On to the next phase!

Okay, so Trey has successfully moved onto the next phase of treatment! Yippee! He is in the standard risk group and we have the treatment plan laid out for us for the next phase. This next phase is called Consolidation. He isn't on the steroids (at least for now). I can really tell a difference. Trey doesn't seem to be asking me what there is to eat all the time! In the consolidation phase, Trey only gets one dose of Vincristine by IV. Last phase he had it several times. He will still have the back poke ( spinal tap with the chemo). He is also on a medication called 6MP or Mercaptopurine. This helps to destroy cancer cells by interfering with the cancer cells growth cycle. One of the common side effects is that he could have low blood counts. Right now his CBC or complete blood counts are a bit low. His ANC are at 1.5 which is still in the range they should be. (ANC tell how well he can fight infection) His platelets are 140 and normal range is 150-400. At one time his were down to 24, so we are happy with 140. The Red blood counts are lower too. Normal is 4.0-5.20 and his are at 2.61. We are hoping that they stay the same or go up so he won't need a blood transfusion. He may need one if his RBC go down anymore. We just have to keep an eye on him to make sure he isn't showing signs of being really tired.

Ever since last week Trey has been doing so great. His energy level is way up and he is smiling lots more and seems so much more like himself. We are so happy about that! One day he told me that he felt really good and that it was like he wasn't even sick!

While we were waiting to be seen, Trey took advantage of the activities they had there for kids to do. He made a valentine for his oncologist. Now you have to remember that Trey is a BYU fan and always wears his BYU sweatshirt to the clinics. Primary Children's is right next to the University of Utah and many of the doctors and nurses there are Ute fans. Trey gets "teased" about being a BYU fan. So of course to get back at the doctor, Trey made a Valentine and wrote BYU ROCKS! on it. Dr. Barnette got a HUGE kick out of it. The other staff there saw it too and we all had a good laugh!