She started Delayed Intensification (DI) today with a lumbar puncture and then up to the clinic for IV chemo – 2 different drugs today.
Before lumbar puncture and IT chemo this AM.Up in the clinic waiting to start IV chemo – serious about the xBox…yikes!!
After treatments she came home to rest for a bit and then back to the U for the Gopher Football #RowTheBoat picnic. It was a great afternoon and great to see Coach Fleck, Heather, Casey, Goldy, the Team and the Axe!
Casey, Coach Fleck, Heather and the girls.Casey & Brax.The AXE!!Family Axe!Goldy & the gals!
Brax is pretty wiped out, but doing well. This two month phase is the last really intense part and then things start to scale back. We are getting close and things are going to well. We take every good day as a WIN! Below is Brax’s schedule for Delayed Intensification. There is a lot going on, but nothing she hasn’t done already. The goal is to keep her mentally strong, physically healthy and fly through DI.
Sorry for the delay in posts. We had our first really normal two weeks in a long time and were taking advantage of no (zero) appointments and hanging out with friends like summer should be.
Here are the highlights of the last 2 weeks:
Brax got her braces off right after wrapping up the last round of treatment. She decided to do this in case the next round of chemo gives her mouth sores. We are not anticipating that, but since the braces are not critical at this point, we figured why even worry about any potential issues. Her orthodontist will put them back on this winter if needed.
Brax has been able to spend some more time with the horses and is really enjoying this new found interest. It’s been another great distraction for her as well.
And she’s been able to hang out with teammates and even get some work in in the gym. Overall she’s feeling GREAT and doing GREAT!
Fast Track Pool Party – thanks to all the girls and Rehmans for hosting!A bunch of the TCT girls went to the Twins Game on July 19th to see their own TCT alum Maggie Nichols throw out the first pitch. Congrats Maggie!The gals at the game!Enjoying some froyo!Getting some gym time in. It been a long road, but Brax is continuing to work hard and build strength everyday. She’s a fighter!
We head back on Tuesday to start the next phase of treatment, which is called Delayed Intensification. The pro’s – we can finally see the light at the end of tunnel, she is doing great, and everything moving forward is outpatient (barring no unforeseen issues). The con’s – this is another very hard cycle of chemo. Brax’s counts are going to get knocked down again, but on the plus side, she is going into this round so much stronger than she was in January when diagnosed and handled it pretty well then, so we are hopeful she will tolerate it very well and continue to stay strong throughout.
Thanks again to everyone for all of the continued prayers and support! These next 2+ months of treatment will be her last really intense ones and then she can focus on recovering, getting counts back up and getting back to full time school and practice – goal is by end of the year.
She has some fun stuff planned with the Gopher Football and Gymnastic teams this week and we will be sure to update.
Brax had another great week. Her last round of Interim Maintenance I wrapped up Saturday and this phase was VERY good. Brax felt good both in and out of the hospital this phase, which was nice for every one, especially her. She has about two weeks of NOTHING now and then will go back and start Delayed Intesification on July 30th, which is essentially Induction and Consolidation repeated. She will get hit pretty hard again, but she will be going into it this time so much stronger than she was in January. We anticipate it will knock her down, but we are hopeful not as bad. Everyday is one day closer to the end and we are all excited to get through August and September.
Below are some shots from this past week. We have no more scheduled inpatient stays now, so this could be her very last stay at the U. Of course a fever will always land us a 48hr stay, but we are hopeful she has spent her last night here.
Brax checking out on Saturday AM. Our last scheduled inpatient stay of her whole treatment.Brax & Bry doing artwork in the Endzone. Brax shooting the daily morning news on Thursday with Shannon from Child Family Life in the Zucker Studio. The space is very cool.….and what it looks like on TV. This is broadcast throughout the hospital in all the rooms. Friday was Yoga and they asked Brax to help lead the sessionSaturday morning celebrating with one of Brax’s Nursing Assitants, Emma. Brax and Emma really hit it off from Day 1 and became good buddies #EmmaRocks. Also, Emma shared some BIG news with us on Saturday as well…..she was accepted to nursing school at the U and will start this fall. CONGRATS!!One more box checked and one more real intense one to go.
Thanks again to everyone for all the prayers and support. These past 5-6 months have gone very fast and very good, all considering.
Brax is doing great and has the right mindset and support to continue kicking cancer’s butt.
TeamBrax has now started Instagram & Twitter pages….please check them out!! All regular updates will still happen on this site, but she will be updating these as well.
Brax felt great again this week and was very busy again.
The big part of this week was the 3M Open PGA event. 3M chose the U of M Masonic Children’s Hospital as one their three big charity partners and asked Brax to shoot a media ad with Kyle & Jason. She had a blast! Check out the photo’s and videos below and on the Fun Stuff page.
Brax inside the 3M Social Hub.Brax & Bry doing the morning news segment for ZTV that broadcasts to all the rooms at the U of M Masonic Children’s Hospital.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzium74AAE7/
The social media ad 3M shot during the ProAM day of the 3M Open.Part of the shoot.Brax, Bry and Kyle all riding in the back seat of the Polaris car.Brax, Kyle, Bry and Jason enjoying some ice cream after the shoot.Jason, Brax, Bry and Kyle.
