Chemo Done - Praying and waiting intensify

Trish finished her last round of chemo this afternoon. They also snuck in a dose of platlets. The doctors missed her this morning in rounds, so Dr. Levis came back to talk to us late this evening. He said that Trish will receive lots of extra fluids tonight to help flush the chemo out of her system -- he apologized in advance for the many anticipated trips to the restroom tonight.

The first type of chemo Trish had this time (CloSi), may not have put her in remission, but it does a good job of killing her marrow. Her marrow never fully recovered from that treatment. Dr. Levis said if they had done another round of Closi her marrow may not have recovered. Normally the recovery from HiDAC (the chemo she is having now) is normally 20-24 days, but they are telling us it will be longer for Trish because of the CloSi and hopefully she will recover in 25-30 days (28 is the target, see the chemo calendar). So much for getting home anytime soon.

We should get released to IPOP tomorrow and we are expecting to stay at Aunt Mary's - I never heard back from the housing folks, but I'll check in and cancel the room if he has it. Trish will feel better and eat better at Aunt Mary's house.

Our insurance is starting to dip, hopefully we can move to transplant in the 28 days and not need any more pre-care. Healthcare/Insurance in our country is in need of serious reform. Not only is it a well protected lobby, but serious injury effects so few people in terms of percentages that it just doesn't matter to people. Think about how much money we are spending destroying and rebuilding Iraq and what that money could do in saving lives in our own country. Someone we have befriended in IPOP, is facing insurance issues already in their treatment. Because the insurance denied some meds (reached the dollar limit) they were going to release him tonight, the next thing his mother knew one of the nurses had intervened and they stopped preparing for discharge and he was getting his meds -- she's not sure how they will pay for it or whether the hospital is just writing it off. We should not have to seek out kindness, get lucky or create special attention to get the care we need to live. This is just wrong.

Trish's spirits are fairly well. She just wants to get home, see her boys, bake some cookies. I wouldn't mind eating some of her cookies and sleeping in my own bed too. Remember this is the short part of this battle. The transplant will be even longer or at least as long. This week of chemo has made Trish fatigued and tired. Her appetite has actually been very good for her.

Thank you all for your continued care, concern, prayers. We are still hopeful that we can win this battle.