Free Help For Cancer

Tuesday May 11th, 2010 D – Day

The last double chemo dose we decided to take a picture of it and here it is.  Kayla demanded that picture be taken in this way.

Kayla arrived early for her two procedures in one day. First she had to get her blood counts taken and after we wait for the results. Kayla’s ANC came back at 2865 which the nurses said was really good. Then I wanted to know what a normal number of ANC is. They said that her numbers are in a normal range. Well if they are in a normal range then why is she immune compromised? The doctor stepped in at this point and explained, her immune system is generating a normal range of cells but these cells are handicapped from the long use of chemo. They cannot perform their function of killing foreign invaders, thus she will be considered immune compromised for about six more months until her cells recover. See I learn new things all the time. Here was the shocker, I thought Kayla would get her last infusion of chemo today. Much to my surprise they said that she was not scheduled to get any. Cool!

I turned over the leftovers of chemo to the nurse with relish! You have no idea what a freedom this is. Kayla could not eat one hour before chemo and one hour after. This has been a routine for 30 months, scheduling medications and being ruled by this schedule. To not have to be on such a regimen is like being freed from something that was a daily inconvenience.

We went to the day hospital for Kayla’s procedure and I spoke to our favorite oncologist. I requested that saline solution be put into her spinal fluid to replace what is taken out. This is to prevent the spinal headaches that she gets. Doc told me that he does not need to do that. He explained that our spinal fluid is generated every day and in large amounts. He held out his hand and showed that he is only taking out the size of the tip on his pinky finger. This will be replaced by the body in fifteen minutes. Who knew? They will give her the infusion of caffeine before and after the spinal and this should prevent any headache.

Poor Kayla, she was a nervous wreck while trying to act normal. Before they came in she expressed her worries. Kayla had some very bad bone marrow procedures at the beginning of treatment. Because the marrow was impacted with leukemia cells it was physically very difficult for the doctor to pull the cells into the syringe and this caused added pain and soreness for a week after. I tried to explain to Kayla that the marrow would be a piece of cake because there is no leukemia in her body now so it will be easy to pull out. As I was saying this the doctor walked in and told Kayla that I was right. “The marrow will pour out because that is how it is with normal people, don’t worry, it will be fine.” Although he tried to be reassuring, it did not help. The anesthesiologist hooked up Kayla and started to give her the diprivan that would put her to sleep. I kissed her and left the room.

The procedures took less than seven minutes. Kayla woke up fine, said she was sore and that was it. No song, no nothing. Just leave the clinic and go home. Man was that anticlimactic.

When we got outside the sky was the same. I know this sounds ridiculous but when you complete two and a half years of cancer therapy you kinda expect things to feel and look different. Oh well.

(This picture is actually from March 2010. Can you believe I forgot my camera on the very last official day of chemo?  I was so angry when I realized this mistake.)