We are settling in to the routine rhythm of treatment.  One of the constants so far has been Alexander’s anxiety at getting the anesthesia before his radiation and his anger upon waking up from it.  We have tried a couple of different combinations of drugs to help him wake up less angry, but we have had no success so far.  He rages every time he wakes up.  I can’t blame him: I’m sure he remembers that his last experience before passing out was to be forced to endure the discomfort of the anesthetic (the “wobbly medicine”) again, after making it clear that he hates it.  We hate it too.  Watching him go under is horrifying.

Once he gets some food and gets out of the hospital, he tends to calm down a little.  Yesterday we found the best antidote to his anger: the Nintendo Entertainment System in the RMH game room!  We played some classics: Super Mario Bros. 3, Excite Bike, Mega Man 2 (my favorite), and Double Dragon II (his favorite—he likes to climb up and down the ladders).  Using both thumbs in concert is still a work in progress… and we’ll get plenty of practice, I think.