Wednesday was our last trek to Antigonish for a Pentamadene treatment. It was so much easier this time than all the rest, and we were happy to be done. Next we headed to an appointment with the Oncology Pediatrician. Dr. Ortiz was incredible. Finally we had someone who looked at Michellie's whole list of challenges and began to address them and set them up for assessment prior to her appointments next week.
Her purple feet and legs are the result of tight capillaries, and there is no harm in them. There is nothing wrong with the circulation or lymph, and there are no ulcerations to show pooling. So, we don't have to worry about it, but walking will help to keep things flowing. That was easy.
Her sore knees could be a result of some of the drugs she took, so they took an X-ray to make sure nothing else was happening. She has no arthritis in them - that is great! And, the knee caps track properly, it is just that her right leg rotates in and that is the way she was given her legs. So, we don't need to worry about this, but we do need to continue to do strengthening exercises to help support the knees.
Michellie is excessively tight, and Dr. Ortiz was not concerned about that at this point. With physio helping us along, she is confident we will be able to get Michellie strong and somewhat flexible for her natural ability. Again, walking will help.
Her sore jaws could be due to medication, and the xray to the knee may shed some light in that direction. Otherwise, they will monitor her for grinding teeth and clenching. I will have a look at my TMJ techniques for this one.
We have tests next week for Gluten intolerance and Lactose intolerance. Michellie has to eat wheat and drink milk in preparation. She was a little anxious about this slowing her energy down to complete the last of her assignments, but we will do the best we can. She sees the GastrIntestinal Specialist on the 22nd, and we want to have the tests all complete for this appointment.
Michellie's energy level was assessed with an anxiety quiz and a depression quiz. Michellie scored as a moderate depressive with a moderate level of anxiety. She was not happy to have a label, and she is not keen to "talk" to anyone about it. However, we had some good discussions together after she got over her initial anger, and she has a very positive and eager demeaner, and I am sure that the tools they give her to help her deal with anxiety will help it all. Since the treatment she definitely has a shorter fuse when things don't work the way she thought or if she has to read instructions and she doesn't understand them. And, with all the move and friends and coping with cancer, and coping with fitting in after cancer, there is a lot to consider and work through to find the way to belong.
One thing we did talk about was how hard it is to be a teenager that can not be around smoke, or who doesn't drink, and who has limitations on food. When she is with friends at school, she can be with them until they start smoking and then she has to leave. Or, if there is a party, they will all be drinking, and it is no fun to be the sober one watching all the goofing around. So, how do you fit in, and how do you make it look like you are not trying to avoid while you are trying to cope? That is a good question. Michellie has some great thoughts and challenges and she would love to have a way to make this situation easier for her to belong in a group and to have fun with them. (I certainly don't miss my high school years at all!).
Michellie is on her way to getting many of her health challenges addressed. We are sooo thrilled.
This week Michellie will be finishing her art and foods assignments, and then next week is the last of English and Math. She will be finished Math by Wednesday, and she will be relieved about that.
Michellie's hair is now long enough to take the scarf off, so as the weather gets hotter, Michellie will be quick to get rid of that scarf and show the world her new head of hair. It is a similar color to before, and it is straight. There is a little curl at the bottom of her neck that waves the hair from the right to the left, but once the length begins to accumulate, this will disappear from view. She is beautiful no matter what, and her smile and eyes are radiant!
