We are done the first course of round 5. He has had four three-hour infusions of the high concentration cytarabine and one injection of the L-asparaginase. He will have a second identical course starting next Wednesday. He was not hungry yesterday and had a low-grade fever in the evening but some Tylenol really perked him up. He seems back to his usual happy, energetic self today. We're not entirely sure why they want to keep us in hospital till next Wednesday - his counts were all good yesterday at 105 for hemoglobin, 324 for platelets and over 5,600 for his ANC! So there is no concern of neutropenic fever for at least a few days. They are not even checking any bloodwork this weekend...
The unit is beyond full. Some patients have been moved temporarily to the seventh floor (very disruptive and distressing for these patients and families) and they have converted one of the patient rooms that was being used as an office back to a patient room. It is unclear why there is this unprecedented surge in pediatric cancer patients but everyone is coping as best they can - nurses are very taxed, doctors are spending extra time on the unit and it seems very hectic - a far cry from the summer where there were only a half dozen patients on the whole floor!
Tonight Halifax's Santa Claus parade goes right by the hospital and a special section with seating for inpatients and their families will be set up so we are going to watch it - fun for the whole family.
Mary Ellen
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