Tuesday.....an ok day!

The best news was the spinal fluid was clear, the leukemia does not appear to have migrated north.  Over the months ahead they will continue to sample spinal fluid and give chemo in the spine to keep the cancer out of the brain.  More good news was that for the first time since arriving Luke did not spike a temperature in the evening or during the night.  Blood counts will start to drop with the start of chemo.  For now counts are low but ok. 

Luke started on prednisone.  Appetite will pick up and with the water retention so will Luke’s resemblance to the Pillsbury Dough Boy.   

Luke is doing.  For most of the afternoon and evening the nausea kicked in. Not much of an appetite.  He did occasionally check text messages and emails which generated a few smiles.  By late evening he felt well enough to disconnect from the pumps and get into the shower. 

The IV’s and pills are endless.  Along with chemo he is getting deluged with antibiotics, stuff for nausea and a lot of meds to enhance and address the adverse effects of the chemo. It seems like a new IV bag is hung every hour around the clock. Chemo wise he got Vincristine and Doxorubin Monday .  Yesterday it was Erwinia.  I think today the Erwinia gets repeated. 

Ian, who heads up the Arts in Medicine for pediatrics, stopped by.  Luke and Ian share the common bond of music.  Ian was on the floor for a clinic and invited Luke to drop by and hang out.  At the time Luke was feeling the chemo effect and had to pass. 

Kendall is heading back to Denver today.  Beth remains in Houston able to work here from her laptop and phone.  Kate will arrive on Friday when her school starts their spring break.  Gayle returned home for the first time since Saturday morning.  Hopefully had a good tub soak and a glass of wine.  She'll be back down to MDA this morning.