First chemo

For all the time Joel and I spent thinking and worrying about Eila's first chemotherapy treatment, it actually was very straight forward (long, but straightforward). We had the usual vital sign checks (weight, length, blood pressure, temp), followed by an IV and a blood draw. The IV was probably the worst part of the day (and even the IV wasn't that bad). Since her previous hospital stay, she's getting pretty hip to the system. She knows when she's about to be pricked. Once the IV technician came in the room today, it took her, the nurse, and both Joel and I to hold Eila still and get it in.

Once that was in we meet with doctors, both hematology/oncology and surgery. Because she was getting Actinomycin-D today, they administered an anti-nausea medicine. Then came the chemo, and that turned out to the be the shortest part of the day - it couldn't have taken more than five minutes (it only lasted one book).



From Sept/Oct 2011

From Sept/Oct 2011

When the IV came out, and she was very happy to get to leave.

From Sept/Oct 2011

So far the anti-nausea medicine is working well for her. She's happily playing here at home as I type this. Even though today went well, we probably won't know how Eila is handling the chemo for a few days since most of the side effects show up after the medicine has worked its way through her system. And even then Eila's reaction to the medicines may vary day to day, and week to week.

We'll be back up to DCH on Monday when Eila will undergo a small surgery to install the portacath so she won't have to get an IV every week for the chemo and blood draw.