Fifty

The good news from Tate’s appointment yesterday is that the pathologist did not find any blasts (bad cells) in Tate’s blood. Hooray! The concerning news is that his ANC has dropped to 50. The oncologist has ordered two tests to try to figure out what is causing his ANC to go the wrong direction: a blood test and a bone marrow test.

The blood test will determine whether Tate’s body is having trouble processing Mercaptopurine, the chemo he took nightly in pill form. It has been two weeks, and our insurance company still has not authorized this test. With Tate’s ANC critically low and us stirring around the same questions with no answers, Greg decided to pay for the test and work with the insurance company for reimbursement. Tate’s doctor said he wishes he could run this test on every patient at the beginning of treatment so they knew in advance how to dose each child. It makes so much sense! But it’s a very expensive test, so insurance companies are not on board with that idea. In the two weeks we have been waiting for authorization for this test, Tate’s ANC has dropped from the 300’s to almost nothing. It’s at the point where we desperately need an answer so he can be treated properly and get his life and his health back.

The bone marrow test will show whether there is evidence of relapse. Tate’s oncologist does not think this is what is happening, but he cannot rule it out without the bone marrow being examined.

We have an appointment Monday morning at 9:30am for results. His ANC has gone from too low to dangerously low to barely there, and we don’t know how best to help him because we were waiting on our insurance company to tell us it was okay to proceed. Thank goodness Greg could see through all the red tape and had Tate’s team take action. I have been the highest-strung, crying-est, most exhausting mess to be around. I am finally calm; I know we have done everything we can to help him now. Monday we should know what happens next.

Today Tate had a Lumbar Puncture with intrathecal Methotrexate and Vincristine and an antibiotic through his port. He was the first appointment of the day, so we had to arrive at the clinic at 6:45am. Tate was so tired! He also had a mild reaction to the antibiotic, so the Nurse Practitioner gave him a Benadryl to help with the symptoms, leaving him completely knocked out for the next few hours.

Tate also starts a 5-day steroid pulse today. We expect him to feel lousy for a week and then pull out of it.

Tate’s doctor gave us a picture showing his broken metatarsal. It’s pretty cool how the broken bone is bright compared to the uninjured parts of his foot.

Not even having the test results yet, I am flooded with relief. What can be done to help him is done, and the worry that we are somehow failing him with helplessness or lack of action is gone.