So Far So Good

My alarm went off at 4:30AM. After opening my eyes, I took one last long look at beautiful Shayla who was still soundly sleeping beside me. Even though I know she is in the best of care while I am away, it just stinks leaving her time and time again. She is a wonderful kid! I love and miss her so much!

Our flight was great. (We even flew right over COSI just after take off and we looked for our crazy friends on the roof, but didn't see them!) The train ride into the city early this morning was great too. As always, the amazing nurses at CHOP quickly took Christi's vitals, accessed her port and collected her urine. She had a physician's exam and was put to sleep all by 10:00 AM. (Go, CHOP!) I took off to the Au Bon Pain to get her favorite "after bone marrow lunch" and returned before she was finished with the procedures. She had a hard time waking up today. The anestesia doesn't always set well with Christi and today was one of those days. (Can you say, "Dr. Jeckle & Mr. Hyde"?) While she was sleeping off all of the narcotics and I was a wee bit stressed, I ran off to catch up with the London's and to see how Princess Peneleope was doing inpatient. Christi was much better after a little more sleep.

Thankfully, our sweet friend from the UPenn Animal Hospital called and said she had time to squeeze Christi in; theefore, when Christi recovered, we went out. With the temperature pushing 100 degrees, I pulled both of the suitcases during our walk. (I could see the blood soaked gauze pads sticking out of her jean shorts visually reminding me of the torture she just endured. At that point I never would have even considered asking her to pull just one suitcase for any of those uphill blocks. She just had six inch cannisters inserted into her pelvic bones and bone marrow extracted; what a trooper! This kid is amazing! )

Her time at the Animal Hospital was incredible- and gave her some good information for her 4-H Cat Project judging on Saturday. (I mean where else can you see a chemotherapy cat, a cat in ICU and a cat in the emergency room. WOW!) Thanks, sweet Animal Friends at UPenn!!

We were blessed again today by receiving a room at this incredible Ronald McDonald House where I'm updating her blog. Today's blood counts were a bit disappointing, but I supose not unexpected:

Platelets: 88 (dropped, UGH!)
Hgb. 10.8 (low, but fine)
white: 5 (low, but fine)
ANC: 2,578 (fine)
LDH: 749 (normal, but the normal range is 420-750- and it was down 100 points four short weeks ago)

Tomorrow is a full day of tests and procedures which again will not permit her to eat anything all morning: CT scan (head, chest, abdomen, and pelvis), X-ray, MIBG isotope injection and this 12 hour urine collection will end then, yipee.

Thanks for checking in! We're doing GREAT! God bless you!