Thursday, June 25

THANK YOU :)


THANK you from Gabriel. Thank you for Sending him birthday cards, and coming over to wish him happy birthday, Thank you for gifts and balloons :) Thank you for Making my special boys birthday extra special.
Today Gabriel and Nick are going to CHINA. We have been hugging gazzillion times today:)


Regina is also sad that Daddy and Gabriel are leaving. :( We were supposed to go to LA to see My Sisters keeper preview today, but Regina is coughing and has runny nose, and she told me she does not feel like doing so. That's ok. We are going to local theater whenever Regina feels like seeing this movie.

(( Lots of love))))

Tuesday, June 23

Enjoy These numbers...

LOOKS like FUN:( NOT.


POWER HEALTHFUND 750
POWER HEALTHFUND 750
Description
Amount Used Occurrences Used Days Used
Benefits Paid Year To Date / All Benefits $361,198.76 00000 00000
Ind. Out Of Pocket-In Network $9,148.57 00000 00000
Member Deductible $913.98 00000 00000
First Dollar Payment Member $1,500.00 00000 00000
Initial Trtmt Emerg/Injury $2,240.00 00001 00000
Initial Trtmt Emerg/Injury $0.00 00001 00000
Hospital Stop Loss Dollars $375,634.32 00000 00000
Hospital Stop Loss Dollars $9,384.80 00000 00000
Hospital Stop Loss Dollars $12,181.40 00000 00000
Hospital Stop Loss Dollars $26,314.46 00000 00000
Hospital Stop Loss Dollars $11,352.80 00000 00000
Inpatient Hospital Utilization Management Review Number Approved Days $0.00 00000 00018
Inpatient Hospital Utilization Management Review Number Approved Days $0.00 00000 00001
Inpatient Hospital Utilization Management Review Number Approved Days $0.00 00000 00001
Inpatient Hospital Utilization Management Review Number Approved Days $0.00 00000 00002
Inpatient Hospital Utilization Management Review Number Approved Days $0.00 00000 00002
Major Medical Paid Amount(CALENDAR YEAR) $343,509.72 00000 00000
Outpat Hosp Er Deduct / Copay $100.00 00000 00000
Participating Provider Member Copay $170.00 00000 00000
Speech Therapy Per Cal Year $0.00 00001 00000
Individual Stop Loss Non-Par Max $4,686.46 00000 00000
Family Deductible $1,000.00 00000 00000
First Dollar Payment Family $1,500.00 00000 00000
Family Out-Of-Pocket Occ/Agg - Participating Provider $10,000.00 00000 00000
Famliy Stop Loss Non-Par Max $4,811.46 00000 00000
First Dollar Period Of Disability Two Year Total $3,000.00 00000 00000
First Dollar Prior Year Paid $1,500.00 00000 00000
Lifetime Maximum - Major Medical $636,325.81 00000 00000
Total Medical/Last Quarter/Prescription Drug Individual Deductible Shared $913.98 00000 00000
Total Medical/Last Quarter/Prescription Drug Fam Deductible Shared $1,000.00 00000 00000
Total Medical/Last Quarter/Prescription Drug Individual Out-Of-Pocket Participating Provider $9,148.57 00000 00000
Total Medical/Last Quarter/Prescription Drug Fam Out-Of-Pocket Participating Provider $10,000.00 00000 00000

Thursday, June 18




SCHOOL IS OUT :):):) AAAAHHHHHHHHH THANK you all for your continuous support and love :) Thank you for Remembering REgina in your daily thougts, prayers, chants.. etc. You guys are THE BEST :) PS. REgina has big plans for her 10th birthday. YES, she is already planning and making quest list.. :) Silly REgina:)

It has been few days since I last posted. SO I thought I will let you know what is up around here.
FIRST, THANK you for sending Gabriel cards. HE got 2 today:) YOU should have seen his face when i told him GABRIEL YOU GOT MAIL. HE COULD not believe it. HE said are you sure it is for me.. AND when he opened it he just smiled biiiiig :)

Regina- Um, few issues here and there. We stopped her steroids last week. She was doing fine for 3 days without them, but then 2 days ago she was not using her right hand again, and was limping very badly :( , and also started sleeping more. aaahhh. SO I emailed Dr .Dhall and he agrees and Regina just needs steroids..
Can you imagine... SHE even started writing with her left hand using computers mouse etc. So back on steroids 1/4 mg per day. It seemed doing wonders with her.
Also her platelets have been low past few days. We are going to choc on Friday morning again, and then monday, wednesday, Friday for labs. Lot of driving but whet else can I do :) I love hanging out in hospital lobbys, waiting areas, seeing other families. It is kind of weird, but normal for us.:) I wish I saw you guys more often also :) Reginas COunts in general are good, so she is ok to play with friends, just platelets are our issue here :)

Saturday, June 13

Chemo, counts and more.




