Welcome to Dianna's webpage.

It has been provided to keep friends and family updated on her life with Fanconi anemia (FA).

Dianna was diagnosed with FA in April 1998.

FA causes aplastic anemia (bone marrow failure), as well as many different types of cancers.

She had a few of the obvious signs of FA: missing both thumbs, deaf in her right ear, very small for her age, and had corrective surgery at birth on her intestines.

Dianna had a sibling donor bone marrow transplant at Medical City Dallas, TX.


Transplant date: October 1, 2008

Dianna went to heaven September 1, 2009

HOME:

126 Edgewood Dr.
Lewisville, TX 75067
Phone #: 972-436-4816

Normal Blood Count Range:
White blood count: (normal 4.5-13.5)
Red blood count: (normal 4.0-5.20)
HGB: (normal 11.5-15.5)
Platelets: (normal 140-440)
ABS NEUT#: (normal 1.50-6.50)

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Day + 206

The swelling is gone, but now Dianna's skin looks like a snake skin that is about to shed.
The PD did not work last night-- the doctors believe that she got too dry being on both dialysis.
BUT they have started the PD again to night...
PLEASE PRAY that it will work for Dianna!

Dianna's school dedicated their Locks of Love to Dianna this year--
Lakeland Elementary's Locks of Love-- Dedicated to Dianna...

Lakeland Wedsite:
http://www.lisd.net/schools/lakeland/index.htm

Locks of Love Pictures/Video:
http://www.lisd.net/schools/lakeland/Index%20pictures/LocksofLove_1.wmv

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Day + 203

Sorry for not updating since last Wednesday...
Dianna took a turn for the worse this weekend!
Saturday, April 18th-
Dianna's incision for the PD catheter began to leak fluid and was not pulling off all the fluid that was going into her abdomen; so the doctors decided to take her back into surgery to check for scar tissue and add more stitches around the catheter. Dianna had a hard time waking up so she was int abated and moved to PICU.
She began to breath on her own quickly, but they wanted to keep her over night.
Sunday, April 19th-
Dianna's incision for the PD Catheter began to leak again and she began to get an infection around the incision site.
Dianna had so much fluid in her body, that she looked like she could pop.
Also, Dianna's blood pressure dropped very low.
At this time the doctors came in to talk to us about our last options...
The doctors told us that she might not make it through the night!
We called in Dianna's family (thinking it might be to see her for the last time).
Monday, April 20th-
Dianna was taken into surgery again...
Thankfully the infection in her abdomen had began to clear so the doctor had more options on where to place the central line- it was placed in her right thigh and she was int abated again.
She was taken back to the PICU and began Dialysis.
The doctors are keeping her sedated while she was on so many machines.
Tuesday, April 21st-
Dianna was beginning to look better, she was not as swollen.
She was placed on a special air bed that keeps moving her body to help reduce sores on her back.
Wednesday, April 22nd-
Dianna was looking more like herself.
The doctors are beginning to reduce medications.
If she continues to do well...
the doctors may try the PD Dialysis again on Thursday or Friday.
Once she switches back to PD Dialysis; they will begin to wake Dianna.
PRAY that Dianna will continue to do better.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Day + 196

TUESDAY, April 14th:
Dianna had a doctor's appointment at 8:30am to check and see if she needed platelets before her surgery.
(Yes- she needed a platelet transfusion.)
Dianna's surgery began around 3:00pm.
It took several hours, but the surgeon said it went well.
Dr. Hermon inserted a catheter in her abdomen to begin the Peritoneal Dialysis;
and he inserted a new Port in her chest.
Later that night after Dianna was returned to her room, she began the dialysis.
Dianna woke up several times during the night hurting--
the nurse gave her pain medication and she was able to sleep.
WEDNESDAY, April 15th:
Dianna seemed to handle the dialysis well last night.
She slept most of the day today.
She was very sore due to having several incisions in her chest and stomach.
**PLEASE PRAY that Dianna is feeling better SOON.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Day + 191

Thursday, March 26th:
Today Dianna got to go HOME again...
This was a great Birthday present for me (Mom)! :-)
Saturday, March 28th:
Dianna began to spit up blood.
It lasted for about an hour, so I called her doctor and he wanted her to go to the hospital for platelets.
Also, Dianna's left arm had began to swell due to the new line they had inserted in her shoulder.
Thursday, April 2nd:
Dianna was able to return home again.
But before she left the surgeon removed the line causing her her to swell.
Now, Dianna does not have any access for blood draws or transfusions.
The doctors want to give her body a break from ports or central lines.
Wednesday, April 8th:
Dianna had a check up appointment...
Her platelets and red cells were very low, so Dr. Goldman wanted her to stay the night for transfusions.
During the process- Dianna's Kidney doctor wanted to run some tests on her kidneys because her Creatine has gone even higher. :-(
After several tests...
Friday, April 10th:
the doctors came in to talk with me about beginning Dianna on dialysis. :-(
The doctors recommend "Peritoneal Dialysis"...
this has a catheter inserted into Dianna's Peritoneal cavity and fluid is put into the abdominal cavity through the catheter.
At night during sleep, a machine called a cycler fills and empties (filters) Dianna's abdomen many times.
The doctor said there is still a small chance that her kidney could heal on its own,
but the chances are growing less as time goes on and we are not seeing improvements.
Dianna is HOME for the weekend!!! :-)
Dianna's doctor is to call me this weekend to setup the day for her surgery...
he is looking at Monday, April 13th or Tuesday, April 14th.
Dr. Goldman also wants a new Port inserted into Dianna during the surgery.
PLEASE PRAY that the surgery goes well, Dianna heals quickly and if possible (God willing) that her kidneys would begin to heal.