Tuesday 9th February 2010

Luke had chemo today which involved 2 drugs being dispensed through his central line. All went well. If you could pick a chemo treatment this would have to be the best day of drug taking - no pills or needles.
Having said no pills - he still had his usual large dose of steroids etc.

Luke has amazed us with the amount of food he is eating! He seems to be craving salt. Today he ate 4 pieces of toast for breakfast / snitzel and veg was the hospital lunch and a cheesymite scroll from Bakers Delight / Dinner -he wasn't keen on the hospital Soy Honey Chicken so he asked for a Wokka noodle box which he devoured followed by a huge plate of meat casserole, mashed potatoes and vegies that Grandma had made for our dinner. Not to mention the endless amount of cheese and biscuits he is eating as snacks / chocolate mooves / apple icy cups.
The dietician visited today and said if he wants to eat let him eat. She said a normal healthy boy of his age and original weight required 11400 kilojoules a day / 3000 calories. Luke thought that as he was eating well he didn't need to have the supplementary Ensure drink however she advised as he has lost a lot of weight he should be having 1 or 2 a day.

Can't remember if I mentioned that Luke had 2 blood transfusions yesterday evening. They had said that if his levels got around 80 that they would boost him up.
He also had a bag of platelets and today had a further 10 bags of cryopresipitate.
I got told off today for not listed Luke's blood levels yesterday so here they both are:

Haemaglobin White Cell Count Platelets Neutrophils
8/2 81 1.2 25 0.53
9/2 114 2.0 52 1.06

Although such wild fluctuations they are all to be expected.

It's lovely to read that some people are going in to donate blood. A special mention to Mary-Anne our neighbour who has the same A RhD Negative blood type - thankyou for your kind words.

It really is such a wonderful gift to give someone and your donation could save up to 3 lives. I would donate if I could but unfortunately I have a heart problem (mitral valve regurgitation) and the Red Cross rejected me when I tried a few years ago!
Also amazing is Alison - one of the full time staff members at Lanyon Pharmacy where Luke worked casually. She will be participating in Shave for a cure in March. I'll have to double check the date in March on the poster at the pharmacy. I'm sure any donations to her cause would be greatly appreciated.