phase 2.2

Madi with her 'best friend'

Today started our second part of Phase 2.  (The first part took place 10/11 to 11/7.)  This part consists of doses of Vincristine and increasing doses of Methotrexate administered via her port.  I provided a link to Wikipedia so you can see for yourselves what the uses and side effects are of each drug.  During this time they will continue checking her various blood numbers and also do CMP and lipase lab work. Treatment will take place every 10 days with another LP on day 31.

Numbers for today:
WBC - 3.4
Hgb - 11.5
Plts - 369
ANC - 1598

I totally bribed my daughter to not scream and cry during port access today, and it worked.  So much nicer to have her sitting on my lap squeezing my hand, instead of restraining her kicking feet and flailing arms.  She has told me each time that she can't feel the needle since we put a topical cream on the access site to numb the area.  If it doesn't hurt and just looks scary, I wondered if she would be able to control some of her reaction and fear.  She did an amazing job and was even joking with us while it all happened.

Her reward was an ABC jewelry fashion design kit she had spotted one other time in the prize cabinet at the Pratt Cancer Center.  She has already had some fun creating.

Appointments contain a lot of waiting time because we have to get number result before drugs are administered.  Some days we need to just chill a little by watching a movie, looking at books or playing on an Ipad the Cancer Center has for the patients.  Today we spent time going over some of her sight words.  She's doing such a good job with her reading and really enjoys learning.  She pulled 'Green Eggs and Ham' off the shelf the other day and read half of it to me with little trouble!  There are just a few words that she continues to have trouble with.   Hopefully, she will be able to remember 'are' now.

'What does a pirate say?'

Things we are dealing with right now?

*Madi seems to be having some separation anxieties and can be very clingy most of the time.  Getting her to go to school on days that she doesn't have an appointment of some sort or isn't recovering, is proving to be somewhat difficult.  Something we are just going to have to work through.

*Also, Madi's appetite is pretty much nonexistent right now.  After all the food she was able to eat while on steroids, the amount she is (or isn't) eating can seem almost scary.  We are going to start supplementing her diet with some Pediasure to make sure she is getting the nutrition she needs.

I've been seeing a lot of posts on FB or such about what people are thankful for this time of year.  Top on my list is modern medicine.  This is something I've always been grateful for to relieve headaches, cure infections and help with labor pains.  This year modern medicine has a special place in my heart since it is helping to make one of my kid's future so much brighter.