May update

Today was Emily's monthly trip to the hospital.

Today included a EKG and ECHOgram tests. One of the medications she was on causes heart damage in some people, in fact in some people the damage is so profound and immediate that they have to discontinue therapy with that drug. In Emily's case they did scans of her heart when she was diagnosed, and then again after she had the course of medication and in her case they didn't detect any damage. They are also using a new genetic test, where they swab the mouth of the patient, and can predict if doxyrubicin will cause damage. Emily "passed" that genetic test, so we aren't all too worried that we will hear there is damage. We don't have results from cardiology just yet.

After the stop at Cardiology it was time to go to our home base, Oncology. I hadn't been to the clinic in over two months but it was pretty much the same, full of happy kids and worried parents. seriously that's pretty much what you see in there, kids coping with their disease but more excited to play or watch a movie, and parents who look scared and worried. Emily had her vitals taken and blood drawn. After that it was time for lunch and then her physical exam.

In the exam we found a surprise, Emily had an ear infection. She had a slight fever over the weekend and the ear infection is most likely the reason why. It was actually nice to have something to link to the fever. She is now on a very high dose of amoxicillian, in fact so high the pharmacist called to check.

The rest of the exam went perfectly. The clinic already had the lab results, and her blood looks great. The levels that should be rebounding are doing so, and they see nothing that concerns them.

Next month will be another exam, labs, and they will do a chest Xray.

All in all great news today, except the little ear infection of course.