Starting a new phase – The Amazing Noah

Today is day 33 of Noah’s treatment. This next week we will be starting a new phase for him. This next phase is called Consolidation. This is the phase where we could encounter troubles and have panic trips to the hospital.

Here is how Consolidation is explained.

The next, and usually more intense, consolidation phase of chemo starts once the leukemia is in remission and typically lasts for several months. This phase further reduces the number of leukemia cells still in the body.

So again we will be helicopter parents over Noah.

On another note, I was awakened this morning at 4:30 am by the sound of giggling. Yes, it was Noah! I am unsure what sort of dream he was having but the sound of him laughing in his sleep brought me to tears! I love this boy!

Symptoms

ALL symptoms start when leukemia cells crowd out normal blood cells in bone marrow. The types of symptoms your child has will depend on the numbers of cancer cells and healthy blood cells.

Children with B-cell ALL may:

Bleed or bruise more easily than usual

Feel very tired

Get infections more often

Lose their appetite

Other symptoms include:

Bone or joint pain

Limping

Fever

Pale skin

Red or purple spots called petechiae on the skin

Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, underarms, or groin

If the cancer cells travel to your child’s liver and spleen, these organs can grow large enough to make the belly swell. In some boys, the testicles can also grow larger.