Home sweet Home

Last night was the night from Hell. Besides the regular checks (which we totally understand) by the nurses, the room phone rings at midnight. I get off of the double mattress "makeshift bed", go to answer it and no one is there. I go back to bed, fall back asleep and there it goes again. I get up answer it again. no one is there. I call the Hospital operator and ask if she transferred someone to our room, she explains they are not allowed to do that after 11 pm, so I decide to unplug the phone. I just fall asleep and am awakened again at 2 am by an alarm, at first I think it's Zack's IV monitor, but realize it is much louder and out in the hall. It was  the fire alarm  followed by a woman's voice screaming "Code Red Radiology, 2nd floor room A....." she repeats that over and over and over again, while the alarm continues to sound. Thankfully, Zack is sleeping through it. I open the door and there is no sign of anyone, anywhere. Of course being so tired I'm thinking they all left us here to die. (dramatic much?). I call the nurses station and ask what is going on, she says "oh, you can hear that in your room?, I'm sorry, it's just the alarm on the second floor" and she hangs up. I know I'm still sleepy but aren't we on the third floor, doesn't smoke and fire go up? The alarm continues to sound and the voice follows. I call for our nurse Liz who comes in quickly. She apologizes and said she too didn't realize we could hear it. She said something just happened down on 2 and the fire department is handling it. "Do we need to do something?" Oh no, they would have come up by now, plus we have fire walls for added protection. I tell her "as long as I know the procedure in place, I'm good." She leaves and I finally feel like I can go back to sleep.

We wake up around 9 am. At least I was able to get a couple of hours of steady sleep. Zack wakes up ready to go. He wants out of this place. I shower and start to collect all our belongings. He eats his breakfast while I take a load down to the car. He is not feeling that well, but at this point it is mostly because he wants to be home in his own room, hanging out with his friends. We watch a couple of goofy "chick" flicks and Sam (the day nurse) checks up on him periodically. Sam is from Canada originally and we discuss the difference in Health Care. She said there are plus' and minus' in every kind of care. She too, as personal experience with family members and cancer, but seems less attached than the others. More "taking care of business", which is also a great way to handle this disease. We all learn to handle it in our own way. She teases Zack asking him if he's okay because he is watching these kind of movies. He just laughs and says he is too lazy to change the channel and if it makes Mom happy....

Lunch arrives and Zack inhales it. At first he didn't want to eat but decided it was better for him to get something in his stomach. The food hasn't been that great for him, but he has managed to eat most of what they bring him. He can tell he is weak from not walking around and getting outside, which he hopes to remedy once we are home and he builds up his strength. Sam comes in and tells us the doctor is there and will be down in a moment to discharge him.

Within 30 minutes Dr. Bottom walks in wearing a blue butterfly shirt. I look at it and tell her and Zack that Dad is with us. I tell her a very brief story about the blue butterfly and she looks at us and says "you're father is definitely here with us and you can now go home" We grab our stuff and head out the door saying goodbye as we are walking. We do not want to be stopped by anyone. As we leave, we say "see you in a month" and the door closes behind us.

Zack steps outside and stops. He takes a deep breath and says "THAT'S what the outside smells like." It's nice to see him smile again. We drive home stopping to grab me lunch I can eat on the road. We arrive home and immediately Zack runs to his room. It looks great. The painting, new floor that Frank installed while we were gone looks amazing. I make up Zack's bed, fluff it up a bit as he installs his computer.There is a wonderful surprise waiting for us, Frank shows me a lasagna, salad, bread and dessert, all homemade by Nancy (my BFF) (I usually would buy someone a Stoeffers frozen, trust me no one wants my lasagna... LOL). Frank has gone to get the new prescription filled (one hour TYVM) and I am now ready to go lay in my own bed and watch my mindless shows.

We have tomorrow "off" from running around. Frank and I will be working while Zack is home resting and putting his room back the way he wants it. Tuesday we go back for the Neulasta shot and we head back home. This week will be a good week without treatments. We will enjoy this time for sure!!