Coming in to Port

Tim had his third methotrexate injection yesterday. Dr. G. is busy training anyone who is willing how to use the Ommaya. (It is ridiculously easy.) Unfortunately, the injections make him nauseous. We learned this morning to take compazine an hour before taking the ATRA if he's nauseous. Dr. G. withdrew 4ml of spinal fluid to check for cancer. The test results will determine whether or not he receives another methotrexate injection on Friday.

Tim is scheduled to receive a port-o-cath tomorrow. This is a device a lot like his Ommaya, only the resevoirs (Tim will have two) will be under the skin on his chest and the cathethers will go into the vein leading to his heart. Tim was never a candidate for a port before because his platelet counts were always too low to permit the surgery. We think the port will be a lot nicer than the picc and central line that he's used in the past. It can stay in for as long as necessary and is completely under the skin. So we don't have to worry about getting it wet. Tim can even go swimming once the initial scar has healed.

We have an appointment for next week to pull the staples out of his head. We also have an appointment with the specialist at Northwestern Memorial on the day before Thanksgiving. We did get one bit of good news yesterday. Tim's platelet counts were actually up from last Friday. That would seem to indicate that the ATRA is doing it's job. It also deceases the likelihood of Tim needed to be hospitalized at this time.

I have had some feedback from friends and relatives on the blog. They have been largely positive. I told the therapist at Kellogg that it was my new toy. Writing everything down gets it out of my system and helps me "shut the box."