Friday Update

Today is the first day of Katie's official chemotherapy treatment. She actually got her first dose of chemotherapy yesterday during the bone marrow extraction, but that was a generic treatment that would have a positive affect on whatever form of leukemia she had. The new treatments beginning today are designed specifically to attack the form of leukemia that was found in her bone marrow.

Katie hasn't had any real side effects from yesterday's treatment. She has only experienced a small tummy ache that has diminished her desire to eat a little bit, but we have been assured that it is only temporary. A side effect of another one of the drugs she will be getting is that she will end up with a serious case of the munchies.

She is becoming accustomed to all the doctors and nurses that keep visiting, testing, and medicating her. Her IV was replace with a PICC line yesterday during the marrow extraction. The PICC line is more durable and more useful than the IV and it allows blood to be drawn without using any more needles. She was actually able to sleep through her blood withdrawal this morning.

The PICC line is also placed in her upper arm instead of in the veins at her wrist, so she has a lot greater freedom of movement. She has been playing, crawling, and even trying to jump in her bed.

She has been taking her medicine as if it were candy. Anything that needs to be taken by mouth goes in effortlessly, and usually in a mixture of drugs/melted popcicle. She likes the red ones.
One of the doctors told us this morning that they are expecting Katie to respond well to the chemotherapy and have scheduled her next bone marrow extraction, which is next Friday, as an out-patient treatment. We like the atmosphere here at the Vermont Children's Hospital, but it would be nice to take her back home too. So, we are crossing our fingers.

We have also been told that she is expected to get sicker over the next couple of days as her body learns how to deal with all of the different chemicals and all of the dead leukemia cells. The chemotherapy should kill off one to one and one-half pounds of leukemia cells in the next 48 hours. Given the fact that she only weighs 24 pounds, a pound of dead cells is a significant portion of her overall body weight.

Katie also had her first of many transfusions last night. The idea of a transfusion, or even of needing one is frightening. However, after watching her get the transfusion last night and seeing how much more life she had after the fact, I am thrilled. She went from a lethargic, pale, child to an energetic, animated bundle of wiggles after about twenty minutes of transfusion. The whole process took about three hours and she was asleep by the end of the transfusion.

Thank you to everyone who is already pitching in and helping out. A special thanks goes out to Robin Kay (Nana) for taking care of Katie's brother, Josh; and to my parents for taking care of the dog; and to Gerry and Cindy for taking care of the house; and to everyone else who is doing what can be done to make this difficult time easier. Thank you.