A Tough Week

It has been another tough week here dealing with side effects as you can see from the picture. We did receive reinforcements though, just in the nick of time with the arrival of Charlie’s Grandmommy on Sunday. She is staying with Angela during the week to help out with the heavy lifting and day to day chores that take it out of a 32-week pregnant Mommy. Grandmommy was promptly thrown into fire, not only learning all the medications and maintenance of a cancer patient, but also trips to hospital everyday this week except Thursday. It started on Monday with what was originally thought to be a nose bleed that was coming out through his mouth. When it didn’t stop, we were told to come on in. We were sent home that afternoon, reassured that yes, in fact, Charlie was bleeding just not sure from where. Great.


Charlie continued to have a bloody mouth for the rest of the evening and the next morning. We were told to come in again that morning (Tuesday). Charlie’s doctor became concerned over the blood loss and he received his second transfusion. On a side note, Tuesday was also Charlie’s last day on the daily steroid. Yea! By all accounts, his looks and demeanor should start returning to normal.

Wednesday was Charlie’s last Phase one treatment and while he was out, the ENT doctor was going to scope his posterior nasal cavity for the source of the bleeding. Of course, sometime during Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, the bleeding stopped. The ENT was unable to find anything that looked like the culprit, so we left again without any definitive answers. Ruling out his nose and mouth, our doctor decided that the bleeding must be upper GI related and prescribed more medications as well as an order to come back on Friday for some blood work.

Yesterday (Thursday) was a great day for Charlie. He was alert (no dozing) and generally happy. Angela and Grandmommy were able to get him out for lunch with dad and a trip to some garden centers. He developed a fever later in the day, which is a concern, but could just be related to his ongoing ear infection. Right now, Charlie is back up at the hospital for his blood work and hopefully the docs will get him fixed up so we can avoid a weekend ER trip.

We have received several care packages from friends and family everywhere. We would just like to say thank you to everybody. Charlie is still pretty immobile, so it is great to have new things he can do while he creates his permanent indentation on our couch. We can’t thank everybody enough for all the meals, gifts, well wishes and prayers. It has meant so much to us to have your support and encouragement throughout this first phase treatment. We are lucky to have all of you in our life. Thank you so much.