Onward to 5FU!!!!

I think some people think I am making up the whole
"5FU" chemo name.  

I can assure you that I am not.

It just happens to make me giddy that I can call
chemo that for the next few weeks or months....

...or however long Kyle's body can tolerate it.

Or if it even works in the first place.

Please oh please oh please work...

Oh please.

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"5FU"

This is what the pamphlets call it.

This is what the Doctors call it.

This is what the nurses call it.

This is what cancer patients call it.
(Although the use of the phrase "5FU" may
perhaps be a little more literal for the 
cancer patients, as it should be)

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With each chemo cocktail the toxicity becomes
harder on Kyle's body.  

Each "next step" of chemo is generally "more toxic"
and harder on the body than the last.  (They
start with the "best tolerated" and "least toxic"
chemo's usually.)

Although I'm convinced that ALL chemos are basically
poison being dripped in to a human body to annihilate
cancer cells.

Basically, thats what it is.

Poison.

Anyway, chances are that this cocktail of chemo
will NOT be as well tolerated by Kyle, even though
he has done fabulous so far....there are some pretty
"standard" side effects with this one that most
people do not escape.

But we will report by the end of the week how Kyle does.

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He heads back up to Huntsman Monday (tomorrow) 
to start a new round.

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This chemo is also a little bit different than the
last one.

He will have a 4-5 hour "dose" aka infusion up
at the Huntsman and then comes the "FUN. PART."

The Fun Part is this:

With this chemo he will be strapped down with a 
"Chemo Fanny Pack"  (The "CFP" for short--I just made
that up right now, just so you know)

This CFP will accompany Kyle for 46 ADDITIONAL hours.

At Home.

Meaning he will have a continuous flow/pump/infusion
of the chemo while going about his "normal life" all
day and night Tuesday and Wednesday.

After the 46 hours are up, he will either go back
up to the Huntsman to "disconnect" from said pump
and/or have Home Health come to our house to 
disconnect him.

Doesn't that sound fun?

It sounds like it may put a kink in any sort of
romance we had planned for the week.  Or dinners
with friends.  Or a quiet nights sleep.  

I can just imagine the "whoosh whoosh" of the pump
infusing him all day and night.

So we know there will be side effects, we are just not
sure if they will hit sometime during the Monday/Tuesday/
Wednesday part of the infusion or afterwards?

Or perhaps BOTH during and after.

We face the week with a little trepidation.

Or I do anyway.

It's ALWAYS the unknown that "gets me".

I am human after all.

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The other thing with this chemo is that it REALLY
knocks down white blood cells and platelets.

Like really really.

Which means Kyle will be more prone to infections
and sickness.

So if you're a regular in our life, we ask that
if you (or a child) are sick to keep that 
in mind and be wise in your proximity to him
during this time.

We will be taking germs more seriously this
round...

...at least I will anyway.

And I am a Germ Nazi, so you don't want to 
mess with me.

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Regardless, the THING that we WANT to happen
is for the 5FU to KILL the cancer cells again.

(Since the other chemo has quit working, remember?)

THIS is what we wish for.

THIS more than anything is important.

THIS is what we hope for.

We always hope for more time, because no matter
HOW MUCH time Kyle gets it will not be enough.

But we will continue to try and make the best
of what we have by living each day to the fullest.

"whoosh whoosh" noise and all.

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And that is our update for today.

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