Sawyer had wanted pancakes for breakfast yesterday but didn't wake up in time to order them from the hospital cafeteria during their breakfast period so he made sure to ask me to order some for him this morning if he wasn't awake. But the doctor came in early and said that Sawyer was going to have a colonoscopy after all, meaning he couldn't eat or drink anything. Time passes, cafeteria breakfast is over, and we get the news that the procedure will actually be tomorrow, meaning he could have had those pancakes after all but now it's too late (had to make do with a couple bowls of cereal).
We had been told that if there was no blood in his stool that he wouldn't need a colonoscopy and that his chemo treatment could start today as planned. But this morning the oncologists decided that they wanted to make sure there aren't any lesions or other issues in his intestinal system that might be exacerbated or irritated by the chemo drug (this is the one that causes mouth sores and potential internal sores in the whole GI tract from the esophagus to the stomach to the intestines). His blood counts are high enough that the procedure shouldn't pose a hazard to him. While it's very frustrating to have the extra days added, it's important that we know his system is as healthy as it can be before the next heavy drug assault.
Needless to say, Sawyer's fairly discouraged at this point -- he hasn't felt decent in a week, has been in the hospital since Wednesday, and has to take mega doses of Miralax (again) to clean out his system, all before being able to start the chemo which has its own issues (mostly the need to go to the bathroom every hour around the clock for five days). We expect he'll be in the hospital until at least Sunday now.
We won't be given a time for the colonoscopy, rather they're going to fit him in whenever there's an opening tomorrow so it will be a waiting game. He can't eat anything until then, can drink clear liquids the rest of the day and then nothing at all after midnight until it's over. He will be knocked out with general anesthesia so he won't be uncomfortable or aware of anything. The whole thing should take about 2 hours (knocking him out, procedure, waking up).
Mark and I were both with him Wednesday through Saturday. I went home on Saturday and returned on Sunday so Mark could go home until Wednesday. He'll return Wednesday after work so I can go home, then I'll come back up Saturday morning and stay until Sawyer is discharged. Sounds complicated but it all works out! I need to give a shout out to some friends that have done some favors for us the last few days that helped a lot, thanks!
In the meantime, I'm working to help keep Sawyer's spirits up and his mind distracted. He just went off with the hospital tutor so that should help for a little while. Visitors are welcome if anyone is able to stop by.
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