What Is Neutropenia?

Tommy will become neutropenic and many have wondered and asked what is it, how does he get, how does he get over it and why. I have done some Internet research and found the following sites to most helpful in describing this illness. Feel free to click on these links and spend just 60 seconds reading about it.

http://www.chemocare.com/managing/fever_neutropenic_fever_and_their.asp

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=nutrapenic

Tommy is on five total chemo meds and they are split in to groups and administered at different times. The treatment Tommy gets this week is two different types of chemo one right after the other and then followed by two bladder treatments to protect it. This is done every day for a total of five days and is spread out over a period of time so it really ends up being six days that we are here.

These two treatments are pretty low on the side effects for him -- not always the typical response from others. Next week he'll be a little tired and sluggish, but each day will be a little better than the next. To help boost his white cell count and get to feeling better sooner, we give a shot every day called GCSF. Then we'll come back two times next week to test his blood to see if his cells are rising or lowering and based on the results, depends on how many days total he has to have a shot. We're working with Tommy so that he can do the shot himself, meanwhile mom gets the lovely duty as dad is a chicken about it. I usually try to get Tommy to pick where he wants the shot - most often though it's a butt cheek by mom's choice.

The next three chemo meds are then grouped and given one after the other over a period of three days. These drugs are nasty! They attack his mucus lining leaving horrible soars in his mouth, urethra and other areas all which are a MAJOR discomfort. These three chemos also are very tricky to stay ahead of - meaning, one minor slip in his meds and he's throwing up. Most kids his age just let it go where ever, but because he's been subjected to so many practice runs, he's able to find his bucket and and do it on his own. What's sad is he'll put himself back to bed without even telling us - most kids cry after they get sick. We have a pretty good system in place by using trash cans with liners in them (plastic trash bags) and they are only his throw up buckets one in his room, one down stairs and one for the car.

In addition to these three having horrible side effects, these also kick his system so hard that he falls neutropenic about 8 days later which lands us back in the hospital again for 3 - 4 days.

When alls said and done, we spend nearly two weeks of every month at a minimum in the hospital and still come about 5 - 10 days outside of them just for tests. Tommy's already picked up on the fact that so many different people here know him and asks why and how.

Seeing how we are here more than any where else, I am going to be a Red Cross Volunteer on Tommy's floor. Tommy's out circling the floors as it is, so being a volunteer is an ideal and great thing for me to do as I feel it's my way to give back and help.

Well, I know my mom is looking at the time I post this so I better get going. Keep rocking out those prayers. <><