Day of Chemo

Sadie spent the day at the hospital again (with Dave this time.)  She received Intrathecal Methotrexate (into her spinal fluid), VinCRIStine into her port, and Pegaspargase shots into her legs. 
Her hemoglobin was 7.2, and they normally give her a unit of blood if it's below 8.  But, Pegaspargase is highly reactive and blood is highly reactive, so they won't give them both on the same day.  This means we'll be back in tomorrow so she can get her unit of blood.  (I think I'm going to try bringing the boys with me and see how that goes.)

The exciting news is no more chemo at home for the next two weeks!  No more refusing to give her food or drink because the Mercaptopurine pill has to be given in the evening AND two hours after eating/drinking and half hour before eating/drinking.  No more "pokes" at home!  It's not really a poke, but the medicine stings as it goes in, so Sadie calls it a "poke."  (It's actually injected into a subcutaneous catheter inserted in her arm.)  I can't tell you how happy it makes me to be off those for two weeks!  She will go into the hospital once a week for Chemo and once a week for lab draws, but at home, we can leave her alone for the most part.  Just keep her feeling well with anti-nausea and Miralax meds.

With it being Winter break and all, I've been tempted to take the kids somewhere during the day.  But her ANC is mid 500s, and going down.  Won't be going anywhere with crowds that's for sure!  A good thing about spending the first month in the hospital is that Evan and Andrew understand how much we DO NOT want Sadie to get sick.  We DO NOT want her back in the hospital.  They understand, and we are finding ways to have fun at home.  (Pretty easy with all their new toys keeping them busy!)