A discernible pattern has emerged these last couple of weeks. Whenever Jackie stays the night in the hospital, it’s a long night. She has certainly gotten the shorter end of the stick lately. Hopefully, she is sound asleep by now. As it turns out, the night was merely a portent. We had vomit, diarrhea, a slight fever and much crankiness. She retained a good amount of fluid over night so that didn’t help at all. First thing in the morning she was literally attached to me, then she was attached to Jackie. Then she just wasn’t feeling well all day. To top it all off, she had a reaction to the red blood cell transfusion. She started to sweat and throw up. That was fun.

We had to change the bandages on her trunk and the hickman line dressing as well. We’ve been giving her versed for that but today it just didn’t work as well as other days. She was quite uncooperative. When Rafi is uncooperative, she does damage. To herself of course. By the time she calmed down and stopped being just out of control, it was bed time. Indubitably, Rafi decided this was the time she had to watch Kung Fu Panda. Thankfully she was in a good mood. She became talkative and generally hilarious. She was cracking up the nursing staff and one of the residents came in to see her because she heard Rafi was in such a good mood.

During this time and out of nowhere, Rafi tells me she wants to ride a horse, a green horse, at the carousel. It took me awhile to figure out what she was saying but I finally understood. Yesterday we watched Mary Poppins and she loves the carousel part. As this conversation progressed, we decided to go outside tomorrow and go to the swings. She got very excited. Then we had the following conversation:
Rafi: “we go home then?”
Daddy: “we are home for right now”
Rafi: “we not home, we in the hospital. Why am I in the hospital?”

I thought, oh know how am I going to answer this in under a few minutes. I just wanted her to go to sleep. Fearing a long conversation was unfolding I figured I would just cut to the chase.

Daddy: “we are here to get you all better”
Rafi: “OK, you put medicine in my tubies”

I don’t care if it is pouring rain tomorrow, this kid is going the swings. I will go and buy a huge umbrella if necessary. Some of the things coming out of her mouth tonight were downright hilarious. I honestly can’t remember any of the things she said right now. I just know she had people laughing, and made Carrie (our middle of the evening nurse) a little amazed when Rafi asked for oxycodone and tylenol, by name, because her stomach hurt.

So we are hopeful that tomorrow is a better day. If there is an actual pattern, it will be a very fun day tomorrow with her. Oh yeah I almost forgot, she had a huge jump in numbers today again.

WBC = 5.4
ANC = 3.3

It’s quarter to twelve right now, and we just did the second vitals check in 10 minutes. Her blood pressure is still high (this after three different blood pressure medications) and she is getting her platelet infusion. So there is no real point to go to bed right now as I will have to be up in 45 minutes to take more vitals. So I will be tired tomorrow. Oh well.

Until tomorrow………..