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
Good news! Lauren is coming home today. Actually she's going to grandma's since our house is still quarantined. Her ANC (blood counts) has shot up from zero yesterday to 750, she is still considered neupragenic (below 1,500), but she is trending up. She should be over 1,500 by tomorrow. She'll have to go back to CHLA on Wed. for a blood test and to meet with Dr. Finlay.
Lauren's next MRI has been pushed back to the 11th, which will delay the start of her next round of chemo until probably the 14th of Nov.
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