The Chemotherapeutics

In case you were wondering what chemo Andrew was on for his first round, he had:

An intrathecal (in the spine) dose of cytarabine (Ara-C) the first day, then cytarabine via his central line every twelve hours for ten days. He also had Daunorubicin given to him on days 1, 3, and 5. The daunorubicin was also administered via his central line over a 6 hour stretch, and on days 1-5, he received etoposide over a 4 hour stretch.

Common Side effects for these drugs are:

-Nausea/Vomiting

-Hair loss

-Pink urine

-Mouth Sores

-Loss of appetite

-Diarrhea

Less Commonly:

-Heart damage

-Nail beds that may change color and texture

-Sensitive skin

-Abnormal liver function

-Irritation to eyes

-Flu-like symptoms

-Low Blood Pressure

-Allergic Reactions

We'll have to see what the long-term effects are, but what we have for now is manageable. We're so grateful for modern medicine and the wonderful staff here at Primary's!