Day 19 - Better than Day 18

She smiled today. When I left her just after noon today, she had a smile on her face and said she felt good. That alone is an indication that her day was a better one. Here's what her sister Kelley had to say:

Hey everyone! I wanted to let you know....we are not avoiding calls! Sorry! I think just about everyone called today....and we were ASLEEP. :) Yup...great sleep. Courtney is feeling 100% better today and we took advantage of it....by taking naps.

We are just getting up and will go for a walk before dinner. So...if you call this evening, we should be awake and answering the phone.

They stopped her heavy duty antibiotic (she is still on one) and switched some meds up a little....so we are really hoping the worst is over. She probably will still have some stomach problems...but hopefully not as bad. This is day 14 since the chemo started. So...she is either right on the hump or just starting the other side of it! That is good.

Her counts were good: .1 WBCs, and her platelets and hemoglobin were high enough she did not need any blood products. She probably will tomorrow...but for today we are enjoying it. Everything else was pretty much the same. The doctor said we may see some blasts pop up during the recovery phase and not to worry...that does happen and does not mean anything. I really like Dr. Jordan's partner! So...that is my afternoon update! Going to get something to drink and we are going to take it easy.

love you. Kelley

Emma had a fever when I went to bed last night so I had her sleep with me. I let her sleep in, but since she was feeling fine and had no fever, I took her to school. Then, when I got home from work she had a fever again but still said she was feeling fine. She looked tired and felt warm so I laid her in our bed. Shortly thereafter she threw up. Apparently this is the 'feel good' virus. Usually vomiting causes a lot of crying, but, oddly enough, she laughed in the shower as the vomit was washed off her. Then she started singing, "What will you wear Jenny Jenkins?" I didn't even know she knew the words to the song. It was very cute, and I was glad she wasn't 'feeling' sick despite obviously being sick.

Unfortunately, being around and caring for sick children necessitates that I take extra precautions with regards to my visits to Courtney. So, the surest way of keeping whatever germs I have from being transferred to Courtney is to not visit her at all. That's easier said than done. The extra bed in her hospital room isn't nearly as comfortable as our bed at home, but I would give anything to be with her each day and night, even if that meant sleeping on the floor. Well, anything except leaving a sick child at home without a parent. I gotta go. A smiling Emma just came from her room covered in you know what.