Myla's Big Experiment

Today is one of those "big" days for Myla, and she knows it. She'll get her treatment of the experimental chemo drug Gemtuzumab (a.k.a., Mylotarg).

Raul Matthew and I started our day by playing Rampage and Foosball at the Ronald McDonald House. We then headed across Michigan street, past the Indiana State Department of Health building, toward the construction crane working on the new addition to Riley, and down a now familiar brick walkway adorned with freshly-fallen green leaves that cradled silver droplets from an early morning rain.

For lunch, Mrs. Byrom, Raul Matthew, and I rode the glass elevator down to the Ronald McDonald House located here on the first floor of Riley. Unlike the larger house that Raul Matthew and I spend the night in, this one has only 6 rooms, but it also has food! Today, this bounty included donations by Panera Bread and a great taco soup brewed up by volunteers (click here for recipe). Better yet, make this recipe--it's good enough to compete in a Bobby Flay "throwdown."

At about 4:00 PM, Christina and Kelly came in to double-check the numbers on the chemo bag. Christina then hooked Myla up to the Alaris pump unit and began the infusion of Mylotarg at about 4:13, which will last for two hours. It's 4:48 as I write this, and Myla has made it past the first 15 minutes when most patients tend to have their allergic reactions to the drug--so, that's encouraging. Christina has been here in the room monitoring her condition so far. Here's a picture of her checking on Myla at about an hour into the chemo infusion. Meanwhile, Raul Matthew has been reading from his new book, Mistletoe.

It's 6:12 PM, and the chemo treatment of Mylotarg is done!

It's getting close to 7 PM, and we're about to head back to the RM House. Raul Matthew is showing signs of a developing cold, and that's not good in light of Myla's plummeting ANC count. The bottom line is that we might not be able to visit the hospital room until the cold runs its course, and that might be a few days. Unfortunately, the hospital room is my only reliable place for Internet access, so my posts are likely to be less frequent and shorter. Nevertheless, I'll see what I can do to keep this updated with any significant news.

8:45 found us rushing back to the hospital when Myla began to have an allergic reaction to the chemo treatment that had ended a couple of hours earlier. She was given Tylenol and Benadryl which controlled the shaking she had. Renae also hooked up a couple of additional pump modules for giving Myla antibiotics. For a few minutes, she lost color and seemed to be unconscious, but her color has started to return. She is due for another blood transfusion sometime tonight, but they want to make sure that her reaction to the chemo is over with. That's because she could also have a reaction to the blood transfusion. Part of the reaction to the chemo was that her temperature spiked to 102.7 within minutes of being normal. The Tylenol has dropped her temp to 101.6 at 9:28 PM, so that's good. Thankfully, I didn't use the two tickets for the Pacers-Celtics game that started at 7 PM tonight a few blocks away. Plus, who wants to go watch a team named after one of the most deplorable autos in American history? :)

9:41 PM...temp now back up to 102.3.

9:47 PM...Dr. DeRidder entered our room and said that Myla's reaction is something called "Red Man Syndrome." (Note to self: Don't go there.)

9:53 PM...temp now at 103.

10:06 PM...the Red Man Syndrome seems to be gone. (Note to self: Still don't go there.)

10:11 PM...I've noticed that when the Alaris pumps, it sounds like a skillet on the stove warming up in preparation for sautéing. It's a tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick. And, the growing collection of components reminds me of the big stereo systems from the 1980s.

10:16 PM...102.9. The comment about the '80s reminded me of big hair.

10:20 PM...Dick Cheney probably never had big hair.

10:30 PM...102.4. Finally, a temp that doesn't sound like a radio station. No big hair here.

10:34 PM....ChemoOn: Apply directly to cancer. ChemoOn: Apply directly to cancer. ChemoOn: Apply directly to cancer.

10:37 PM....Whenever I hear ANC, I think of F.W. DeKlerk and the African National Congress. It's another 80s thing.

10:39 PM....On a "top 10" list of things that big-hair-bands fear...#6: Chemo.

10:42 PM...Question: How do you know if a hairless rat has had chemo? Answer: You look at the research protocol.

10:46 PM...A dolphin at the Indianapolis Zoo is named Kimo, which is pronounced like chemo. Temp: 102. Ironically, I took Raul Matthew to the zoo to get him away from the hospital environment. Enter the dolphin show: "Say a big hello to our dolphin chemo!"

No more temp-taking for another hour.

11:10 PM...Dr. DeRidder says that Myla is "looking great."

11:56 PM...101.1. :)