Oh, this round of oral chemo+ IV vincristine has been completed. Now we have to wait for a month to let here recover . Dr. Dhall did not give Regina prescription for a full dose, because we just want to see how she responds to this chemo. IF she does well, then we will repeat same chemo drugs in July BUT this time full dose ( 15 days instead of 10 days of oral crap).
On friday we had first Platelet Transfusion in CHOC outpatient Cancer institute infusion center. I LOVE IT. NOT that we got platelets,but I LOVE THAT PLACE :) I DO. There are lot of semi private "chairs", and in center is playarea for kids and kitchen corner if kids get hungry during long infusions.::)
REginas platelet transfusion went really well. CHOC does it little different than they do it in CHLA. Of course REgina got premeds first- Benadryl, tylenol and steroids. Then platelets, BUT instead 20 minute infusion, REgina got one hour infusion and platelets went throught that pump or whatever you call it, that lets meds drip evenly. loL Regina had no REactions to platelets which is good:)
Sadly Reginas counts are dropping again. Her ANC was 1200 on Friday. I am guessing it is even lower today. ANd her Hemoglobin is lower also 9,1. :( Most likely she will need another platelet transfusion on monday or wednesday. She is more tired now and naps little longer. ( sign that platelets are low )...

other than that nothing new. Last day of school will be on 18th of June. My baby Gabriel turns 8 on june 22. CAN I ask you all a favor... Past few years Gabriel has been pretty left out. We do things with him, but he still sees that REgina gets more cards and notes and gifts and everything else, and it makes him FRUSTRATED :(. Plase send him simple Birthday Card. I know it will chear him up, because IT IS FOR HIM ;)
Gabriels address...
Gabriel Tan
27715 Manor Hill Rd
Laguna Niguel
Ca, 92677

After His Birthday Gabriel and Nick will got to China for summer:) REgina and I will stay to CA .

Tuesday, June 9


Sorry for not updating for few days.
Regina has a nasty cold. Luckily her counts are still pretty good. On monday her anc was about 2000 something and white count 3,2 . Platelets are hanging around 55000 mark.
We are going to CHLA on wednesday to see Dr. Dhall and get REginas vincristine chemo ( tiny push throuh IV line).
SO we have been hanging out at home mostly.
We are doing Reginas Labs now in CHOC 3 times a week. 19 miles there, 19 miles back so we don't have to waste all day to drive to LA area.

On Sunday we attended Celebrate Life WIth Hope event. REgina did fine first hour, but then she got really tired and we had to leave early. We missed Jessica Simpsons performance I would have loved to have photo Op. with her. :)
( Copy and paste from their website)
n conjunction with National Cancer Survivor's Week, every June the HOPE Program at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles sponsors Celebrate Life with HOPE, an event honoring childhood cancer survivors and their families. As the largest annual event of its type in U.S., Celebrate Life with HOPE is a wonderful opportunity for our survivors and their families to get together with hospital staff and trainees, representatives of community and national support agencies, and major donors of the HOPE Program and CHLA. In addition to enjoying fun and food, the event emphasizes health promotion and wellness through attention to nutrition, self-care, and mind-body fitness. Held on the New York City backlot of Paramount Pictures, we are joined by celebrities and entertainers who make the day so absolutely special. Celebrate Life with HOPE emphasizes survivorship and life-long wellness as an on-going process that involves physical health and learning to maximize quality of life.

With over 1600 participants last year, we are expecting an even larger turnout this year. Sponsored by the HOPE Program in the Childrens Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases, this wonderful event is free to our children and families. The event is made possible by the philanthropic support of outstanding individuals, organizations, and businesses. Volunteers are actively recruited year-round to help stage this event, as well as donors of materials and funds. We are especially interested in welcoming actors and entertainers who are willing to share their time and talent with our families. These individuals help attract the media to get the word out that childhood cancer is a devastating disease, but together we are making a difference in survivorship and improved quality of life.

