Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Day Eight in the Hospital - Meds by mouth

Wow. The word Battle doesn't even begin to express what we just experienced. I feel defeated.

Chemotherapy is chemical therapy that consists of a cocktail of several drugs given at different times throughout treatment. They all have side effects. So far almost everything has been given to him through his port directly into his body. When we go home I will have to continue to give him drugs by mouth. One of which is steroid called Decadron. Because I have to give it to him at home they started having us practice giving it to him by mouth here. We started last night. We crushed the pill and put it in a spoonful of pudding. He took it great and we were thrilled. This morning Ryan gave it to him and I wasn't here but he said he only fought it for about a minute but was easily bribed. Tonight was a different story.

He has caught on to the fact that the pill makes the pudding disgusting. We started trying at 8. We bribed him with candy. We tried reasoning with him. We pleaded with him. He absolutely refused to eat it and screamed and cried at the suggestion. We took away his blanket. We took away his pacifier. We wouldn't give him his drink. I threatened to leave and then I left. That was devastating for him. I sat outside the hospital room and listening to him cry and beg for mommy to come back. Finally, at 10 pm after two hours of exhaustion for all three of us, Ryan physically forced it down Lincoln's mouth and throat. That drug is administered twice a day for the next 3 weeks. It's not fair that we have to be so mean to him and make him eat awful, horrible pills. I can't believe we have to do that again in ten hours. I hate it. But he is quick to forgive. So quick to forgive.

Ryan is amazing. This whole time he has been so strong and level headed. He has been at Lincoln's side as much as I have. He has been so patient. He has been so loving, so encouraging. I don't know what I would have done without him tonight. I really don't. I'm so glad we're in this together.

11 comments:

Jess said...

That dang medicine! I knew that was going to be tough! I m so sorry you guys have to go through all of this. I wish they could make that medicine taste like candy for all of the sweet kids who have to take it. I am also glad that you have Ryan, and all of his support. Hang in there, stay strong, and call me anytime!

Jess said...

My friend's in St George blog is
togetherfortaleah.blogspot.com
If you have time to read...

Laura said...

My daughter has been on meds for a long time and I remember doing this with pudding and jam and other things. eventually we taught her to swallow it but that was when she was six. Now she swallows pills like a pro because she takes two a night. I wish I had advise. Try putting it in new things each day. Not always pudding. We did jam, applesauce, different flavors of pudding, Mixed it in more pudding so that there was far more pudding than pill so she didn't notice as much. The problem with that is making sure they eat every last spoonful of pudding. Good luck. A 3 year old that doesn't want to do something is a tough battle. Maybe you could even make a sticker chart so he knows he gets a reward for taking the med. Talk about it ahead of time and then he knows that if he takes it he gets a sticker and maybe a choice of rewards for doing it. Also talk to the other moms and see what they did. I would love to send something to him at the hospital. Is there anything you need? I am very free because it is just me and Grace all day long. Let me know if I can go get groceries or do anything.

Your friend from vygor -- Laura Williams

Heather said...

Bradford and I just prayed together for his friends Lincoln and Sawyer and their mommy and daddy.

How is Sawyer handling all of this? We prayed that he is doing okay and feels just as safe and happy as before Lincoln's diagnosis and hospital time. I can imagine that things might be a bit confusing to him now. Hope he's doing well.

XO,
Heather

Tracy Peterson said...

Love you guys!

Sarah Keith said...

Pray for a miracle. For the Lord to cause Lincoln to take the pill without a fight. Susan did that with Maddie and it worked.

DC Diva said...

Oh Cheryl I can just close my eyes and picture all of this and I hate it.

I like the sticker chart idea. Anderson responds SO well to sticker charts and I can see that in Lincoln's personality too. I can send more ring pops if you need! 2/day for 3 weeks is SO much. I wish I could help.

Thank goodness he is so young and forgiving (and will be forget eventually).

DC Diva said...

P.S. I know it sounds weird but I want some pictures. Are you taking any? I think you will be glad you did.

Bethany Sines said...

oh man. oh man. what a traumatizing experience. And it's not like you've been through this before so you know what to do exactly; it's such a cruel irony that you have to learn by trial and error on something so tender and precious and important. No clue what Heavenly Father is thinking sometimes, but at least we know He loves us all, especially his little children. They are our angels. I'm glad you guys had to end up forcing it in his little mouth cause that seems like it would be less traumatizing than him being without mommy for 2 hours. : ( Prayers will keep coming your way for sure!

Amy said...

Meds are the worst! Sorry to comment as a stranger...just wanted to let you know that whenever my son is on dex he doesn't like sweet stuff very much. those little dex pills will dissolve in a spoonful of rootbeer. That's how my son takes them sometimes..and when he does swallow them he always does it with rootbeer, that was our bribe and it worked so we stuck with it. Good luck!

Angelina Young said...

Saw your picture at the Children's Snowflake Ball! So good to see a you all getting to have some fun!! And Lincoln's face in the second picture is so precious.

See you soon:)