Building Humble Hearts: Chemo At Home

On Saturday, March 15, Ginger wrote on Facebook, “We spent all day at the hospital on Monday, which we will be doing every Monday for the next two months. They run blood tests,give him Saline, a Spinal Tape, chemo, and then more Saline. We get there at 7:45 a.m. and leave between 4:00-5:00pm. It’s a long day. On Tuesday the nurse came and showed us how to do some of the chemo at home. Some are pills, where the dose can vary, so you have to look at the calendar and see the dose for that day/week. The other chemo is through the port on his chest. The port may look a little scary, but it helps keep his veins open and healthy. It is also nice cause he’s not getting poked. At the end of these six months it will be replaced with a port under his skin. Then he can go swimming, but he’ll get poked every time they use the port. On Tuesday we learned if I hook the chemo into his port, I have to suit up. Which means gown, mask, and gloves. There is a special container that you put every thing in that touches the chemo. If Jared puts the chemo into the port in his chest himself, he does not have to do any of that because the chemo is going into his veins. I must say the idea does distress a mother. To think this stuff is so dangerous I cannot let it touch me, but it is being shot into my sons veins; I have got to have faith in those doctors. Jared is, well, so Jared! He hooks everything to the port himself. I am his assistant. I get everything ready and put it in order. This is the order:

1-Syringe of Saline

2-Space Ball (nausea medication)

3- Syringe of Saline

4-Chemo

5- Syringe of Saline

6- Syringe of Heparin (keep the lines clear so no blood clots)

Saline Space Ball Saline Chemo Saline Heparin

We do this on Tues., Wed., and Thurs. Then it starts again at the Hospital on Monday. It is so true that our lives can change so fast! Jared is feeling so much better, and is thinking more clearly. The blood clot in his brain must be getting smaller. We will go see the Neurologist on Tuesday, 4-1-14.

He's riding his bike and playing a little basketball. He’s even been talking about working a little. When I see him being himself a little more each day, it is really exciting, even when he pushes my buttons. Jared is the one that makes us laugh! Growing up sometimes when he got a little obnoxious Kristina would say, “Mom make him stop!” My answer was always the same, “First you all need to stop laughing!”

Even when he was in the hospital last time, in so much pain, he still made us laugh. We were face timing Kristina and he was hilarious!!! (And a little innocently inappropriate). We told her to put her earphones in so her roommates wouldn't hear. He had us laughing so hard I was concerned the nurses would come in and tell us to be quiet. It felt so good to laugh with everyone again. Silly humor can sometimes make life so much easier. We love his kid, and his amazing sense of humor. Laughter can be the best medicine. Jared is our laughter!