Hi, Mark!  Recently you wrote in a message to Ardith Hinton:   
      
   AH>  You may remember our daughter had ALL when she was three.   
      
                               [...]   
      
   MH>  Yes, I remember your post on that subject.  How long was   
   MH>  her treatment?  It seems it averages between 2 1/2 to   
   MH>  3 1/2 years - girls typically get less treatment.   
      
      
             That part hasn't changed, apparently.  Her treatment lasted for 2   
   1/2 years... but I was also told it took 3 1/2 years for boys.   
      
             I understand the usual dosage of prednisone is more conservative   
   than it was years ago, however, and from what you said in another echo I take   
   it the effect on your son's behaviour & energy level has been mostly   
   positive.  With a higher dosage over an extended period of time, folks tend to   
   act "wired".  They are sensitive to noise & light... they may be impatient &   
   irritable... and they can't sleep.  I've seen similar effects with virtually   
   everybody I've known who has been in this situation regardless of their age or   
   the medical reason(s) for using such high dosages.  According to our Merck   
   Manual they must all have been mentally unbalanced to begin with... but the   
   oncology nurses know better.  Like parents, they have far more experience with   
   the "hands-on" stuff... [wry grin].   
      
      
      
   MH>  We are on month 3 right now - just started a new phase.   
      
      
             We had basically three stages... (IIRC) induction, consolidation,   
   and maintenance.  Would it be safe to say your son is on maintenance right   
   now, and things have settled down to a point where you can write to us about   
   it...?  :-)   
      
      
      
   MH>  Depending on the phase, there are some daily meds he   
   MH>  has to take at home.   
      
      
             Ah.  It sounded to me as if he might be getting more treatment in   
   the hospital, and less at home, than our daughter did.  But I remember one   
   phase in which we had to go to the hospital every day for a week or two.   
      
      
      
   MH>  I have entire care plan on printed out pieces of paper   
   MH>  that outline the phases and what happens on what day.   
      
      
             Good idea.  If it's anything like our daughter's protocol, it's   
   quite a challenge to keep track of all this stuff.  (Oncology parent joke...   
   "if this is Tuesday, it must be methotrexate.")  With umpteen different drugs,   
   each on a different schedule, I was the only living person who had the drill   
   committed to memory.  But just in case something unexpectedly happened to me,   
   the oncologist & I kept meticulous records of how these things were supposed   
   to be done.  :-))   
      
      
      
   MH>  Given everything that has happened, he is doing great and   
   MH>  headed in the right direction.  That is all we can ask for.   
      
      
             Yes... and just as I feel I prepared myself years ago for the child   
   I had later, I feel you've done the same in your own way.  Hang in there....    
   :-)   
      
      
      
      
   --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+   
    * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)