Last IV Chemo

Today is Emma's last I.V. chemo. It is her last dose of Vincristine. She has had Vincristine every month since she started the maintenance phase. From Wikipedia you get the following, which is, I think, fairly accurate.

Vincristine is a chemotherapy medication used to treat a number of types of cancer. It is given intravenously and works by inhibiting mitosis (stopping cells from dividing properly), causing the cells to die.  The drug accomplishes this by binding to the tubulin protein, stopping the cell from separating its chromosomes during the metaphase; the cell then undergoes apoptosis. Because cancer cells divide more rapidly than healthy cells, the drug affects them more.

Most people experience some side effects from vincristine treatment. Commonly it causes a change in sensation, hair loss, constipation, difficulty walking, and headaches.

 Vincristine is a vinca alkaloid from the Madagascar periwinkle Catharanthus roseus (formerly named Vinca rosea).

Vincristine is delivered via intravenous infusion for use in various types of chemotherapy regimens.

She still takes oral chemo until Thanksgiving.  

Today she also starts her last 5-day steroid pulse. If I am very good, I'll post about her last steroid dose.

We scheduled her port removal for next month. 

We ran into Lilly, Emma's friend that has been fighting leukemia nearly as long. In the pharmacy we met David, who we have been praying for since he was diagnosed this summer. 

Dr. Engle isn't in clinic today; but we saw Doug as usual. She always sees two doctors and Dr. Luke Maese was filling in. We haven't seen Luke for more than a year; but he was the on call doc the weekend that Emma was diagnosed. 

It was such a fitting book end to her treatment to see Luke again. Emma did not recognize him. So we asked if she remembers that first week. She doesn't. 

Emma doesn't remember the first week in the hospital. Already she has forgotten. I'm so grateful.