Brandon has only another week or so of Cyclosporine. Hopefully on January 31st, he'll take his last dose. Forever. We are praying that God will grant him a full and permanent remission and that he'll never need to go back on this medication. We have a love/hate relationship with Brandon's cyclosporine. On one hand, it has literally saved his life. It keeps his bone marrow in production- making the cells necessary for him to live. On the other hand, it is toxic to his liver, his kidneys and causes cancer in about 10% of those who take it. It also severly lowers his immune system (which is why it works to fix his aplastic anemia). It causes him to be sick very frequentl y.
Brandon's cyclosporine pills come in two doses. Dark pink pills are 100 mgs. Light pink pills are 25 mgs. He started at 150 mgs twice per day and now has weaned down to just 25 mgs once per day. Thus we are down to his last step before quitting. He doesn't take any of the dark pink pills anymore, yet still I've kept them in the cupboard. Afraid to throw them out I guess. Afterall, they are very costly and if we should ever loose our insurance and he relapsed...
Anyhow, a couple nights ago, he came into the kitchen to take his medicine before bed. As he rifled through the cupboard to get his pills, he came across the bottle of dark pink pills, the ones he doesn't need anymore. Here is the conversation that followed.
BRANDON- "Mom, can I throw away the dark pink ones. I don't take them anymore."
ME- "No, don't throw them out. We'll just hang on to them."
BRANDON- "Oh. Yeah. Because I might relapse later."
ME- "You know what Brandon? Go ahead and toss them in the garbage. You won't be needing them again. You won't relapse. You're fine."
Brandon threw them away. It sounded great to hear the thud when they hit the bottom of the trash can. He stood there for a second looking at them lying there in the trash. He smiled at me. And ran off to bed.
At $300 plus per bottle, I seriously debated digging them back out of the garbage....but God is faithful. He has never let us down. And so the 100 mg pills are now the property of Waste Managment...and Brandon has only 7 more nights until he is Cyclosporine free.
Stalked by the Stork...a diary of raising twelve kids
Saturday, January 24, 2009
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6 comments:
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You need to have a party when that last pill is taken! Give that boy a hug for me!
The Lord is the only true source of strength! Turn to Him always! Praying!
2 Corinthians 12:8-10 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
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Yay Ange! I would have fought with the same urge as well. I am glad that he is almost in remission!
Fantastic news! I am so happy to hear he is almost done with that yucky drug forever. What a relief for you all.
I love the way you word things! I can just picture that situation with those pills hitting with a thud, and the thought of $$$....It was worth every penny for your son to see that you have faith he's going to be okay.
della
OH Amen Ang!!! AMEN!
God WILL heal Brandon!
Wow Ang! I'm so glad that he has done well enough to come off the medication! I will be thinking about you guys during the transition!
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