PEG No PEG

Erika's bone marrow biopsy and spinal tap was rescheduled to be done next week Tuesday. Yesterdays clinic visit, we were told Erika will continue on with PEG-Asparaginase beginning today. Dr. Ashe, the head of clinical trials at LDS, advised completing the last three doses of PEG since it will dramatically increase Erika's survival rate. Before the chemo treatment began today, we had to meet up with Dr. Miller, the pain doctor. During the consultation, Erika described how her pain was not manageable, even with the increased dose of her pain meds. Erika described how she now feels pain in the joints of her hands and elbows. Dr. Miller nearly doubled the dose of her pain meds to try out this time. 

Dr. Hoda came in to consult before the PEG treatment began and discussed how he disagrees with giving PEG since Erika's pains are increasing as well as they are appearing in places that is not known, besides the hips. He believes that the infarcts are solely the cause of PEG and not the steroids since they are not the typical avascular necrosis caused by steroids. PEG causes blood clots and these infarcts may have been the result of it. Therefore, PEG will not be administered today. Erika's blood thinning shot she gets every night will be quadrupled in strength to be given twice a day to help free any clots that still may exist in her body.

If she recovers from all of this and has the strength, they will revisit the possibility of continuing PEG to completion.