Back in the hospital

08/30/10-1140
ANC 3800

We are back in the hospital for chemotherapy again. He will be getting Vincristine, Doxorubicn and Cytoxan. The Doxorubicin is what's keeping us in the hospital, as it requires an EKG, chest x-ray and echocardiogram to monitor the condition of his heart and is given over 24 hours at a time. There was some confusion at first on how quickly it was going to be administered - some cancers respond better to the dose given quickly, some better to a continuous infusion. Doc A believes that solid tumors like Alan's do better with the continuous infusion.

Most of the day was spent playing in his room or walking around the halls of the HEM/ONC ward while getting pre-hydration. His room has an easily accessible window where he can see cars coming and going. He opened a present (thank you Tia!), tossed his big balloon around (thank you Dee!), played basketball, ate Fig Newtons, Nilla wafers and ice cream and was pretty happy today. No nap of course, but he fell asleep in the crib without any protest at bed time.

Since our last chemo was at the doctors' office, the nurses and PCAs here haven't seen him in six week, and several of them exclaimed how big he was. Alan's been playing with syringes since the last stay in the hospital, and now he's picking up the alcohol pads and "cleaning" the access ports on the IV line just like the nurses!


Alan "cleans" the IV line with an alcohol pad