May 23, 2006

Back home in Denver....

Leah is feeling quite good and we walked/rode trike at the hospital this morning, and rode trike all over our floor. Leah's path included behind the nurses' station where they were working-she had plenty of energy to burn. Everyone knows she feels fine and her counts are good, but the test was whether the lesion she has is healing. Dr. O. saw her on rounds today and thought it looked much, much better. So, she gave the go-ahead for us to leave. We still had to wait for the home health agency to drop off our antibiotics. The one drawback is that Leah is home with her port accessed again. I hate this, but I guess we are more used to it and know how to do the meds. without worrying about it. And, it is better than staying at the hospital trying to entertain someone who feels great. The other drawback is that we were supposed to start chemo. this Friday. I am all for giving any cancer cell no time to grow or multiply in Leah's body. But, since she needs antibiotics which are not compatible with the chemotherapy drugs, we have to wait. The next round is now scheduled for June 2. Of course I am very nervous about this and what that AFP test will show. So, please keep praying for all cancer cells to die and a NORMAL AFP.

Chloe and my mom came to pick us up tonight. Chloe enjoys the hospital a lot and she and Leah took a short trike ride and then ate the supper that the Olive Garden brought for our floor tonight. Each week a meal is brought in from an area restaurant all as a part of someone's Boy Scout project. I am hoping our hospital time is nearing an end, but it is wonderful to see Leah acting like herself with the nurses, doctors, and others we see there. Tyler, a Dance Marathon-er, finally got Leah to talk to him. He really should feel good because she even went to activity with him on her own while I showered and met them later. My brother, AJay, his wife Anna and their baby Drea came to visit us-and bring us more supplies that we had requested before we heard we were going home. Leah took them on a walk and showed them many different parts of the hospital. We also had Leah's port needle changed today. She did an AWESOME job with this. She still does not like this and her skin is so sensitive to the tapes they put on that they itch and break out, but as far as getting poked, she is very brave and did not shed a tear today.

Leah's medicines are almost done infusing, so we have to finish her oral medicines, and head to bed. I already know that the morning cefapime dose at 6 AM will not be met with much excitement.

Please pray for a NORMAL AFP, for Leah's infection to clear up (and not return again) and for chemotherapy to be effective at killing all cancer cells in her body.