Trying to Keep Things Normal

My mom saved a lot of items while I was sick. 
Here is the note from my Dr. that allowed us to get a handicapped parking pass.

OK, so the excuse for the long break between posts this time is....I am typing this on basically a completely new computer.  After a complete overhaul, our computer is back and so am I....

As we moved toward the middle and end of May, my birthday was approaching.  On May 22nd I turned 8 and celebrated the first of two birthdays I would have on Chemotherapy.  My mom continually strived to keep life as normal as possible.  We spent a lot of time with family in Miles City and she signed me up for swimming lessons.  Sick or not she was keeping things moving forward, and she could at least scratch the chance of me drowning, off the list...

5/19/81 - Foley Cath DC @ 0800.  Up 2x in the night.  Continued on Gantrisin (Treating and preventing certain bacterial infections.Gantrisin Suspension is a sulfonamide antibiotic. It works by inhibiting the growth and replication of bacteria.)

5/20/81 - active day @ school, up 2x in the night.

5/21/81 - took bath.

5/22/81 - To Miles City for 8th Bday! Stayed at Jack and Charlene house, had BBQ, Aunt Sandy made Choc. cake.  Gantrisin D.C.

5/23/81 - Shopped with birthday money with Uncle Tim and got new shoes. 

5/24/81 - 1830 Chemo started, Dactinomycin given at clinic, IV per Dr. Kelker. WT. 50 lbs. Eddie crying and not wanting needle poke. 

5/25/81 - Chlorambucil @ home, no vomiting so far - I do not remember taking this chemo drug.  Reading it in the journal is the first time I knew about it... 

Chlorambucil belongs to the group of medicines called alkylating agents. It is used to treat cancer of the blood and lymph system. It may also be used to treat other kinds of cancer, as determined by your doctor.
Chlorambucil interferes with the growth of cancer cells, which are eventually destroyed. Since the growth of normal body cells may also be affected by chlorambucil, other effects will also occur. Some of these may be serious and must be reported to your doctor. Other effects may not be serious but may cause concern. Some effects may not occur for months or years after the medicine is used.

5/26/81 - Chlorambucil & Dactinomycin, low intake of solids.

5/27/81 - School picnic, Chlorambucil & Dac. 

5/28/81 - WB 4.2, BGB 11.5, RBC 4.07, HCT 34.2.  Vomited at clinic.  c/o stomach ache. 

5/29/81 - 50 lbs., vomited large amount at clinic.  Was on TV, KULR Straight 8, covering Eddie's story. 
More vomiting at 2100 undigested food, had eaten a good dinner.  Up 2x to void, cranky c/o stomach ache.

5/30/81 -  C/O of stomach ache, 1/2 hamburger at Wendy's, Uncle John took us to lunch (My grandpa's brother, who treated me like a safe deposit box with his $20 bills.  It is a sore subject with my cousins. It's not like I got a few more $20's than anyone else, I should have had armed guards around me every time I saw Uncle John).  Drank Dr. Pepper ( I didn't drink soda, but Dr. Pepper, details from my mom's watchful eye).  Didn't eat again until 2030 few bites of macaroni, 1/2 glass of milk.  I signed Eddie up for swimming lessons at Rocky (why not, I seem pretty spunky, let's hit the pool).  Vomited at breakfast.

5/31/81 - Jack and Charlene here.  Had BBQ at Chuck's house (Remember my mom has 5 brothers, Jack, Jim, Chuck, Tom, and Tim).  Timmy home with sunburn and mosquito bites (Miles City has a lot of them.  My brother spent a lot of time in MC while I was sick).  Up 2x in night.  Sleeping in bunk bed again with Timmy home. 

6/1/81 - Riding bike, playing with Timmy, fair appetite, up 2x in night.  Fell out of bunk @ 2300.