Heartburn is not for sissys

so long long night for Mary-Elizabeth.  She has to have two 5 day "pulses" of Dexemethoson.  It is a steroid that even in small doses creates havoc.  In this dose, it is considered a Chemo Therapy. 


We have a healthy respect for Steroids since they can put kids into remission:  Stop the bone marrow from working.  It also stops and starts other things. 

Starts a private engine running in your brain.  Sort of a personal tornado that comes and goes.  It keeps you up, makes you want to clean things, it is anxiety of great great power.  I used to look forward to the frantic cleaning that happened.  No real sleep happens.  More like dosing.  No ability to concentrate and that is just for a few days following the "pulse".

It also causes heart burn.  Bad heart burn.  She did everything she could to keep the heartburn away last night.  Illegal tums were eaten, Ben and Jerry's consumed and then she did not say anything more until this AM.

Of course we addressed the issues.  When the nurse said we could discuss it with our doctors when they did rounds, I suggested that would not be soon enough.  She was given the secret hospital tums and some breakfast and felt a bit better.  She was told that she was going to ask next time.

She still has "no data" and as Tracy said, that is a good thing.  Bad Bone Marrow needs a long time out.  Fred has suggested that we ask the residents to do the ANC dance.  We are working on that one.