Relief

This has been an emotionally tough week but we finally have an answer. Sawyer's blood test on Monday was inconclusive so the doctor ordered a bone marrow test (they use a thick needle to poke into a butt bone and extract marrow and a small piece of bone; luckily they use sedation). Once he mentioned a possible relapse as the cause our reactions were on high alert and we've spent the last 3 1/2 days being VERY worried.That's so draining. We went back this morning for the bone marrow test and had to wait until this afternoon for the preliminary results -- which are showing no leukemia cells! More in-depth testing will be done to confirm. But what a relief.

His symptoms have been fatigue, caused by low blood counts. The doctor says it's either a virus or too much chemotherapy, or a combination. At this point his body just needs time to work it out. Sawyer stopped taking his oral chemotherapy over a week ago and will most likely resume, at a reduced dosage, this weekend.

The smile to the day was that the nurses gave Sawyer one of the bone marrow needles after he asked for one (all new, unused, packaged). It looks like a little tool kit! He wanted to show his friends and then put it on his memento shelf in his bedroom. He also received a spinal needle that's used for the numerous spinal taps he gets. He was fascinated by it all which was a good diversion during a not-so-pleasant experience.

Now hopefully he'll start regaining his energy and can resume working out to get ready for track season.

As always, thank you to all for your love and support. We certainly can't wait until this is all behind us.

Drug toxicity

     I so wish I was saying "happy spring - isn't the weather lovely" instead of getting ready to get buried in snow again tomorrow. Guess it will make the inevitable spring that much better!
Mark has started tapping his trees and getting things ready to make maple syrup. Always a sign that spring is around the corner.
     Sawyer's been dragging the last month with low energy. At first we thought it was a cold or virus in his already low immune system that was taking its time getting worked out. But at his appointment at Strong Hospital yesterday and having still lower than normal blood counts, the doctor thinks he may be getting too much of one of his medications, causing a drug toxicity. They had increased his dosage 6-8 weeks ago because he had gained some (muscle) weight. He's going to not take that drug the rest of the week plus his antibiotic, and go back next Monday to have his blood counts done again.
     Sawyer spent last weekend in New York City with his friend Dan and Dan's parents. It was a great outing for him. They stayed in Chelsea, explored the Met, the Cloisters, the High Line, Chinatown, and more. I have a feeling he'll be going back once he's at New Paltz and can take a bus to the city (about 1.5 hours).
     Track practice has started. Sawyer was really hoping to be ready for it but with the low energy he hasn't been able to keep up with his running and working out. Hopefully the dosage issue will be the cause of the problem and it can be straightened out soon.
     I was talking with someone today about what was happening and he quipped that Sawyer's low energy level is still probably twice what his (and mine is). I completely agree after talking with Sawyer after work: he had come home early from school since he was falling asleep in class and not feeling well, but that was after going to gym class and doing 20 one-arm pushups! "Normally" he would have done the same with the other arm plus who knows what else. Oh the joys of teenage life.