Smooth Day

Joe finished his transfusion of 2 pints of red blood cells about 7AM this morning. Very little sleep was granted last night with a steady infusion of medical personnel. The hospital keeps the rooms FRIGID and it is worse at night since there are fewer people around this massive complex. Joe was comfortable and that was more important.
 
 For the first two hours they gave Joe Mesna which is used to protect the kidneys. It was followed by the real round of chemo called Cyclophosphamide which took about four hours. Thanks to your avid prayers he had no side effects and handled it as well as one could ever expect. Joe's red blood count is still low at 7.4 so another two pints of red blood cells has been ordered. He was also given magnesium since his levels were low via pill form which tasted like metal. Before they give him more blood they inject Benadryl and give him Tylenol.

Joe gave me the OK to go back to the hotel and take my time coming back. On the way out of the hospital I stopped by the chapel to pray and ask God to also help me cope with the stress. The hotel is about a 15 minute drive and when I got to the room I took a wonderful long hot relaxing shower and wash my hair. Joe can not use a razor to shave so I did research on the net on the best razor that would fit his needs. I packed my suitcase since I had to change rooms but that was easy since I had not packed very much since I thought that we would only be here till Friday. WESTIN delivered the new room keys to my room and I was only two floors down. All I did was place my suitcase in the room and left to go shopping for personal needs.

I found a COSTCO half way between our hotel and the hospital so I bought the Braun electric razor and a heated throw blanket to keep me warm in the hospital. My next stop was TARGET located not far from the hospital on S Main where I bought myself a two piece cheap fleece pants and hoodie to assist me in keeping warm along with toothpaste and Purcell. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

I was gone a total of four hours and Joe missed me. He says the time drags when I am not around. He was pleased with the razor. I told him that if he was a good boy that I would shave him. Boy, what a smile that put on his face! The small joys of life we find in dire circumstances. He devoured his lunch of pot roast which was good to see.

He can not eat or drink anything after midnight since he will have a PET scan at 7:30 AM to see where the cancer is in his body particularly the lymph nodes since that is where it normally hits people with Mantle Cell Lymphoma but Joe does not have swollen lymph nodes.

Putting smiles and comfort are the calls from all our family members. Joe is in good humor and a great frame of mind (Blessings again). My sister, Dolores, had him laughing hysterically at Doctor jokes. She said that will be her gift to him each day to tell him jokes. He will love that. It pleases me so much to hear his laughter. It is good for the soul and enhances the healing. The e-mails and postings are touching. Some words really boosted my spirits with such words from the heart.

I was suppose to be on an on line support chat for Cancer but the link was not working but I am sure that was meant for a reason. Marina, one of the MPD Atlanta members, mom lives about 50 miles from the hospital and graciously offered to have Joe and I stay with her but we need to stay near the hospital in case of infections. Perhaps after things calm down we will spend a weekend with Marina’s Mom. Marina is a fireball and I am sure her Mom is as wonderful as Marina who has a very special place in my heart.

Our pastor is also contacting other Houston Presbyterian Churches nearby to see if they can offer us any assistance and temporarily "adopt" us. Whitney Wilkerson who worked with our Eastminster Presbyterian Church with ministry a few years ago while she was a student studying at the local seminary near Decatur (Columbia Seminary) is here in this area of Texas and our Pastor contacted her to give us assistance. See how God works. He places people in our paths that are there only momentarily then again years later those people pop back up and become an important link in our lives.

WHOOPS! They popped in again and they are giving Joe a second round of the Cyclophosphamide for the day. The nurse says they give it at 9AM then again at 9PM which is a surprise so here we go………I had not idea that they could give blood and give the chemo at the same time. Yes, of course, I questioned it. They stated that they will be here checking vitals every hour all day long. YAWN!!!!!!

Oh, I am very tired. You are all gifts of God to Joe and me. May your days be blessed and fruitful. May Joe be blessed with smooth chemicals flowing through his veins and have them destroy the bad outlaw cells they are suppose to do.

Good night,
Bonnie