Subject: Chemo started today

Monday, May 11, 1998

Brian's website:   http://www-d0.fnal.gov/~hanlet/Brian/brian.html

Dear Friends and Family,

The procedure this time is different.  Brian is an out-patient!  The Warne
family drove down from Santa Rosa this morning and will be staying (all 4 of
them!) in Happy House for 3 days.  Then they will all go home.  Brian sat in a
chair in a hospital room with other chemo patients from 9:30 a.m. until 1:00
p.m. and received the chemo drugs through his broviac.  He watched movies and
ate and talked and felt fine.  They loaded him with Zophram (for nauseau)
prior to the chemo.  Sara was given extra Zophram to give him tonight.

After Chemo, the Warnes rode BART (Bay Area Transit System) from S.F. to
Berkeley for lunch.  Steven and Brian had never ridden on Bart.  They had a
fun time.  It was a gloomy, rainy day, but it didn't matter.

Now they are at Happy House relaxing.  Both boys are playing in the playroom.

Brian will repeat the chemo procedure for 3 days.  Sara has to give him a shot
of AraC (very powerful chemo drug) twice a day.  The 10:30 a.m. shot burned
and was very uncomfortable for him.  Made him cry.  He must get another one at
10:30 p.m.  This must be repeated for 10 days.

He has lost a lot of weight.  He is down to 34 pounds.  His doctor says his
feet are too tight and he wants them to do more exercises for his feet.  We
are pleased that he has been able to walk.  

Brian went into this maintenance round (second one of 4) feeling very strong.
He will continue to feel good (we hope!) until next week when he will probably
have to return to the hospital for recovery from the chemo---he will go
neutropenic (low blood count) and start spiking fevers.  He does this
everytime about 7 to 10 days after the chemo.

Tomorrow will be a special day.  Brian LOVES Clifford--the big red dog.
Teresa, a friend at work, has arranged to get Clifford (her high school son in
Clifford costume) to visit Brian and other children on the cancer floor.  It
will be a surprise for Brian.  He collects the Clifford books---It is one of
my jobs to see that his collection keeps growing!  He knows his inventory
quite well and knows immediately if I slip up and bring a duplicate!  We read
them over and over.  We will take a special photo of Brian and Clifford for
his website.

Praises of thanksgiving that Brian is feeling stronger everyday.  Please pray
that he does not start to experience severe nauseau.  Pray for strength for
Sara and Brian as she gives him the AraC shot twice a day.

A thank you to all of you for continuing to help us through Brian's cancer
battle.  We really feel excited that we are so close to the end of his
treatment.  So many of the patients we meet have to receive treatments for 3
years or more.  

Love,
Susan