I started off the day bright and early by joining Justin at the gym while he trained clients (and me) at 6am. I'm not sure why this seemed like a good idea other than the ride to the airport. Yawn! But I have made it to the Bellevue gym twice in a week, which is significant as I don't think this has happened since the kids were super small.
Getting ready to board the flight back to Kansas City.
And a view of the mountain as we took off. I'm not sure why, but being in the air above the world always gets me a little nostalgic feeling. I'm fairly sure this isn't just me, but it just makes me ponder life- maybe because of how small the world looks below, how small we truly are in the midst of it all. It's almost like each of my last two flights have been a time for reflection on all that is happening with Oliver in our lives. There's a lot that you just don't deal with when you are "in the weeds." You have to just keep moving on and going forward and there is really not much time for thought and a detailed analysis. I think that is why these last two flights really allowed me some rare moments of me time to sit back and think about just how far we have come. It's a lot to process. A lot of highs, a lot of lows--the joy encompasses you and the sadness engulfs you. Again, back to feeling the contradictory emotions of this whole journey. A true roller coaster. But as I've said before, it's life. It doesn't get much more real than this.
While I was up in the air, team Oliver was headed down to SCCA for day 2, round 2 of treatment at their ridiculous 2pm appointment (the center closes at 10pm, so assuming after the IV is started, drugs are ordered, he doesn't actually get start until 2:30-3, and that is well after 10pm....) The head nurse yesterday said his schedule was awful given this day and how it didn't make sense (said people with his regimen should have the first appointment in the morning), and in addition, his schedule for day 3 is to be back at 7am. So, he would leave the center at almost 11pm, and then have to be back up and in Seattle at 7am the following day. MAKES ZERO SENSE. As I said yesterday, SCCA was so great the first round, minus the whole drug snafu issues, but this round they have been frustrating about things that really shouldn't be issues.
I can't even tell you how awesome it is, though, to see Oliver look SO much more alive this round. Like a real person! Granted, a cancer patient, but he's a real person this round and not completely stripped of all his vibrancy. The current drug cocktail we have implemented for round 2 seems to be MUCH more complementary than that of round 1.
Heat packs getting his veins ready for IV.
Losing more hair up top. I guess SCCA has a shave and shine service for cancer patients that we are looking in to for later this week.
Shortly after beginning treatment, naptime! Bailey joined up for the party as well. I was told that the room was actually smaller than the day before, but it was a window room. So, a trade off.
The crew working away.
Oliver working hard to heal.
I got to Kansas City, and went to pick up the kids who were at the water park with grandpa! They were almost as excited to see me as I was to see them. I got huge wet sloppy hugs from them both, and they each showed me the swimming sills they had picked up over the week. Little fish!
Look at Owen's complete freckle face! I love it! Not much better than kids and the summer.
I touched base with Oliver and team back in the hospital in Seattle, and sounded like same old story. Just infusions, and he was sleeping. At one point later in the evening, they gave him 1/2 of an edible (THC) gummy, to help take the edge off some nausea. Apparently after that, he was totally high and asking for pizza and sonic. I don't say this in jest to make fun of him (although it is pretty cute), but we are just SO thrilled to have found something that helps him not only feel better but eat as well.
The little boys were SO excited to show me the toys they had gotten over the week, so pulled me by the hand with my eyes shut to show me.
We had a note sent with me from Oliver (/Colleen) that we read together (actually Owen read it himself). He is so excited to see them both again!
Dress up time last night for Mr. B while Jon and Margot were visiting.
And Owen tell us he schooled Uncle Jon in Uno.
Dad was getting bored back in the cancer floor, and so was taking selfies to send to us. Pretty funny.
Everyone else was hanging in there. Sounds like the 2pm start time was pretty brutal.
We shot off fireworks in Kansas City with Uncle Jon!
I heard from the crew, and they finally arrived home at around 11pm, with a 11:30pm snack. A true midnight snack. Oliver got all tucked in bed and that marked the end of day 2. Again, MUCH better than the first round so we are hopeful that it will continue to go well.
Meanwhile, back in KC, we think Owen ate some bad food and we spent a couple of hours of the night sleeping on the bathroom floor (well, Owen slept there all night). Hopeful that it really was just food and there are no issues getting home....fingers crossed and please throw up your good vibes to the world. Also, if this blog totally lacked any sort of character, say hello to about 3 hours of sleep!
Still loving the #oliverstrong pictures! Keep them coming! And if you send me a picture of faces (or send them to any one of us), please advise if you mind your face being posted on the blog or not. I've tried to be careful with that. Tomorrow is hump day for this first 5 day block and then I feel like we are on the down hill slide. #oliverstrong.
No comments:
Post a Comment