On Thursday, January 16th, Jack was admitted back into the hospital to receive his first chemotherapy treatment. We checked into the hospital at 8:30 am to begin initial lab work and to start receiving intravenous (IV) hydration fluid treatments through Jackson's chemotherapy port. The actual chemotherapy treatment began at 2:55 pm and took a total of six hours to administer via IV. After the chemotherapy treatment was complete, Jack also had to have 12 hours of "re-hydration" to ensure proper kidney functioning and that his body was retaining and emitting enough fluids.
Jackson was chosen for a clinical trial which involves a "compressed" chemotherapy treatment plan, consisting of 6 cycles of chemotherapy, whereas each cycle lasts 14 days total. The specific chemotherapy medication that Jack will receive is called Cisplatin. Cisplatin has several side effects including nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, hair loss and permanent hearing loss.
We were told to expect delayed side effects (nausea, vomiting, etc.) to occur within the first ten days of the treatment cycle, all of which are being closely monitored by medical oncology staff. Hair loss is almost inevitable with cancer treatment, and we were told to expect hair loss to begin after his 2nd cycle of chemotherapy. Permanent hearing loss varies in severity on a case-by-case basis, but Jackson will receive periodic hearing examinations to track any changes in hearing due to the Cisplatin.
Jackson did an excellent job during the chemotherapy treatment (he is SO strong!) and remained in the hospital overnight for monitoring. During his stay, he received a special gift from the mascot of the Charlotte Checkers hockey team and even got to meet Charlotte Hornets NBA players! We were discharged the following day to allow him to rest comfortably at home.
We have several medications that we administer around the clock to keep him as comfortable as possible, and we will follow-up with the St. Jude Affiliate Clinic here in Charlotte at least twice a week during treatment. It is common for white blood cell and platelet counts to drop drastically while undergoing chemotherapy treatment, so Jackson may need additional blood transfusions and additional IV fluids from time to time to keep him as healthy as possible. Thank you for the prayers, and keep them coming! We will update again soon.
