Day 116 - So, apparently, low numbers might be a good thing.

Daddy making me do my math... 😎
The funny thing with cancer treatments is that (I imagine) like most parents, we haven't done this before.  We are learning as we go along, and just hoping we can ask the right questions and understand the answers.

Patrick went in today for Ryan's labs and we were hoping that his ANC and Platelet counts would be back up to 750 and 75, which would mean that we could re-start his chemo phase tomorrow.  When the platelets came back at 46 and the ANC was DOWN to 450, he was concerned.

However, the doctors explained that the fact that his numbers are STILL down from 3 weeks ago is actually a really good thing.  It means that his body is still processing the chemo, is very receptive to it, and they can give him the same effective dose with less of the drug.  It's kind of like how you can give a smaller dose of a med to a child than an adult, except in this case, it's not something they can calculate ahead of time.  So, they think that Ryan is just really good at processing his chemo drugs and is still getting the residual effect of the dose from 3 weeks ago.

They think that since his platelets did increase from last week (he was 31 last Monday), his bone marrow is recovering and he should be back up to 75 by next Monday.  As for his ANC, he fell last week and scraped up his ankle.  It's healing nicely, but the body healing itself will drop the ANC.  The part that amazed the doctor is that his ankle is healing at all.  Apparently, most kids on chemo have a really hard time healing anything.  They can get a scratch or a cut, and it simply won't heal.  In Ryan's case, he's still healing and doing great.

The only labs they were a little concerned about was his Phosphorous, which was a little high at 6.2.  But, when Patrick explained that he's been eating really well, they said that it could be high simply because he's eating.  So, they are changing his TPN a little bit to take his appetite into account.

We will plan on labs next Monday, and continue to plan on restarting the chemo, if his body is ready for it.  So, he should be nice and strong for the visit from the family this week, which is awesome.  The docs even said that he could go out and play (but no holding or petting wild animals at the zoo... maybe something inside, with less germs).

I had a very busy day today, getting the kids registered for high school classes in the morning, planning MY classes in the afternoon, and then an awesome visit with friends, complete with dinner and laughter (Thanks Sandra and Mike!)

Thank you all for the continued prayers and good thoughts!!

--------------------------------------------

ANC : 450
Platelets : 45
WBC : 1.4
H & H : 28.6 / 9.3
Albumin : 2.8
Total Bilirubin : 1.0
ALT : 68

Comments

  1. Lois HillAugust 15, 2017 at 6:48 AM

    so lower is better!! who knew, but I know you are all anxious for this process to continue so Ryan and Patrick can come back to God's Country!! That is awesome that he is healing where most chemo patients don't-- but that is Ryan's plan!!! It will be great that he is feeling so good for the rest of his family to visit, yes I am sure someone up above had that planned :) If you ever need a break, come one over and we can share a bottle of wine==or something!! still have everyone in my prayers, we prayed for him at mass yesterday in Belt. LUV U all

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 498 - Visit to Ft. Benton

Image
I spent the day in Fort Benton with my mom and her friend... It was nice to spend the day walking around the fort and the museums, and just enjoy the beautiful day. Ryan stayed home with Patrick, so it was kind of a break day for him as well!  He woke up late and didn't have to worry about his school work all day... But, he will make up for the missing work tomorrow... One of the side benefits of homeschooling! His belly has completely closed up, now that he's been without the IV chemo for 2 weeks or so.  It looks great and hopefully will stay that way for a while.  We don't have another spinal tap until October, and I don't think we have the week long IV chemo for another few weeks.  Just enjoying feeling good! Thank you all for the prayers and good thoughts!
Read more

Day 499 - Movies with the grandparents

Image
Ryan headed up to the grandparents after lunch this afternoon for a day of movies and fun!  He stayed up way too late last night, and slept in this morning until about noon... spoiled kid, but I guess it is Saturday. He's feeling really good and it looks like his belly isn't causing any trouble.  And, with the new TPN, we don't have to do 2 infusions per day!  Woo hoo! Thank you all for the continued prayers and good thoughts!
Read more

Day 500 - wow...

Image
Today - Sept, 2018 So, this is day 500.  500 days since we found out Ryan had Leukemia.  It's been a very strange year and a half, and you all have no idea how much I appreciate your support and your prayers.  For the last 500 days, I have posted an update every evening. I have tried to keep my posts positive (sometimes more for me than for anyone reading them).  There are things that I have not talked about, perhaps because putting those things into writing will make them possible.  Mostly, I have avoided any writing that implies that there is any alternative to things working out.   When we were first diagnosed with Leukemia, our doctors came in to give us 'the talk'.  For anyone who has gone through this, you know about 'the talk'.   Since Ryan had a small bowel and liver transplant, odds were that Ryan would not survive.  We knew this.  However, Ryan is an amazing kid, always defying the odds. May, 2017  (first month...
Read more