Lia had 5th chemo treatment on the 2nd. We are really seeing the effects coming into play now. Lia's ANC Dropped over 500 points in one week! She had an ANC of 1148 on August 26th and today only 594!
About the ANC: If the white blood counts are too low, the child is neutropenic. Neutropenic means that the immune system is depressed, that the child is immunocompromised and unable to fight off infections. It is measured by the ANC, absolute neutrophil count:
- ANC = the percentage of neutrophils (segs and bands added together, these are the neutrophils that fight infection) multiplied by the total WBC
If the ANC is >1000, the patient can live a relatively normal life. If it is 500-1000, he is entering the danger zone. If it is <500,>AGC (absolute granulocyte count).
The drug Carboplatin is the one that is likely to blame for this drop. It is very potent. For three weeks Lia will have a break from this drug, and she will only take the Vincristine. The doctor says it is possible that Lia's ANC count will recover on it's own after a short break from the Carboplatin. We are hoping this is the case. Otherwise, Lia will have to have a blood transfusion to boost her blood count.
In addition, if the blood count doesn't come up, the Carboplatin will have to be broken into multiple, smaller doses instead of one large dose. This means the family will have to make the 114 mile trip to
Lia is lethargic and weak. She can barely even hold onto us when we pick her up since the last treatment. She cries a lot now, and we are seeing changes in her habits and personality. She still lights up with smiles, but not the big grins we are used too.... it is so hard on her, and there is so little we can do for her to make her feel better.
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