Four of Five

October 5, 2008

We have finished four out of five chemo infusions and are hanging here on the 9th floor waiting for the two hours of post hydration to perk on through the pump. We will head home for the evening as soon as the nurse unhooks Erin. Plan: drive home, pick up Jackson, and see that movie that you have held you breath waiting for--BH Chihuahua. Jackson will add a sense of fun and energy to the group tomorrow so that we can knock off day five and be done for a while.

I did have a little start yesterday, when a woman knocked lightly on the hospital door, walked in, introduced herself, "Hi. I'm Lisa. I'm a stalker." and left me uncharacteristically without something to say. It turns out we actually knew Lisa, having met her back during transplant. We also have some other Houston NB families in common. It turns out that Lisa was a closet Erin fan, always reading but never commenting. Now that she has come out of the closet, I have identified a new friend who shares my rather uncommon (I think I really mean bizarre) sense of humor.

Lisa didn't just drive from her home on the news that she could meet us if she just hung around at TCH long enough yesterday. In fact, her daughter and three of her daughter's friends had pooled their birthday opportunities and collected toys and games galore. Those really cool eight-year-olds then took every item up to the ninth floor and gave them to patients stuck in the hospital. I'll post a photo of these girls and all the bootie they distributed, when the mom with the camera sends me the shot. You should be jealous, Erin scored a spirograph and a complete set (24) of gel pens, including metallic ones.

I have tried very hard not to whine during this round of chemo (trying doesn't always mean doing, just ask Yoda). I think I should feel happy since we actually pulled off an "in" and "out." That is, there were enough spare rooms in the inn, that we checked in for chemo yesterday and got to leave. We stayed the night in the Marriott across the street and checked back in this morning for Day 4. What I don't understand is how we keep getting extra hours of "sit around and wait" written into the orders, when all we want is to "get started and leave." We have not broken the six hour barrier yet. But far be it for me to complain about getting fifty percent more for the same price. What a bargain.