January 3--Day 2 (post-Cytoxan)

My mom and dad got home around 8 last night. Unfortunately, my mom did end up getting sick as soon as they got on the highway. That was disappointing for all of us.

Because this type of chemotherapy drug can cause serious damage to the kidneys my dad kept a timer running all night. Every two hours he woke my mom up so that she could drink water and go to the bathroom. Not a real restful night, but the alternative is less than ideal.

I was surprised this morning when my mom called. She sounded fine. She said that she felt remarkably well, almost normal. And we (girls included) can see her this weekend before the drug starts knocking down her white counts!

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I didn't sleep too well last night--I worried all night. I kept saying to myself They're fine. They're adults and you are an adult. They can handle this--it isn't the first time.  I did get up and check my cell phone a few times--I don't typically leave it on at night.

That got me thinking, however, that we need to come up with a plan. If my dad needs me in the middle of the night I need to know that he'll call me. He needs to know that I'll be there no matter what.

Last transplant they went somewhere without telling me (yes, they're adults), but I panicked the entire time I couldn't not reach them. My dad was also in an accident a few days after her first chemotherapy and I had to help to take care of both of them. He was on crutches and in pain and she was too weak to do much. It was surreal, but we did it with the help of my grandparents.

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My girls were not born last time so the concept of hair loss is foreign to them. Alyssa (5) asked a very logical question of my mom, "Where does the hair go?" The last two days she's asked me if Gammy's hair fell out already. She doesn't understand that my mom will look normal today but in a week or so she'll be bald. My husband suggested that the girls ask Gammy if she had a picture of her without hair. She found one this morning that we'll share with the kids to help answer their questions. I'm curious what their reaction will be like.