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
Day 11: Very long day at the hospital. Lauren is now receiving Thiotepa (chemo) via IV in addition to her Temador (chemo via capsul) and Etoposide (liquid form). I'm not sure if it was because Thiotepa is so strong or because she was getting so much of it at one time, but Lauren needed to be hydrated for an hour prior to the chemo (via IV) and then hydrated for four hours afterwards, and..., she needed to be scrubbed down and washed before we could leave. We didn't get out of the day hospital until almost 7:30 pm (the day hospital closes at 5 pm).
Even with all of this chemo in her system, Lauren continue to be in a good mood. Here's a video of the girls watching the Lion King. At least Lauren is still feeling well enough to laugh.
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