Only one, fat, tired, real happy picture . . .

Man! I am SO tired, but happy and pleased with the day. The day started out with Donna writing to tell me that I was more like Kailan (her granddaughter who was diagnosed with leukemia at 4 and has battled it beautifully for over a year) because she had a picc. She said she hoped I didn’t cry every time they changed the bandage. Kailan hated it more than any of her treatments. It was the only time she cried, and she cried every time and Grandma and Granddad had to hold her down while they did it. LITTLE DID I KNOW! It was such a blessing that Donna wrote that to me!

I had suspected I was allergic to the tape from the bandage because it felt like I had a grease burn the whole time. Sure enough when they took it off it was all red. Part of the cleaning process is to rub three alcohol swabs around the whole area that was bandaged, starting with where the line enters and then in the three areas where it is stitched to my arm. Poor precious Kailan! Those holes would have been enough to make me cry, but when they went over and over all that area was irritated from the tape, I bent another bed rail AND cried. I didn’t sob and they didn’t have to hold me down; Don was standing behind me, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t cry, too. He said, “You know what Donna meant about crying, now.” After we got past the alcohol it still was no picnic because she kept rubbing on iodine and then blotting and rubbing it dry. That’s a very sensitive spot!!! But it was way better when she put a DIFFERENT kind of bandage on that isn’t bothering me at all. If the worst thing I do is do anything like Kailan, then I’ll be proud. Jesus said to become as little children, so I’m going to call it good and thank Kailan for setting an example I could live up to! (I know that’s not what Jesus meant, but I’m going to grab for whatever I can to be pleased and still thank Kailan and God for her, her recovery, and her grandma and granddad!)

We went to two classes to learn how to take care of the picc line and we feel more confident about it. I did my chemo and the picc worked like a charm. It was so nice to just hook up and drip! I feel fine; exhausted but fine. One day the side effects will set in, but they haven’t yet. Tonight I’ve got a bandage that doesn’t hurt and a plastic wrap for it so I can take a real bath. Birdbaths are for the birds and people in a push. Now it’s time for a real bath (can’t get the bandage wet or we’ll have to change it; heaven forbid!!!) If I can make it until next week when we go back for chemo they’ll change it and I only have to squeeze the rail while they alcohol the place where the line enters and where the stitches are. I can squeeze the rail and get through that because God and Kailan will be holding my hand. I thank God for Kailan and all the others who have paved this road for me and who go along with me holding my hand like my Mom did when I went to kindergarten. God is so good.

We have decided to stay here until the 8th. We were going home tomorrow, but that was to pack to go to Hawaii. We aren’t going to Hawaii, so we’ll stay here until my doctor’s appointment on the 7th and then head for home on the 8th. That’s assuming all goes as expected, so cut me some slack here. If there are changes I’ll report them.

The bottom line is that I survived today with the help of Kailan and our Father. The picture is how it really is; photographers would be kind and get rid of the double chin and have me sit up straight; there were none here! Doris did the best she could with what she had to work with!

Thanks and Amen.