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October 13, 2004 -- Maintenance #5 (Days 68-84) Katie was able to get back to school on Wednesday, September 29. She did fine for a week and ended up with a low-grade fever again on Thursday, October 7 and was out of school for 2 more days. Fortunately, her fever didn't go high enough to have to take her to the ER. Katie was excited to get back to school on Monday and Tuesday this week. Katie finally got to meet with her new oncologist today (10/13/04). Dr. Julie Stern is very nice and Katie took to her right away. (see photos) Dr. Julie attempted to do Katie's spinal tap under conscious sedation today. It was a disaster! As soon as Katie started feeling the effects of the morphine, she started screaming. When the first vial of versed hit her, she started crying and swinging her arms and legs. It got worse with the second and third vials of versed. So, they stopped there. She did get her vincristine (VCR) before we left. She's been vomiting all afternoon. We are heading to CHOP in the morning to have the spinal tap and IT MTX under general anesthesia. The good news, after her LP tomorrow, Katie only has one more LP in January. She has four more doses of VCR and four Dexamethasone pulses. We're almost down to four months of treatment left!!! February 19, 2005 she takes her last meds and chemo at home. We have started the countdown to OT (off-treatment)!!! Katie was a bundle of energy on Tuesday night. It was 9:30 and John and I were trying to get her to go to bed (she usually goes up at 7:30). John asked her where she got all her energy. As Katie was jumping around doing her karate moves, she replied, "Power nap!" Katie really threw me the other day when she asked, "What's the difference between antibodies and white blood cells?" Yikes! I got stumped by a four-year old!! I had to look it up. If you have a chance, please leave a message in Katie's guest book. She loves to hear from everyone. We can't thank you enough for keeping Katie close to your hearts and in your prayers. We deeply appreciate it. Here is Katie's ANC and chemo/meds since last update: October 13, 2004: ANC 1540, received IV VCR, at KOP Center. Continue 100% chemo/meds at home -- 50mg (1 tablet) 6MP every Mon-Sat evening and 75mg (1-1/2 tabs) every Sun evening, 15mg (6 tablets) MTX weekly on Wednesday evenings (no MTX on October 13), 2mg DEX 2 times per day for 5 days (October 14 pm through October 19 am), 1/2 tab Bactrim 2 times per day for 2 days (Friday through Saturday), 1 Tums daily or 1 Viactiv daily, 1/4-1/2 tsp Zofran every 8 hours or as needed for nausea, 1/2 capful Miralax as needed for constipation/hard stools. October 14, 2004: LP and IT MTX under GA at CHOP. Return in 4 weeks (November 10) for CBC and IV VCR at King of Prussia Specialty Center. |
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