Embolization

January found us back up to Primary Children's for Embolization - Doxyrubicin - the red devil was surgically placed in River's liver.  Chemo beads are inserted into the vein that then blocks that vein from blood flow.  Cancer grows very fast and so not having blood flow strangles it.  The chemo beads then slowly dissolve leaving the chemo right on the areas to be targeted.
The surgeon prepped us by saying that he would do the best he could to place the chemo in the vein that it needed to be in.  He also said that there was another area that he would try to get to to place the chemo but that it was behind the tumor and up near the diaphragm in a very tricky place...he would try.
The head surgeon on River's case - that will cut out the cancer from the lungs and the liver popped into the surgery to see how it was going.  Both the Surgeon and the Head Surgeon were SO excited to tell us the news!  The embolization went SO well!  They were able to place the chemo EXACTLY where it was needed - in both spots.
The surgeon came up to our room later that night to check on River and show us pictures of the veins in the liver.  He showed us before and after pictures that already showed a difference - in the 3 hours of surgery - that it was already working.
AND he showed us a possible vein in her liver.  A very abnormal vein that is usually not there.  It just so happens that this vein is in the Perfect Spot and feeds a sliver of the healthy part of the liver we are trying to save.  Shout for Joy!  This was a major obstacle in that they needed to find a good vein, and here it is!
This was a big hurdle to jump!  The Head Surgeon was very excited to find out about this abnormal vein and how well the chemo was placed as it least gives a possible treatment where there was not much hope before.
Tuesday River got Carboplatin chemo as well as doxyrubicin, Wednesday more doxy and Thursday more doxy still.  She has been surprisingly well for all of this!  Her nausea has been manageable with meds and we are very grateful to be out of the hospital.
AFP:  5,890.  Beginning of November was 21,000 and beginning of December was 19,000.  This was a great decrease that the oncologist was really happy about.  She told me all is going better than hoped for!
Plan from here:  February 2nd more scans to see where things are.
February 3rd:  Either Surgery for left lobe of lung or more chemo - depending on what scans show.

We went to pick up Silver from school!

Snowball fight with Paca

Sum Sums

More sweet summer!

Silver and River showing the rock they carved to look just like this picture in back of them.  

Dancing

Tanzi cleaning the floor.

Tanz LOVES to clean the floor - either with a swiffer or wipers.  

River being wheeled from surgery recovery to her room.  She was really light sensitive after waking up from surgery - the towel over her eyes helped a lot!  Love the polar bear - her favorite animal of them all.

Her newest addition to her clay nativity set she is making:  

Angel and donkey.