Brian Robert & LCH: Chemo & Steroids

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Chemo & Steroids

Today we had our appointment with our Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist. Brian has 30 weeks of chemo and steroids ahead of him. His steroids are 4 to 5 times stronger than the one he took last go around. Brian knows just how difficult this is on him and he remembers how much he hates chemo. He was so tuckered out today from the stress and build up of "the appointment" that he fell asleep in my lap as we chatted with the doctor. Brian ended up not having his first dose of chemo today as we are giving him another week to adjust to the new port and let the surgical wound heal. He will be starting steroids tomorrow as soon as I get the prescription filled.
I am sure there is plenty more I could add or write but we are all just plain tired. This is emotionally draining and leaves us physically exhausted. More later.

1 comment:

emily said...: i am praying that God gives you rest tonite!! the kids and i pray for brian every morning during our prayer time.; September 28, 2010 at 9:15 PM

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Brian, BB or "B-ber"

Brian is our seven year old boy. He is the third of four children, all born in just four years. Sept 2009 Brian was diagnosed with Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis. He spent seven months on Chemo and steriods. In April 2010 we had his port removed and celebrated "no more chemo!". His treatment from May forward was oral medicine on the weekends and scans/bloodwork every three months. Brian's firt set of scans/follow up with the oncologist in July were wonderful. We didn't quite make it to his second set of scans three months later in October. In late July/ early August we started noticing suspicious bumps on his scalp and a rash on his private area. On Sept 15, 2010 we took Brian to his oncologist. That appointment revealed the possibilty of more chemo. September 21 we had a biopsy that two days later revealed that Brian's LCH was back. We immediately had surgery to implant a port and in Oct 2010 started a second journey through chemotherapy and steroids for our little Brian. In March 2011 Brian's chemo drugs were changed around as his new protocal was not working. Brian was still presenting symptoms. We went back to the original combination of drugs but this time instead of being on them six months the plan was for twelve months. Brian completed his second round of chemo March 8, 2012. Even though Brian was completing treatment, we started noticing symptoms of Diabetes Insipidus in March 2012. He was diagnosed with D.I. March 22, 2012. His new diagnosis was considered a relapse for his LCH. Brian's third round (or fourth protocol depending on how you look at it) of chemo and a totally different protocol began April 2012. He had chemo five days in a row followed by a three week break for 12 months. He completed that protocol the first week of April 2013. In July of 2013 Brian had his port removed and we were over the moon excited about NO MORE CHEMO. In October of 2013 Brian had a recurrence of symptoms. He took six months of oral chemo. In April of 2014 he had another MRI. It was decided that Brian could stop treatment. By August-September 2014 he started showing symptoms again. October 2014 we are back in Houston to see what the next step will be for treatment of Brian's LCH.