An Uneventful Routine

7/17/2011:  10:13 AM

recliner

 We have fallen into a routine. The routine has been established around Davis's medication schedule. We devote a couple hours in the morning and a couple hours in the evening to getting Davis's medication in him.  The rest of the day, we just tend to Davis and hang out with Annakate.

Davis doesn't move around much. He has planted himself in the recliner.  Last night, we made him sleep on an air mattress. For some reason, he doesn't want to sleep in his own bed. When morning hits, he is back in the recliner.  Kyle does make him get up and walk a loop around the living room when he gets up to use the bathroom. 

While in the hospital, the doctors kept reminding us that Davis would eat us out of house and home and would be irritable because of the Prednisone. We definitely have seen all shades of irritability from Davis, but since we have been home, his appetite has diminished. Yesterday, he had a cup of spaghetti, a handful of crackers, and 7 blueberries. Today, he has eaten considerably less - a cracker. We do push the fluids, but he will only drink water (We are making him drink a juice box right now.) And although he is on anti-nausea and acid reflux medication, his stomach hurts all of the time.

air mattress



I called the doctor this morning to see if there was a concern for the lack of food intake and fluid intake reduction.  The doctor feels that Davis knows his body best. He did prescribe Davis some additional anti-nausea medication.  Great. More medicine. We are thankful that there are medications out there to help control and maintain the side effects; Davis isn't as thankful. He is already sick of taking meds. What's two more, right? 



I must say that I do miss getting his CBC counts every day. That was a perk of the hospital stay.  We assume his ANC (immune system count) is below 1000 now, which means he is at higher risk for developing a viral or bacterial infection. And obviously, his other numbers (white blood cells, hemoglobin, platelets) are still dropping. We should know where he stands on Tuesday. He is scheduled to get his next CBC read then.

Our goal for getting out of the hospital was to get him to "Water Sunday" at church. The doctor thought that Davis's counts were still good enough for him to attend the outside portion of the special event.  He has looked forward to it all week.  Sadly, he is just too sick to go. To Davis, it is one thing to be sick, and it is another to be sick in front of his friends. So here at home we sit. I am getting ready to host our own little church service here. If he is not too grouchy and plays along, I will be worship leader and minister.  If he doesn't tolerate my service well, I will get right down to the lesson.  :) 



back to recliner



We continue to be so moved with all of the encouragement, positive thoughts, and prayers being sent our way. The outpouring of support is amazing. We couldn't imagine better family and friends; you are such a blessing.

We are still believing for everlasting remission in 20 days. (We are on Day 9 of chemo.)  We continue to pray for Davis's health in the meanwhile. Chemo, although great treatment, is nasty; we are fortunate and so very thankful that Davis's has tolerated it seemingly well thus far. We still pray off fevers daily, as they are signs of infections. We ask that you pray the same, and we thank you in advance.

Enjoy this beautiful July day. We will keep you posted.