Day 16

Wednesday. Riley woke up this morning with a sore throat.  The doctor looked and found an open sore on his uvula, (the thing that hangs down in the back of your throat).  Ouch... so everything he eats and swallows, passes there.  As if eating wasn't hard enough already!  Mouth sores are common with chemo.  I have a feeling this is just the beginning.

Getting this shot was kinda funny.  The doctor is holding the light and Riley is saying Ahhhhh... and I had to snap at just the right time to see all the way back there.  I did it so Riley could see what his sore looked like.  OUCH!  (btw, look at Riley's wiskers.  Long, huh?  He has not shaved since being admitted to the hospital.  He says, "what is the point? It is all going to fall out anyway.)  He has a point.

Later today during Riley's shower, he discovered that his hair was falling out.  He had already decided that when it starts to fall out he would just buzz it all.  So we took the official "BEFORE" pictures...

Riley's comment, "Man, but I have such good hair!!

(I know buddy, I'm so sorry!!)

(It will grow back, I promise!!)

We decided to crank up the volume on some music and have a little fun...

Riley's teacher advisor and a friend came by the hospital that night.  Riley asked them to bring some gel.  They wondered what he was up to until the big reveal.  Then he wanted to finish it off.

My handsome boy.

Labs today:

White blood cells: 0.6 (normal 4.5 - 13.5)
Red Blood cells: 7.9 (normal 13.5 - 17.5)
Platelets: 43 (normal 150 - 425)
ANC:  0 ( < 500 = severely neutropenic)