# My Brother the Chemo Kid **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 26, 2008, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563 "2008-11-26T15:37:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/41 "2009-01-09T18:36:39Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The fact that they can’t observe any growth means it’s not growing or shrinking significantly, so there’s that. But the real test comes in a few weeks when they do a biopsy and see how the cells are dividing, if they’re still dividing at all. Fingers crossed. > [@](#): > > Mom suggested we not mention this to my brother, and at least for now I’m going along with it because he had no personal relationship with her, but the news might bring him down seriously. On his own, he probably isn’t going to find out in the first place. I wouldn’t lie to him about it if he asked me, and I don’t think my family would either, but there’s no reason to bring it up. I agree, that’s a very reasonable position. Thanks for the update. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/42 "2009-01-26T18:49:02Z")
Next long hospital stay begins tomorrow, lasting from Tuesday to Saturday. And sometime after that - about two weeks later, I think - is the biopsy in Boston, where we find out what this treatment has accomplished and start to get a clue of what comes next. I’m trying not to think about it too much, but there’s a definite moment of reckoning feel to it. First things first, though: a family friend gave us two courtside seats to the Knicks-Rockets game at the Garden tonight. I tested these seats out Friday and they’re pretty amazing. We’ll be directly behind the Knicks bench, ordering food and hoping for a competitive game. Glad the Rockets are healthy for once. I’ll be rooting for Chris Duhon, since he’s a Duke product. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/43 "2009-01-26T20:27:03Z")
**Marley** - What is he doing about school? What are your cousins doing now? StG ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/44 "2009-01-26T20:36:09Z")
He’s being tutored at home, arranged through the school district. I’m not sure how much effort he’s putting into it, but maybe it’ll pick up later. A copy of Macbeth has been laying on the end table for weeks. I keep offering to answer all the questions he has about it because it’s a personal favorite, but he seems to believe he knows how it ends based on the first scene. Last I knew, the boys were still with my aunt and uncle. I don’t think that’s changed and neither has any of the family tension, but we can all live with that at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/45 "2009-01-27T19:54:41Z")
Shit, change of plans: his white blood cell count was too low today, so the hospital sent him home. He’ll have some shots and try again Thursday, in which case he’ll be in the hospital on Superbowl Sunday. That would definitely suck. Knicks game was terrific, though. We don’t root for them, but both teams played very very well and the Knicks won the game with an impressive comeback. I saw highlights from the game on TV in the morning and I could actually make the two of us out behind the Knicks bench at the end. When I saw my brother yesterday evening I thought he looked kind of gaunt, but I’m hoping (and mostly convinced) it was just the light in Penn Station, which is not flattering in most places. His eyebrows are definitely faded, but that’s hard to get worked up about. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/46 "2009-01-28T03:25:50Z")
Meh, who cares about the Superbowl. Don’t they have one of those things every year? 😉 Sending good vibes, hope everything goes well! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/47 "2009-01-28T11:46:50Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > Meh, who cares about the Superbowl. Don’t they have one of those things every year? 😉 If the Panthers had made the game this year I think he would’ve administered the drugs himself rather than spend the day in the hospital. Not this time, unfortunately. This is some discouraging shit, and I think his white blood cell count dropped by about half from last week. I don’t think the doctors were alarmed, but they said it was not close to the number they wanted to see. We’ll see if the injections improve his counts. Meanwhile I think this is impressive: he took half his English Regents yesterday while waiting to go to the hospital. The second half is today. The essays sounded even more boring than I remembered. In one of them he was instructed to read about straw, and write about its benefits as a construction material. I told him he should have written about how reinforced straw is almost as Big Bad Wolf-resistant as brick while being cheaper and more decorative than sticks. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/48 "2009-01-28T12:13:29Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Meanwhile I think this is impressive: he took half his English Regents yesterday while waiting to go to the hospital. The second half is today. The essays sounded even more boring than I remembered. In one of them he was instructed to read about straw, and write about its benefits as a construction material. I told him he should have written about how reinforced straw is almost as Big Bad Wolf-resistant as brick while being cheaper and more decorative than sticks. Wait, what? Why couldn’t I get a test in HS about STRAW? ( It has a very good insulating factor. or maybe that is hay. I get my dirty smelly hippie ideas all messed up.) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/49 "2009-01-28T12:19:51Z")
