One month ago right now I was writing about those first traumatic 27 hours. We had finished our first round of chemo and were looking at the future uncertainly. Now we are nearly finished with his first phase of treatment, called Induction, and are looking at the next six-month phase in a bit of the same way. Overall, Derek has responded really well to this first series of treatments and is now officially in remission.
This current hospital stay has really been the first complication we’ve encountered. We are entering the third day of not being able to eat by mouth. It has not been easy. A few weeks ago we thought we had it bad when he had to wait all day for a surgical procedure without eating. He has handled it amazing well. While his giggle is not far from the surface, his giggles turn quickly to tears as soon as the distraction is gone. He feels so hungry, dispite the IV nutrition he is receiving. It is so hard for him to understand why he can’t eat when he is so hungry. He had his last dose of prednisone yesterday morning. That is the drug to blame for his intense hunger and also a probable cause of his pneumatosis. Hopefully the pneumatosis will dissipate now. The doctors say that if he still has no symptoms within 72 hours they will allow him to return to a normal diet and release him to go home. But as we enter the next phase of treatment, he will likely not feel very hungry.
Tonight we have hit another complication. Derek came down with a cold. They moved us to isolation so we don’t spread it to any other patients. While I can think of one advantage – we don’t have to listen to the neighbor’s TV going all night – I am concerned about this new development. How will his body fight this virus? His blood counts are good, but how efficiently will he be able to fight it? Will this keep us in the hospital longer? These are questions that remain to be answered. Please pray that he will recover quickly with no further complications.
1 comment:
Oh, poor little boy.
Poor mummy and daddy hearing Derek cry out to eat. The most simple form of life... the giving of food and the eating of food... denied.
Surely this will soon be in the past and you will be home and having a normal life with all the family present.
When Bryn and Ty were on prednisone that was a constant issue... the ravenous hunger.
Thinking of you and thank you for keeping the blog updated. People ask about Derek now and it is good to be able to give them new info.
My auntie( aged 89) in Cottonwoods, was so upset upon hearing that Derek could not eat until this is better, that she almost made Bryn cry.
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