Update on Caitlin

Not a whole lot to report...she's still doing great! Count this week was exactly 100. She started the Plaquenil about 3 weeks ago and she is doing good. It is just difficult to always remember to give her the medicine everyday!

She had a Nationals competition this past weekend in Galveston. I was not able to go because my students here were doing a performance and I had two groups performing. Caitlin performed her very first solo and she did very well, but did not place as high as she wanted to. (HATED not being there!) She ended up getting 4th, but that was because her coaches thought she only had to do a dance or a cheer, and not both so she just did a cheer (along with her tumbling and some other stuff) and got 0 out of 5 points for her dance and she was still only .07 away from 1st place. She was very disappointed, but I told her that it was a good experience for her. Her team placed first overall though and they won leather jackets so that made their season! Our next stop is in Disney World and they will perform at the ESPN World of Sports in March.

One bad thing did happen over the weekend...it was very cloudy in Galveston. Caitlin was out on the beach for several hours with her friends and didn't think she needed sunscreen because it was not hot or sunny. She came back looking like a lobster and now she is suffering and she hurts all over! The dr saw her yesterday and gave her quite a scolding because she is not supposed to be in the sun, especially without sunscreen! I am hoping Caitlin learns from this!! Too bad mommies can't always make clones of themselves when they are needed in more than one place at one time!

Hi Pauline!

Glad to see your Caitlin still competing, and her numbers so solid! She's still on the low dose of N-plate after her Rituxan, right? SOMEthing's working better! Hooray!

Weather here is great--but also great for a sunburn! My husband had so many burns as a kid (trying to make his freckles run together!) that he's had more than 100 excisions of basal cell or squamous cell abnormalities (cancer)--and had to have one of his eyelids replaced with skin from behind his ear! Tell Miss Caitlin THAT and sunscreen may quickly become a given!

We're in FL--let us know if you plan to break down near Tampa or anything! I'm posting our latest news on a new thread--to infinity and beyond! Ann, Caitlin's (23) Mom

That count is really brilliant considering how little a dose of n-plate Caitlin is on! And it seems like it is really quite consistent now too. It must be a real relief for you not to worry about her cheerleading so much. I sympathise with the sunburn thing - I know Caitlin can't afford to take risks, but I reckon kids only accept that you know what you are talking about once they've had a bad case of sunburn. Before that, its just mum nagging on!

Ann...I will be sure to tell Caitlin about your husband's experience with sunburn...ouch!! Yes, my Caitlin is still on the minimum dose of Nplate. I wish they'd take her off for a few weeks just so we could see if she is in remission, but I guess while we are on the trial, it is not an option. I think Caitlin has either one more year or two more years until the trial ends...can't remember.

I will be sure to have Caitlin put on lots of sunscreen when we go to Disney World in two weeks! I do think she will not hesitate after hurting so much this week!

Great to hear she us still doing really well. My mum always reminds me about putting sunscreen on even when it's not sunny.