We went back and forth about straw vs. hay for a couple of minutes, actually. I’m not sure what the difference is, but he said (according to the test) hay is eaten by animals and straw isn’t. He didn’t tell me why straw was such a good building material, though. My building is very short on insulation but I’m glad it’s more stone than straw. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/50 "2009-01-28T13:58:54Z")
Yay, a question I can answer! Hay still has the seedheads attached, straw is just the hollow stalks of the variety of grass. Thus gardeners will use straw, but never hay, for mulching, etc., because hay brings along a slew of weed seeds. (And it’s why critters eat hay, and not straw – the nutritional value is in the seeds.) My best to Tyler, you, and the rest of the gang, as always. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/51 "2009-01-28T14:03:27Z")
I’d explain that to him, but after partying last night he’s probably forgotten the whole thing. 😉 But now I know. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/52 "2009-01-28T22:15:26Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Yay, a question I can answer! Hay still has the seedheads attached, straw is just the hollow stalks of the variety of grass. Thus gardeners will use straw, but never hay, for mulching, etc., because hay brings along a slew of weed seeds. (And it’s why critters eat hay, and not straw – the nutritional value is in the seeds.) And leaves! High-quality hay (like alfalfa) has all the little leaves still attached to the stalks, and they are the most nutritious part. (Well, seeds are more nutritious, but many of them pass through undigested.) If it rains after the hay is cut, before it is baled, some of these leaves are knocked off, thus reducing the quality of the hay. Therefore the saying “make hay while the sun shines”. There are types of hay that don’t have these leaves attached, commonly called ‘grass hay’. Widely used, especially for many modern horses who don’t get enough exercise to properly use a higher-quality hay. And critters like horses will eat straw. Either because of hunger, or just boredom – that’s fairly common in horses that are kept stalled in a barn, without enough time out in a pasture with the herd. It doesn’t hurt them, it’s just not very nutritious. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/53 "2009-01-29T00:41:39Z")
Always wondered about hay vs. straw. Now I know. Hope the next round of chemo happens soon and goes well. Good thoughts to Tyler and you and your whole family. GT ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/54 "2009-01-29T18:51:06Z")
That’s more than I ever thought I’d learn about hay! Anyhow he’s been admitted today. He isn’t happy about it because we’ll have to watch the game from the hospital, but I feel better that his white blood cell count is up and they can get the treatment over with. This will be our second hospital bound Super Bowl. I expect an improvement this time because he’ll be conscious. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/55 "2009-01-29T23:52:26Z")
Glad the white cell count was better! Good thoughts heading your way. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/56 "2009-02-01T05:46:55Z")
In my posts about all these events over the last two years I’ve complained on a few occasions that my family fails to tell me important things. I got one more of those tonight. The tumor is inoperable. Somehow this never came up since, I don’t know, September or October. That’s the major reason the Boston doctors opted for chemotherapy and not surgery or radiation. The tumor is too close to a major artery (subclavian maybe?) for them to go in and get it. If the chemotherapy shrinks and there is more space between the tumor and the artery, that could change, so that’s part of what we’re waiting to hear in a week. I suppose it doesn’t matter if the tumor comes or goes as long as it’s dead and doesn’t spread any further, but I felt this was a major piece of information and nobody ever bothered to tell me. Hospital Bowl II is tomorrow. I visited my brother in the hospital this afternoon and he was kind of down and lethargic, so I’m hoping the game and some more company gives him a lift. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/57 "2009-02-01T06:00:47Z")
I’m sure it is a bit of a shock to find out that nobody told you some important details like that. I hope that you guys get some better news soon. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/58 "2009-02-01T13:39:24Z")
Oh geez. Just – geez. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/59 "2009-02-01T14:26:30Z")
Isn’t human communication wonderful? :rolleyes: I’m so sorry to hear they failed to tell you that. Still, here’s hoping that they can do surgery after chemo. And enjoy that game!!! GT ---
**Author:** ![Agonist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@Agonist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agonist)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563/60 "2009-02-01T17:15:30Z")
Medical technology changes all the time. I know someone who lived with an inoperable brain tumor for years. He waited it out until a new technique became available and they were able to operate. Here’s hoping the chemo shrinks that tumor down to nothing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brother-the-chemo-kid/474563.md?page=4)