Change in plans

07/19/10-113

ANC 2800

07/20/10-0500

ANC 2600

We had expected to have just an overnight stay in the hospital for VAC. This is the treatment we used to do in the doctor's office last summer, going home with IV fluids overnight and coming back the next day to have the needle removed. Because Alan is so much more active this year, we asked to do it in the hospital where there was more medical supervision.

However, the docs decided to have a more intensive treatment since we were in the hospital. While the tumor is shrinking, it isn't shrinking as quickly as it did last time (in Doc P's words, last time "it just melted away"), and they wanted to take this opportunity to administer some stronger drugs. So in addition to the Vincristine and Actinomycin, he's getting Doxorubin which means instead of an overnight Alan is in the hospital for three nights. So we spent Monday scrambling to arrange things for Kevin and bring some additional items to the hospital since we had only packed for one night.

Alan has been handling the tests (EGK, chest x-ray, echocardiogram and another abdominal/pelvic ultrasound) and chemo well. He's been active walking the halls of the PED/ONC ward and checking out the window in his room. The PED/ONC ward was full and it took us most of the first day to wait for our (luckily) private room to open up. His appetite has been good (he continues to chow down on animal crackers and ate a whole cup of chicken noodle soup!) and he's been drinking lots of juice and water.

He should complete the chemo by Wednesday evening, and then he'll get a blood transfusion since his red counts are getting low.


Alan takes a breather from his walks on Daddy's shoulders