A normal "doctors visit" day they consists of heading out early in the morning, usually about 7:00 a.m., waiting in the waiting room, getting into a room, getting tested, measured and poked, waiting some more, seeing the doctor, and then grabbing a quick bite on our way back home so we can beat the traffic. Getting home at 4:00 p.m. usually makes for a long unexciting day! But in the cancer world boring is good! While in the hospital you always were grateful the doctors didn't come check on you first thing in the morning, because that meant you were "boring". This visit Nick wanted to go with us, we had both been a little nervous about this visit. Because at the first of January Faye was looking a little more pale than normal. A week or two before her visit, at random times she would complain that her legs were hurting her. I have to admit any time I hear that little voice complain about "leg pain" my heart sinks a little, and I have to reassure myself that everything is going to be okay.
So since Nick was coming with us, I thought it would be fun to take a picture of every hour of "doctor visit" day! That way I could show you all what a typical doctor visit for Faye is like! Wouldn't you know it.. the day I do this everything was rather quick! Maybe we should take Dad more often.
7:15 a.m leave our house
8:15 a.m. still on the road...doesn't the drive look exciting?
Faye has really been into coloring these days, which makes it nice for a long car ride!
9:15 a.m. Pull into the parking garage
This is where the visit got impressive! From 9:15 to 10:15, we got checked in, weighed, measured, blood pressure taken, and ready for a blood sample! Usually we spend an hour and a half in the waiting room.
10:15 a.m. the dreaded poke
I loved this picture of Nick, looking so concerned...Dads are the best!
After pokes the doctor was in fairly quickly, we even were able to talk to her about Faye's future plan...which is we will go back every month until September, then every two months til the following September...and that's as far as the plan got!
Dr. Margolin was also able to give us our latest lab results:
WBC: 4.18 (3.52 last time)
HGB: 13.8 (13.6)
Platelets: 155 (181)
ANC: 1530 (1610)
Monos: 10 (10.8)
She is looking great, everything is in a normal range (low end, but still normal) except her WBC (5.0-14.5 is normal)
11:15 a.m. Off to visit our friends at the 9th floor. This was an exciting trip because we got to see Nurse Owens, one of our Nurse Practitioners that we hadn't seen since we left, and we were also able to take Fayes clothes she had used while being in the hospital and we gave them to other little girls on the floor. It felt good to give all of those clothes away! They will brighten some little girls day up I hope, I know it made me smile to see Faye bouncing down the hall in all her cute clothes she was given!
12:15 p.m. Getting in the car ready to head home.
1:15 p.m. Since we got done so early Nick treated Faye and I to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, we pass the mall it is located in on our way home! I forgot to take the camera inside!
2:15 p.m. stopped and got Mitchell a treat for being the best big brother ever!
3:15 p.m. Car Ride home....this is where the wearing of the day sets in! "No more pictures please" Faye says, while Nixon is ready for his close up!
And there you have it, another great visit to the doctor! At the rate we are going you all might get filled in on the trip pictures by her year mark!
How cancer has changed our family:
Nick the other day took Mitchell and Faye on a date to see Beauty and The Beast. Before the movie started Mitchell leaned over to Nick and said "Dad I hope they don't show that commercial of the kids in the hospital (St. Judes) it makes me too sad" Nick said back to Mitchell "me too".
9 comments:
This is like a 10 on 10 Stace, good job!
Every time I see a good month down, a weight comes off of me for another month. I can't imagine what it must do to you guys, love you all lots. Stace when you can really give me a call I was not done chatting with you the other day.
Way to go Faye! I always love to see updates and love more that no news is good news. (Such a tear-jerker at the end!)
Been thinking about you a lot lately. I think maybe cause we are coming up on that year mark from when she was diagnosed I don't know. You have just been on my mind. So glad to hear that her visit went well. I could tell you were nervous since some of her numbers were low last month. Anyways. Thinking about you and love you lots. Hey by the way happy birthday this past month!!!!
Love, Love, Love the Pictures. They bring back memories. Faye and Nixon are getting so big. I miss you all so very much. Love You!
Oh my goodness, what a long day for y'all to go through. But like you said, at least it is boring, and doesn't get exciting, so that means she is doing GREAT!!! It looks like her hair is growing back fast, before you know it she will have real Rapunzel hair!
That was a great idea to take a picture every hour. I loved it! But I feel a little weird after hearing that she looked pale and her legs hurt. Yikes! Nick never mentioned THAT to me! I guess I'm glad, I would've been worried sick. So So So So incredibly glad that everything looked fine. Glad to hear, too, what the plan is for the future. Love you guys.
Thank you so much for sharing the great news! Congrats!!
Sigh of relief here. You are such a good mom. Seriously!!
I am so glad that another month has passed with good news. She is such a little figther. Nixon looks so big in that photo of him turning around. What a cutie. Yay for good new Stacey, that makes me so happy for you all.
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