journey - 2 Jun 07 to 11 Sep 09
- 1,322 Beads collected during this time
- 652 days of chemo (IV, sub-cut, injections into the muscle, tablets, spine)
- 142 Finger pricks, port accesses and injections
- 47 Blood Product transfusions (Red Blood, Platelets, IVIG)
- 43 Clinic Visits
- 4 NG Tube insertions
- 4 Times where Bianca lost her hair or it thinned significantly
- 20 Lumbar Punctures
- 73 Different tests such as x-rays, CT Scan, Ultrasound, Echo, nose swabs, etc
- 117 Days spent in hospital. All of these were for various infections
- 112 days where Bianca was isolated, had a fever or was neutropenic
- 1 Surgery to insert a port
- 1 Port insertion
- 16 Dressing changes
- 45 Days of IV Antibiotics (I probably missed some days)
- 4 Bone Marrow aspirates
- 41 Unusual things happened during treatment such as being on oxygen
- Bianca developed a severe allergic reaction to one of her chemo injections
- Bianca had a severe bronchospasm requiring immediate assistance
- Bianca had kidney stones
- Bianca had shingles 3 times
- Bianca was diagnosed with panhypogammaglobulinaemia
Every single bead represents a procedure, treatment or admission that Bianca underwent
Specific Links
Bianca's YouTube videos (you will need sound)
Sites we like to read
- All about Mollie
- Always Ours
- Amalah
- Annie Fox
- Baldy's Blog
- Beginning our Journey
- Ben Fights Leukaemia
- Brave Fighters
- Building Heavenly Bridges
- Chatabox
- Chloe Downey
- Claudia's website
- Confessions of a not so desperate housewife
- Counting my Abundant Blessings
- Doctor David's Blog
- Happy to be called Mommy
- Helene (who has two sets of twins!!!)
- Home Girl
- Jaylon Fong
- Johan de Beer in Oz
- Jonash
- Joy's Autism Blog
- Kyah's Journey
- Laura Blow
- Liam's Journey
- Life with Leukaemia
- Life with my Special K's
- Living the Good Life
- Living with CML
- Making Babies
- Meandsis' Weblog
- Met 'n knippie sout
- Mia's Diary of Leukemia
- Mindful Meandering
- Miss Zoot
- Mission: Smaller Me, Bigger Bank Balance in 11 months
- Mother of Shrek
- Mrs Priss
- My Year of Wonder
- Nanna Days
- Natalie and Jake
- Not Quite What I had planned
- Passion for Purple
- Peter Pirie
- Ray Hintz
- Relish
- Sarcastic Mom
- Simple Inspirations by Sandy
- So not to forget
- Stop the train, I want to get off
- Super Relish
- Sweety and Binky's big adventure
- Taylor Warren
- The Eilertsen Family
- The Smith Family Scoop
- Wouter's Journey
General Links
- Born to Bead
- Serviced Residences
- LIGHTER QUAY NORTH VIADUCT HARBOUR 3RD FLOOR (Serviced Apartment)
- We like to visit MOTAT
- We like to visit Auckland Zoo
- Child Cancer Foundation New Zealand
- New Zealand child cancer stories in the news
- Bone Marrow and Blood donation information
- Camp Quality
- Beads of Courage
- Cancer Kids
- Canteen New Zealand
- Quilts for Leukemia
- 140.6 Miles to fight blood cancers
- Dordogne Quilter
- Images of Hope
- The Littlest Heroes Project
Previous Posts
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2008
(279)
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August
(28)
- What is essence?
- It is official - I hate moving!
- Thank you!
- A hug-kiss
- Moving... again
- Some stories, good food and great company
- So proud
- You can't help laughing
- As long as it comes with chocolate
- Driving lessons anyone?
- Only one week to go...
- A sad farewell
- From the mouths of babes...
- Wishing, wishing, wishing
- The way it was meant to be
- Still coughing
- Introducing Fire Chief Bianca
- Temperature watch
- Fingers crossed...
- Blessing in disguise
- Things going great
- Meeting Goldilocks and the Three Bears... and an e...
- Steroids all done... for this month at least
- Only 1 more day of steroids for this month
- Oh the joy of steroids...
- Much better than expected
- A busy Day 29
- Doing fun things, mostly...
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August
(28)
3 comments:
Hi, I followed the link from the comment you left on my blog and I just had to check you out.
Wow, you and your family have an amazing story. Your girls are beautiful and I agree with Bianca - any food eaten with chocolate is great! I hope the move goes well, I plan to keep on following.
What a talented, hilarious writer she is! Kept me laughing right to the end!
Also how exciting about Bianca's "make a wish" visit next week. Can't wait to hear how it goes.
I also have to comment on your recent post about your move to New Zealand. Many people leave their homeland to start a new life in a new country. Your story is so inspiring and hopeful and it amazes me how well you and your family have coped with this new life with out family and friends to help you out and support you. I am sure that you have now made friends and found strong support system within the cancer community. It strikes me that you and your husband are truly a strong and independant couple. Since I started reading your blog in 12/07 I am truly amazed at how well you have handled your beautiful daughter Bianca's diagnosis with positivity and optimism. I do know how difficult this has been and think that you have made the best of a very difficult situation. You should be very proud of how well all of you have done during this transition.
Just wanted to let you know that I read your blog every day and count down the days with you
Rosemary NY USA
Oh.My.Gosh. Amy is absolutely hilarious! I have to admit that it makes me relieved I'm having a girl when I read stories like that, haha. :)
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