Small Steps

Before surgery, Ari was throwing up on average 15 times a day when nausea should have subsided.  Some days were more, some less, but never less than 10 times a day.  Everyone knows people throw up when they are on chemo and maybe for the week after as well.  However, Ari was always sick.  He was sick when he shouldn't be.  It is very difficult to watch your kid be sick and not be able to do anything.  It is especially difficult to watch him be sick continually without reason.  Doctors just kept telling us that he really shouldn't be sick, but he is "a brain tumor kid."  This is a phrase we have come to hate.  It was almost as if they were saying, well,  it looks like your kid will just throw up all day and night.  That does not feel good at all.

Then, the MRI showed more fluid and they thought it could be the reason for his nausea.  Another surgery based on the phrase thought it could be felt scary, but we felt we had to give Ari a chance to not be so sick.  We have experienced 2 full days where Ari has only thrown up only once!  It has been so nice to have some rest for him from this.  It is still early to tell if the fluid was the only cause, but we are certainly hopeful he will have relief - relief from the nausea, pressure, and pain this excess fluid caused.  At this point, we can take a couple of weeks of chemo nausea, but it would sure be nice for him to get a small break from it once and awhile.

He has been in a great deal of pain today though.  It has been hard to see.  Praying for our sweet boy to have some peace and strength for his little body. If his pain is less, they think we may go home tomorrow.

Small and Happy Steps
* Ari has had a couple days without nausea.
* We found out Ari's tumor is sporadic, not genetic.
* No new tumors have formed!
* We are halfway through induction phase of chemo!  We just finished week 9 of 18.