Second round of chemo

Heath was admitted back at Moffitt yesterday, 4/13, for another round of chemo. He will be given Methotrexate/Leucovorin during this round. The Methotrexate is given in an IV fast drip over four hours. They ran an IV previously for 6 hours that had something in it that will help keep the Methotrexate in his system for a 24 hour period. Leucovorin will be used to remove the Methotrexate. They will monitor the Methotrexate counts. When it goes below a certain level, Heath can come home.

This round will complete the first cycle of chemo. Heath will have one more cycle of chemo before we travel to Harvard.

There are 3 different kinds of chemo that they are giving him. Each cycle will consist of Adriamycin, Cisplatin and Methotrexate. The Adriamycin and Cisplatin are given during the same round and the Methotrexate is given in a round by itself.

Heath had the Adriamycin and Cisplatin on 3/28 to 4/1. This chemo causes the white blood cell levels to drop very drastically. A Neulasta shot was given 24 hours after this round as a rescue agent. It causes the body to produce white blood cells to keep Heath from getting an infection.

Thanks for all the prayers.