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Welcome to Alisha's Web page. It was provided to keep you updated about Alisha's progress. Today we still use it to keep her memory Alive and to keep in touch with all of you.
Alisha was diagnosed with Accute Myloid Luekemia June 28, 2001. She had been tired the end of May and Got steadily worst as the days went by. Having Rashes and sores and then bruising. She'd been to the Dr's and I finally convieved them to do labs because a 9 yr old just doesn't sleep all day in the summer time.
Alisha under went her chemo treatments in Minneapolis at Fairview Universty Childrens Hospital. The first four days were very Stressfull. Alisha had a white count of 250,000. Freesia was done to remove the cell along with chemo. She was in and out of realaity. Not aloud to eat. That seamed to be her biggest complaint. After her first rounds of chem she was aloud to leave the ICU to go to the Childrens ward.
While there she under went more chemo and bouts with infections. By the end of July she was recovering well and counts were coming back she was able to leave on a pass to visit her Mom (Tammy) at the Hopital across the river as her new baby sister (Kristina) came into the world. Both Alsiha, baby sister and Mom Recooperated at the Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis. Dad(Kenneth)and brothers (Joshua & Clinton) were also in on these events.
Alisha did chemo again having a few milder cases of infections. Going home in between chemo for the next several months. Alisha got down in November with an infection that made here look like she had the mumbs. They had to lance the site and drain it before she started to turn around. It was a tough two months but once the site was drained she turned right around and surprised the DRS and was out before X-mas. We went home for the Holiday.
She returned to finish up her chemo, Which she completed the end of March. Alisha was in remission after her second round of chemo. She had it easier than other in ways as Alisha didn't get sick much from the Chemo. She was a social butterfly on the floor and we were repermanded a few times . She is known for her salon days, Her Room on Halloween, for having a smile & personality that melted everyones heart. She is also know for her nicknames for the Doctor's.
Alisha returned Home in April. She attended the end of the school season. Caught up with her social life. Had a checkup in May and was doing fine. In June she took her Make-a-Wish trip to Walt Disney World. She wanted to ride the Roller Coasters. She rode most of them 3 times. She got autographs and enjoyed the ocean at Cocoa Beach. The time was short but a great memory for her and her family.
Alisha had a check upon returning from her vacation and the news was not what we had hoped. The cancer had returned. She had to start over.
Two arounds of chemo (stronger than before) and then to transplant. She breezed thourgh the chemo with a few bugs. Then in October she went to transplant. Full body radiation extra to the spinal fluid. She did well Eating through it. Counts were slow to come due to meds given for infections. We were dicharged in November and going to clinic every day. Then just before Thanksgiving, we went back into the hopital. Alisha had come down with walking pneumonia and a yeast infection. We were told she had a 50/50 chance. The family was called to come. Alisha showed them though and she left on the DEC. 13th to go back to the RMH. But on the 17th she came down with a fever and the CMV she had in October returned with vengeous. Testing was done to see if anything else was causing the fever as it just wouldn't go away. Scans done to see if the yeast infection was still acting up. It was trying times. They worst day was when the spinal tap went wrong. They had scheduled it to see if they could get fluid to do cultures. They tired 5 or 6 times before recieving fluid. In doing so Alisha got a bleed causing pressure on the cord. But we didn't know this at first. She was scheduled for other test and we continued to go to them. Her back hurt but no concern because it does hurt some after a spinal. It wasn't until Alsiha's legs gave out four hours later that horror set in.
Test results were rushed because if the yeast was back there wouldn't be much sense in doing sugery. All test came back negative. So surgery on the spine was done a good 12 hours after she lost feeling. Stress was every where. Surgery took 3 hours. Alsiha came back to her room in ICU. She was vented because of the CMV pnemonia and the surgery. Meds were changed to bring the CMV level down. This was all taking a toll on Alisha. Her kidneys gave way to all the harsh meds. She was put on a prisma dialyis. Fluid build up was awful. She was sadated most of the time. It was a battle of the extreme. To many things going on at once and feeling never did come back. She was paralyzed from her ribs down. The heart began to have trouble keeping up and so on January 7th we let one of our most precious gifts go.
I could go into more details but I justed rather everyone Remember Our Alisha as a fighter because that was her last words to us before she went to surgery. "FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!!" Alisha met her challenge head on. Telling doctors cultures would be negative. She was disappointed in June with the relapse and not looking forward to transplant. She just wanted to get it over with so she could go on and be a normal kid again. We didn't talk about what could happen. (It was always in the back of all our minds.) We just went forward.
Alisha is missed by many family members and friends, but she left impressionable marks on all and she will live on in their memories.
Alisha lost her battle but she would not want anyone to give up on theirs. Please take comfort in knowing kids have an enter wisdom so repeling that they just make you strive to succeed.
Monetry Donations may be sent to the:
Ronald McDonald House
621 Oak Street,
Mineapolis, MN 55414
or
Alisha Osterbur's Donation Fund
%Security First Bank,
PO Box 669,401 3rd Ave.,
Martin, SD 57551-0669
Journal
Thursday, January 12, 2006 4:28 PM CST Well there isn't much to tell here.
We had a nice Christmas at Home this year.
We usually go to our families. but this year they came to us. Joshua got to come home so that always a great surprise.
New Years was spent at home too, with a few friends to bring in the New Year.
Clinton is busy trapping, and school of course.
Kristina is busy with Headstart and ready to start gardening. I was looking through the seed catolog the ohter day when it was in the Fifies and Kristina thought weshould just get right out there and plant seeds. She is always on the go and always ready to go.
Kenny has the go ahead to start building the new firehall. So they started this past wednesday.
Joshua is taking Intr to Criminal Justice this go raound, I believe his calsses Start this past Monday.
I well be taking a couple weeks off form work as I had gallbladder surgery yesterday. I'm doing fine.
Well that's it for this neck of the woods.
Take care all of you!!
Alisha,SweetAngel May the new year bring you may smiles.
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