Round One
Gavin's first round of chemotherapy began on March 4, 2005. Gavin is very sick. He began vomiting on the second day of his treatment. He is being forced intravenous fluids to keep him hydrated because the chemotherapy causes kidney damage. He is extremely swollen and his girth is 28 inches around his stomach. Gavin is on a morphine drip. He is so large and has so many tubes and lines attached to him that we can not pick him up and hold him. He had 500cc of fluid drained from his lungs on March 11, 2005. This has eased his labored breathing. He is unable to move because of the pain, the amount of swelling and all of the monitors attached to him. Gavin's hair is falling out. Blond silk strands of hair lay on his pillow. Tiny black eyelashes rest on his cheeks. He requires oxygen. After one month and one day Gavin was allowed to leave the hospital on March 20, 2005 for four days.
Round Two
Gavin's second round of chemotherapy began on March 24, 2005. Gavin is vomiting and sores cover the inside of his mouth and his private area. He will not let anyone close to his mouth and screams when he has his diaper changed. Gavin was allowed to come home on March 29, 2005. Because Gavin's white blood cells dropped he contracted an infection and was admitted into the hospital. Gavin has an infection in one of his central lines. On April 15, 2005 Gavin was diagnosed with chicken pox. When he went to his pediatrician for his one year check up, before anyone knew he had neuroblastoma, he was given his immunization shots. With the shots was zoster or chichen pox. When his immune system was compromised by chemotherapy the chicken pox virus surfaced. Gavin's arm and hand are covered in large quarter size blisters. Gavin was not able to be released from the hospital before round three of his chemotherpay began.
Round Three
Gavin's third round of chemotherapy began on April 22, 2005. Gavin is vomiting. Gavin stopped walking in February and is now attempting to be mobile again. Gavin was released from the hospital on April 25, 2005. He was readmitted on May 2, 2005 with a high fever and vomiting. Gavin was vomiting so violently that he bled from his ears and eyes. His blood pressure dropped so dangerously low that he was sent to the intensive care unit. Gavin's shingle/chicken pox have returned. They have begun to spread on his head, back and legs. Gavin was released from the hospital on May 9, 2005. Gavin's oncologist will allow him to stay home for a longer period of time before the next chemotherapy to help his body build immunity against the chicken pox virus. Gavin had his stem cells harvested for his bone marrow transplant. The harvesting was a success and the marrow looks very good.
Round Four
Gavin's fourth round of chemotherapy began on May 30, 2005. Gavin is vomiting. He was released on June 3, 2005. Gavin has stopped eating or drinking anything. He refuses to put anything in his mouth. He is fed every night through his central lines. Gavin was admitted to the hospital on June 13, 2005 due to high fever and vomiting. He remained in the hospital until June 17, 2005. On June 23, 2005 the shingle/chicken pox surfaced and because of pain Gavin was admitted to the hospital and placed on a morphine drip. Gavin was released from the hospital on June 27, 2005.
Round Five
Gavin's fifth round of chemotherapy began on June 30, 2005. Gavin is vomiting. Gavin was released from the hospital on July 3, 2005. On July 11, 2005, Gavin was admitted to the hospital because of high fever and low white blood counts. He remained in the hospital until July 19, 2005 only to be readmitted on July 21, 2005 for high blood pressure. He was released on July 24, 2005 when his pressure was under control. On August 5, 2005 a central line infection caused Gavin to be admitted until August 7, 2005.
Surgery
On August 11, 2005, Gavin had his tumor removed. The adrenal gland had to be removed because the tumor was attached and the two could not be separated. Repair was done to the vena cava and several lympthnodes had to be removed. Gavin's surgeon was pleased with outcome and said he removed all the cancer he counld find.
Round Six
Gavin's sixth round of chemotherapy began on August 22, 2005. Gavin is vomiting. He was released from the hospital on August 25, 2005, Gavin was admitted to the hospital with a high fever on August 31, 2005. He was extremely sick with sores on his rectum and in his mouth. Every time he would need to have his diaper changed he would scream in pain. Gavin is on a morphine drip. This is the longest time Gavin has ever taken to rebound from chemotherpay. His little body is so tired. He stayed in the hospital until September 20, 2005.
Round Seven
Gavin went into the hospital for his last round of chemo on Tuesday October 18, 2005. Gavin's dada and mommy took him. This round of chemo will be hard. He is not vomitting but his bottom and mouth are breaking down with sores. His skin color has changed and he will not sit on his bottom. He has been put on a morphine pump. His hands are swollen.
Transplant
October 26, 2005 Gavin had his bone marrow transplant today at 11:00am. His mother and father watched as a team of Doctors and special transplant nurses hung the two clear bags of fluid from his iv pole. Gavin slept as this precious liquid filled his vains. The bone marrow now must find its place in Gavin's body and begin to make white blood cells. Today is called day zero...tomorrow is zero plus one..the next day is zero plus two and each day after is another number until he has a bone marrow aspiration. At that time the bone marrow will be checked for neuroblastoma cells and if he has none he will be considered cancer free and his time for remission will begin then. Gavin has had three bone marrow aspirations but this will be the most important. The test is scheduled for December 7, 2005.
Radiation
Gavin will have twelve rounds of radiation. He will end the radiation on December 23, 2005. Gavin had a mold made of his body that he must lay in when he has his radiation. Since Gavin must remain completely still during the radiation he is put to sleep. The radiation has side effects. Gavin may be about an inch shorter than he would have been without radiation. He may loose a kidney and his spine may be curved. Gavin may be tired and sick after each round of radiation.
Gavin has finished seven rounds of radiation. He seems to be tolerating the side effect. He was only suppose to have 12 rounds but the Doctors have added an additional three rounds. Gavin still has a tumor in his chest and they are unable to surgically remove it so they want to make sure no cancer cells are left in the mass
Clinic
Gavin must go to clinic on Mon. Wed and Fridays. At clinic he gets platelets, they check all his counts and he gets red blood on Fridays. If new symptons or complications appear they will be address at clinic. Clinic visits will continue until Gavin can make his own platelets, he begins to eat food and all his counts are normal. This may happen by the end of the summer 2006
100 DAYS
Sometime around the first week in February 2006 all the test will be done on Gavin to make sure the course of treatment he is getting is working. He will be giving xrays, cat scans, ultrasounds, blood test and bone marrow test. Gavin will also begin taking an oral medication to fight any cancer cells that may be left. He will continue to go to clinic three times a week for platelets and blood.
