1/11/25
In support of
Jade Cato's Recovery
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Jade Cato's Recovery
Jade was in clinic Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Friday we found out that her ANC (immune system) is extremely suppressed so she is in lock down mode until that goes back up, especially with all of the sickness right now. An ANC under 500 is severe. Jade is at 170. I was really surprised because this entire round she’s been around 800-1500. However, each dose of methotrexate is escalated and it just must have hit her harder. Her port site has still been very irritated and sore so she chose to do another IV on Friday. After clinic on Wednesday we headed to St Pete and Jade had 2 days of baby-loving from her new cousin. It was so sweet! Her uncle even made her a giant tomahawk steak and she loved it. On Monday we are scheduled to be back for the next escalated dose of methotrexate and vincristine. If she doesn’t make counts we will return at the end of the week to see if her body is ready. Her mouth has been very sore, which can happen with low counts. Also the methotrexate is notorious for mucositis (mouth sores).
We are still scheduled to start Maintenance on 1/30. Day 1 Jade will get an LP. Lumbar punctures are done to check the cerebral fluid and make sure no leukemia is found. Leukemia likes to hide in the brain and spine. During the LP they go ahead and give a dose to intrathecal chemotherapy. We also have a makeup round of the Rylaze shots so Jade will have to be there every 48 hours for the first 2 weeks, but this will be the last of the shots she will have to get. Only 8 left!!!
We are still scheduled to start Maintenance on 1/30. Day 1 Jade will get an LP. Lumbar punctures are done to check the cerebral fluid and make sure no leukemia is found. Leukemia likes to hide in the brain and spine. During the LP they go ahead and give a dose to intrathecal chemotherapy. We also have a makeup round of the Rylaze shots so Jade will have to be there every 48 hours for the first 2 weeks, but this will be the last of the shots she will have to get. Only 8 left!!!
Jade has such a good spirit and demeanor about everything she is going through (99% of the time… we all have our days). I always try to talk to her about how she is feeling and make sure she’s not struggling with anything big internally. Sometimes commercials or shows come on dealing with cancer and I get so worried that she’s going to see something scary. Sometimes people walk up and decide it’s appropriate to talk about people they know that have passed away from cancer RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER (please don’t do that)! I put on the sisterhood of the traveling pants and remembered there is a little girl that passes away from leukemia and turned it right off. As she was watching the Waltons last night, a boy in the episode was diagnosed with leukemia and did not survive. We had a discussion about how much treatment has changed and how thankful we are for the work and research that has been done (still so much more needs to be done for our children). I find these real life situations difficult because I don’t want Jade to see people die from the disease she has. I don’t want her to equate cancer with death, and the good news is, she doesn’t. I just want to protect her from anything that can alter that. I am so thankful she is my child. If you know her, you are blessed. She is so creative, funny, sassy, amazing, loving. She looked at me last night and told me how pretty I was. The truth is…. She is beautiful… her soul.. her spirit… everything about her.
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