Jason was started on chemotherapy while he was still in the hospital. The doctors said the chemotherapy had to be started within 1 month of diagnosis of the brain tumor. His chemotherapy regimen is consisted of two drugs: vincristine and carboplatin. After 1st chemotherapy in the hospital, we continued to go back to the Children's national medical center every week to receive his chemotherapy. Even though carboplatin is moderately emetogenic and vincristine almost non-emetogenic, Jason's vomiting was really bad, BAD after each chemotherapy session. I had to give him Zofran to keep him more comfortable but he continued to vomit a lot. His weight gain stopped (he lost a lot of weight while in the hospital) and his vomiting was really gotten out of control, so we decided to change his G-tube to GJ (gastrojejunal) tube. GJ tube is a longer tube that goes all the way down to part of his small intestine so he cannot vomit formula. Well, but in Jason's case, he continued to vomit stomach juice & mucus and retched really bad all the time causing his GJ tube to dislocate and migrate up to his stomach. It happened twice and 2nd time when it happended, his GJ tube came out of his mouth!, that's how bad his vomiting & retching was. Within one month period of time, we had to go to interventional radiology 3 times to put his GJ tube in!! and everytime it is a nightmare!. Jason is strapped down on a wooden board screaming while the radiologist inserted GJ tube under fluoroscopy.. without sedation!! It is a total trauma for Jason and me!
Last week, Jason finished 10 week course of intensive induction chemotherapy. He is enjoying 2 weeks break from the chemotherapy now. =) After 2 weeks of break, Jason will be started on the maintenance chemotherapy. Each cycle will be 4 weeks of weekly chemotherapy then 2 weeks off; Jason will go through 8 cycles of it, which will last 1 year!!!
This Tuesday April 20, 2010, Jason will have his MRI of brain and spine to see if 10 weeks of chemotherapy helped to shrink his tumors or not.
Please pray for him.
Wow, that's how he ended up having a GJ tube...I can't even imagine the pain and suffer you guys had to go through when it kept coming out. :(((
ReplyDeleteOMG, that's way too much for anyone to handle. I'm so proud of Jason!!
ReplyDeleteHad no idea you had to go through that much of agony. Just wanted to tell you and Jason have been fighting a fight so far and hope you keep up the good spirit and overcome the rest of the therapies.
ReplyDeleteWhen Jason and you're ready for a play date, we will gladly come over and have some fun together.
Wish you the best!