The ABC's of HL

Another clinic has come and gone. This one was much more tolerable than the last one when we spent hours waiting for room, doing nothing else, but waiting.

Today we had a GFR. GFR - glomerular filtration rate is the best test to measure your level of kidney function. We arrived at the hospital at 8:00 and went to nuclear medicine and they injected Adam with some kind of nuclear dye. After taking a blood for a CBC. Then an hour later they brought us back and they took scans of his kidneys and drew more blood. An hour later this was done all over again, and this was completed three more times. What the test indicate are how the kidneys are functioning. Due to the extreme dose of drugs used in this DECA chemo sessions, this needs to be monitored before each chemo session. In between the blood work and scans we met with an Audiologist to have a AMT completed. This test is done to check the ear drum and the nerves in the ear. Again, due to the high doses of chem0, these tests must be completed to monitor hearing and/or any potential hearing loss.

Adam has been experiencing some hearing loss, so we were kind of anxious to see the results of the AMT. The news was somewhat good, as it indicated that there was a small amount of hearing loss, however they felt it was due to the congestion and fluid build up behind his ear drum. He has had a cold and a chronic cough for a few days and they felt that this needed to be treated and another AMT run to make sure that the hearing loss was due to the congestion and fluids and not the chemo.

Then after the GFR, and the AMT we had to visit the clinic for our bi-monthly chat with the oncologist. Then went over all the same things that they go over with each visit, discussing the medications, such as the GCSF, and the BAC, and all the other types of medications he takes PO (by mouth).

Overall the Dr's are pleased with Adam's progress, his blood counts were down, but up from the previous draws on Monday. He continues to move along, doing what needs to be done and hopefully the tumors and masses are continuing to shrink. His next chemos session begins the 11th, a day after his 16th birthday and then of course more tests will be completed then to see what progress has been made on the cancer.