Tue, 05 Oct 1999 16:32

Life after radiation

Hello. We have some new information. As you know Logan finishes up on Thursday, October 7th with radiation. I thought we might get a breather for a few days, but we have already built up quite a medical schedule as detailed below. I am adding time start and finish details since some of you will be helping with childcare on these days (We can't thank those of you who will be helping with Adam enough for your willingness to help despite the short notice.)

Logan and I meet with bone marrow transplant people at 8:30am; they do a complete Hx and PE (Why can't various areas of Duke share this info?) He will be tested for various things such as HIV and hepatitis. Childcare needed for Adam from 6:30 am to 1:30 pm.

Appointment at 10 am to check blood counts, get a 'blood type and screen'. We then report to 'pre-op' at 1 pm to get blood work, urine, and another PE so Logan will be prepared for surgery next Tuesday. Childcare needed from 8 am to 5:30 pm.

Surgery under general anesthesia ~7am-4pm,

3rd floor surgery at Duke North.

Logan will have two procedures done under general anesthesia. First, he will have a central venous catheter (Hickman catheter) placed in his chest. This will be used for blood-drawing, admin of meds, nutrition, and blood products before and during his bone marrow transplant. Secondly, he will be getting a bone marrow harvest. He will be getting b/w 10 and 60 ounces of bone marrow removed from his hip bone with a (very long) needle. This marrow will be saved for the BMT (planned for December). Logan will probably be sore for a couple of days. Childcare needed from 6 am to 5 p.m. Prayer Requests: Specifically pray for success in placement of catheter and for no infections; success in removing bone marrow with minimal discomfort to Logan; also, a quick recovery from effects of general anesthesia and procedures.

MRI Brain and Total Spine with contrast under anesthesia. 3:00 p.m. at Duke North, 1st floor. Childcare needed from 1pm to maybe 9 pm for Adam. The time is always unpredictable due to sedation issues. Prayer requests: that Logan will be able to stay still w/o anesthesia; or if not able to be still [since this is a very long time (2-3 hours)] that have quick recovery from anesthesia. Major request is that tumor has not come back!!!!

I will be giving Logan G-CSF shots; a daily injection of growth factor which will prepare him for collection of peripheral stem cells (pheresis). I had to look up the definition for stem cells. They are young, blood-forming cells, similar to marrow cells, whose numbers can be increased in the blood stream with several days of growth factor therapy. Stem cells will be reinfused w bone marrow druing the transplant (in December) to help the bone marrow grow more quickly during the transplant. Prayer requests: pray that it won't be too difficult to administer the shot to him.

(Home health will be visiting us at least once prior to this day to give us supplies, teach us how to care for his Hickman catheter, and how to give shots.)

Logan will undergo three different pheresis (stem cell collection) procedures. Each pheresis will be as an outpatient on the bone marrow transplant unit. Each will start at 10 am and end around 2 pm. This will not be painful nor will he be under general anesthesia. (They will use his hickman catheter.) Prayer requests: good quality/quantity stem cells collected.

Dates unknown for conditioning chemotherapy (High Dose Chem given before the transplant to kill cancer cells. Now his doctor is not sure if he will have one or two sessions of conditioning chemo. Each session will last 3 days inpatient at Duke.)

Date still unknown for actual transplant

~December 1999

Thanks for laboring through this email. I know this is not a fun, entertaining message; but, it is the best medium, we've found to get all of the details out once. Some general prayer requests: that Logan will be able to find periods of rest, good nutrition, and joy :) to sustain his energy and spirit despite all of these procedures, also, we are still praying for his healing if this is God's will. Finally, that the practical needs of childcare for Adam will be taken care of and that Adam will stay happy and secure during this time.

Thank you for your faithfulness,

Laura and family