Welcome to the journal of love and hope for Valerie Lopez-Robinson. This website chronicles Valerie's journey in healing.

Valerie was diagnosed with Grade 4 Glioblastoma Multiforme. Her Mom, Bernice, explains how this diagnosis was reached below:

Valerie was having headaches that started as one a day. We thought they were stress induced or part of her shoulder problem that she was getting therapy for. The headaches started to get worse and was thought by her pediatrician to be sinus's and she was started on a sinus medication. She advised to try that for one week and if that did not work we would get a CT done. Fri. 01-27-06 was the end of the week and her headaches were not being prevented by the sinus medication, in fact, they were getting worse. They were lasting all day with no relief. We tried to get through the weekend to go back to her Dr. However she started vomiting and having pain in her neck. It then sounded like meningitis, so I took her to Childrens Hospital on Sun. 01-29-06. When we got to the ER she was thought to have migraines by the triage nurse and we waited for 2 1/2 hours in the waiting room. Then she got a CT done in the ER and it was clear, so they did a spinal tap that revealed that she had too much spinal fluid in her head that was causing her headaches. They said sometimes this happens, so they removed the extra fluid and thought this would take her headaches away and she would be fine. When her headaches did not go away they admitted her to the neuro floor of Childrens. For the next few days they were running all kinds of tests, trying to find out what was the cause of the spinal fluid building up. Every day they were ruling out all kinds of stuff and as time went by we were facing more and more serious problems. Her MRI's showed some abnormal areas in the brain and spine, she under went a biopsy of one of the spots in the lower spine on Fri. 02-03-06. This told us right away it was cancer, however they could not tell us what type of cancer it was. They said it would take a few days for the final diagnosis. During this time Valerie was given pain medication and a drainage tube for the spinal fluid along with some other medications for infection, diuretic (water pill) and steroids for inflammation. We got her final diagnosis on 02-07-06 The drainage tube was taken out and she was discharged from the hospital on 02-08-06
Valerie is feeling much better now, she does not have any headache's. She has been going back to school. She will start chemo and radiation next week and then will be home schooled. Her spirits are very high and she said she is going to fight this!! So let us all pray she win's her battle.
Thank you to everyone for the love and support and most of all their prayers. Bernice

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

10-03-06 Update

Hello everyone,

For the last few weeks I have been waiting for Hospice to get on the ball. I have been having problems with communications. I have been asking them to get the orders from Children's to have her complete blood counts checked. They always checked them every other week. So when Hospice took over it was going to get set up for them to take her blood. That way we did not have to take Valerie to clinic every other week just for that. Well to make a long story short it took several times of me asking Hospice to call and get the order before it finally got done. So here we are now. I got her levels back today they are LOW.

Hemoglobin measures the amount of oxygen carrying proteins in the blood. Normal is 12-18. Valerie's is 5.1

Hematocrit is a measurement of the proportion of blood that is made up of red blood cells. It reflects both the number of red cells and their volume. I believe normal is 40%. Valerie's is 16%.

White blood cells protect the body against infection. They attack and destroy bacteria. I am not sure what the normal is for that but I know she is very low on that too. Valerie's are 1.8

Platlets help with blood clotting. Normal is 150-450 Valerie is 190. So we are ok on that.

Tomorrow morning we are going to Children's and she is getting a blood transfusion. This should make her feel so much better. I just wish we could have found this out two weeks ago so she did not spend this last two weeks as sick as she has been. As they always say. If you want something done right, do it your self.

Thanks for your concern and prayers. I will update tomorrow and let you know how the transfusion went.

Bernice

posted by Webmaster @ 5:30 AM   6 comments

6 Comments:

At 4:25 PM, Blogger Rhonda & Daniel said...

Dear Valerie,
Hi,sweetie!I want to tell you that you are such a strong young lady.If I could switch places with you,God knows that I would in a second.I hope to see you soon.Your mother loves you so very much!Tomorrow you should feel better.Hang in there,We are praying for you and thinking about you!
Hugs and kissesxxxxooooxxxoo!
Love,
Rhonda & Daniel

P.S.
I will be in contact:)

 
At 6:22 PM, Blogger Chesna said...

Valerie,
I wish that this all would get better and I pray for you each day. You have a lot of people you care about you. I will continue to pray for you each day and I hope everything goes well with the transfusion. I am sorry to hear it has been rough, but you are a strong girl and I have faith that you can make it through. Stay strong girl,

Love Chesna

 
At 6:24 PM, Blogger Chesna said...

Valerie,
Stay strong girl. I am sorry to hear that it hasn't been good, but I have faith that hopefully you can improve. I will pray that the transfusion goes well, and that you get better. I want you to know that you have a special place in my heart. I miss you at school and continue to pray for you each day. Well girl stay strong

Love Chesna

 
At 10:27 PM, Blogger Kathie Foley said...

Hey Valerie! You are a very strong girl! We are praying for you everyday and know that God is with you.
Love,
Brittany and Kathie

 
At 12:06 PM, Blogger Niki M. said...

Hey Val! Glad your doing ok for the most part. Your still in my prayers and the intention book at church always has your name. Hope to hear back soon how you are. Love you!!

Niki M.

 
At 4:27 PM, Blogger Cortney said...

Hey Baby Girl Oh My Goodness do miss you SO MUCH. i wish you were on the bus this year it is So0o much fun! lol! but its differnet not having you on there! Guess what i do everytime we go over the train tracks! I still lift up my feet! Gosh what great times we had last year i love you baby girl. Please stay strong! i love youu! ♥
Courtney S.

 

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