Change is good!

Planning on having the entire day at the Cancer Center, I arranged to have Jessica work in the office for the full day. However, being the "control freak" that I am, I get up at 6am, head to the office to "open" up. This consists of turning on all the lights, making the days fresh popcorn, opening up the computer programs with appointments, sign in and insurance submittal program.We also have this huge air filled Frankenstein that stands outside during the season to welcome all who enter. There's something about walking up to this giant that brings a smile to your face.

Once finished I call Zack and tell him to meet me in the driveway, we need to head over to the center for our 

This is the truck Zack wants to buy

8 am appointment. The plan for today was to first get a blood transfusion, then go downstairs for his first radiation treatment, once that is completed we were to go back upstairs for an additional transfusion and lovenox blood work to check his blood for possible clots. Traffic is heavy on our 45 minute drive, with people swerving in and out of lanes, cutting us off and  running up on us as if to push us to go faster. Zack notices every "cool" truck and car the passes us. What tires they have, what gas mileage it would get, what looks good, what should never have been added. Our conversations to and from are often about vehicles and his like and dislikes. He even has me talking about trucks! He has found a really nice truck and if it's still available when we get the insurance check for the totalled car and sell his older truck (we have a buyer) we would like to get this. Of course Uncle Floyd has to give it his seal of approval.

We walk into the center (sometimes I refer to it as the clinic), all the usual vitals before heading into the room for his blood transfusion. Zack decides he doesn't want the port accessed today, he offers his right arm for an IV instead. The IV goes in fairly easily, but the minute the solution goes into his system it starts to hurt. He finally asks the nurse to see if there is something she can do, it's too uncomfortable. She removed that IV and put another one in his left hand (which by the end of the day is very touchy and swollen) . This one was more comfortable and he was able to finally get settled in and rest. We weren't there thirty minutes and the staff came in and told us that the Drs. had determined Zack's numbers weren't good enough to continue with chemo or radiation this week. His blood count and  platelets are just too low and they want him to have a break to allow his body to rest. Those who know me, are aware of how I like to know what is going on, when, how and where. When anything changes, it takes me a couple of minutes to absorb the information, process and then rearrange my entire schedule in my head. Zack is thrilled, though he has a hard time showing it since he has already been given Benadryl and is quite sleepy. Dr. B. comes in and asks how Zack has been this past weekend. I tell her that he has been tired, but has been having fun with his friends and when tired comes home to rest. For the most part though, he has just kept going. (wonder where he gets that from?) I tell her about the people he met on Friday and how they said he helped them. She said "he is an amazing young man, we have several teenagers and he is so different, he takes the time and has the knowledge to help others, this is rare. You should be very proud of him." Of course being a mother, I am beaming, but this is no surprise. He has his bad moments when I want to run and hide, but when someone really needs help, he is there. I manage to get a small nap in as does Zack . We are waiting for the transfusion to end and what started out as an all day visit, turned out with us being on the road (two units  later) by 12:30. 

With the change in schedule this week,  Zack and Frank are to return Wednesday morning early for blood work and possible blood and platelets, I make a couple of phone calls. First I call work to let them know I will be in for the afternoon shift. I then call Mom's eye doctor and see if they can fit us in tomorrow for an exam. Mom has been having problems with one eye and her appointment wasn't for another two weeks. Knowing that I have tomorrow free I decide to take advantage of the time off and get her eyes taken care of. I also call our hairdresser and see if she can fit either both or one of us in her schedule tomorrow. As it turns out she was on her way to her sons college town to see him, he was just admitted to the hospital for a possible appendicitis. Zack and I grab lunch in Brevard and by two he drops me off at the old library where early voting is taking place. Again, I had decided to take care of this, since we never know where we are going to be on voting day. I mentioned to Zack that the one thing I am learning from this treatment is to accept change a lot faster. He tells me with pride that I'm doing a really good job, Kind of cute! 

I arrive at the office and work the afternoon. It's nice to be back at work, I am able to take care of business and am back home by 6:30 pm. Frank and Zack are outside working on the driveway trying to make repairs to the large holes in the concrete with a new compound Frank has discovered,. I head inside to fix dinner. Yup I said it, I fixed dinner! There is something about having new countertops and new flooring. I am in love with my kitchen and was actually excited about cooking,. Not sure how long that will last, but for now I'm sure everyone will benefit. Once finished with the project, Zack heads out to see his friend for a couple of hours and when he returns at 9 pm, offers to take Sidi (our dog) to the vet in the morning. Frank had made an appointment for him to get checked. He has a red and swollen eye and is scratching his skin raw. (I had to put on the Elizabethan collar again).  Zack tells me to sleep in a bit before heading to Hendersonville at noon. For some reason he likes taking the dog to the vet (maybe there's a cute assistant!) . It's nice to see him with energy again (very common after transfusions). I emailed all of his teachers and vice principal with my discontent of him not being better guided with his school work (4 weeks since his last home visit!), so the emails started pouring in with offers to visit and homework assignments. He will be a very busy young man this week getting all of his work caught up.