We Begin Again

We started Day 29 today. Catherine's counts were well over the parameters - ANC 1326 and platelets 169,000. It was such a LONG Day!! We were the first ones there at 7:30 a.m. and the last ones to go, walking out with the last of the staff at 4:30 p.m.! All her chemo took a total of maybe 90 minutes, but the hydration required for the Cytoxan was crazy. She received fluids for about 3 hours before it was administered and then for 4 hours after it was finished. Needless to say we spent a lot of time in the bathroom with many urine collections (checking for blood which would indicate damage to the bladder). Luckily, all the hydration worked. Catherine, as usual, did great. As is Catherine's MO, she never went completely under during the lumbar puncture and chatted up Dr. Darryl and Nurse Renee the whole time. She has to lay flat for 45 minutes following the LP and believe it or not, it is a struggle to get her to do so. With her new Dora watch on, Catherine waited quite inpatiently for 9:40 to arrive so that she could hit the playroom. There she played all morning with Molly, a 16 year old volunteer, and then in the afternoon, we watched a Scooby Doo movie, had a tea party, had lunch, played with a dollhouse, and painted dinosaurs. Busy busy!! The rest of the week won't be as long as the ARA-C is just a 30 minute drip and a 30 minute flush. And, to avoid having to poke her everyday this week, her port will remain accessed (so she has "tubies" taped to her).
Alex had a great day as well. Flavia, our babysitter, took him to 2 different playgrounds and showered him with much needed attention. By the time we got home, he was bathed, in his pajamas, and eating dinner. Thank God for her!!