This time I feel like I am writing this for the third time but in a way I am since I had great feedback from the JM Mom's Group on FB, as well as on my actual FB Wall.
Yesterday was 'Shot Day' again for Connor, his weekly Methrotrexate (Chemo) injection. We are now up to 0.8 ML and I am still debating why for the last few months we are going back and forth with having some serious problems giving the Shot.
For over a year now, Connor has been sailing through Shot Days with hardly any issues at all and then a few months back he started complaining about the Shot hurting him.
The one change that happened that is the most visible, is him loosing the Steroid weight. He is slimming down fast and other then the height issue he is about the same as Alexander again. Alexander is still taller and looks skinnier so Connor looks a bit more compact then Alexander but only because he is still almost 2 inches shorter. We used to give the injection in his tummy and then when the tummy fat went away we moved to his bottom. I can truthfully say there is no more fat cushioning at all on our little boys body and on top of this we are at a higher doses. It takes me almost 30 seconds to inject and it is the longest 30 seconds when your child is crying from pain.
I got some wonderful feedback from my CureJM Support Group and it seems that we have been lucky to be pain free for so long as it has been a battle for many children who need the Injection. I got some great advice for the pro and con to the oral version and also some more tips on what we can do to distract and numb the area better. We are using the EMLA cream and I have been adjusting the time but we will now add icing the area about 5 to 10 prior to injection as well.
The negative part about moving to oral would be the issues about absorption but also the side effects of what the Chemo Drug can to to your intestinal track. Nausea, Vomiting and Diarrhea are a possible factor to sever headaches. Connor on the other hand never had a side effect with the injection other then the pain starting recently when he is getting injected.
So Ron and I decided that at age 7 he very well should have a voice and hear about the pro and con's and make a decision for himself. After we laid it all out what could be, he looked at us with a very somber face and said he much rather have the 30 second pain then the possible side effects the oral version could cause him. Brave little man once again and while I am upset and frustrated that he has to face this pain once a week I am still realizing we are the lucky ones ... still, It could be way worse and I have to remind myself over and over again that we did not choose that battle but we are fighting it.
The rest of the day was actually wonderful and postcard perfect. The boys did really well in school and then got dressed up to play Cowboy and Indian out in the Forest and Teepee. I got to watch them laugh and play while baking a fresh Strawberry Cake from scratch. We had a fun Coffee and Cake time and the four of us truly ate 1/2 of the cake. To make up for that part the boys and I went for a little hike around our Mountain and it was amazing to watch Connor beat Alexander and I back to the Front Door :) For Dinner we BBQ some Pork Chops and ate them with a fresh Tomato Salad that included fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Basil and Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil. Simple but yummy.
I am hoping your week is going well!
Hugs,
R A C A
Yesterday was 'Shot Day' again for Connor, his weekly Methrotrexate (Chemo) injection. We are now up to 0.8 ML and I am still debating why for the last few months we are going back and forth with having some serious problems giving the Shot.
For over a year now, Connor has been sailing through Shot Days with hardly any issues at all and then a few months back he started complaining about the Shot hurting him.
The one change that happened that is the most visible, is him loosing the Steroid weight. He is slimming down fast and other then the height issue he is about the same as Alexander again. Alexander is still taller and looks skinnier so Connor looks a bit more compact then Alexander but only because he is still almost 2 inches shorter. We used to give the injection in his tummy and then when the tummy fat went away we moved to his bottom. I can truthfully say there is no more fat cushioning at all on our little boys body and on top of this we are at a higher doses. It takes me almost 30 seconds to inject and it is the longest 30 seconds when your child is crying from pain.
I got some wonderful feedback from my CureJM Support Group and it seems that we have been lucky to be pain free for so long as it has been a battle for many children who need the Injection. I got some great advice for the pro and con to the oral version and also some more tips on what we can do to distract and numb the area better. We are using the EMLA cream and I have been adjusting the time but we will now add icing the area about 5 to 10 prior to injection as well.
The negative part about moving to oral would be the issues about absorption but also the side effects of what the Chemo Drug can to to your intestinal track. Nausea, Vomiting and Diarrhea are a possible factor to sever headaches. Connor on the other hand never had a side effect with the injection other then the pain starting recently when he is getting injected.
So Ron and I decided that at age 7 he very well should have a voice and hear about the pro and con's and make a decision for himself. After we laid it all out what could be, he looked at us with a very somber face and said he much rather have the 30 second pain then the possible side effects the oral version could cause him. Brave little man once again and while I am upset and frustrated that he has to face this pain once a week I am still realizing we are the lucky ones ... still, It could be way worse and I have to remind myself over and over again that we did not choose that battle but we are fighting it.
The rest of the day was actually wonderful and postcard perfect. The boys did really well in school and then got dressed up to play Cowboy and Indian out in the Forest and Teepee. I got to watch them laugh and play while baking a fresh Strawberry Cake from scratch. We had a fun Coffee and Cake time and the four of us truly ate 1/2 of the cake. To make up for that part the boys and I went for a little hike around our Mountain and it was amazing to watch Connor beat Alexander and I back to the Front Door :) For Dinner we BBQ some Pork Chops and ate them with a fresh Tomato Salad that included fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Basil and Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil. Simple but yummy.
I am hoping your week is going well!
Hugs,
R A C A
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