April 14, 2006

We are home! Leah and I finally were able to leave Iowa City around 5 last night. The day went quickly enough, since we were able to get a day pass and went out to a consignment shop in Marion for a while. Then we were back to Iowa City for a CT scan at 1:45. Leah never likes these, although, she does not cry until we actually get in the room. They sedated her and then I waited in the hall until they were done. After that they kept her sedated this time and took her to recovery so they could do an echocardiogram on her again. And while they were at it, they snipped the stitch for her chest tube. When Leah comes out of anesthesia she usually cries for quite a while and fixates on something, too. I am getting used to it and she does not remember it at all. This time she kept repeating that she wanted another CT scan since she missed the whole thing. Everyone found this quite humorous since no one ever asks for another scan.

By the time she was awake enough it was 5:00. While it seemed perfectly lovely out while we were driving back, the horrible weather that hit Iowa City did so shortly after we arrived home. I am glad we were not there for that experience. Leah has become ultra-aware of the weather right now and even a clap of thunder worries her. Had we been there we would have been evacuated to a conference room.

Right now the plan is for us to stay away from Iowa City until May 1 when she returns for more chemo. It will be good to be home. Chloe was quite excited to see us last night. Leah just rolls her eyes at some of what Chloe does. I told Leah this morning that Chloe was talking a lot more and she responds with, "and we can't understand half of what she says!" We plan on visiting Target and having a stroller ride today as well as coloring eggs this evening. Since Leah got everyone up at 6:45 I am hoping a nap is also on our agenda.

Please, please, please keep praying for an AFP that takes a major nose dive and returns to a "normal" range and for Leah to continue to be responsive to chemotherapy. We are also praying for clean scan results that show nothing suspicious.