Diagnosis: Leukemia; June 8, 1987

I woke up before eight o’clock, I had breakfast, had a shower then I got dressed. Charlie had gotten Alex breakfast but he didn’t eat much. We left around nine o’clock, we had to be at the hospital at 9:30 a.m.

We got to the hospital at 9:40 a.m. and we didn’t have to wait long. Lenore did a small I.V. so she could take blood and give Alex his ARA-C shot as well. Alex fought the whole time Lenore was trying to give Alex the I.V. I think he was just mad that he was having it.

We got home at eleven o’clock and I went grocery shopping, I came home at noon. Charlie and Alex were outside, Charlie was cutting the grass.

Alex came inside to have lunch, I gave him some more gravol. He ate about half of the rice. He played with his toys after lunch.

Mom phoned and said a friend of hers from the states is sending Alex a present. It sure was nice of her. She apparently phoned her son in law who Mom guesses is a doctor to talk about Alex’s illness and he told her that his chances were very high. He said it usually hits adults a lot harder. Her told her that Canadian hospitals are good and that Alex was in good care.

I had lunch then Alex wanted me to play airport with him. Alex had a nap from three o’clock to five o’clock. I woke him up for dinner. He was really cranky, he didn’t eat much.

During the time he was asleep I did some work at my desk and wrote three letters.

Alex played with his cars while I did some more knitting. Alex wanted his big trucks, they had dirt on them so I washed them and brought them upstairs. Alex played with his trucks in his room while I did my knitting.

I gave Alex his medicine at nine o’clock and just as I was giving him the liquid medicine he moved and it went all over his clothes and the floor. I got Alex changed and ready for bed. I put him to bed, he screamed and yelled. Alex was asleep after ten o’clock.

I wrote in the journal for about half an hour. I’ll go to bed around eleven o’clock.

Tests

WBC 5.5
HGB 7.4
Platelets 111,000
ANC 5,005

Medicine

Bactrim 8:30 a.m. ------ 9:00 p.m.
Mercaptopurine ----- ------ 9:00 p.m.
Dimenhydrinate 8:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. ------

Temperature 36.08C 10:00 a.m. 37.17C 9:30 p.m.