Pages

    Monday, November 19, 2007

    Clinic, New Friends and POOP!

    We had our first clinic today, and it was a wonderful day (with one exception). For those of you that don't know, clinic is where Cole is treated as an out-patient. He gets fluids, chemo and minor procedures done there. If he needs blood, he can get it there. It's a great alternative to being stuck in a hospital room and the kids seem to love it.

    Clinic is a very busy place. Everyone hangs out in a very comfortable common room, with little "bays" off to the side, which are first come first serve. There is a play room with tons of toys off the back of the room and a row of TVs with Playstations hooked up to them (which can also be used for playing videos). The patients get their meds/chemo while sitting in some very comfortable recliners, and the parents get chairs off to the side of the recliners. The bays are little semi-private rooms that anyone can grab and what we're going to grab next time, if we can. Above all, community and comfort seem to be stressed there.

    We arrived bright and early at 8:15 am and sat down to see how things would go. We had a mountain of bags, and I felt a little silly with them all, once the other folks started arriving. None of them had a laptop bag, bookbag, breast pump and diaper bag. Oh well, I'll know better for next time, though I don't see how we'll reduce the number, hehe.

    Early on, we noticed another little boy motoring around. His name is Charlie, he's 2, like Cole, and could be Cole's brother! He has the same color hair and eyes as Cole and the same type of frame, but he's taller. His parents are named Angela and IV (as in, the 4th). They turned out to be a very needed and comforting source of information today.

    Charlie has a very rare type of cancer, one that only about 80 people world-wide have. There are many side-effects, but he's recovering better than expected. He's in his maintenance phase now.

    We spent most of the day talking to Charlie's parents. They pointed us in the direction of some assistance programs and they talked about how they coped with things. It was awesome to meet them and Charlie. We exchanged info with them, and hopefully this'll be the start of a good friendship between all of us. Charlie was certainly hip on sharing his food with Cole!

    The day went quickly and Cole got a lot of fluid. The more he got, the better he seemed. At lunch, he started asking for food, "Daddy, I want some potato chips!" It was the first whole sentence I'd heard him speak in a few days. After that, he and Charlie set out on an eating bonanza!

    Then, the one unfortunate thing about this day occurred. One of the chemo patients coded and didn't make it. It's a very rare occurrence in clinic, so much so that our nurse today had never seen it happen (she's been there two years). The staff was devastated, to say the least.

    When the patient started coding, they asked the rest of the patients to stay out of the common area and in rooms. First, for the number of staff that were running the code, and later for respect for the family and the body. It was a sobering reminder that nothing in this is guaranteed.

    We went into a room with Charlie and his parents and spent the afternoon watching Diego and eating.

    After almost everyone in the clinic had left, Cole pooped! He also started chatter-boxing away and acting like his old self. It was wonderful!

    We left out of clinic around 6 pm. It was a long day, but well worth it.

    When we got back home, Cole tore into a package of toys someone had sent him and ran around the house for the first time in over a week. Having our healthy-acting little boy back was a wonderful treat to end the day.

    6 comments:

    Rob Shell said...

    Michael,

    I'm terribly sorry to hear this terrible news about Cole. However, I am very happy to see that things are slowly but surely getting better. I will keep Cole, you, and the rest of your family in my prayers.

    rob

    Martha from NC said...

    Dear Sweet Dalynn,
    How many years has it been? I think the last time I saw you was at Lisa's wedding!! My how time flies. Oh how I miss the good old days at PVBC.
    I stay in touch with Shelley and she told me about your precious Cole. Please know that I am praying for a miracle for him. God is the Great Physician and I believe He can heal Cole. Hoping that today has been a better day and that tomorrow's test results will be perfect!!
    May you feel the comfort of the Holy Spirit during this time.
    Love to all of you,
    Martha Holmes
    (Alan Spell's Mom)

    Suzanne McCarthy said...

    Michael and Dalynn,
    Praise the Lord for poop, and every other good thing that He has provided. Sounds like you have some new friends and Cole has a new little buddy to play with. I think about you guys all the time, and keep lifting you up to the Father. I know that He will take care of your every need, because His grace is sufficient. Praying now for a good nights sleep and some good news tomorrow. Saw Chad Biggerstaff tonight and he said to tell you they are praying for you. I love you, Suzanne

    Suzanne McCarthy said...

    Michael and Dalynn,
    Praise the Lord for poop, and every other good thing that He has provided. Sounds like you have some new friends and Cole has a new little buddy to play with. I think about you guys all the time, and keep lifting you up to the Father. I know that He will take care of your every need, because His grace is sufficient. Praying now for a good nights sleep and some good news tomorrow. Saw Chad Biggerstaff tonight and he said to tell you they are praying for you. I love you, Suzanne

    Suzanne McCarthy said...

    Michael and Dalynn,
    Praise the Lord for poop, and every other good thing that He has provided. Sounds like you have some new friends and Cole has a new little buddy to play with. I think about you guys all the time, and keep lifting you up to the Father. I know that He will take care of your every need, because His grace is sufficient. Praying now for a good nights sleep and some good news tomorrow. Saw Chad Biggerstaff tonight and he said to tell you they are praying for you. I love you, Suzanne

    rls03 said...

    Michael,

    I'm terribly sorry to hear this terrible news about Cole. However, I am very happy to see that things are slowly but surely getting better. I will keep Cole, you, and the rest of your family in my prayers.

    rob