FAQs
How did we figure this out?
Eliot was pretty darn crabby starting last Wednesday or so. We thought he just wasn't sleeping well because Naomi had been crying more at night and we moved his bedroom. Then on Friday afternoon (of course around the time the pediatrician's office closed) he got pretty pale. Saturday he didn't want to play, just wanted to sit around - yet he didn't have much of a fever nor was he throwing up or sick in any other way. Sunday he woke up with odd bruises under his eyes. Monday morning we called the pediatrician for a same-day appointment. We had an appointment at 9:15 and to make a long story short we were admitted to the hospital by noon. It happened very quickly and was totally shocking and scary and bizarre. They were able to take some blood tests and tell us that afternoon that he has leukemia.
Is Eliot going to loose all of his hair?
Yes. He is going to loose his hair. He will have chemo therapy starting tomorrow. Because of the steroids he'll be taking over the next month his face will get puffy and he'll probably eat like a mad-man and gain a fair amount of weight too. He is going to look different for a while.
How sick is he going to get?
Wonderfully chemo-therapy isn't the juicy Hollywood experience it once was. He most likely will get a bit pukey. He won't spend days feeling awful after every treatment tho. They've managed to find good drugs that help eliminate or at least minimize a fair amount of that yuckiness.
How long will he be in the hospital?
Eliot is in the hospital now, has been since Monday at noon and will be for at least the next 8 days and perhaps longer. Barring any huge illnesses or complications this will be the only nights he has to spend in the hospital during his treatment.
How does this all work?
We're going to have an intense month of treatment, followed by 5 more intense months. After that we'll most likely be in maintenance mode and he'll be able to live a pretty normal life as a 3 year old - wow - he'll be 3. How did that happen??!!?!?!!
Is he going to die?
There is a very high cure rate for this kind of leukemia. He might die from it. He most likely won't. Instead he'll get to grow up and do great things and someday, hopefully die of old age, peacefully in his own home surrounded by loved ones long after I do.
Eliot was pretty darn crabby starting last Wednesday or so. We thought he just wasn't sleeping well because Naomi had been crying more at night and we moved his bedroom. Then on Friday afternoon (of course around the time the pediatrician's office closed) he got pretty pale. Saturday he didn't want to play, just wanted to sit around - yet he didn't have much of a fever nor was he throwing up or sick in any other way. Sunday he woke up with odd bruises under his eyes. Monday morning we called the pediatrician for a same-day appointment. We had an appointment at 9:15 and to make a long story short we were admitted to the hospital by noon. It happened very quickly and was totally shocking and scary and bizarre. They were able to take some blood tests and tell us that afternoon that he has leukemia.
Is Eliot going to loose all of his hair?
Yes. He is going to loose his hair. He will have chemo therapy starting tomorrow. Because of the steroids he'll be taking over the next month his face will get puffy and he'll probably eat like a mad-man and gain a fair amount of weight too. He is going to look different for a while.
How sick is he going to get?
Wonderfully chemo-therapy isn't the juicy Hollywood experience it once was. He most likely will get a bit pukey. He won't spend days feeling awful after every treatment tho. They've managed to find good drugs that help eliminate or at least minimize a fair amount of that yuckiness.
How long will he be in the hospital?
Eliot is in the hospital now, has been since Monday at noon and will be for at least the next 8 days and perhaps longer. Barring any huge illnesses or complications this will be the only nights he has to spend in the hospital during his treatment.
How does this all work?
We're going to have an intense month of treatment, followed by 5 more intense months. After that we'll most likely be in maintenance mode and he'll be able to live a pretty normal life as a 3 year old - wow - he'll be 3. How did that happen??!!?!?!!
Is he going to die?
There is a very high cure rate for this kind of leukemia. He might die from it. He most likely won't. Instead he'll get to grow up and do great things and someday, hopefully die of old age, peacefully in his own home surrounded by loved ones long after I do.
posted by Sara at 9:23 PM
2 Comments:
I'm so glad to hear that he won't have to spend nights there! That's going to make things a lot easier for you all.
Eliot looks so cute in the picture of him coloring. He's so rosey!
I really appreciate the informational post. It's also wonderful to see the outpouring of love and support and prayer for you all. If anyone can get through this adventure with grace, it's you.
Sarah C.
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