Round 13

Charlotte's platelets increased after our delay last week and the chemo schedule got back on track. We went in Monday & Tuesday for doxorubicin - our first outpatient infusions. For being such a quick infusion, we still spent plenty of time in a windowless hospital room! Still, it was lovely to get to sleep in our own beds those nights!

We could tell that Charlotte was tired due to the chemo, but the nausea was fairly minimal. Our team instructed us to stay on our anti-nausea schedule for a few days to be sure everything was well controlled, which it was. As with previous chemo admissions, we also adjusted the rate of her feeds to avoid her getting too full. After 6+ months, we're figuring it out!

We did get a piece of fun news on Tuesday, too. Charlotte's weight is back up to the trajectory of a normal 10-year old! Because of this, the nutrition team said we could take a couple of longer breaks from tube feeding throughout the day, especially since we've already been able to supplement with some solid foods. Charlotte was thrilled with this news and immediately talked Connor into a daddy-daughter date at Red Robin.

The delay worked in our favor, as Charlotte hasn't dipped into "low count" territory quite yet, meaning her immune system was strong enough for her to enjoy a few normal Halloween events. Her classroom party, trunk or treat at school, and trick-or-treating in the neighborhood! These events looked & felt a bit different, but still a win to have those memories.

We are at home for the next week and will deal with low counts in more comfortable surroundings before being admitted two weeks in a row. All three of us see the end inching closer and we're trying to keep our spirits high in order to get there!