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9/20/05

9:15 PM Today's clinic visit went very well. Sophie and I left around 5:50 this morning and got to the clinic around 7:20. I was surprised how heavy traffic was, but it moved along pretty smoothly. Sophie was #2 in the sedation order, so she got checked in, checked out, and knocked out all in a matter of an hour or so. She was very agitated going into the sedation room (she later called it the "scary room"), but the anesthesia works really, really quickly and before long she was out. She was still agitated as she was waking up, and it took a long time for her to come around. Of course, it was the prospect of cheese grits that finally snapped her out of her funk. The boy who came out of sedation after her had a much harder time. I felt so bad for him and his family, and we have been there (the time when Sophie had some bad reaction to the sedation).

I met a little boy (Ryan) and his dad today at the clinic. Ryan was diagnosed in July, and it seems as if he and his family are still reeling from the diagnosis and the initial phases of the treatment. It was pretty amazing to talk through those first few weeks with someone who is going through all of it right now. As a family, we have all come a long, long way from February, and I never would have imagined being in the position of encouraging another parent that everything is likely to get better.

Susan rested a fair amount today (although she admits that she worked some--she can't just put that sort of thing down). Elisabeth had a great day at school and she is beside herself with excitement about the field trip tomorrow. It'll be another early morning in our house (Elisabeth has to be at school by 7am). Susan will spend the night in the Triangle tomorrow evening so that she can attend her two-day meeting.

Given all the medicine pumped into Sophie today (Zofran for nausea, Ara-C, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate in her spinal fluid, not to mention the usual antiobiotics and the anesthesia, thioguanine this evening), she was in good spirits. She was giggling and making fun all night. When Sophie and I were playing with some of the toys at the clinic, I discovered that Sophie can spell her own name (well, I coached her a little bit, but she got the hang of it pretty quickly). Susan was especially impressed when I said, "Sophie, how do you spell your name?" and Sophie piped up, "S-O-P-H-I-E!" Now that she's feeling strong again, she seems to be really engaged in learning letters and numbers and the like. It's great to watch her progress.