The Nihei's: Our Story
On April 1, 2008, our 4-year-old daughter, Lauren, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. After her biopsy on April 8th it was determined that she had a bithalamic anaplastic astrocytoma with extension into her brain stem.
In the beginning of March we noticed a personality change in Lauren who normally is a very outgoing and happy-go-lucky kid. She became very clingy and shy. She didn't want to talk on the phone anymore, or play on the slide with the other kids at pre-school. By mid-March, Lauren started complaining about headaches. Her pediatrician thought it might be a sinus infection or that she may need glasses. He put her on antibiotics and we made an eye appointment.
A few days later when she started holding her head funny and her headaches returned we insisted on a CT scan. That's when her pediatrician sent us to the ER at Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) for a CT scan, and when our world was turned upside down and our nightmare began...
Story continues at bottom of page
We found out Lauren will have to sit still for 30 minutes for
the radiation treatment that is every day for six weeks. We started chemo with her last night. We taught her how to swallow. She has to swallow three capsules every day for at least seven weeks.
We yelled with excitement when she did the first one. We were so
relieved. She's doing good. She cried a little at the doctors. She is getting
tired of them. She is afraid of being poked with a needle. We handle
things very well when she is strong and brave, but once she starts
crying we get very stressed.
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