Much better week.

  I am so glad and thankful the rest of the week was better than Tuesday. We figured out the trick to radiation,  we give Grace Zofran 20 minutes before the treatment. What a difference. Thursday, as we got to the cancer center she wanted to walk down the six flights of stairs in the parking garage. She still has lots of energy. 

      She has been feeling good. She was able to meet the therapy dog at the cancer center. I think it’s funny, this whole thing started with her walking the dog, so every time they bring a dog to visit. I think it’s a reminder of how blessed we are to have found this. Bell is the name of the dog at the Cancer center. She brought Grace a stuffed animal that looks and feels just like her, ( the dog, not Grace, that’s just weird).

   When we left on Thursday she wanted to walk up the six flights of stairs. We compromised and walked up three and rode the elevator the last three levels.  So now every time we go I know I need to park on a floor closest to level three. 

    She also got to shave her daddy’s head. Last week when she wanted to shave her hair, I wasn’t ready. Now she needs a little more time. I try to reassure her that the medicine is doing it’s job. If it is killing her hair cells then it must be killing the cancer cells, too. I don’t know …maybe it’s what I need to hear … every night when she takes her head wrap off, I have to take a step back and compose myself. It’s shocking to see the difference…. And there is a difference everyday…. I think the hat hair adds to the dramatic look because her hair is smashed to her head. When she gets out of the shower and brushes it, it looks better..but still so thin.

Friday , she was in good spirits.  When we first go in they take blood to do labs, they have to access her port. This is what her port looks like . 

     Our appointment was at noon. It usually takes a couple hours for the labs to come back. Then the actual infusion time is about 10-20 minutes. One of the medicines is only 5 minutes.  Grace spent a lot of the time doing the search and find hidden picture book and then playing Adventure academy on the iPad. Today it took much longer than usual. There was a misunderstanding in the lab and they didn’t have the chemo ready until 4. Which was when our radiation appointment was, so they sent us to radiation and told us to come back after. 

   When we came back for the infusion, we were the only patients there.  She had the first dose of Doxorubicin. One of the side effects is pink or red color to urine, sweat, tears, or saliva. They gave her more zofran, because she had both chemo and radiation.  Grace says the worst part of all of this is when they take the tape off her skin from where the secure the port.  It’s funny when they are little, they want band-aids all the time.. now she begs to not have any. We finally got home a little after seven P.M. 

      I am so glad the rest of the week was not like Tuesday.  That was the worst.  Not just her reaction to the medicine was but , but the drive home was so much better too. My GPS even took me a different route that has much less traffic. 

    Grace has a little bit of a stuffy nose ( we are watching it closely)  so we are not visiting or having visitors this week. Thank you for understanding. Thank to everyone who has been praying. I am truly amazed by the out pour of love and support. I know it’s sounds odd to say while our family is going through so much, but we truly feel blessed to have such wonderful support system.  Thank you.