Update
10/27/2006
Jaymun is back in the hospital. We
took him back down for a checkup on Tuesday since his counts weren't high
enough to start chemo again, but his bruises on his face had come back. The
doctor was concerned enough to tell us she highly advised starting the chemo
that same day. We had to go through the whole "hours of no eating"
thing right there in the clinic. He had another spinal tap and bone marrow
aspiration-the procedures went fine, but he was wiggling quite a bit
afterwards. They inject chemo into his spinal fluid, so he has to be lying
down with his feet elevated so the chemo can run down along the length of his
spine for at least half an hour afterwards. Try telling a baby to lay still!
We were so totally unprepared to be readmitted that very
day--we had no clothes packed and I'd used the little money we'd brought along
to buy lunch. Dave stayed with Jaymun after his
procedures and I drove home with Sean to get busy packing. It was the first
night since he'd been born that I was away from him. I drove back in the
morning with the kids and we switched places. It's always such a whirlwind of
tests, procedures, packing, coordinating schedules, etc. This hospital
admission just caught us off guard completely. Dave had to wait down in the
clinic until they had a room ready upstairs in the HOT unit for them to move
into. I was thankful I had at least packed some pajamas for Jaymun
in the diaper bag. I know he could wear hospital gowns, but I like to dress
him in cute baby clothes so things feel a little more normal for him and us.
(Nothing says "sick" like having to wear an outfit that exposes your
entire backside!)
Jaymun's oncologists told us since
he's starting chemo too soon, there is a danger that his blood counts may not
go back up after this round. He's getting five days of chemo, but it's a different intensity this time. If his counts
don't go back up, he'll go right into the bone marrow transplant. They are
pretty worried about those bruises..the
first two rounds should have killed off those cancer cells by now. We are so
concerned for him--the worry never leaves us.
This morning Jaymun had to have an
MRI. The word "radiation" is being tossed about now (if this round does
not eliminate the last two spots) and that scares
us even more. There is no greater burden than being worried about your child's
health. All other problems fade away and this cancer overshadows everything. Jaymun had to be completely put out because the MRI
requires the patient to lie perfectly still. Dave and I had traded places again
last night (Thursday) and he told me Jaymun was
smiling away at everyone before being sedated, even though he wasn't able to
eat since 4 AM. This baby of ours never ceases to amaze me. He can dole out
smiles even when his very life consists of constant struggles.
Please, please pray. Jaymun
gives us joy and laughter and especially a fervent hope that we'll have
many more tomorrows of loving this baby. Pray that those stubborn bruises go
away and that the doctors are able to figure out the very best plan of treatment
for him.
Pray, and pray hard.
