Settled In

A very long day is now coming to an end and we are finally all settled in our room on 8 South. I'm certain by now that Heaven's new Angel, Allie, is also settled in her eternal home. Allie was born within weeks of Christi's diagnosis and also treated for Stage IV neuroblastoma at Columbus Childrens and then at MSKCC in NYC. This beast is so evil! Our thoughts and prayers are with Allie's family.

Tonight, as I type from beside Christi's bed, she is receiving yet another platelet transfusion. (Yes, she received one yesterday too.) Early this morning I knew I was taking her for her blood transfusion, but I really didn't expect things to end up this way. I figured that unless the blood bag ruptured and they had to start over by re-ordering, as happened yesterday, we'd be out and off to the zoo by the afternoon. All too soon this 103 fever hit, which isn't budging at all, and which made the fact that only one unit (instead of two) of blood was ordered seem pointless. I think the wonderful NP Pat said, "Since she's going to be admitted anyway, she'll have plenty of time to get that other unit of blood." Christi spent nearly the entire day curled up in a ball, dozing off and on and feeling miserable. Caroline tended to Shayla back at Ronald and at Barnes and Noble and then came to the hospital with a suitcase packed with our things when I called for her about 4:00 PM when we were given a room.

Since I was unable to get Christi a room on 3 South, where all of the rooms have Internet access, I was more than a wee-bit stressed. (You see, it's finals week at Ohio State and my biggest project of the quarter is due on Tuesday. My kind Professor stayed with me for 30 minutes after class last week and we've been emailing back and forth this large file I'm working on and I didn't know how I was going to do it.) Well, I do not know exactly what happened, but I think Mrs. Smith is either a charmer or a miracle worker (most likely both) because after returning from the Ronald House where I went to get a break from the hospital, to calm down and to enjoy Shayla for a few hours, I returned tonight to have Internet access and a big email from my Professor on my laptop. Praise God! (And thanks to my fellow classmates for emailing and helping me too!!)

I'm still not totally losing hope, but it doesn't appear that we will be flying home on Friday as planned. I was told that Thursday would be her most dangerous point, but it appears that came a bit sooner. Now we pray that her stem cells start kicking in and will actually work and re-start her life. I do know this may not happen; yet, I have hope and images of her returning home and dancing at her recital at the Ritz Theatre next weekend. Earlier today I cancelled out of her appointment to visit the awesome UPenn Vet Hospital tomorrow as that's no longer a reality. (I thought about asking them to sneak in a kitten for just a little bit to make Christi happy, but I chickened out!)

So tonight she ends the month exactly the way she started it, by receiving another life saving transfusion.

May 2006:
9 nights hospitalized
9 blood/platelet transfusions

2006:
41 nights hospitalized (Thank you wonderful nurses, doctors and staff!)
27 life saving transfusions (Thank you, blood donors for saving our precious Christi!)