Day 29

We finished the induction phase.

This morning Emma was super unhappy to miss breakfast, but it's a celebration day, anyway. No more Prilosec, which is decidedly the worst medicine she gets. Its job is to counter the side effects of the Dexamethasone, which we are done with for now, anyway.

She giggled through port access again, today.

Her labs are looking great: the doctors approved Emma to go to her music class (6 other kids in the class) with a mask as long as nobody else is sick. She also does get **Limited** trick or treating for Halloween. Just a few houses, in a mask, and not around anybody sick.

She got anesthetized for another lumbar puncture and another Bone Marrow Aspirate. She was a champ for all of that.

Now we get a week to recover. We expect to hear about the bone marrow in the next few days, and then in November we start the next round. The specific protocol depends on her counts.

Thanks so much to all of Emma's team for supporting us and walking with us through this. One round down. 

Day 15

We have made it through 2 weeks, and today is halfway through the induction phase. Last Wednesday was a bit rough, and was our first clinic day. Today is our clinic day as well. Yesterday wasn't at all rough; yet some how it left me feeling like I am spinning out of control.

There is little, in truth, that I can actually control.

Clinton is fighting with vitamins, soap, plenty of water,and Listerine to squelch the beginnings of the cold that Emma's little brothers have. So far Emma, Lizzy, and Momma are OK.

We are hoping for good things today in clinic. To all who are praying for us and thinking of us, thank you.

First Clinic

9:00 am we arrived for our clinic appointment. Check vitals, and since Emma's port has only been accessed once, and that under anesthesia, we had some kid learning for that. Then the access, for which Emma was  a super star. We met with a fellow and an attending doc. Doug also came by to see how we are doing.
Then we had her Vincristine and started a platelet transfusion.
At noon, the platelets were still running, but it  was time for the lumbar puncture, under general anesthesia.
The steroids are making her HUNGRY, so fasting until then made her a tad bit moody and unhappy. She went through 2 bags of cheetos, a bag of sun chips, grape juice, orange soda, and at least 5 cheeses.
Her heart rate was pretty rapid, particularly elevated for her last week, so we waited a couple hours on fluid before they were satisfied and sent her home.
Lizzy had meanwhile gotten home, gone to a neighbor, and gotten her homework done. That wasn't the plan; but it worked out. I am so grateful for excellent friends and neighbors. So that was our first clinic day.
I thought we were getting into a groove and kind of had this, and today proved that I have nothing at all under control. 

Chemotherapy Day 1

So this is the official day 1.
Emma has had several extra things given by IV and mouth.
Steroids, anti-nausea, anti-cancer, fever reducer, and a bag of blood. Well, truly, the blood transfusion is still going on... that's a 2-hour thing. It's kind of interesting to see the end result of a blood drive.
I haven't given for a while, what with a 7-month old baby. But seeing the bag hanging there and providing her a very needed transfusion makes me want to drop by the red cross and give a pint.
Day 1.
The first segment of treatment is called induction, and runs 29 days. After they are happy with her reaction to the day 4 drugs, we get to take her home, and then much will be outpatient.
Our list of possible side effects would make a really cool speed-talking caveat on a drug commercial. "Ask your doctor if Chemotherapy is right for you..."