Me and my boys after our long separation! Excuse the bald head. I was wearing a really pretty butterfly scarf, but Brigham insisted on me being bald for the picture. And I have no makeup on because I'm terrified my eyebrows and eyelashes will fall out, so I'm trying not to mess with them at all. So I look horrible, but aren't my boys cute?!
Ok! So I haven't updated since Friday evening.
I ended up going back to the hospital that night for a blood transfusion. Maybe it was the bad associations, but I ended up getting sick when I got there, which was no fun. But the transfusion went ok and we saw the last half of "National Treasure" and the first half of "The Water Horse" on the MD Anderson movie channel.
Saturday I had to go back for more blood work, and more waiting around in waiting rooms. It took extra-long for the lab results to get in, and once they did I was not happy because my counts went down (this is very normal for transplants, but still a bit discouraging to me), and they told me I needed platelets and a potassium bolus. This is ok, except that my family was scheduled to get in to Houston at 2:00, and my appointment for the transfusion wasn't until 2:00! We went to the transfusion place and asked if there was any way we could get in early, and the lady at the desk seemed to think that if we got there early, we could get called back early too. Well, we got there at 1:00, and actually got taken to the transfusion room by 1:50. Where we waited for an hour only to be told that the blood bank didn't have our platelets ready (even though the nurse ordered them at like 11:00 that morning). So we waited another hour plus, and finally got the platelets at 3:15. Then it took an hour to tranfuse, and then another wait while they tracked down the order for the potassium. Thankfully I was sent home with one of those IV balloon thingies, so I didn't have to stay longer. So we didn't get out until 4:30, and weren't at the hotel till 5:00, where my kids had been waiting for 3 hours! Frustrating.
But my weekend with the boys was just great. Ben's parents came, too, so the boys were in their room watching TV when I got in. Ben brought them in and had them sanitize their hands before coming in to see me. It's amazing how after only 4 weeks of separation, my kids looked so much bigger! They came right in and hugged me; no hesitation from Mosey which I worried about. I was wearing a hat, but of course the boys were very interested to see my bald head. So I took the hat off and Brigham promptly told me that if I only had red eyes, I would look exactly like Voldemort. Nice... I love the honesty of little children! :-)
Brigham had been dying to go to a bookstore, so Ben and the boys and I got into the van and headed to Barnes and Noble. I wore mask and gloves and probably freaked all the other customers out, but oh well. The boys picked out books (Joseph got "Dracula," a retelling of the original Bram Stoker version, Brigham, after much deliberation, picked out a coffee-table type book on Chicago since he's so into drawing big cities right now-- he told Ben he wasn't going to copy any of the buildings, he just wanted the book so he could "get ideas," and Mosey got a box set of Scooby Doo stories).
We ordered take out from Olive Garden and had dinner when we got back to the hotel.
After dinner I read a little of Dracula to the boys, and then they went swimming down in the hotel pool.
Sunday we had a leisurely morning, sleeping in and taking our time getting up and eating breakfast. We ended up having a Sacrament Meeting in our room with Ben's parents, and then eating lunch afterward. Then I read more to the boys, and by 2 or 3 PM it was time for them to go. So it was a very short, less than 24 hour visit, but it did my heart good. I stood at our 8th floor balcony and watched them leave. I can't wait until I can go home and be their mommy again.
Sunday was also the first day I didn't have to go in to the hospital! It was great!
Today has been pretty good, so far. We went in for more blood work, waited our usual hour and a half, only to be told that 2 of the 3 lab machines were not working, so all the lab results for everyone were backed up. We talked the nurse practitioner into letting us go home, and promising to come back if there was any trouble with my numbers. Sure beats waiting in that hospital for another 3 hours!
I did get a call back, and my numbers are fine. Starting to rise from Saturday, which is good. ANC (absolute neutrophil count) is up to 1.6, from 1.3 on Saturday. My heart rate was still fast (125) and my blood pressure still low (83/52), but I think maybe the doctors are giving up on trying to do anything more to fix it. I think they'll adjust on their own as I get stronger. I hope so.
So, now I'm all caught up from the weekend. The best news from today is that I don't have to go back to the hospital until Wednesday! Whatever will I do with myself? :-)
10 comments:
I'm glad the visit was so good! And excuse, I thought you WERE wearing make-up, and I was totally impressed that you took the time :). You Frandsen women, whenever anyone tells me that Lucy looks just like me I insist that if they could just see a picture of Eva as a baby...I'm just holding out hope she'll look like you all. You are beautiful bald, and you have a perfectly shaped head :) As it grows back you can play around with styles like Rachel's.
Hope you had a great Monday!
It really sounds like you were just able to *relax* with your family. So nice. I am so glad they were able to connect with their mama!
You have gorgeous cheekbones! And no makeup?? You are just a natural beauty.
Glad you get some time without waiting rooms.
Gosh, is there EVER any situation where a hosptial visit (esp. to the lab) goes off without a hitch?! We can only dream. It sounds like you've been much more patient than I would've been. Sorry for your waiting, but am so incredibly blessed to hear of your visit with the boys. I LOVE the picture!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I'm also thankful that you have a reprieve from the trips to the hospital for a couple of days. Come on ANC!!!!!!
Hugs, prayers and more hugs coming your direction.
For all that you have been through, Gabby, you look amazing!!
I am so glad that you got to see your boys. And I cried tears of joy for you when I saw the beautiful picture!! I am so proud of you for being so strong! Hang in there!! You are on the road to being just as fabulous as ever! You are a great mommy and I am sure those boys cant wait to have you all to themselves.
We (Russ, the twins and I) are flying to Utah tomorrow. I will stay (fer good!) with the twins,and then Russ will fly back here to get Carter and Emma who are staying with The Bishops, the Gays and the Pratts. And then they will head out for their long journey across the country in the van on saturday.
I am glad you are able to update on your blog! I love reading it!
Take Care!! Love ya!
I thought the same thing. You face looks so striking with out hair. You look beautiful.
I loved reading about your time with the boys. I can't believe it had been 4 weeks without them!
And like I said before, you look great bald!
All of you are so nice!
I'm still not used to the sight of myself with no hair. I hope it will start growing in again soon so I don't have to get used to it!
You can thank my mom for always putting me to sleep on my belly as a baby (before the days of back-to-sleep), for my round head. Who would have thought there would be a time when I cared what shape my head is?!
My initial reaction was "wow - she looks stunning!" really - just beautiful. Clayton's favorite part was the Voldemort thing. He chuckled about it all through breakfast. I'm so glad so got to see your sweeties. You are an amazing example.
Okay seriously...you have fullfilled a secret desire of mine. To shave my head! I've always wanted to do it...just...to have done it! But, as a mom...I can't really go to church with a bald head, and be like...Uh, I just felt like it. They'd think I'd gone all Britney Spears! So...revel, and enjoy...don't just wait for it to grow back! Embrace it!
Oh Gabby I just saw your picture and I can't get over how gorgeous you are. Something about not having hair really just lets your eyes sparkle and lights up your beautiful face. Don't get me wrong, you're fab with hair too but that picture I just adore. I want to frame it so I can look at it when I need some inspiration. I bet your reunion was the best ever.
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