Rough Day

Johnny finally got his chemo this evening, and it feels like we are starting this treatment just in the nick of time.  Johnny has been feeling bad for several days, but yesterday and today it just seems like things started deteriorating very quickly.  He is pretty still, and he is barely talking.  I think this is mostly due to the fact that it hurts to move much or talk, but it makes him seem much more ill.  Because of the pain he has also been getting morphine about every four hours which slows him down, and makes him seem way too calm.  He is also swollen.  I always thought kids with leukemia looked like little bald chipmunks because of the chemo and steroids, but his cheeks really started puffing up yesterday.  He just looks and feels so much sicker than just a couple of days ago.  It's almost like the cancer has shifted into overdrive. 

With the way he looks and feels right now I cannot imagine him staying on the 9th floor.  He needs more attention than he could get up there.  ICU is definitely the place for him right now.  I'm hoping that the drugs work as fast as the cancer, and he will start feeling better tomorrow so he can go back up.  If he stays down here I will pack up the room upstairs in the morning in case there is another kid who needs it.  If that happens I will of course update everyone on his new room number when he gets one.  

I'm sure Julie will update with details later tonight or in the morning.

MR