Maybe a turn

We may have turned the corner in the headache department. She woke up this morning and immediately starting playing with Carly and her doctor kit. I was sitting there watching and silently thinking what in the world is going on. I didn't mention the headache for about 45 minutes. I certainly did not want to remind her of it. She kept playing. (she hasn't really played in a long long time) So then, I finally had to mention it. I said "you don't have a headache right now, do you?" And she said no and that she felt fine.

Okay. Wow. Good. Great. Shortly after that she had to go to the hospital for what we thought was a blood transfusion. I was a little worried about this...because her hemoglobin was 10 on Sunday and they called and told me it was 7 on Tuesday. That is a very large drop in a very short time. But, we have to do what we have to do. But when they drew blood today, she was back at a 10.....so it was a mistake. Not sure how it happened, it could have been a diluted blood sample or something. I personally asked them to test her because I thought she had needed platelets. She had some pinpoint bruising (a tell tale sign for us leukemia parents). And in fact, she did! She needed platelets instead. The reading on that was also wrong yesterday, but today she was dangerously low (18) so they gave her a bag of those. She also got her last dose of ARA-C chemo and was then de-accessed. She did really good through all of it. And the doctors both felt she looked good and they weren't overly concerned with the headache. Of course at this point it was subsiding anyway. They also thought her lungs sounded better.

I learned a valuable lesson today too. Don't take a 2 year old with you to a (very) long clinic visit. Actually, Ally was there 5 hours today. Carly and I were there for 3 of the hours (Jerad did the rest) And Carly really is a very very good girl. But you just can't expect a 2 year old to sit through a three hour doctors appointment. It's just torture for all parties involved. I was physically exhausted by the end of it. But now I know!

As soon as we got home, about 4pm, Ally had a headache. Which made me sad. She asked for the Vicodin and I gave it to her. She went back to the dark room, but then later she did go with us to have dinner with my Dad tonight and she was fine up there. So, I am hoping it is improvement and that we have turned the corner.

At one point today, I had this physical sensation that my heart felt a little lighter. I actually felt it. My heart has been so heavy lately. And I was thinking...why do I feel just a little better? But I realized it was because she had just given me a little smile. And then I looked out the window and the sun was shining. Those two things can make me feel so much better.

So here is hoping tomorrow is even a little brighter.

PS Thanks to all of you who are giving advice on spinal headaches. Something new for us, but I will take any knowledge that I can get. I have talked to quite a few of you that have experienced this pain and it sounds awful. It is awful.