A Long Day

Today we got to sleep past 5:00 am which was so nice! Mom and Aunt D had appointments at 8:30 (on different floors of course!) so first I went with Mom until Dad got there and then I headed up to hang with Aunt D. Today they removed Mom's pic line and put in her central line (or whatever they call it) in her clavicle (upper chest) area. She was very anxious about the procedure and was very emotional before having it done. After is was over, she was seemed much more relaxed. Aunt D had blood work and had to get everyone straighted out with that! Both were finished before lunch so we ate bbq in the cafeteria. It was pretty good but the homemade peach cobbler made in a cast iron skillet was yummy (which reminds me, I need to get my leftovers before Dad eats it!). After lunch Aunt D and Mom headed to the family center where they sat and talked (Mom usually lays down and naps) while Dad and I went and checked out of the hotel. Let me know you, 4 adults in a hotel room with all of their stuff is crowded. We were wild last night. . . .the 3 oldest were in bed before 10 pm and I wasn't far behind them! Once we got back, we headed to our class which the schedule said was on the 8th floor at the stemcell center (one side of the hospital). Well, we actually had to go back to the 3rd floor, find elevator F and head up to the 10th floor (on the other side of the building). On the way we hit a bump (Mom got sick) and had to stop and get cleaned up and then we were on our way again. We were less than 15 minutes late (which is pretty good!).
Our meeting was to give us more information on what to expect once Mom is admitted for the transplant. We learned a lot and I know that Aunt D and I feel better and I hope that Mom and Dad feel that way also. We were told what the daily routine is like, what to expect from the doctors, nurses, etc, we found out which floor we want Mom to be on, we also found out that what we think isolation means is not what it actually means for her. We also leaned that the 100 days starts the day she receives her transplant, we learned that the patients are encouraged (yes, I said encouraged) to make their room as homey as possible and last but not least, we want Mom to earn lots and lots of M&Ms. :)
Aunt D will have blood work this coming Monday and they will harvest her stemcells on Tuesday. If they don't get enough on Tuesday, she will need to return on Wednesday. We are so very lucky that both Aunt D and Uncle D were matches and that they were both so willing to help.
Well, I am going for now. Thanks for everything!