Wednesday, August 25

Due to the effect that chemo can have on hearing, Collin's oncologist sent him for another hearing test yesterday. The results were the same as his previous hearing tests: no hearing loss in the left ear, and some hearing loss in the right ear. However, the hearing loss in the right ear is low frequency, not the high frequency loss that the chemo can cause. The hearing loss in the right ear has been present since the tumor resection, before the beginning of chemo, so the theory is that it is related to the seventh nerve damage that is also responsible for Collin's right side facial paralysis. Since the high dose chemo does not seem to have caused any hearing loss and is most effective in killing the cancer cells, Collin's oncologist has decided the fifth round will be another high dose inpatient round. She knows I want to be home for Neya's first day of first grade on August 30th, so Collin will be seen in the clinic while Neya is in school that day for the admission bloodwork, etc. Then he will be directly admitted to the hospital on Tuesday August 31st to start the next round of chemo. Hopefully it will go as well as the last round and Collin won't get as sick as he has in the past.

I've been telling Neya what an awesome job she's been doing with Collin, loving him, playing with him, helping him, etc. I had signed her up for SuperSibs!, an organization that recognizes the siblings of children fighting cancer. Today she received a trophy from them, and it really made her day! For her first day of school, she needs to bring a picture of something exciting that she did over the summer, but her summer hasn't been like everyone else's. Getting the trophy today was the perfect thing to take a picture of for the first day of school!

So, we will spend the rest of this week enjoying our time together at home before school and chemo start up again. Next week will be hectic for sure!