No News is Good News

I must first comment on the fact that this little blog now has 17 followers. It is so exiting. I had to immediately check to see who decided to become a follower. Now, even if you aren't a follower I love the comments, it gives me a reason to check the blog and in turn post something new...

When you don't hear from me, it is usually good news. After Audrey's last chemo treatment we ended up coming home from the hospital a day before we anticipated. Ryan and Audrey came home from the hospital around 1 pm on Saturday. I had the fun of helping with a baby shower that was a bunch of fun - no games just food and ladies talking. It was a good time.

Today Audrey went to the clinic for our routine blood work. She has to be accessed through her port. We are given "magic" cream to numb the area so she doesn't even feel the poke. It took a couple of months before she decided that there really isn't anything to cry about - so the last three times she hasn't let out a peep and actually watches as they insert the needle. Her blood work was good although they anticipate she will need to have blood by Thursday. On Thursday we are doing an outpatient chemo treatment - vincristine - from the clinic. We will need to be there all day as she will have to be hydrated and then given blood and then hydrated again before receiving the chemo.

Because I am the only one that gets to go along with Audrey to her clinic visits I will have to tell you about the routine. When we arrive we take out the insane amount of play dough and toys that go along with it, spread them on the table. A couple of minutes she is called back. She goes in the back with the nurses as I pack up all of the toys. (Today I considered not even going back because she is such a big girl). When I make it to the back she has already stood on the scale for weight - she weighed 23 lbs today I will have to remember to keep putting her in jeans and sweatshirt! She is usually hooked up to the blood pressure cuff and pressing the button herself to get it going while simultaneously assisting the nurse in taking her temperature. The thermometers go in the ear and have plastic coverings over the end. She has discovered she is capable of and allowed to shoot the plastic cover off, after the nurse has her turn checking Audrey's temperature, she then puts on another cover and checks it again herself. When we make it back to the room where she is pricked by the needle to access her port she declares to the nurse whether or not she will be crying for the day. After she is accessed she chooses a prize - but not the typical prize box prize, she would rather choose a band aid to apply to my jeans. When she later takes it off she tells me that I should cry. It truly is amazing how quickly young children catch on to all of this. The fun doesn't even stop there. She continues examining herself when the doctors arrive - she instructs them when it is okay to check her mouth, ears and eyes with the light and then she shows them how it should be done. She clearly pronounces stethoscope and asks to use it after they clean their germs, of course. I wish you could all see it the way I do.