7/27: Hooray for TPA!
Today's blood test was brought to us by Altiplase TPA. Only 30 minutes for this brand of TPA to work and voila, blood! Otherwise today was a long, annoying day. Our appoinment with Dr. Weaver was at 11:30 so we came just before 11. We went straight to the IV room, where I prepared both bags of antineoplastons. There are really only a few steps to "preparation." Connect the tube to the bag; get rid of all the air inside the bag and the tube; connect the tube to the pump; program the pump; and connect to Leo. None of this is very complicated and doesn't take too long. Regardless, one of the nurses should have ordered the TPA from the pharmacy...but no, that would've been too efficient. Instead, they all waited until I finished with both bags.
By this time it was about noon and everyone was out to lunch, including the pharmacist, who would return at 2pm after what was, I'm sure, a very nice workout at the gym. Then we were told that the pharmacist went straight to some meeting without checking her voicemail to prepare and deliver the TPA. Granpa got upset -- and rightly so. Then we were told that the pharmacist had, in fact, prepared the TPA as best she could, but Dr. Weaver hadn't written an order, so more waiting. It also turned out that it was Dr. Weaver in the meeting, not the pharmacist. Finally everyone got their acts and orders together and Leo got TPA, promptly administered by nurse Louise upon arrival. 30 minutes later (instead of the estimated 2 hours), blood was filling the vacuum in a sterile syringe connected to Leo's port. During all the waiting, Leo ate a small, freshly-made, low-sodium, organic pizza that Granpa got from Whole Foods and took a catnap before and after his feast. Sodium and potassium levels were right in the middle of the range today, so the dose was increased. He's now at 75mL of A10 and 7.5mL of AS2-1, which are administered over the course of 1 hour and 6 minutes, respectively. We made it back to our hotel at about 4pm and Leo asked to be put on the floor so that he could walk! He only took 1 or 2 seemingly painful steps, but it's progress!
I'm dreading tomorrow and next Friday like the plauge: access needle change. I found a horrific link that shows pictures of these barbaric torture implements, also known as Huber Needles, as well as an idea of what the port beneath Leo's skin looks like.
By this time it was about noon and everyone was out to lunch, including the pharmacist, who would return at 2pm after what was, I'm sure, a very nice workout at the gym. Then we were told that the pharmacist went straight to some meeting without checking her voicemail to prepare and deliver the TPA. Granpa got upset -- and rightly so. Then we were told that the pharmacist had, in fact, prepared the TPA as best she could, but Dr. Weaver hadn't written an order, so more waiting. It also turned out that it was Dr. Weaver in the meeting, not the pharmacist. Finally everyone got their acts and orders together and Leo got TPA, promptly administered by nurse Louise upon arrival. 30 minutes later (instead of the estimated 2 hours), blood was filling the vacuum in a sterile syringe connected to Leo's port. During all the waiting, Leo ate a small, freshly-made, low-sodium, organic pizza that Granpa got from Whole Foods and took a catnap before and after his feast. Sodium and potassium levels were right in the middle of the range today, so the dose was increased. He's now at 75mL of A10 and 7.5mL of AS2-1, which are administered over the course of 1 hour and 6 minutes, respectively. We made it back to our hotel at about 4pm and Leo asked to be put on the floor so that he could walk! He only took 1 or 2 seemingly painful steps, but it's progress!
I'm dreading tomorrow and next Friday like the plauge: access needle change. I found a horrific link that shows pictures of these barbaric torture implements, also known as Huber Needles, as well as an idea of what the port beneath Leo's skin looks like.
posted by Yury at 7:58 PM
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