Round Four

Round four of chemotherapy did not start until Friday due to the hecticness of our schedule at MSKCC. This slight delay afforded Craig and I the chance to celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary with a dinner at home rather than in the hospital. Since we have spent all recent holidays and special occasions at Morristown, this was a nice change.

The drugs in round four are the same as the ones in round one/two and necessitate Jordan to be hooked up to a continuous infusion for three days. Jordan was very uncomfortable on Saturday and required a couple of doses of Ativan, but she seemed to feel better by Sunday. During this stay we were lucky to get visits from PopPop, MomMom, Amy, Jane, and Helen. And thank you Helen for helping teach Jordan how to shake her head no...that has been a very useful skill this week. :)

We did have a bit of drama on Sunday. A couple of hours after they changed the chemotherapy IV bag Craig noticed red liquid dripping down the IV pole and forming a pond next to the bed. Appearantly the pharmacy had pierced the bag while preparing the doxorubicin infusion. Of all the IV bags to pierce, the doxorubicin was probably the worst option. Doxorubicin is a vesicant...meaning that is causes nasty blistering if it touches the skin. This drug is the reason the nurses are constantly checking the placement of Jordan's IV line during the three day infusion. Anyhow, thankfully Craig noticed the leak before any got on Jordan or us!

After finishing the chemotherapy infusion and getting a blood transfusion, Jordan and I made it home late Monday night. I found out that 99% of kids end up in the hospital with fever after this regimen of chemotherapy...which makes sense as Jordan had to be hospitalized for fevers after round one and two...but so far so good. Jordan had a clinic visit today and her counts were all still decent so maybe we will make it through the weekend at home.

We also got two pieces of good news this week. The first is that Jordan's bone marrow biopsies from last week at MSKCC showed no neuroblatoma cells. This leads me to think that the stem cells that were harvested are good, clean cells...which is great in case we should need to use them. We are so thankful that Jordan has had two clean bone marrow biopsies and we pray that her bone is responding just as well.

Our second piece of good news is that my brother's family welcomed a healthy baby boy, Connor Matthew, on Sunday. We are ecstatic about this new addition and glad that Valerie and Connor are doing well. Bradley and Valerie have been so supportive these past few months and Jordan is very lucky to have them in her corner. Congratulations -- we can't wait to meet Connor!

MomMom and Amy

Jordan loved this new addition to the Morristown playroom

Elmo and the stroller...two of Jordan's favorite toys

Jordan crawling into the dishwasher while I'm telling her no...that's right, the only time my child smiles for the camera is when she is actively defying me :)

Jordan had a tiny mohawk all day

Playing at the Morristown oncology clinic

Jordan's favorite toy at the oncology clinic is this bear that sings Come On Get Happy...her love for this bear is almost equal her love for Elmo

Jordan sitting in Nola's toy basket

Tyler and baby Connor...two of my favorite little boys!