Hannah's Test Site

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, we are dressed in green today to celebrate with the nursing staff, and the proton staff. Hannah was handing out stickers, and putting them on her wheelchair. Today was treatment #7. We only have one more week and one day of the full spine and head treament, so we're counting down those days. Once that part is over, her treatments will only be about 1/2 hour in length which means less anesthesia, so maybe a better reaction afterwards.

Yesterday and today Hannah had some nausea in the morning before her beam treatment. When we arrived for treament yesterday she did throw up, then it became a question of whether or not they would treat her. Since she is face down during treatment, and her face rests in this mesh mask made for her, it's dangerous to be on the anesthesia if there is a risk of vomiting during the treatment. They gave her a couple anti-nausea meds and she perked right up, so they ended up going ahead with her beam treatment, because she really shouldn't miss a day. Today she had the nausea again, but no vomiting. They think it's probably just one of the side effects from the radiation.

Her appetite is also still dimished, but they are not treating it with meds yet, because her weight has remained stable. Today after her treament, she simply refused to eat. I finally ended up bribing her to eat, and it cost me $2.50 for lunch and $2 for dinner. She tried to get me for snacks too, but I rejected that for fear of becoming broke. She likes to browse the gift shop for things like little trinket bath toys and I like it also because it gets us out of the room for a while.

We're excited that Colby and Dad are coming tomorrow. We hope they're coming anyway. The weather today has been very bad, it started snowing about noon and hasn't stopped. Most of the day you couldn't see outside at all. It may be turning more to rain now, so we'll see what tomorrow brings. Hopefully, the ferry service will still be running and we get to see Colby and Dad!

Today was toy day Friday. Our nurse, Rachel (who is just the best) picked out some horse items especially for Hannah, and today Hannah chose an airhog flying airplane! We spent a good 30 minutes tonight flying it in the hallway with Nicholas, our next door neighbor with ALL (leukemia). He is just the cutest little boy, he is 6 years old, and undergoing chemo right now. He got the biggest kick out of sharing it with Hannah. He is always bringing her little gifts, today it was a pinwheel, yesterday a NY Yankees baseball card since he knows she is from New York. Hannah also gets de-accessed on Fridays, so it's nice to have the tubing off of her port. Fridays are good days all around.

We heard today that there is another child starting proton beam on Monday with the same diagnosis as Hannah. This child is 8 years old. I feel like we're the seasoned old timers now. Our first day I felt like anyone could have picked us easily out of the room, the family that looked scared and uncomforable and were crying by themselves, unable to talk to anyone else in the room. It's not easy now, but it is easier than it was. We usually see the same familles, and the same adults there for treatment, because our times are pretty consistent. I hope that this time we can be the ones to provide a little comfort to the "new family" as they start their journey also.

XO
Kim and Dave