Rituximab #2

It's already been two weeks and it's time for Audra's 2nd Rituximab infusion.  A few days after her first infusion we did see some noticeable improvement in Audra's symptoms and behavior.  But it was short lived and she slipped right back into the same things she has been struggling with for so many, many months.  Praying that this time around we see a longer stretch of relief for her {or better yet...sustained !!}  After today's infusion she needs to wait six months before she can receive anymore Rituximab.  So we are really holding out hope that we start to see improvement, otherwise it could be a very long six months of waiting.

Another day....same place, same drug, same nurse !

 

It was nice having the same infusion nurse today that she had two weeks ago.

Because Audra tolerated the first infusion so well (over 8 hours),

they were able to speed up her infusion to run over 5.5 hours today :)

 

After her usual morning seizure and blood pressure meds PLUS the premedication of benedryl before the infusion, sweet girl slept soundly for about 3 hours.

 

So, when she woke up she was more than half way done !

 

A few days after her first Rituximab infusion we noticed changes at her g-tube site.  At first I thought maybe she was developing some granulation tissue {common for g-tubes} but it didn't improve with the steroid cream that usually clears it right up.  Then it started looking more red and inflammed with a fluid filled bubble sort of thing--Something I had never seen before.  Off to the doctor we went and she was started on antibiotics for an abscess.  The Rituximab is weakening her immune system since it is destroying her B-cells thus making her more prone to infections...on top of her already broken immune system due to her immunodeficiency.  I spoke with her immunologist about this and he felt that with the antibiotics an her weekly immunoglobulin replacement infusions she should be able to clear this abscess.