Memphis, TN
I can’t believe it’s been almost a week since I’ve written. We got up at 4:30 am last Wednesday to start our journey. Our dear friends picked us up to take us to the airport so we could avoid the Uber experience with car seats, thank you, Brandon. The flights were great. Southwest was gracious about getting us in an aisle of our own. Cruz had a blast watching out the window and Kai was a trooper, sleeping and playing. All in all, uneventful which is always nice.
Chasen found our little home for the time being. It’s a cute little place on Mud Island, which is very close to St. Jude. Wednesday night when we landed, Kai and I headed straight to the hospital. We did our COVID screening, vitals, met some of the team and then headed to the house for the night. Thursday and Friday were long days back at the hospital to meet the rest of the doctors and nurses that will be supporting Kai though this process.
Friday, Kai had another MRI of his brain and spine. Another LP to check his cerebral fluid. They did a sedated hearing test that will establish his baseline before treatment. Unfortunately, hearing issues are common during/after Chemo. For now, they have spared us the additional (I’m certain) long list of side effects and risks associated with treatment. One thing at a time.
We got lovely news that his scans were negative for any new growth. His LP/CSF Fluid is also negative. He will have an ultrasound on his kidneys tomorrow to get one additional look at them for signs of growth before treatment begins.
We also got a wonderful update that we would get the weekend and Monday to be home. Relax, continue to heal. Have regular, mundane, and WONDERFUL WONDERFUL family time.
It’s rainy here so we got out when we had some clearing. We went to Bass Pro shop (hehe) which is close to us and looks a lot like the Luxor in Vegas, really. Cruz sat at the front door last night watching lighting and listening to thunder. Naming them from “kid lightening” to “mama lightning” and “dada lightning” which gave us plenty of entertainment.
Kai is started to hold his little body and head up in very short increments of time. We will take it. I love to watch him get stronger. Watch his incisions heal and little to him babble and move his body around like he was before all of this started (which is a month ago already, wow).
As I type, March 1, Kai turns 8 months. He is loved so very much and Cruz wants to throw him a party tonight with cookies, so I’ll be going out to grab some balloons.
We still don’t have a place to live but continue to work on it.
Our cars should arrive tonight or tomorrow, which will be a nice bit of normalcy.
Once we find a place, we can ask for our belongings to start their journey to us. Cruz really wants his jeep to drive around.
One. Step. At. A. Time.