Sunday, July 8, 2012

Collin has been feeling good and doing well over the last few weeks. We did twelve days of G-CSF shots to help boost his white blood cell production, and he handled every single shot like a champ...bravely and with very few tears. His blood counts were checked every few days in clinic, and on June 29 he had a platelet transfusion. Everything went smoothly, and with the help of the Tylenol and Benadryl used to prevent an allergic reaction, he slept through most of the hour-long transfusion. I had to wake him up so we could go home, and he must have been in a pretty deep sleep because he had an all out tantrum when I woke him. Since his platelets were low, he ended up with a nosebleed because he was crying so hard. Thankfully we were still in the clinic when it happened, and not in the car! The next day, we returned to clinic for a three-hour blood transfusion, which was uneventful. Throughout the week I monitored Collin's temperature because he usually ends up back in the hospital with a neutropenic fever about a week or so after higher dose chemo. Thankfully his fever never went high enough to warrant a re-admission!

6/28/12-Sleeping during platelet transfusion

6/29/12-Sleeping during blood tranfusion

6/29/12-Collin's & my snowmen made out of Model Magic

6/29/12-Collin was very brave as his port was deaccessed

Collin's hair began falling out thanks to the chemo, so once again we took him to the barber and had his head shaved. I think it will be a long time until he has hair again, because the radiation would also cause it to fall out, and it can take a long time to grow back after radiation, if it comes back at all. We also took Collin to see his first fireworks last week. I was slightly concerned that the sound would bother him since he is so sensitive to loud noises, but we were a few blocks away from where the fireworks were being set off, so other than being tired, he enjoyed them.

7/2/12-Last moments with hair

7/2/12-Sitting very still for the barber

7/2/12-A new look, yet again

We will fly down to Houston on July 20, and our consult at MD Anderson Cancer Center has now been changed from July 23rd to July 26th. The radiation won't start until the beginning of August, and I think it will last about two months. Unfortunately Neya's first day of school is August 27. Right now we think Bill, who will be home working for the majority of the time the rest of us are in Houston, will fly down to bring Neya home in time for school, but that means Collin and I will be apart from her and Bill for most of September. These next two months are going to be difficult since the four of us won't be together, but I keep telling myself that although it will feel like forever, two months isn't long in the scheme of things.

Between all of our activities, doctor, and therapy appointments, as well as trying to get things ready for our trip, the next two weeks are going to fly by. Collin has his next MRI this Friday the 13th, and I'm trying not to be superstitious. Please say a prayer that the MRI will show improvement after this most recent round of chemo! I will share the results as soon as I know them!

7/8/12-Napping in the bean bag chair