Oliver had a chemo treatment on Monday and one Today. His numbers are high today due to the steroids which he took his last dose this morning for the 7 days and we get 7 days without then 7 days back on. The steroid stimulates production so he makes his numbers go up even though he is getting chemo drugs that suppress. Now that we are off it for a week, his numbers may dip down, however we are not sure how far, then on it again, same thing will happen.
One good thing I found out today is that his Oncologist will wait regarding his counts and admitting him. He feels we've done such a great job of keeping him ill-free that as long as we keep it going, they will try to keep him out of the hospital this month. However, if he shows any sign of something different going on with him.. then of course he goes in.
We have one more IV treatment next week on Friday for this month.
Next month starts with a spinal again, but not until his counts recover from this months end to start. Once we start again, we don't stop for counts. We are unsure about November and being admitted with low counts yet, as one of the drugs he will have is known to onset infection easier. Next month is a bit odd. He will have 2 weeks of a drug similar to one he took in June/July that he takes on an empty stomach. We will be sent home with him getting IV fluids after one treatment since they have to make sure his bladder stays dilute over a long period of time so they dont make you stay at the clinic for that, but send you home on the fluid. Plus another IV drug that we also administer at home through his line. All these drugs will suppress his system again and it could be one to two weeks of low counts before we start the next round called Interim Maintenance II - then we go into full Maintenance. This will probably bring us into January/February then we will just have the treatment once every 12 weeks until July of 2013 with 5 days of the steroid once very 12 weeks, and a daily oral drug during the entire duration (as well as his usual antibiotic he takes every weekend).
The steroids haven't been as bad this time because we are at home, and its not for a long period of time. He is still manic with his moods, but at least we have some happy times rather than just all moody times, and when he is happy, its super happy. Plus he has not gotten crazy about food either, but has been drinking lots more than he normally does.
We do blood checks on Mondays and whatever day we are at the clinic (otherwise on Thursday) this month so I'll try to find time to update on those days.
[p.s. Miles is doing great still - eating like a champ and sooooo much more than he was before (growth spurt this week as well). He is even spitting up less than he did before the onset of pyloric stenosis (he used to spit up several times daily, now its hardly noticeable if he does one day).. he did finally give us a break last night sleeping from 1030-3, then from 4-7 (other than the night we came home from the hospital, he had been wanting to eat every 2 hours)...I also added 2 new videos this past week of Miles (with Oliver around as well) on youtube]
