HD Methotrexate

Sadie had a really good day today.  She was in very good spirits, and extremely active.  I dont want to speak too soon, but this is the first time she hasnt gotten sick from her chemo treatments.  Now that I have spoke that aloud, its sure to happen.  I am contemplating deleting that lol.  Everything with cancer is based on counts. Its all numbers and levels.  She was done with her chemo at 6:00pm today. At that time a methotrexate (the chemo drug she just recieved) level was done through a blood draw. Its a calculation of the toxicity level in the blood for that specific chemo. Her level was at a 141 and we cant leave here until it is below a 0.10.  At 42 hours they will retest and start a med called leucovorin.  This med is used to help flush the chemo out of the body and acts as a protectant for the kidneys.  This is given every six hours until the correct, safe level is reached.  Retesting happens again at 48 hours, 6 hours after the leucovorin is started, and then again every 6-12 hours depending on the levels at the 48 hour mark. This pattern continues until cleared. As i said earlier, chemo drugs do not know the difference between good and bad cells, so they kill them all.  Rapid dividing cells such as your hair follicles, your mouth, and any mucous producing membranes take the hardest hit.  This is why cancer patients lose thier hair and get mouth sores. Mouth sores are a huge side effect of any chemo drug, but especially the methotrexate.  The longer its in the body the higher the risk and severity of sores. There is a special mouth wash that is used by cancer patients that helps prevent this, but its not a guarantee.  Methotrexate in high doses effects the liver funtion so sadies liver function tests have proved to be abnormal, but.............the doctors say the liver will repair itself after she stops recieving the HD methotrexate back-to-back.  We will see, if not then someone will face the wrath of me.