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Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Researching the treatment

Adam's approved!!!!!  Tomorrow morning Adam has an appointment at a Houston clinic to have his catheter fitted, then Friday he gets hooked up to the antineoplastons.  Lord, I never thought this day would come.  We've learned a bit more about the treatment, thanks to some YouTube posts by a couple in England.  Hannah and her boyfriend Pete just left the clinic a couple of weeks before we arrived.  Hannah has a very similar brain tumor to Adam and is on the same treatment.  Thanks to their video blogs, we've been able to see what the catheter/tubing/pump/bag combination looks like and a bit more about how it works.  We've also found more blogs online of other patients who are receiving the treatment, and have a much clearer idea of how it works and what can go wrong.  I didn't realize that you can develop infections at the port-site and that the port can break.  It is plastic afterall.  Also, we've been told that Adam's sodium intake has to be meticulously watched, and his fluid intake and excretion carefully monitored.  I've been told, "If you can't wake him up in the morming, get him straight to the hospital."  Fluid can accumulate in the body or brain and cause complications.  I guess I'm glad we're learning all this, as I suppose I was a bit naive before.  I just thought catheter goes in, hook up pump, and all's good for 8 months!  I'm also going to receive 2 weeks of training, learning how to take blood (every other day), change medicine bags (twice a day), program the pump (also twice a day), and change dressings (every other day).  It's going to be a lot of work, but it's safe to say it will totally be worth it.  Please pray that all goes well tomorrow.  Adam is a bit nervous about the procedure.  I don't blame him!

2 comments:

  1. Congratulations!! This is very exciting :-) What a tremendous responsibility you'll have with all of the medical monitoring, but if anybody is capable of this, you are. I know you miss the children terribly. I can't wait to have you join the prayer group. It is so wonderful. We read, we talk spiritual things, we pray...It's beautiful. And we remember you each week. We love you guys!!

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  2. This is WONDERFUL news! I can understand your (and Adam's) nervousness, but God has been preparing you both for this and I have no doubt He will continue to guide and help you through it. John Paul II will as well - he didn't lay his hand on Adam's head for nothing! So many prayers are being said for you guys I have no doubt they are being asnwered!! xoxo

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