These three days are colorful days. Mark is taking one bright yellow IV medication and one bright orange medication, which very quickly turns his urine peach. We knew to expect it, but he said it is still pretty funny.
Mark started his consolidation treatment yesterday. It was a long day that started with us meeting Mark's mom late Sunday evening to give her Brodie because Brodie was throwing up. That's right folks, the day before Mark starts chemo, Brodie starts throwing up. Thankfully, GG (Mark's mom) was able to get him, and he did not get sick any on Monday. At 8:45 am on Monday, Mark and I got to Northside to begin the next phase. The first three days of his consolidation phase he receives 2 different chemo drugs. As soon as we get into the clinic and they draw blood for his lab work, Mark gets a bag of fluids which take about an hour. While he is getting the fluids, the nurse gives him his pre-meds, which help lessen or avoid some side effects of the chemo. His pre-meds are simply benedryl (knocks him out cold), tylenol, and a nausea medication. He also has to put steroid eye drops in his eyes 4 times a day for this entire week to try and avoid eye irritation that can be caused by one of the chemo drugs. After the pre-meds and the fluids, Mark gets an anti-fungal to continue treating a fungal pneumonia-like thing in his lung (he has had this for a few months now). Then the first chemo, daunorubicin, which only takes about 15 minutes. Then just before we leave, they hook Mark up to an IV pump that he has to wear constantly until we come in Thursday morning. The pump dispenses the second chemo, cytarabine, continuously for 24 hours. Then we go home. The first day we arrived at 8:45 and left just after 1:00 (the pharmacist did have to consult with us before he could start the treatment, so hopefully today won't take as long). We are doing the same exact treatment today and again tomorrow.
We have to mone into the hospital Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to get the anti-fungal IV medication (which is bright yellow) and some lab work but that is all until Monday. Monday Mark starts his treatment of arsenic trioxide, which he will get Monday through Friday until August 26th.
So, now a little information about the chemo drugs for those of you interested.
1. Daunorubicin - bright orange drug given to Mark using his PICC line.
- Takes about 15 minutes.
- Common side effects are:
- decreased blood count (makes Mark susceptible to infection and difficult to clot his blood)
- nausea and vomiting (we have meds to help with this, so we will see how bad it gets)
- temporary hair loss (funny thing is the hair he lost before is growing back baby soft and blond, so who knows what he will look like in a couple of months)
- Less common side effects:
- can cause heart damage if taken too long or too much so the doctors are constantly checking his levels and he gets two EKGs a week.
***Mark did not have any problems with this medicine last time, just normal nausea, vomiting, minor hair loss, and decreased blood count.***
2. Cytarabine - boring clear IV drug dispensed using an IV pump in a bag over 24 hours.
- Common side effects are:
- decreased blood count
- nausea and vomiting
- Less common side effects:
- elevated liver enzymes (they monitor these daily)
- change in coordination (they monitor daily)
- pink eye (he is using eye drops to prevent this problem).
3. Arsenic trioxide - clear IV medication
- Gets Monday through Friday from July 25 - August 26
- Common side effects:
- increased white blood cells
- changes in heart rhythm (monitoring with EKG twice a week)
- fever, fatigue, headache (we have meds for these)
- nausea/vomiting (we have meds for these)
- changes in electrolytes (monitor daily and give him electrolytes as needed)
- Less common side effects
- Muscle pain/weakness
- Confusion, tiredness
- Increased liver enzymes (monitored daily)
So that is the treatment plan for the next 6 weeks. Today Mark has had a little nausea and he is currently sound asleep (the benedryl knocks him out). His potassium is a little low, so they are giving him 2 IV bags of potassium (2 hours per bag) in addition to everything else, so I am just going to get comfortable and try to get some homework done.
Pray for Mark to stay well during this time and avoid any infections.
Pray if Mark must have side effects, they are minor and easily managable.
Pray for God to send us those with a servant heart, willing to transport Mark to and from the hospital for his treatment when I have to return to work on August 2nd.
Anyone wanting to provide some transportation or bring meals to our home, feel free to call, text, or email me
678-975-4954
kashepherd1@gmail.com
With a thankful heart,
Amanda
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