Day 18 of Induction

Today was Day 18 of her Remission Induction Treatment (the first 32 days of treatment). Kaitlyn's fever was down all night long and came up again this morning to about 103. This prompted a lot of conversation about whether or not it would be safe for Kaitlyn to go ahead with the sedation for her planned procedures (lumbar puncture and bone marrow aspirate) at 10am. After many hours of questions with the nurses and residents, her doctor finally came in the room about 9:30am and laid it on the line. He informed us that with or without sedation, we would have to go ahead with her procedures because with the procedures would also come another dose of intrathecal (in the spine) chemotherapy and since her protocol called for that on Day 18, she HAD to get that chemo today because getting her into remission depended on it. At that point in time, he felt that it would be safe for Kaitlyn to still receive the anesthesia, but it would come down to what the anesthesiologist thought was best.

The anesthesiologist came in to look at her at 9:55am (5 minutes before her planned procedures) and after looking at her for 5 minutes told us that she didn't think it was a good idea to sedate her without first getting a chest X-ray to make sure there was no pneumonia in her lungs. Now, keep in mind, I have an already cranky, starving toddler on steriods on my hands who hasn't been able to eat because of these planned procedures and the anticipated anesthesia. So, at the time we were supposed to be having the procedures, the anesthesiologist tells us we have to go for a chest X-ray. Putting it kindly, we were pissed. The poor kid has to go through enough, now she is starving on top of it all. ARGH - it was so frustrating, but we went and had the X-ray, they got the results and her lungs were clear so the anesthesiologist gave us the "thumbs up" for anesthesia - THANK GOD. I don't know what I would have done if Katie would have had to face those procedures without anesthesia. Thank God, we didn't have to go that route.

That behind us, the procedures were underway at 11am. Katie would NOT give in to the anesthesia. It was actually kind of funny to see her acting so "drunk". I had flashbacks of some of my college days :-) She was fighting it so hard. She wouldn't lay down and she was talking up a storm. It was really cute and she had everyone laughing in the treatment room. Leave it to her to make me feel better, when I should be making her feel better. Once she finally gave in to the sedation (1/2 hour after they started administering her drugs), she was very comfortable during the procedures and we were done by noon. It took her until 1pm to wake up and get back in her room.

For the rest of the day, she was grumpy and groggy, but that is to be expected and quite frankly, she is sick of everyone in her face. I can't blame her for that, I would be too. But, with her Day 18 procedures behind us, we are now looking forward to the results on Friday. We are praying for an Early Remission. Please keep Katie in your prayers.

Much love.
~Amy, Mike & Kaityln