day 28.. evening news..

I know most of you are already sleeping, or at least signed off for the night.. but I promised I'd write and tomorrow is starting off with a bang again, so i'm not sure when i'll be updating. 

in less than 12 hours we might be done with course 1.. we have a 9am appointment with Dr. Wetzler for the bone marrow biopsy and last intrathecal chemo treatment of the induction phase.. this crucial test will tell us if mom's in remission or if we need to proceed with more chemotherapy, putting us into course 1A.   the test doesn't take long at all.. both procedures will be done while mom is conciously sedated.. she usually says some funny stuff during this time.. and takes maybe 30 minutes.. i can't really remember because i was too busy watching what Dr. Griffiths was doing last time to pay attention to how long it took.. anyways.. mom will lay flat for 1 hour to prevent a headache (from changes in spinal fluid pressure) and will probably feel fine shortly after that.  then we wait.. 24 hours maybe we'll know.. 24 hours.. that is a lot of time for praying.. this is an important milestone in mom's road to recovery.. if we get the "all clear" then we start to plan mom's respite.. a time to recharge her batteries and prepare for the next challenge!  course 2.


all mom's tests from yesterday and today came back normal, clear, healthy, etc.. she's on the right track, we guess this is just how she reacts to the chemo and we'll learn to adjust accordingly. 

i'm sitting here in my little fort-bed realizing that this might be my last night here.. i mean, i'll be out in buffalo, but this could be my last night in 5419 5W.. dad will be here tomorrow morning, and thursday, then depending on the results and discharge plans.. dad will stay through the weekend or go home thursday night, while sherry comes for a visit, then he'll return friday through sunday or monday.. so many possiblilties.. soon we'll know..

I just can't believe that this time went so fast.. 28 days done.. I hope I remember that next time i set a goal and try to quit after 3 hours.. when you put your mind to something and accept that it's the best possible choice, you can do anything.. I said that to mom a lot.. we remember writing on day 2 or 3.. thinking how are we going to get through 29 days of this.. it's going to be so boring... just sitting here.. doing nothing.. lying in a bed, or sitting in a chair..  and here we are.. we can't catch a breath we're so busy with tests and "visitors"... intruders as mom calls them...  

one of the nurses asked if moms personality has changed at all.. I guess prednisone sometimes and temporarily makes people a little ill-tempered.. I didn't think so.. but in the past few days I have noticed she wants to see the nurses less and less  and doesn't want to ask questions because she wants them to leave her alone.. is having dreams of me telling them off.. and is asking people to come back later... all very politely and in a kind of funny, dramatic way.. like earlier when a physical therapyist stopped in mom said.. "oh. no..are you serious.. i'm just getting done with an EEG and i haven't even had breakfast".. so the girl said she'd come back later.. while sheila was in, mom said "I hope that physical therapy lady doesn't come back later.. i feel like bonking her over the head with her exercise bar"...we both burst out laughing.. and mom said.. "what .. i'm serious!"  i didn't notice how ill-tempered she had become until that nurse asked me.. it is cracking me up.. just because normaly she is so friendly and polite and loves to chat.. now she pretends she's sleeping, or just smiles and nods so they'll go faster!  she won't be on prednisone in course 2 or 3 so she'll return to normal soon!!  though she has been entertaining....

alright.  enough for tonight. I think i might be rambling..

talk to you tomorrow..

love.