Ten treatments ago we were hoping we were about half way through the treatments and we would be finishing up around treatment #20. So, here we are, #20, and I wish we knew more. I wish we had a better idea of how far we've come, and how much more to do, but we don't.
It's a hard thing; not only on Gabi or me, but our entire family. It requires a lot of help for others to be able to complete each one. It's exhausting. It's long and hard. Gabi seems to be doing very well with continuing to return with no idea of when she'll be done. I, on the other-hand am losing energy and effort. I question what we are doing frequently, but know we have no other option. We know we have to do this, it's just so hard.
At the end of January we headed out again on the long drive. We made it to our hotel in record time. The traffic was fantastic until we hit the ski cities and all the commuting skiers. That's when we hit a traffic jam right before the Eisenhower Tunnel. We had to wait 40 min to venture through because of the high levels of carbon monoxide in the tunnel. They have huge air blowers to keep the tunnel clear, and because of the high volume of cars passing through they had to control the amount of cars by interval.
We decided to try out a new hotel this time. The Residence Inn. It has a kitchen, two bathrooms, and two double beds in separate rooms. It was nice, or it would have been if it wasn't built in 1930 and still contained the same furnace from 1930. During the first night the temperature dropped to 60 degrees. We thought that wasn't very cool until the next night when we woke up and the temperature was 54 degrees. I am sorry but that is a bit cold for a little girl who just had a treatment. Rude, and you know what they did when we mentioned/complained about it. "We'll add some extra points on your loyalty card." That did NOT make me feel better. Also, they were to serve dinner (egg rolls to be specific) and when I arrived it was bean soup, from a tin can.
Besides all the bad at this hotel, it was nice to have 2 TVs, one for Ben and one for Gabi. We put her hair back the night before so it wouldn't come back plastered in blood like the last few times, watched some Disney movie, and she was peacefully out for the night. She slept very well considering the anxiety, fear, and emotions that I know she carries with her.
The following morning was as it always is, early. With the same routine at the hospital, a lot of waiting. She was in treatment around 8am and out about an hour and a half later. I had asked Dr. Yakes to ease up on her a bit from last time. I told him how bad she had blistered and was not comfortable with the size of the open wound. He did as I asked and she didn't receive any blisters.
She wore her new gown from Aunt Honey (Angi), and loved it. It makes a tremendous difference to have your own clothes, it is much more comfortable for her and it calms her from the moment we enter the hospital. They always have a gown and socks on her bed when we arrive and they ask her to change into it. She is always very vocal to them and lets them know she will not be using their boy stuff (the children's gowns are spaceships and aliens), she has her own.
The treatment went well, and she was in recovery for a short period of time, and required no pain meds and only blow-by oxygen until her Oropharyngeal airway was removed from her throat, which is when she wakes up a bit. She recovered comfortably and quickly in post-op and was anxious to leave the hospital. We went back to the hotel and laid down for the rest of the day. Ben ran the green juice errand and got her chicken nuggets as requested. Her favorite thing to eat back at the hotel is green juice, chicken nuggets (from chick-fil-a), and waffle fries, which she always receives on request.
The weather was a bit cold and moist so we waited until 6:30am to leave so that there was some daylight and possibly some heat once we reached the mountain pass. As we entered into the higher elevations we were pleased to find some new wildlife we haven't seen on these trips. This big horned sheep was gracing us with his presence right on the side of the road.
Once we reached the top on the west side of the tunnel we were in a new land. The hills were covered in snow and the roads had been plowed with snow banks on the side reaching easily over 6 feet high. It was a gorgeous drive as always.
We returned home safely, picked up Izze from Grandma and Grandpa Dahl's, but we didn't leave without our bellies full of a wonderful homemade roast dinner. Gabi and Izze got back into routine pretty quickly and Gabi went to school Wednesday morning. We decided on the steroids again for swelling. They make such big difference in her swelling! Her eye never swelled shut, but with the drug we have to endure a very grumpy and emotional Gabi. It's hard to see he in pain, it's hard to see her swollen, I guess it's just a choice.
