Thank you so very much for blanketing us in prayer yesterday (Friday, 9/2/11).
Nick handled the chemo very well. He did NOT have enough of a reaction that required ANY medical intervention. Praise God!!!!!
At the very end of the infusion (just like the last time Nick got this chemo), Nick’s blood pressure jumped up. The chemo was basically finished. The IV was stopped and the doctor was called. While the nurse was talking with the doctor, Nick’s body began to recover on it’s own. The doctor was pleased that Nick’s blood pressure was coming down on it’s own without any extra IV medications to stop the reaction.
Since this was the same type of reaction Nick had the previous time with this chemo and his body recovered quickly, the doctor was fine to let us come on home. The only special instructions I had Nick his chemo dose of steroids as soon as we got home, instead of waiting until bedtime. I also gave Nick another dose of Benadryl at bedtime.
So, the doctor has decided to give us two full weeks off from this chemo. He wants to keep Nick off of as many extra steroids as possible. The reason is that while the steroids will stop the reaction, they will also cause an increase in Nick’s blood pressure later.
This morning, Nick’s blood pressure is borderline. I’m doing what I can to steer him in the right direction with his diet, but that is a challenge. All of these steroids make Nick crave the foods that make the blood pressure rise. That’s tough on Nick...and me when I have to tell him no.
We are scheduled to go back to Children’s Hospital on Wednesday, Sept 21. Nick is scheduled to receive the full chemo schedule, old and new. I already know that isn’t likely to happen. It took from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm yesterday to get that one chemo drug in. The four or five IV drugs that Nick got on Wednesday took the same amount of time. Since the drugs can not be run at that same time (they are incompatible), we have to give each one it’s turn.
Please continue to pray for us and the doctors. Decisions are still to be made. Remission seems to be a possibility for the first time in three years. Lots of room for hope and answered prayers.
On a side note: Today marks the 15th anniversary of Nick’s gift of life. He received his new liver 15 years ago today. Please join me sometime today and ask a special blessing on the family that blessed my family. The decision that mom, dad, siblings, grandparents, possibly even a wife, made gave us 15 more years with Nick than we would have had. Nick would have died without that gift of life.
Today, I am very thankful, yet my mother’s heart is hurting...even after 15 years. There is a mother out there that is remembering the day her son died. I hope and pray that she can rest in knowing that her son was able to save not only Nick’s life, but several others as well. All because she and the rest of his family made the decision to donate his organs.
If you aren’t an organ donor, please pray about becoming one. If you are one, be SURE that your loved ones KNOW that is what you want done. Just because it says so on your driver’s license doesn’t mean that it will happen. Decisions by your next of kin have to be made and permission forms still have to be signed.
That’s my soap box for today.
We are trying to remain...
In His Grip,
Kristy Baxley
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