Thanksgiving Thru Christmas

It's been awhile since our last post. As of today, Tillie has reached day 42 in her 2nd phase of treatment. In this Consolidation Phase she has had 2 planned overnight stays and each visit has had one or more different types of chemo. Tillie has had little side effects other than tiredness. Her hair is even growing back. It may still fall out as she has a lot more therapy to go through. At today's visit her numbers are down and will probably have a blood transfusion this Wednesday. Fortunately they were able to keep her port accessed for the 2 days..this is good as Tillie does NOT like having her port accessed.

Thanksgiving Day was spent at Grandma and Grandpa's. Saturday of that weekend, Tillie got to go on her first flight with Grandpa in his airplane. Emily and Ravis also got to go up in another plane and Grandma (me) went up on a 3rd. It was a short ride, but lots of fun!

Skip ahead to Christmas where Tillie, Emily, Eliza and I got together to bake cookies. We had a lot of fun! We shared them the next day at the Hearn Family Christmas party. That was fun...

The Hearn Family party was held at Auntie Melony's house in Seattle. We had great fun! The dress Tillie is wearing in the above photo was made by me for Emily in 1991 when she was 4. It's fun to see Tillie being able to wear it.

There are lots of pictures..click here to see the rest of the pictures.

Thank you to all of you who have prayed for Tillie and supported the Maier Family by your donations and by your help. We appreciate all that's being done on their behalf. We wish you all a Happy New Year!

What are you thankful for?

I'm thankful for Tillie and her fighting spirit as she battles leukemia.

So thankful that I'm asking for your help -- please support Tillie and donate to the Tillie Anne Maier Leukemia Fund.

Snow Adventure

On Monday we experienced our first winter adventure in getting Tillie to her outpatient chemo treatment.  The roads were fine in the morning on the way to Tacoma & Tillie was very excited about the falling snow.  Here she is all smiles waiting for the numbing cream to kick in before receiving the chemo intravenously through her chest port.

The nurse explained to Tillie & showed her on a doll how it all works.

Meanwhile, Ray joined me on a work conference call & we took walks around the Oncology Center. We watched the snow fall, me thinking about the drive home.

Understandably cranky & weak after treatment.

Much better after hot cocoa.

The view as we left Mary Bridge Outpatient Center -- we ate lunch in Tacoma, not knowing how long we would be stuck in the car on the way home.  It was tough when we first headed north, but we were home by 1:30pm -- not bad!

I can't quite bring myself to wish it doesn't snow (I love it & so does Tillie!) so here's hoping it still snows, just not on days when we need to get to the hospital.

You Can Support Tillie & Her Family!

Over the past two months many of you have asked how you can support Tillie -- we are finally settled and organized enough to tell you how!  The positive prognosis of a full recovery for Tillie comes only with the strict adherence to a two-year chemotherapy treatment plan.  While the majority of Tillie's medical costs are covered, the collateral expenses put additional strain on her young, struggling family.  Tillie belongs to a loving, single-income family with another child, Tillie's baby brother Ravis.  The day-to-day reality of groceries, rent, gas, diapers, car insurance and impending dental bills are piling up, increasing the burden during an already stressful time.  

The good news?  You can help!

• $10 pays for gas to and from the hospital where Tillie will be receiving weekly chemo treatments.

• $30 pays for one day of daycare for little brother so that Tillie can have her mother's full attention and care during hospital treatments.

• $50 pays for a babysitter so that Tillie's parents can have a much-needed evening out, providing them with the mental and emotional stores to respond with grace and patience during difficult times.

• $100 pays for a week of groceries, enabling the purchase of healthy foods important to Tillie's health and that of her family.

Just before undergoing surgery for a new port on 11/15/10.

Please click here or on the "Donate" button at the top right to help support Tillie and her family.  

We appreciate each and every dollar. 

"Fuzzy Head"

Our dear girl's hair finally really started to fall out, so it got buzzed.  Fortunately, she thinks it's funny & calls herself fuzzy head.  :)

Her home care currently consists of antibiotics 4 times a day through her PIC line & redressing her back wound twice a day -- here she is holding the bottle which just finished draining, so Emily is taking it out & cleaning the PIC line.  Tillie still has not restarted aggressive chemo treatments, waiting first for the wound on her back to heal.  Because of the lull in chemo, she has tons of energy & is back to being our Tornado Tillie.  Today she was in motion the entire afternoon, jumping on her bed, running around the apartment, talking excitedly & giggling.  It's so wonderful & hopeful to see -- we're enjoying it now, as it will change once aggressive chemo starts again next week.

There's No Place Like Home

Monday, October 11, 2010 Tillie Anne went home from the hospital!!! I guess that says it all! Here she is outside for the first time in over 5 weeks!!Such a happy girl!

A party dress for the occasion!

There is still a long ways to go, but going home is such a huge emotional boost for all of us..And today, October 13th, I took Ravis home to his family! The Maier Family is now back together living under the same roof!

Update - 10-10-10

This past week has been a good week for Tillie. We are seeing the Tornado we all have missed. She seems to have a lot of her energy back, but notice things like achy knees that come and go. Othertimes, she is all over! She has a car from the playroom, the kind you sit on and push with your legs and she is a wild child on that. We went to the playroom the other day and I could barely keep up with her with the IV tower!

Today Emily and Anthony are renewing their lease so, Reg and I are here with Tillie. We've already had one trip to the playroom and now it's lunch and "Cars."

There was a bone marrow aspiration on Friday and also an interthecal chemo treatment. That's where chemo goes right into the spinal fluid. Her infection is doing very well and has several more weeks of IV antibiotics. Emily will be able to administer those at home. In fact, Emily has been doing a lot of Tillie's care this weekend to transition into home care. We are hopeful that Tillie will go home tomorrow or in the next couple of days. Home care will consist of IV therapy and IV flushes. Also, changing the dressing on the incision from the surgery.

Once Tillie is home she will have mostly outpatient care, but there were will be some overnights at the hospital. Dr. Louie said that there will be ups and downs throughout this process. The infection was a fluke and that was DEFINITELY a down, but she is so much better now!