Fifth induction phase - Day 6

Today is / was Jonathan birthday (depending on how you look at it).  It was his worst birthday since he has been born.  He spent the day vomiting - as regular as once an hour - give or take an hour or so.  The anti-cancer drug - Cisplatin is a horrible drug and usually causes nausea for up to five days after chemotherapy treatment is finished.  I'm just counting down the days - waiting until the weekend when his nausea and vomiting feeling should start to subside and he can have a more 'normal' life.  I use the word normal with a smile.

I think Jonathan is getting tired with all the vomiting.  Last night - he had an episode of vomiting and I remember him saying, "I want this vomiting to stop."  It's the first time I've heard him complain about anything in a while.  Well ... other than complaining about not getting his shots.  This time around Jonathan is weaker and you can see the toll the chemotherapy treatment is taking on his little body.  At least he is still fighting on! Going strong!

In two weeks time Jonathan goes for another round of test.  A CT scan and a bone marrow aspirate.  I'm hoping the results from the bone marrow aspirate come back negative for cancer cells.  They are not going to do a bone scan so we wouldn't know if the secondary sites have shrunk - but the CT scan is to give the surgeons information for Jonathan's surgery.  I expect that about a week or two after that for Jonathan to get undergoing surgery to remove the remaining amount of his primary tumor.  I've always thought that Jonathan will be the first NB (neuroblastoma) patient to have the primary tumor shrink completely and not require an operation - we'll see if that thought comes to pass.

After his surgery, Jonathan takes about three weeks to recover and goes in for his sixth and (hopefully) last round of chemotherapy.  In this case we will need to make sure that his wounds have healed completed because if they have not and he starts his six induction cycle - it will be major problems.  Primarily because after chemotherapy his counts drop including his platelets and hemoglobin - and with internal wounds that would not be a nice thing.

Although I'm worried - I'm not afraid.  Probably too stressed out?  Who knows!  I trust the doctors (as long as I keep on top of things - smile) and I know Jonathan will do his best.  Hopefully next weekend we can celebrate in a big bang.