Yoyo!

So they let us out on Monday:)  Sam was so happy and enjoyed a family meal with Daddy, Mummy, Jack,  Nana and Poppa.  He was a happy bunny.  Poppa came up to the house Tuesday morning so Sammy could stay home and relax while I went back to reality with a bang and started work again.  All went smoothly until....Brian barged into my room, phone in hand, to announce that the clinic had called and Sam's culture had grown bacteria...he had to be readmitted!!!

Once at the clinic waiting to go up to CHAM 9, Sam was administered a new antibiotic,Vancomycin. Within seconds he was red all over his head and face and complained of severe itching. He was having an allergic reaction to it.  After Benadryl and a change in how long the antibiotic was to be given (over 2 hours instead of one),  Sam started to look more normal again...a little scary, I can tell you.  

So here I now sit, listening to E and his mom in the bed next to us, feeling thoroughly shell shocked by the turn of events.  Ironically. E is the little boy who started treatment at the same time as Sam, back in September, but their paths are very different.  It is amazing how fine tuned the treatment is to each patient.  E has been off chemo for a month but has only just spiked his first fever this week.  He did not get radiation as Sam did, and he is due an LP within the next few days; Sam is not due his next one for weeks.  Both boys have the round faces and eat very little.  E has also been told he can't go to school, Sam had been told he can go even in his ANC is zero...both children are under  Dr. Cole.

I actually saw Dr. Roth at the clinic before we were admitted today.  I explained my frustration about theories A and B and he explained that the doctors see the big picture and while the chemo can knock out the bone marrow and cause fevers etc, overall, the treatment gets easier...on Maintenance...in June!!  I politely explained that that is a long time away for our little boy.  But to the doctors it is a mere blink of an eye and they just see this phase as one that has its bumps but all gets better soon.  SO - in the scheme of things, both theories are right...time is the key.  Sitting here looking at my poor child facing more days in the hospital, I feel like time is deliberately slowing down.