Interferon - Week 1

I really wanted to keep track of what life was like each week during Mason's Interferon Infusions so when he got bigger we had something to look back on.

For 2 days leading up to Day 1 (April 5!) I was physically ill! Every time I thought about what my Mason was about to go through, it made me want to throw up! I was so so nervous for him, none the less we knew this was the right decision for him, no matter how hard that decision was!

(The start of Day 1! Still feeling like himself!)

The first day we went to CHOC, I felt like I was taking my sweet little lamb to the Lion's den. I tried to stay positive, but inside I was going through all sorts of ranges of emotion! The nurses at CHOC are so upbeat and before long we were all skipping along with them that day! They really go out of their way to make sure the child is comfortable, not scared and having the best and the funnest time they can possibly have even though they are going through something that really does stink! He fell asleep once they got started and slept until close to 5 pm. Shane and I were shocked! Then the side effects began. His head started hurting.. not just a little headache, but EXTREME pain, tears, crying. A Fever.. that just kept getting higher. And aches in his legs. I felt so bad for him. It was rough seeing a little guy go through all of that. Once we got him to bed, he did great and by morning most of the side effects were gone.

(Day 2! Sleeping the day away!)

Day 2 at the hospital was so super uneventful! Mason has slept through most of his Infusion. They give him Benadryl to help with some of the side effects and that pretty much knocks him out for about 3-4 hours each day! That night he had more headaches accompanied by shakes & chills immediately followed by a burning sweaty hot fever. Poor guy! We couldn't keep up with his poor little body going from one extreme to the other!

(Day 3! Can you see TURKEY written across his face?!!
He went in that day with a chip on his shoulder!)

Day 3. It was HORRIBLE! Mason started to realize that we were going to have to go to the hospital every day NO MATTER WHAT! And he decided this was the day he was going to assert himself! He had to show me, and 5 nurses that he needed some sort of CONTROL over what was going on with him and completely REFUSED to take any and all types of medicines to help him with the side effects. The funny thing is that he allowed the nurse to access is port with an inch in a half needle like it was no big deal. Didn't even blink while watching the needle go in... but to get him to take Tylenol, Motrin or Benadryl... FORGET IT! Even when me, and 5 nurses were holding him down, he still didn't do it! We finally gave in (after over an hour or more of pleading, bargaining and fighting) and just gave him some stuff via IV. It was a sticky, messy tiring day to say the least! lol! What a TURKEY! Needless to say he slept the rest of the day away after the fight he gave us at the hospital!

(Day 4. Are you starting to see the trend?)

Day 4. Are you starting to see a trend here? The kid has pretty much slept away every single day that he gets an Interferon Infusion. Common phrases out of his mouth are "Mommy! I'm tired!" or "I'm exhausted... I need a nap!" (wha??? .. That never NEVER happens!).

(Day 5. Playing PS2!)

Day 5. He started off playing PS2. He never plays video games at home, so this is usually the first thing he asks to do when he gets to the hospital. He's actually starting to get pretty good at the Dora game there! But that only lasted so long and after about 30 minutes he of course quickly fell asleep!

The hardest part for me about week 1 was the extreme leg pains he would get every morning. So bad that he actually was walking on his tip toes or crawling and collapsing after getting out of bed each morning. He did fine with the fevers and chills after the 2nd day. I think he's just starting to adjust.