Hospital

Greetings from Inova Fairfax! We are here again as we continue to play the game "What's Carson's Correct Dosage?" So far, chemo has delivered two knock out punches and we have a big fat ZERO as our score.

Yesterday, Carson's appetite and energy plummeted. It is 6 weeks since radiation, so I wondered if the effects were kicking in; or could it be low hemoglobin again? We had a counts check scheduled at the clinic for Thursday, but I called and moved it to today because this morning he still wasn't eating and he was just laying on the couch.

At 9:30 we got to the clinic and by 11:00 we knew he had low hemoglobin, low platelets and a low ANC - 180. That's not supposed to happen on maintenance!! It is obvious to the doctors now that his oral chemos need to be adjusted, but they'll worry about that later. Right now, a little boy needs some blood and his counts need to come up.

Off to the hospital for the transfusion (in the pediatric sedation suite). We wait, the labs are drawn, and we wait. The Tylenol arrives and we wait. The blood arrives....his temperature is taken.....and.... he has a fever. "NO blood transfusion for YOU" - said in our best Seinfeld Soup Nazi voice.

We are admitted to the hospital and sent upstairs. The fever subsides after the Tylenol kicks in good. Carson gets a heavy dose of antibiotics around 4:00 PM and the blood transfusion finally happens around 6:00. Another dose of antibiotics is coming at midnight and 8 AM.

We will be here at least for tonight. Carson is asleep after a long day. He needs the rest and I'm going to join him in la-la land soon. Paul is in Australia, getting updates via text from me and going crazy. My parents are luckily here to help juggle everything.

Prayers tonight for fever only - no infection. We'll get home a lot sooner that way.