An end to Interim Phase I :-)

We are almost finished with this Interim Phase I. Elizabeth's counts finally were up and ready to go. We came to clinic at 9:00 am on Friday for a physical, CBC, and a test to see how her body metabolizes the Mercaptopurine (6 MP chemo pill). Liz needs six hours of hydration and her urine must be at a certain pH level before she is given the HD Meth. This time around it took her body 12 hours before it was ready to receive the chemo, this means she had a very late start to her chemo 10:00 pm. Liz started getting sick from the chemo about six hours into it and continued into Sunday morning. It was a rough one for her. It seems that with each round of this drug the side effects become greater and last longer. We are hoping that her body clears this drug by Tues., latest on Wed.

We have had a great past day and a half. We have enjoyed the outdoors with friends and a picnic this evening. We will miss our friends when we are not admitted on a regular bases. The bond that you make with the other families and children on this floor is just an incredible gift and we are so blessed by our Lord to experience this wonderful community and make life long friends. Not a conventional way to do it but neither is speed dating and this is what it feels like only I call it speed friendship. I now truly understand the old say "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." We have been dealing with some sour lemons but tasting the sweet rewards of the lemonade we have made with it.

Friday was a wonderful night with UC's Relay for Life. Most of you know our daughter, Catherine, was on the committee for this event. She came in 3rd for the highest individual donations received from the help of many of you, Catherine collected over $2,000 for Leukemia/Lymphoma Society. I wish Elizabeth could have fulfilled her obligation of reading a poem at the event but due to her delays in therapy she ended up in the hospital and was not able to read it. Grandpa Lothrop stepped in and read the poem for her and it was beautiful. Grandpa Lothrop is also a cancer survivor. On a side note, Catherine also made the Dean's List at UC and we are very proud of her.

Our next step will be called Delayed Intensification. If her counts are up to 750 and 75K, we will begin this May 8Th and it will last without delays 57 days. This is a time that her counts will always be down and we will spend a lot of time at Children's for the day receiving blood products. I will blog in a few days the outline of her next step. Visits will be pretty limited so please make sure you call me, not Elizabeth, to see where her counts are and if you can visit, my cell number is 513-349-5966.

Please continue to pray for:
Families and children on A5 South.
minimal side effects.
Good spirits.

Blessings and many many thanks,
Christine