Lauren Nihei: Readings from Lauren's Cousins

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

Monday, April 26, 2010

Readings from Lauren's Cousins

Dear Lauren,

There are many things that I will miss about you. The way you use to give me hugs. Taking baths together whenever I slept at your house or when you would come to visit Grandma and Grandpa Nihei, playing dress up and just being silly.

I want to thank you for telling me about Taylor Swift, Pink and iCarly. Thank you for giving me your extra Doggy DS game and showing me Pinkberry.

Remember that time we went to Starbucks and I lost my tooth and swallowed it when your dad bought us Rice Krispie treats for breakfast? That was so funny.

You are a great cousin and friend. I will miss your cute smile and sweet voice. I love you Lauren.

Love,
Maddie
7 years old

From AJ Nihei (9 years old):

Lauren was a lot of fun.

She was kind and respectful.

Lauren is one of my favorite cousins.

She was fun to play with.

One of my favorite things to do with Lauren was to play our DS.

Lauren is nice and sweet.

I'm really going to miss Lauren a bunch. I love Lauren.

From Matt Nihei (7 years old):

Lauren was one of my favorite cousins.

She was kind to me and nice to me.

I liked going to Disneyland and Legoland with her.

I will miss her a lot. I'll love her always.

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Prayer Request

We just want to thank everyone for their prayers, thoughts, gifts, contributions, concerns, love and good will. It means more to us than we can express how the support of our family, friends, and even strangers have held us up through this amazingly difficult time. We thank you, love you and ask for your continued prayers and love.

*Praise God for answered Prayers, LaLa getting better and stronger everyday, the sound of laughter, sisters playing together,all of our friends(especially the ones we have yet to meet) all the miracles in our lives, and Hair Growing.

*Pray that the next round of chemo will be easy on her body with minimal side effects and that the chemo treatment is successful in attacking and shrinking the tumor.

*Pray that Lauren continues to get her strength back and she will be able to start running and playing like she wants to do. Pray for her physical Therapy sessions.

*Pray that She will adjust well to school, all the new kids that she will be meeting, and her doing well away from her family.

*Continued HOPE, peace, and strength.

*Pray for all the families that have children suffering with cancer.

* Pray for her at her next MRI.

*Pray that we would find the right dose of steroid, be able to get her off of them completely and that she wouldn't have any more slurred speech or headaches.

*A MIRACLE that the cancer would just be gone.

About Lauren:

Continued: Our Story

We were told that the Lauren had a large tumor in the middle of her brain and that it has causing a build up of fluid, which was causing her headaches and if wasn't taken care of quickly it would crush her brain. We were also told that same night that her tumor was inoperable. Our neurosurgeon gave her 120 days (without treatment) to live and basically told us to take her home and make her comfortable.

However, the oncology at CHOC gave us hope. They felt with chemo and radiation that they could prolong her life. We were all set to follow their treatment recommendation.

However, after receiving a 2nd opinion from Dr. Finlay with CHLA, he convinced us that radiation treatment was absolutely wrong. He felt due to the Lauren age and the size of the tumor, that radiation would have serious side effects and would make her permanently mentally disabled. He instead recommended we follow his Head Start protocol of high dose chemo followed by autologous stem cell transplant (rescue).In

May 2008, we transferred Lauren to CHLA to be under the direct care of Dr. Finlay. She is currently receiving treatment following the HeadStart protocol and is currently in the first chemo cycle of Phase II. The past two MRI indicates the tumor is stable and that the treatment appears to be working.

While this is a difficult time for us and we face a long tough road ahead of us, we have not and will not give up hope. I can not accurately describe what a trooper Lauren has been. Her spirits remain high. She has been taking all her medication, shots and probes without complaints. She is truly our hero.

Please sign into the guest book to send your thoughts and/or prayers. We will try to keep this page updated so that you can be apprised of what's going on. We just wanted to say thank you to everyone for all your prayers and support. It means so much to us to know that we have so many caring people in our lives. It is making this most difficult time in our lives a little easier. Thank you.

The Nihei's: Our Story

Monday, April 26, 2010

Readings from Lauren's Cousins

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Lauren Nihei

Taken July 24, 2009

Taken: Dec. 2008

Taken: Feb. 2008

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