Back to School 2009!

Kenzie was feeling great this morning, no fever and all smiles so off to school she went (at least for a little while until we see her doctor for a follow-up appointment). For the first time she and her sister A are in the same school together. A very exciting morning for all!

Little B may be a little too familiar with medical procedures. A doctor in the making perhaps?

Kenzie had a good night last night, fever is still hovering between 99 and 100.5 but her white blood cell count is trending down towards normal. It started at 37,000 on Friday and is at 24,000 this morning. Her biggest concern is getting out of her room but since she is on droplet precautions they dont want her to leave. We never know what she will do next we are hopeful she will remain the same or better today and be allowed to go home this evening. Check back later, I seem to recalling saying this before! Around May 7th.

We checked into Children's tonight at 7 pm. Kenzie has been running a fever for a week and is leaving us with....get this....more questions than answers! No ear infection, no strep,no UTI, no digestive issues. Nothing, nada to give a clue what's going on other than very elevated white blood cell counts and a fever. CT scan didn't show an abscess as they expected but rather her Gall bladder may have rolled over on itself leaving a "second mass" on the films. Seems to not be a concern.hmmmm something tells me this may come back. Mental note: gall bladder. Chest x-ray seems clear for now.
Her fever is down tonight and she is sleeping soundly. In fact, I think she sleeps better in the hospital than she ever does at home. Now, that doesn't seem fair. We were finally admitted up to a room at 4:30 am. We will likely be here 48
hours for observation.
Going to sleep now.

Go Rockies!

Mackenzie had the opportunity yesterday to be a "Celebrity Bat Kid" for the Colorado Rockies! Yesterday afternoon we arrived at Coors Field where she got her own Bat Kid locker filled with a shirt, hat, Bat and Sharpie pen, and other goodies. From there they (with dad and 2 other bat kids) went down to the field where they were able to get their bat signed by some of the players followed by a tour of the inside of the ball field including the "baseball humidor"! After the tour, they returned to the field to be introduced during the pre-game show and appeared on the jumbotron! It was a great day! Kenzie was feeling great and Dad had fun too. The day was topped off by a win by the Colorado Rockies!!!

Bat Kid Lockers

Hug from A before Kenzie goes off on her adventure

A and mom did some exploring of our own.

Bat Signing

Kenzie's 5 Seconds of Fame!!!

Little Leggers

I've been told its time for an update! Well, 6 weeks have passed and Kenzie's major antibiotics and antifungals have run out. She transitioned to just a daily dose of amoxicillian which she will be on for a minimum of 2 years (since she no longer has a spleen to fight off little infections, those can turn into big infections fast!). She spiked a low grade fever for a few days during this transition which frankly scared the be jesus out of me and caused infectious diseases to give a phone call to see what was up (still having weekly blood draws) however her body adjusted and the next blood showed back to normal. I'm hoping I will become a little less sensitive and not have near panic attacks every tenth of a degree on the thermometer!

Her cast on her right leg has been removed. The incisions have healed nicely (although she's a little like a porcupine, there are little stitches coming through the skin right now that are very pokey, sorry too much information maybe?). She received her new orthotics on the same day which I'm very glad for because her right ankle has very little to support it and I'm afraid I'm going to break it (so much muscle was removed during the 4-compartment facsiotomy). Her right hip will likely need a second correction for dislocation it is causing her some pain.

Right now I'm so glad to have her home, she is going to summer school for a few hours each day for 3 weeks this summer which helps her return to normalcy, however, I still feel like she's a china doll on the edge of a high shelf that could fall to pieces at any moment!

With her Challenge Room teacher

With her 3rd Grade Teacher

About 100 kids lined the sidewalk as we pulled up!

MA-KEN-ZEE!  MA-KEN-ZEE!  MA-KEN-ZEE!

Yesterday Mackenzie was able to attend a few hours of her last day of school.  When we pulled-up to drop her off the entire 3rd grade was lined up with banners along the front sidewalk of the school chanting Ma-Ken-Zee! over and over.  It absolutely brought me to tears having been fully to hell and back and overcome with the power of miracles, the kindness of others and the quiet but constant loving support of family and friends!  I can't possibly think of a way to thank everyone that would equal what they have given us.