Not Too Bad

October 2, 2008

Note that we have arrived in October. For me, that means a fast downhill slide to New Year's. I give a mid-term on Monday. Projects roll in shortly after, followed by more exams, more homeworks, more projects. Halloween gets stuck in there and, of course, Thanksgiving. Before I can say Jack Robinson, finals come and go, leaving just enough time to shop and get the tree up for Christmas. I also have to fit a few rounds of chemo in and maybe a trip to Amsterdam (if the cards play out right). That's why I'm enjoying this brief hiatus in Houston. [Note to self: when did I start categorizing chemo days as vacation days?]

Erin hated breaking away from school just when she had found a groove, but the new Macbook is giving her confidence that she won't be a world behind when she gets back to class next Tuesday. Today was the fastest Day One of the topless cyclone (topotecan/cyclophosphomide) we have ever had (If you only count infusion time, the critical path last four hours. When you add labs, an office visit, and any meandering by the staff, we usually count on closing clinic down. Today we were six hours start to finish. Whew!). Erin had perfectly normal chemistries, a decent liver panel, and a green light on her CBC:

HGB 9.0 (incrementally better than Monday)

WBC 3800 (a bit low, but fine)

ANC 2300 (normal and fine to start chemo)

PLT 177,000 (we have returned to a normal level, though not as good as Erin's usual)

We did have a couple of highlights in our day. Hans and Lara shared some time with us. Hans having another round of The Rhino while he waits for the green light to head to the City of Brotherly Love for MiBG treatment. Erin also let me slip out and get decent (rather than food court) food for lunch. We had Mediterranean bowls with shrimp, mushrooms, brocolli, and bowtie pasta with alfredo sauce. Yum. We also met a new NB patient: cute Michael who is only one, but a precious boy who is fighting the fight that none of want to fight and none of us want to lose. Erin and I had rented Nim's Island. I didn't expect Jodie Foster, especially a neurotic Jodie Foster. I don't think I liked it as well as Paper Moon, but compared to some of the movies I sit through with Erin, it was decent.

We hit the elevators by ten after 3:00 and never looked back. We decided to go see how the Houston zoo fared after Hurricane Ike. I can't imagine hunkering down at a zoo with a hurricane bearing down. I assume the animals would sense the disaster and panic. Things seemed a little worse for wear (and high winds), but our favorite animals came through and the damage appears manageable.

We're going to eat in the hotel tonight and then climb in bed to watch the debate. If we get an early start in the morning AND A LITTLE LUCK. we ought to make it home in time to enjoy a normal evening tomorrow. We'll wait at home on Saturday until they call us in with news that they have a room ready for us.

Until next time. . .