Yellow and blue make green - not just ziplock!

Ziplock used to bank on the idea that if the general public buys their baggies and can see the seal change from blue and yellow to green, they know IT'S SEALED! 

Well, today we got a lesson in a similar color-merge phenomena. Blue Kool-Aid (aka blue chemo) +  tinkle (aka: your pee) = green tinkle (green pee). The nurse told Mom, "Oh yea, did we tell you yesterday that this blue chemo may turn your pee green?" 

I realize, that's a little too-much-information, but just when you think you are getting in a routine and can anticipate what's coming next, your pee changes color!

On a super-good note, Mom's bone marrow test came back clear of cancer cells. Whoo-hoo! One more treatment of blue kool-aid on Wednesday and round 3 is over. We aren't sure what these side effects will be... only time will tell.

Smurf juice or blue kool-aid?

There is something very strange about this picture. Blue liquid, of any kind, should not be injected into any one's body! The nurse called it Smurf juice and Dr. Jeong calls it blue kool-aid - either way it's just not right!

Down to the last drop! This is Heather, she is a nurse at the Cancer Center. Today it was her job to get every last drop of blue kool-aid into Mom's veins. Even she admitted the blue stuff is just weird. At $1200 a dose, we better get it all. Anyone have a to-go cup?

We go back tomorrow and Wednesday and then round 3 is over. This chemo has about the same side effects as the orange kind, but it takes a little longer to set in. Just as Mom was growing a little peach fuzz on her head, we go and kill it again. O-well, at least it will grow back-- and some of it was brown, not all gray!

Another pain in the butt!

Look at the party going on here! Today (Friday) they are doing another bone marrow sample. The needle that's blue on one end and green on the other is the one they poke through the bone to the bone marrow, then stick the others in the center of the blue one and extract the bone marrow.

Here are the slides they place the samples on. There were 9 slides all together. That's a lot of samples!

The procedure went well (better than the IV did). The nurse started an IV, but drew blood instead... lots of blood. She stuck the other hand and got it, but hit a nerve when she did. Mom felt a shooting pain down her middle finger every time she bumped it... luckily the nurse didn't ask to see what finger, mom would probably of shown her!

We should have the results Monday. Dr. Jeong says he's "100% confident it will come back free of cancer cells." But he would like to make sure. Cross your fingers!

Blue Kool-aid anyone?

Today I took a picture of the needle they use in the port. I think the needle is HUGE! Mom always looks away, so she has never seen it. I think it is about the size of an old diaper pin. It has yellow "wings" on the sides like a butterfly. She's finally got the knack of the numbing cream, so it doesn't hurt much anymore (unless they stab twice-Ouch!).

We met with Dr. Jeong today. He said round 3 of chemo would start May 23. This one will be different than the first kind of chemo. Instead of orange, it's blue. Mom asked the name of it and he said "Blue Kool-Aid!" She will take the chemo pills for 14 days, just like before, and have blue chemo Mon., Tues. and Wed. That will be round 3. The side effects are low blood count and dry mouth, but it's not as hard on your heart as the orange kind was. So, hopefully, she should get through this round like she has round 2. They will do a bone marrow test Friday just to keep an eye on it. Dr. Jeong thinks she's doing just fine. Round 4 will be 1 treatment of blue chemo.

Dr. Jeong explained the path of this cancer. She has APL type 3 (a version of AML). The first thing is to get the cancer cells gone from the bone marrow. That's what the first chemo did (the orange one). Next is to get rid of all other cancer cells floating around in her body. That's what the blue chemo will do. Once done with the 4 rounds of chemo, we wait 1 year and do chemo pills as a maintenance treatment. If the cancer would come back, it would do so within 2 years. So, we'll mark 2 years on the calendar and have a party for our survivor!

As summer peeks around the corner, enjoy the sunshine and think of Mom if you wet your whistle with some blue kool-aid!

Happy Mother's Day

What a beautiful day. The sun was out, and so was Mom. Although the thermometer reads 98.6, she still is running a bit of Cabin Fever. She's been cooped up inside for many days, so today she took a field trip to Granny's house. Pictured here are 4 generations: Hadley & Haden....Wendy....Virginia....Granny. 

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there from us 3 mothers here! This is (right to left) Wendy and her mother's (VA) mother (Shirley). Today was the first day in a long time Granny didn't have to pack a lunch. Instead, Mom came to her. She's been taking Mom lunch everyday since i-don't-remember-when---and I don't mean a deli sandwich or McDonald's. It's been roast and meatloaf and potato salad and homemade spaghetti. She's been eating like a southern belle!

Tomorrow Mom will go to the Cancer Center for blood work and to see Dr. Jeong. Fri-Sun (today) should be her bottom-out time. Although she gets tired pretty quick, she's feeling pretty good. This round of chemo has been nothing like the first one. Her mouth is dry, but no sores and tongue issues this time. She hasn't been too dehydrated, just tired. In a couple weeks, she'll do round 3. Dr. Jeong said he would do another bone marrow biopsy before the next round of chemo just to make sure everything is doing what it should. 

I hope everyone had a happy mother's day. And maybe we don't need to wait for mother's day to roll around every year, maybe we can hug our mama's any day of the year... because you never know what's around the next turn!

Scouts honor-

Monday was 2.4 (2nd round, 4th treatment) and the end of round 2. This week Mom has been a little more weak, and her mouth is starting to get dry. Somewhere between Friday-Sunday is when she should hit bottom. Last time it put her in the hospital, so lets hope she fairs better this round. Dr. Jeong says she's doing good and is right on track. Friday she will call and check in with the nurse at the Cancer Center and if they think she is too dehydrated, she will go in for a bag of fluid.

We discovered so many helpful items after round 1, and she's proactively using them now. The mouth spray, gel, medicated toothpaste and sponges on a stick are helping. Hopefully her mouth won't get as bad as it did the 1st time. Just like any good Boy Scout, always be prepared!