The Wheels On The Bus Go Round and Round

Today was a long day at the clinic. We had to take the 6:30 shuttle for Jim's 7:30 appointment. For some reason there was limited traffic and we bounced up and down on the shuttle arriving by 6:50. We go on the elevator and it took us to the garage level. At one point we thought we were stuck. Ends up the elevators aren't turned on until 7:00. Finally we checked in. First thing Jim does is blood work. His PICC line was discontinued last week so today they had to stick him to draw blood. We waited around an hour for the results to come back. Once they were in we met with lovely Peggy. Unfortunately Jim's platelets were only 49 and to continue with chemotherapy today they had to be 50. A normal platelet count is 160-400. Peggy suggested Jimmy walk around a little and go back to the lab and be retested. This time they only had to do a finger stick. BINGO...platelets came in at 60. 

The next step after the blood work is acceptable is to wait for the drugs to be made up. That takes at least an hour and they have to be transported over from the main hospital. Even if the drugs are ready there may not be an infusion room ready. While Jim waited I ran a few errands: post office to check the mail, bakery for Jim's breakfast and Starbucks for coffee. I couldn't believe he was still waiting when I got back. The thing is we are grateful for being able to be treated at MSK. It is crowded for a reason. It is one of the best cancer hospitals in the country. So we wait, patiently. On chemo days we are prepared. We both bring our laptops, chargers, phones, reading material, waters and snacks. 

Jim was finally assigned a treatment room around 12:30. The next challenge was starting an IV on him. His veins are shot from all the chemo. Luckily the nurse only stuck him twice before getting a good return and treatment began. Around 6:15 he was finished so we packed up and walked to the main hospital to catch the 7:00 shuttle back to the Hope Lodge. 

HOPE...a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen,

             grounds for believing that something good may happen.

  

I brought the Christmas present the girls gave us to New York to remind of us of this powerful word.