and.......go!

You know the sound of a train starting up? (If you don't, go to youtube & type 'train start up' and get lost in the world of trainspotters....then come back here). It's what I keep thinking about. This train's starting up & there's a lot of track to travel.

Gord was admitted into PMH on Saturday and promptly came home on an overnight pass. Hooray! We had Thanksgiving dinner at our friend's house & got home in time to put Frankie to bed & then he took a cab back to the hospital. He kissed me goodbye & I stood at the top of the stairs casually waving at him, telling him I loved him & I'd talk to him soon. Just like when he'd leave for work in the morning.

His transplant will be on the 14th, but before then he has to go through a really intensive chemo & full body radiation. That will (hopefully) kill off any tiny Leukemia cells that are squatting in his system & will basically make his blood into just a red liquid in his veins. Then, in what sounds like the most uneventful life saving procedure ever, they will inject the donors cells into him by way of IV. They said it will take about 20 minutes.Then we wait for engraftment. There. Just like that. Isn't science cool?

Of course we know it's not as simple as that but why get yourself tangled up in all that could possibly happen? We know there will be the regular cast of characters - pain, nausea, weakness, fatigue, high risk of infection, nasty mouth sores. They gave us extensive lists of possible & common side-effects and risks but I'm really hoping things go as smoothly as they possibly can.

During his time in the hospital the toughest thing will be not being able to see Frankie. Kids under 10 aren't allowed on the transplant floor. Luckily there is a daycare there that I can drop her off at while I go hang out with G. In fact, we're going for the first time tomorrow. I hope she does okay. I'm a little worried about naps. They told me that if I just tell them how I get her down, they'll do the same. Okay: feed her, put a soother in her mouth, put her in the mai tai, sometimes she needs a hat to cover her eyes & shut off the stimulation, then put on a record (usually I-Roy) & then pat her bum & sway. I guess we'll just have to see how it goes.

So yeah - I'm knitting stuff & I got some fancy finished things to show off but I wanted to come & post an update & will probably use this space to let family & friends know what's up.