Treatment Plan

We meet with Dr. Legant today to finalize Josh's treatment plan. Said because he's "a healthy guy" he may only need 2 treatments instead of 3 or 4. He will be given a cocktail called I.C.E. (but I can't remember what the letters stand for). He will also take some pills to help with his kidneys, because one of these has some side effects that damage the kidneys. Also, with one of the other meds, he will get an extra medicine that will help off set the side effects that can damage his bladder. He will also be getting a ton of fluid to help keep everything working. This is what Chemo week will look like:

Monday: Blood work and Picc line care at Jordan Valley, then we'll meet with Dr. Legant later in the afternoon to get the blood results and make sure he's good for another round of chemo.

Tuesday: Check into IMC hospital and begin treatment. The first round of the 'E' medicine will be given.

Wednesday: All 3 meds (I.C. & E.) will be given. The 'I' medicine will go in over a course of 24 hours.

Thursday: The last round of 'E' will be given. If all goes well and he's feeling good, he can go home after every last drop of medicine has been put in him. If Dr. Legant isn't so sure he's well enough, he'll get to stay another night.

Friday: 24 hours after the end of his last medicine on Thursday, we'll go back to Jordan Valley and he'll get a Neulasta shot. This helps his blood cells grow faster than usual, reducing his chance of getting an infection.

Treatment week will be once every two or three weeks, depending on how well he does. Dr. Legant does rounds at IMC every morning between 7:30 and 8:00, so she will be checking in on him everyday he's there.

Tomorrow afternoon we meet with the Bone Marrow team at LDS to get more information on how that process will work, so until then.....