Today was Benjamin’s last day at All Children’s this week. I gave him Kytril with breakfast, but only preventatively. He wasn’t nauseous. We had a spring in our step as we loaded up this morning to head over the Skyway. We both felt great, ready to put this week behind us.
I’d requested a complete blood count to see where we were going into the weekend. Benji’s blood was drawn and he filled the little vials with them, then we waited. Dr. Oshrine came in with the results, quite pleased. Benji’s platelets and hemoglobin have held steady this week, and his absolute neutrophil count (ANC) has actually risen to 1640. Dr. Oshrine gave many explanations for this, none of which raised any concern. By the middle of next week, Benji’s counts will drop, and his immunity with it. For now we can enter this weekend with less concern about infection, and with a boy who feels healthy and strong.
Benji’s good mood continued throughout the appointment. We laughed and played music in the exam room, and his spicy sense of humor with the doctors and nurses was in full force. After our consultation with Dr. Oshrine, our nurse returned to administer Benjamin’s Cytarabine. When it finished dripping, Benji used his oils to get through the saline flush and the heparin injection. It was time to be deaccessed. Because Benji’s port had slipped on Monday, I asked the nurse to check its position. He did not like this feeling, her fingers gripping the device beneath his skin. But I had to make sure it was secure. The tape and the needle were removed. Benji was free.
We enjoyed the afternoon, playing with friends, doing art and science projects, and having batting practice in the street. I removed Benji’s Scopolomine patch. He felt no nausea all day. Michael is packed and ready to leave early in the morning on his quest to retrieve Banyan, and our weekend plans here at home are shaping up quite nicely. We have much to be thankful for tonight.
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