When does it get easier?

I asked Kaitlyn's doctor today, "When does it get easier?" and he replied, "I already told you the worst thing that I am going to tell you when I told you a month ago that Kaitlyn has Leukemia. Nothing I have to tell you today is as bad as that." And that is what we have to focus on while we deal with all the little bumps in the road.

Today's bump included him telling us that her central line needs to be replaced, which will mean two more surgeries...one to take it out and one later to put a new line in. In an ideal situation, they would remove the line immediately. But, since she now has Methotrexate in her bloodstream, it makes the anesthesia riskier. The plan now is to wait until Tuesday to remove the line in order to give her body plenty of time to clear the Methotrexate. Unless there is sign of her body going into shock from the infection, then they will have to pull it immediately.

On top of her needing to have her line removed, they have also decided that they don't want to use her central line for anything because they are concerned about pushing the infection out of her line and into her system. They are doing an "antibiotic" lock on her lines which will render them both useless after 11pm tonight. Basically, they are putting antibiotic in her line that will sit in her line so that the infection won't travel into her system. However, the problem is that Kaitlyn still needs IV fluids, antibiotics and frequent blood draws. They have already placed a peripheral IV in her hand and will need to continue to stick her for all blood draws (about 2 per day).

The peripheral IV will stay in place at least until Tuesday when her line comes out, possibly later if she still needs to receive antibiotics and fluids after the line comes out. There is no plan at this time to replace her line other than the fact that it needs to be done as soon as possible.

Kaitlyn has also been spiking fevers every 6 hours which they are treating with Tylenol.

So, just as we celebrate the fact that she is in Remission, we are also fully aware that Kaitlyn is not completely out of the woods yet, nor will she be for quite a while.