Back At It

At Wednesday’s appointment, Tate got Vincristine, Doxorubicin, and Erwinia shots and was cleared to begin the 7-day course of steroids.  Tate’s ANC is down to 297 from 3500 last week, which came as a surprise.  I was not expecting that number to drop so far so fast.  (When am I going to stop being surprised by this?)   

Tate twisted his knee Tuesday and has not been walking much since.  He said it is feeling better now, but all of his energy seems devoted to recovering from chemo.      

During the exam, the doctor found some soreness in Tate’s neck and jaw and said it was a common side effect of Vincristine.  We never leave an appointment with Dr. Wantanabe without learning something new or marveling at his extensive shoe collection.   

The steroids are doing weird things to Tate’s body and sleep cycle.  The steroids change the shape of his face, cause breakouts and weight gain, and make him feel weaker, hungrier, and more emotional than normal.  He is awake at all hours of the night but desperate to sleep.       

I am always happy to find Tate sleeping soundly during steroid weeks.  Late mornings when the sun is streaming into his room seems to be when he is sleeping most deeply.  Our neighbors made him a flannel Grinch pillowcase that has become one of the cozy things he cannot be without.  It’s so soft, and they included the nicest note with some inspirational Grinch quotes.  Think end-of-the-book Grinch, not beginning.      

Next week Tate has an appointment with the Nurse Practitioner.  They’ll test his blood to see whether he needs any blood products, but he does not have any chemo scheduled (other than finishing the steroids).  He has physical therapy Thursday and occupational therapy Friday. 

Tate is looking much better in general, even on the bad days, and we have a lot of people to thank for that.  The doctors have worked to tailor his medications to his needs, the nurses constantly work to make everything better, and his physical and occupational therapists have been crucial in improving his mobility, dexterity, and quality of life.  Most importantly, he has been surrounded by so much love and support from family and friends.  There is no getting through this alone, and I continue to be overwhelmed by how many people are rooting for him.