Thursday, June 4

:(


My baby is sick :( Poor REgina. She is coughing, and has runny nose. ALso her platelets are dropping fast. ANd because of low platelets she has been sleeping lot more. We are going to CHOC to check her labs again tomorrow morning/

Eventhough REgina is on steroids, today she had a bad day. She had hard time going up the stairs, her balance was off again... and she also had a headache. But that could be due to sinus infection she has .
I know her ANC is pretty high( around 5000) so she has some strength in her to fight off whatever she has.
She also misses her Daddy a lot. :( So does Gabriel.. I feel so sad for them:(
Regina and Gabriel want to go to Estonia this year because Regina wants to see her friend Krissu and eat some estonian sausage and white bread., but sadly i don't see this happening due to financial issues. I feel sad sad sad sad sad sad sad very very very sad. :( Also, myself, I have some important unfinished "business" up there but I guess I just have to postpone everything..

Regina also had a chance to visit school for 3 days. SHE was sooo happy to talk about her friends, and things she did, and LUNCH she ate. She truly did enjoy visiting her classmates and fave teachers... Poor her. I know she wants to be More active and do more things and go to more places. Maybe later.....

Myself - I am healing from my surgery allright. I am not pain free. My lower leg is feeling great, but my thigh, where that laser thing was inserted into vein, is still hurting. I am guessing it is more like nerve pain. because i do get burning feeling IN MY LEG.. And ALso my leg gets very tired . Not sure why is that. But oh well, it has only been one week and 2 days so, I have another week before I can start feeling better.
That's about it.

Tuesday, June 2

About Nick.


I always get asked. WHAT is my husband doing in China?? AND I always tell.. Ah, same old same old- microchips... LIKE I KNOW A LOT about it......
Anyway. I copy and paste something about him from his company website.:) Read if you dare :)
Well, I haven't told him this often or almost never, but I am very proud of what he has accomplished or what he is trying to accomplish :)

Dr. Nick Tan, CTO

Nianxiong Nick Tan received his B. Eng. and M. Eng. degrees in electronic engineering from the Department of Electronic Engineering of Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, in 1988 and 1991, respectively, and the Licentiate degree of Engineering and Ph. D. in applied electronics from the Department of Electrical Engineering of Linkoping University, Sweden in 1993 and 1994, respectively.

After receiving his Ph. D. in 1994, he started analog and mixed-signal activities at Ericsson’s Microelectronics Research Center in Stockholm, Sweden. In his capacity as a project manager, he managed, coordinated, and participated in several analog R&D projects for wideband radio, RF CMOS, VDSL, and optical transmission. In 1997, he became adjunct professor at Linkoping University, Sweden. He was accredited as the youngest professor in the history of Linkoping University by a Swedish newspaper.

In 1998, he was recruited as analog design manager by Globespan, Inc. (now merged with Conexant), Red Bank, NJ, then a pre-IPO startup (a spin off from Lucent/Bell Laboratory) working on DSL. He was shortly promoted to director of the analog operation. He was relocated to Irvine, CA in year 2000 after GlobeSpan went public and started a satellite analog design site in Southern California. In his role, he had been instrumental in setting up the analog group and strategizing product roadmaps. Besides his managerial role as the head of the department, he is the lead designer of first and second generation quad ADSL CO chip and first and second generation quad VDSL CO chip. These chips had been sold in tens of millions worldwide and had established GlobeSpan as one of the leading providers of xDSL chipsets.

In 2002, he became the youngest guest professor at the Dept. of Electronic Engineering of Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.

In 2003, he founded AnaLutions, Inc, an analog IC consulting firm in Southern California. He has since provided analog design consulting services. His major projects were circuit design for Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), circuit design for 10-Gbit optical links, and data converters.

In 2005, he became a full professor in Zhejian University, Hangzhou, China.

Dr. Tan is one of the early proponents of a systems approach for RF and mixed-signal IC design. He has the excellent combination of research and production experience. He has the outstanding track record of starting activities from zero and leading it all the way to market success. He holds 21 granted US patents. He has published over 60 journal and conference papers. He has also authored and co-authored two books and one book chapter on analog IC design. He was session chair for the 1995 and 1997 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems. He was co-editor for IEEE Circuits and Devices Magazine. He is the recipient of IEEE Circuits and Device Magazine Appreciation Award, year 2002. Dr. Tan is senior member of IEEE.