I am Arjun Jain

What a scary week this was both for me and my family! You wound not even believe what I went through.  So Monday April 8^th, started off with my hospital visit and the chemo medicines which I am used to now so I can deal with it fine.

On Tuesday, April 9^th, in the late afternoon, I was attending my class and then suddenly I could not feel my right arm, then I could not move it and it was hanging by my side. I started to cry and screamed for my daddy because it was so scary. He came running upstairs to see what was going on. Then after couple of minutes, my sensations started to come back and I could slowly move my arm but the grip was weak.  My grandparents got worried too. I felt a little numb on right side of my mouth and tongue too but then it resolved on its own. My dad called the hospital who asked us to come to the emergency room. As we were getting ready to go to the hospital, my dad called my mom on the phone at work about what happened. I could hear her getting worried and mentioning something like transient stroke like symptom. By the time I went to the hospital, I was all good.  My arms and legs were functioning fully, no problem with my mouth. The doctor came and did the neurological exam to see if everything was okay. The doctor also mentioned the same thing that these were transient symptoms which occurred due to the methotrexate toxicity. I was all good and was discharged from the hospital.

I was doing fine at home until Friday, April 12^th, when I started to have another of my weird days. I was in my room attending my class and then suddenly I had this urge to move…move fast or else something is going to happen. I came running down the steps and could not control myself as I was running around aimlessly and jumping around. My dad had to hold me to calm me down. I told him that I was hungry and by the time I ate, I was calm. This happened again in the night but that time, I had already eaten food and the episode only lasted for few minutes. My mom called the hospital and spoke with the doctor who said to monitor me until the next day to see if this is happening repeatedly then I will have to go to the hospital again. Next morning Saturday April 13^th, I was playing fine and suddenly it happened again. I cannot describe what was happening to me at that moment. I had lot of involuntary movements in my arms and legs; I could not walk in straight line. My mom tried to do the finger to nose eye hand coordination test which I could not do. My dad said that I was behaving like a little child and could not catch or throw the ball normally. My parents took me to the ER for check up where the doctor said that it may be due to the toxicity of the appetite stimulant Periactin. I had one episode at the hospital too which doctor was able to see. I was finally admitted in the hospital for observation and IV fluids were started.

Next morning April 14^th, I was still in the hospital in the morning without any new episode and feeling much normal.  Doctor came by to say that since I did not have any more of those episodes, I was okay to go home. I was so happy to hear that because it is sooo boring in the hospital. I also got the final dose of my chemo medicine Vincristine and that was the end of the 4^th phase. Before I left the hospital, I got to share my journey with this boy who was recently diagnosed. He was a year older than me and I told him that it is going to be fine once you get used to it.

I finally came home on Sunday evening and could not be happier!