Brief Clinic Update

Two weeks ago, Mollie's ANC was low so we had to go back today to have counts checked again. Well, we just got back from clinic and Mollie is neutropenic. Her ANC is 400 (normal range for her would be 1-2k). So, they are stopping chemo for 2 weeks to let her marrow recover and hopefully she'll be able to pick up where she left off.

Oh, the worries! I am concerned about her being totally off chemo and I am worried she'll spike a fever and end up in the hospital.

The timing of this stuff is crazy. She's just about to head off to camp and then we're headed for our family vacation in California. I am keeping my fingers crossed for no fevers!!

Additional Info:

Camp Rainbow, is a special camp for kids with cancer. It is run by the Child Life staff at MCG- the oncology staff and at least one of the doctors will be at the camp at all times. They have the medical needs covered. In fact, Beth (the NP) told me that kids go even if their counts are ZERO, as long as they don't have fever. So, I'm not at all worried about her, medically, while she's at camp. I'm just worried she won't be able to go!

Also, this neutropenia is totally expected for this point in her treatment. The chemo holds are written into the protocols. I've mentioned before that the goal of long term maintenance is to suppress the bone marrow without making the kids neutropenic (and much more susceptible to infection). The first time the ANC drops below 500, they will hold chemo. In the future, they will hold chemo if it drops below 750. They check counts after two weeks of no chemo and if the counts are back up, they start up the chemo again. They also may drop it to 50 or 75% normal dose if the counts continue to drop on the full dose. Hope that makes sense?

We are not under house arrest with the low ANC- just crowd avoidance and intense hand-washing and common sense. We went shoe shopping this afternoon because Mollie has outgrown all of her shoes and needed some for camp. Nothing like a little retail therapy!