Chemo Round 2 - July 22-27 & the weeks following

Time to go in for more chemo... this time the citerabine (spelling?) is stronger but its one day on and one day off... This time, we need eye drops because the chemo can cause MAJOR itching or burning.
Annoyance #1-- we get in there in the morning that day. Well, not me.. my dad brought him... and they did not get the central line put in until the afternoon... Central line is not a triple lumen in the neck this time... Its a central line in the arm. then, they still cannot start chemo because the doc never ordered bloodwork... and without bloodwork, pharmacy will not make chemo for him
So, we wasted a day in the hospital.. grrrr
They are able to start at like 5am. Anyways... On Day 5, we get discharged... woohooo! Now its back to bloodwork every few days and waiting til Chris is neutrapenic...
Lets see... He is feeling pretty good one day and he takes me up to Clifton and shows me around where he grew up. Then we go to Hot Grill.... I had it once and didnt realize it cus it was when i was in the north jersey office for work.
Their chili dogs are great.. yummmo...
Chris goes in for an appointment as his CBCs are dropping... and because he has had so many headaches and his counts are so low, they admit him. He is not happy. Whenever there are certain symptoms they rush to take action. His leukemia is rare and on the bones, so any spinal related issues, or pains, cause concern. In fact, one time he went in to same day for bloodwork, and mentioned headaches... they did a catscan right there and made him wait for results before sending him home...
Anyways, they admit Chris because he was anemic. They transfuse him with platelets and then red blood. They want to do MRIs cus of his headaches and major fatigue..
He tries to tell them that he needs to be knocked out. he is very claustrophobic and when he had an MRI at JFK, they had to put him out for it. This time, they try making him do it with just Ativan and it doesnt go well. Chris freaks and they decide they will have to re-schedule with Anastesia...
Anyways, his CBCs are back up. he is feeling better. The MRI is no longer an emergency and they let him go home. Chris is a happier camper now because he (understandably) does not wan to he in the hospital to wait around for tests They schedule the MRI for a couple weeks out.
THis discharge is good timing because his brother Lew and his gf Jen are up for a week of vacation from Florida... We are having them over on Saturday August 9th (my mom's birthday) and he is discharged on August 7th after 2-3 days in the hospital....
Now, he gets to see Lew and I get to meet him and we meet Jen...
YAY!!