Chemotherapy

(This is Lauren getting some B+ blood!) On Tuesday evening after the PTLD was confirmed, Lauren and I talked about whether or not her body could take any more, what her dreams are and how she has to exercise faith and work hard to try to help any healing process along. We told her we would help and support her however we could.

The kids arrived home Tues night and I left the hospital with them excitedly telling me every detail about their amazing trip. It was so good to be with them!

After Lauren and Blair heard the recommended treatment plan Wed morning, they called to explain it to me. I asked her what she wanted to do and, in classic Lauren style, she said.. I am not quite "fixed in my mind with a determined resolution" but I am getting there. (See Book of Mormon)

There were some scary moments last night prior to starting chemo, but she's now had her first doses and slept through most of it!

As I explained to mom and dad, chemotherapy refers to a group of drugs used to treat cancer. The cancer type determines the recipe and combination of drugs used. They are supposed to target the cancer cells and kill them, but they also damage your normal cells and have unpleasant side effects.

I feel grateful that this recipe can all be done on an outpatient basis (as long as there aren't complications) and she'll be happy that the hair loss side effect isn't supposed to be as bad as last time. The nausea shouldn't be as extreme either. In 2009, each treatment was 5 days inpatient and involved 5 or more drugs that had to be timed just-so. The data indicates this recipe should provide a positive response.

All the soft food Lauren has tried to eat has come back up. The diseased section of bowel must be too constricted to let it through. So, again we wait for the chemo to start working.