Here We Go Again...

Insert huge sigh here that today is over.

It was a biggie and seemed way too long for just one measly day.

Finally, finally, our boy made counts.  He was actually just over a thousand (that's normal).

So once the numbers were back, we headed up to the 4th floor to the PICU

for surgery.  Thank heavens, Paula Hogan was there to help keep Kean

entertained and his momma sane.

Step one of Chemo-- Methotrexate through a Spinal Tap into his

spine and brain went perfectly.

This picture was taken just after he went night, night... and before

they actually started the procedure.

I'm a wimp.  I always leave the room at this point.

Once Kean came to, they moved us over to one of our old rooms on the floor.

Here, Kean got two new doses of Chemo.  a drug called Cytarabine and another one

called Cyclophosphamide.  Both of these are supposedly pretty harsh-- causing nausea,

more hair loss (goodbye blond Yoda fuzz) and low Platelet counts.

The Cyclophosphamide is also quite cruel on the kidneys and bladder.

They had to give him another drug, Mesna to coat his bladder since the Chemo

causes bladder lining damage.  The nurses have placed a special pad

in each of his diapers where they have to wring it out and measure every

gram eliminated.  This diaper procedure will go on every few hours

throughout the night.  Fun times, I tell ya.

He's on two anti-nausea drugs so - so far, he seems okay.

However, he didn't eat anything for dinner even though he kept telling

me he was hungry.  Perhaps, it is the hospital food.  We wasted quite

a few dishes in here tonight hoping to strike a chord.

One final blip-- remember how I told you that in boys, the type of Leukemia

Kean has likes to hide in the testicles.  While he was under today,

Dr. Hanson checked his testicles and found that his left one had ascended.

I guess that's a red flag so tonight at 8 p.m., our little boy

earned a trip to the Ultrasound room, where it took three of us

to hold him still to get the pictures they needed.

This picture was taken right before he was de-pantsed and humiliated.

Poor guy.

We won't hear the results until the doc makes his rounds in the morning.

Don't worry.  I'm not.  I've convinced myself there

is nothing to worry about until there is something to worry about.