Make his a double please!

Donald napping during the long day!

Our day started out very early. I left the boys to get ready at 6:30 as I went into the office to make sure everything was open and set up for the day. I stop at the gas station and grab "breakfast and drinks" for the boys and fill the tank. Zack texts me to make sure I'm okay and tells me they are ready and waiting.  Though I really just wanted it to be Zack and myself today (it is getting costly to feed another teenage boy every day), Donald asks if he could go. Zack asked if it was okay, just this once. Hey, he likes having his friends along, so how can I say no. 

Zack snoozing 

We arrive at the center for his 8 am appointment. His port is accessed, labs are drawn and within an hour we are told he would need two units of blood and platelets. He had fallen down the stairs at Drake's house the other day and now has a large bruise on his leg. This is usually a clear sign of the need for platelets. Doctor S comes in and checks out the bruising so he can mark Zacks chart. He mentions it's the size of a grapefruit and asks if it hurts. Zack has become so tough, he just looks at the Doctor and says "nah, it's okay." We usually have our appointments scheduled for Tuesdays, but the clinic was so full, we had not option but to go today, luckily Jess covered the office, so I was able to put all my attention on Zack.  Having Donald with us all day was fine with the exception of TOO MUCH TESTOSTERONE!!!! By the end of the day I was exhausted! The nurses asked me how I'm still calm after the day, I tell them if it makes Zack happy, I'm happy. BUT.. I did tell the boys there will not be any more friends for the day long treatments, it's simply too much!! That is when both Zack and I can catch up on our rest, especially when we start out so early.

While we were waiting for the blood to arrive (it can take up to two hours), Melanie tells us we can all go and grab lunch and return within the hour. Zack and Donald want hot wings (no surprise) and since Zack is okay to drive, I contact Rhonda, who picks me up for lunch, while the boys go and get their favorite.  I am less lively at lunch this time around. My sinus' are still feeling pretty bad and with little sleep last night and an early morning, I am more apt to fall asleep on the bench than to eat and talk. Luckily Rhonda had plenty to catch me up on, so I could listen and simply enjoy her company. It feels so good to have the relationship we now have. It has been a long, hard road for us both and we are now better sisters than we have ever been.

A little over an hour later, Rhonda drops me off and the boys are already in place and ready for the transfusion, which has just arrived as well.  We settle in for the afternoon, Zack is now in the recliner/ massage chair, Donald is back on the bed (Zack hates being on the beds) and I am in the upright chair. I open my laptop, put on my "Charmed" series on Netflix, which is nearing the end of the entire series (need to find what will be next).  I find myself being nudged by Zack, who tells me I fell asleep and was snoring so loud I woke all of the children on the floor. Problem is, he wasn't exaggerating. I AM a loud snorer!! To wake up a bit, I walk down the hall to use the restroom. The doors swing in and out to enable the patients to enter and exit easily with their IV poles. I unlock the door as I exit and it won't open, I push and it doesn't budge, I can't even press down on the door knob. Of course in the past I would have panicked, today all I can think of is "well there could be worse places to get trapped". Just as I am ready to holler for help the door opens and there stands Angie and the other nurses, laughing hysterically ! They said my face was so red when I opened the door, I was pushing and pulling so hard and yet nothing. It was hilarious!! Of course, Angie knows payback is hell and the nurses were running around telling her she was going to be "written up" in the blog. We got a great laugh out of that one!!!

We finish up around 5 pm and both boys announce they are ready for dinner. We stop at a steak house and I give the boys a price range as I know all too well, they could easily order $15.00 steaks, which is NOT in the budget! We bring something home for Frank as well and head back home. I drop off both boys at the house with instructions for Donald to be brought either home or to Drakes for the night. I leave and run to the office to close everything from the day and prepare for tomorrow. Being super OCD I'm never sure what I will find when gone for an entire day. Well, everything was just perfect, neat orderly and ready for me to do what I do best, put on the finishing touches. I enter a new patient in the computer, re activate a couple of patients, pull files for the next day, close out the days bookkeeping and empty the trash. After a little over an hour, I am ready for tomorrow and ready to head home.

Once I arrive home, Zack follows quickly behind alone and we are all ready for a quiet remainder of the day.  Frank is already sound asleep on the couch and as I give him a gentle kiss hello, he opens his eyes and says "good morning!" I smile and not having the heart to wake him up say "good night" . He'll figure it all out later. He has been putting in long days trying to wrap up the latest contract, so when he arrives home, he is totally worn out.

We don't have to return to the Cancer Center until next week Tuesday, when Zack will have the chemo treatment he was meant to have today. His body will have the rest of the week to heal and with the double transfusion and platelets today, he will heal quicker. I should be able to spend some time with Mom this weekend and finish up the annual personal tax preparation for our CPA, as well as have some quality time with my hubby and son!