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

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Lauren went in for her labs. There was bruising around her port, which is an indication her platelets are low and her blood pressure was high, an indication that she either has a fever or needs blood or both. They took her temperature twice while waiting for the lab results and no fever! Yeah!! If she were to get a fever she'd be admitted immediately, given antibiotics and kept in the hospital for a minimum of 48 hours (while they grow the cultures to test for infections). When the lab results did come back, sure enough, she needed both platelets and blood. The flavor of blood this week is Garmen. Thanks Garmen!

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