Waiting Game

Doctors have been very thorough today and very honest. We've been waiting to see if Leo's neutrophils (white blood cell count) have come up but unfortunately it's dropped again. When Leo was admitted one week ago, his count was 0.22 which was right for that time in the chemo cycle. It then peaked at 0.42 on Wednesday and then should have continued going up and once it's over 1, his white cell count is considered okay and going in the right direction in time for his next cycle of chemo.

Today however, it's dropped to 0.05 which is not good. His body is not able to fight infection at all with a count that low. The doctors therefore asked for our permission to use something called G-CSF which is an hormone or growth factor used to stimulate Leo's bone marrow to produce white cells. To do this we had two options, the first to insert a small tube under his skin in his thigh or secondly, using IV via his line. The first method is more effective but can be slightly disturbing for Leo however, if it's far more effective, it made sense to do this and see how Leo tolerated it.

Whilst he didn't like it and the nurses said it would feel like a small scratch on insertion, he did cry but was soon happy again once he saw the Hotwheels cars which my Uncle Ned had sent over from the USA. What great cars! And when PJ got back from golf, Leo wanted to show Daddy his 'special plaster', which is what I told him the tube on his thigh was, bless him!

Leo is okay in himself, but also not quite right either. He's had a low grade fever all day (37.7) and still drinking only milk and not eating anything. It could well be that his jaw is sore as that's one of the side effects of the Vinc chemo drug. When we went out for a walk at lunchtime, he was quite happy to stay in his buggy which is incredible as a 'well Leo' is very independent so it's another indication he's not happy or feeling well.

He did play with his new Hotwheels cars alot today, and then received some more cars, again from overseas. PJ's cousin Jay and his wife Nicole and daughter Macie in Australia, have sent across cars which were slightly smaller than the Hotwheels, so Leo said they were his other car's babies and set about playing 'families' with them all. Very cute it was too!

Leo did get rather cheeky and a bit naughty in the garden this afternoon. He plays really well on his own and I think enjoys the freedom to play in the garden knowing we're in close proximity but not in his face. He is really territorial and kept trying to disrupt a little girl playing with the little house and one of the cars saying 'it's mine' over and over. It probably does feel like the toys are his as he's actually spent longer in hospital since May 4th than at Clic House or somewhere which is really his home.

So it's a waiting game now. The key thing for tomorrow is the doctor's have said they have a very low threshold towards taking the line out to prevent Leo becoming seriously sick. If this does need to be done (if his chest is not significantly better in the morning), then they will not be able to put another one in for one or two weeks to allow him to recover and ensure the infection has gone. Leo will therefore need a cannula in his hand or arm for his chemo and drug antibiotics.

Fingers crossed it doesn't come to that.