Umpteenth Spinal Tap with a Splash of Chemo

Here is the little girl that we pass in the halls all the time. She's the "Welcome to the Cancer Floor" girl. Even though it's not nice, I think we both wanted to punch her in her face when we first arrived back in December when Hunter was diagnosed. We've since passed the anger stage.



Hunter getting prepared for his Spinal Tap.



Here he's been injected with the Happy Juice. It's the medication Versed that makes him laugh his ass off. He's always a huge hit with the doctors and nurses.



Dad is usually the one making him giggle. He does a great job.



Then everyone joins in and it's one big party in the spinal tap room.



If you look close here, you can actually see his spinal fluid dripping out of the needle. This is the fluid they check to make sure that the Leukemia has not traveled into his spine.



After that step, they inject Chemo into his spinal fluid to make sure that the Leukemia stays out of his spine.



Here Hunter is hanging on to the Versed and wouldn't let it go. He's a big fan. Versed addict at 18 months. The kid likes to get his giggle on.



Here are his id and allergy alert bracelets. They are on him at all times. The alergy alert is from when he had his first major reaction to the Chemo medication Etoposide back in the first round. Very scary.



Later on in the day after his Spinal Tap, he gets the major dose of Chemo........and they don't mess around.





Here are three separate lines delivering Chemo and fluids all at the same time. Those are connected to his Pic Line that is inserted into one of his major arteries in his arm - it goes straight to his heart.



Needless to say, he's exhausted. It's been a long day.