Terrific Tuesday

(We are hoping, at least, to have a terrific Tuesday!)

Katie and I are traveling to Burlington today for her first appointment at the Children's Specialty Clinic at Fletcher Allen--another part of the hospital for us to explore. Katie is meeting with her doctors today for a check up, and we are hoping to learn how to manage some of the side effects that are beginning to affect the quality of her life. Today we start anti-emetics to combat the nausea. It's time, unfortunately. We are also hoping to learn the results of the cytogenetic testing. Basically, doctors have analyzed blood and bone marrow in an effort to figure out just what is going wrong with the cells in Katie's blood. They need to know how the chromosomes are damaged so they can plan the next phase of her treatment. This also determines prognosis to some extent. I caved Saturday night and looked up ALL on the internet. I have been trying to avoid the madness! What I found, though, is a sample cytogenetics report, with prognosis, and now I am eager to learn Katie's results. Oddly enough, I wish I had never ventured online. "I'm an idiot," I said to Rick. He admitted that he had finally wandered online, too, and that it was neither helpful nor reassuring. When my technology geek of a husband won't go online, you know that something is wrong!

We are discovering that the doctors and nurses at Fletcher Allen really are our very best resource. I called Dr. Bradeen's answering service for help when Katie was vomiting last night, and she was on the phone with me herself just two minutes later. The doctors don't talk down to us--a relief--and they explain everything so clearly. They would make good teachers. The nurses are smart, capable and kind. It is such a relief to learn that our child is just like other children with ALL. She is so different. We have trouble recognizing our little beauty in the demon who spends all her time watching Dora and yelling at us. Apparently they all do this! While this doesn't make me feel a lot better about Katie's suffering, I am glad that her behavior is within normal limits for children in this new life we call "the new normal." Just keep telling me that it will be all right.

PS--Many thanks to the Lake Region staff. We aren't quite sure how to begin expressing our gratitude for all that you are doing to keep us afloat. It was such a luxury to be back at work Monday. Special thanks to those of you who are filling our bellies with pasta and cookies. Free range chicken with an apricot glaze? We have never eaten so well! Thanks to Barb for the pizza, too--pizza...