Great day

Today was truly a great day. Abby went from being tethered to her bed by 3 separate IV lines, to moving freely about the room, using the restroom, eating whenever she could, and playing with some of her best friends, who couldn't wait to visit her at PCH.

She is now completely off the IV fluids, and is taking all her meds oral except for her antibiotic, which is being administered through her port with a portable IV pump much like the ones we have used in the past to do IV meds at home.

She also had a quick MRI today just to check for abnormalities post-surgery (bleeding, post-operative shifting, etc), and it looks good.

Dr. Shafron was off this weekend (originally to attend a meeting in New Orleans, cancelled it because he didn't really want to go, and promptly got sick himself), but left us in the capable hands of Dr. Ha (yes, that really is his name) a very kind young neurosurgeon who is now working in Dr. Shafron's practice.

Amy and I were also blessed in many ways today, not the least of which were 1) Abby declared Aunt Shelly could stay with her tonight, so we got to come home together and are spared the tag-team thing for a little while, and 2) Steve and Amy Glover came to visit us at our request on very short notice. We spent a solid two hours or so just processing together, as Amy and I begin to try to grasp what we are getting into with respect to the bone marrow transplant process. What a gift from God they are to us.

I guess there is a small (very tiny) chance that Abby will come home tomorrow. Monday is a more likely day depending on how tomorrow goes.

06:14 AM, 17 Apr 2005 by C. R. Oldham Permalink | Attach Photo

A pleasure

What a pleasure and an honor it was for me to spend the night with Abby. She did not once express pain, only a tad bit of dizziness (most likely from her meds) just before breakfast. She is in tune to her care; she knows and speaks correct medical terminology with her nurses and is even able to connect and disconnect monitors to get up from her bed. Sunday morning she sang a couple of Disney and Broadway songs for me, remembering all the words and even throwing in some arm movements. We played Barbies together and Abby decided that her Barbie and my Ken were detectives (needless to say, Ken spent a lot of time patiently waiting around in his tuxedo while Barbie underwent multiple outfit changes!) Abby loves when Grandma and Grandpa bring her brothers and sister to visit and takes everything in stride, even when mom and dad leave her in Aunt Shelly's care. Amy and C.R., Abby is such a joy and a very secure little girl; I believe this is mostly due to the loving consistency she receives from both of you. Even when things are "not normal" you strive to maintain order in your family and it really shows in the actions of your children. I really admire you two and I will pray continually for the information that you are going to need to process throughout the coming days. I love you all.

by S Lingo on 04/18/05

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