Yet another segment: part 3

This post is just a lot of information kind of thrown together.  So, bear with me!!

I do want to mention I did have a lot of family and friends come visit me while I was at the hospital, too.  My family and my church family has been there for me every step of the way!

Sher and Joy came down from Michigan and were a HUGE help! 

Sher and Jackie worked up a little schedule for one of them to be with either Sadie or me.  So, neither of us would be alone. And, Joy stayed home with Charlotte and Audrey.
I wanted Sadie to feel as comfortable as possible, I didn't want her to be scared.  If I could have ripped those IV's out of my arm and been by her side, I would have.  It broke my heart to not be able to be with her.  I couldn't even SEE her!  Mama bear was happy with the plan they came up with.

Finally, after 3 full days in the hospital, she was able to go home!  The RSV was basically gone!  Praise the Lord!  Hallelujah!  She still had to follow up with her pediatrician, 3 days later, but she could go home!!  She was so happy to be back with her sisters and to go home and play with her toys!
They came by my room and waved at me from the door.  With my compromised immune system, we couldn't take the chance of the girls, Sadie, especially, getting to close to me.  I cried like a baby when they left.  I just wanted to hold them. 
Saturday afternoon, when I talked to my dad and told him that Sadie had been discharged, he told me some terrible news.  My grandparents home had caught fire, burned down.  They got out of the house fine, thank God.  But the house was a goner.  There was more bad news: My Uncle was in the hospital as well.  He was facing the possibility of losing his foot to diabetes.  What's worse is that my Aunt had just moved all of his belongings to my Grandparents home so when he got discharged, they would all be together.  So, they all lost everything.  So sad.  They are okay.  They seem to be taking it in stride.  Which is amazing to me!  Our family had been taking a beating those few days.

Sunday morning came.  The morning our Lord and Savior raised from the dead.  It was Easter Sunday.  And, I was in the hospital. But, I was so thankful I could see another Easter.  I told Jackie I wanted him to take the girls to church.  There was no reason we all had to miss it.  I THINK Sher stayed home with Sadie, just to be on the safe side. But, it might have been Joy. I am not sure.  The girls looked beautiful, though.  I had bought all the Easter dresses before we moved, but hadn't taken the time while I was sick at home, to put everything together.  So, Joy was texting pictures to me on Sunday morning, making sure they looked how I had pictured!  I thought that was so sweet of her. I really wanted to have a part in their Sunday, and so in a small way, I did.

 

I love Sadie's face! She was not happy she couldn't go with her sisters.

My biopsy results came in.  It was official: I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
We had been praying it was that small 1% chance that I just had some kind of crazy infection and not Leukemia.  That's where my mind was when Dr. # 2 confirmed it was cancer.
Unfortunately, it wasn't the end of the "bad news", the cancer cells that had taken over my marrow, had a genetic mutation {think teenage mutant ninja turtles, but not nearly as fun, and not one of them was named Michelangelo.}
Which made it more difficult to get rid of.  I was going to have chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant.
Dr.#2 gave us some options: I could be treated in our hometown hospital {where I was currently} or choose to go to another hospital or cancer center.  2 options which were given was Duke and Chapel Hill.  We agonized and prayed over the pros and cons of staying vs leaving. I wanted the convenience of being close to home, but we knew going to a Cancer Center or a hospital with a bigger Oncology department gave me better chances.  So, we decided.  Chapel Hill.

Our hospital made all the arrangements and I was going to leave on Monday evening.
Monday morning, I needed to have a catheter put in.  Instead of having an IV and being poked and prodded every 5 minutes and looking like a pin cushion, a catheter could be left in for an extended period of time.
The surgeon went over the procedure with me.  That's right, I said surgeon.  Surgery.  I've never had surgery.  Can we say panic attack?  He then told me that I was going to be awake for it.  AWAKE!?  No, no, no, no.  When you get cut open, I go to la-la land.  No ifs, ands or buts.  AWAKE!?
I was going to be heavily medicated, so I wouldn't feel anything {I WOULD HOPE SO}.  But, still AWAKE.  They wheeled me down outside the OR while they got everything prepared.  A couple of doctors and nurses came by to check on me.  I was crying.  I was shaking.  They told me they would give me something to calm my nerves. Thank you, God!
It was GO time.  They wheeled me in the OR, I was still shaking and still crying.  But, making jokes.  I don't remember what I said, but I made myself laugh and that's all that ever matters. 
They nurses came in and they lifted me by the bed sheet onto the operating table.  It felt like I was in a movie or a TV show.  I waited for the director to come out and say CUT!  But, he didn't.  The anestheiologist came in and administered the drugs in my IV and that's the last thing I remember!
I WAS OUT!!  Praise the Lord!  The next thing I know, I am waking up in recovery! I was so happy I didn't remember a thing! So, the Lord did answer my prayer!  I had to ask for forgiveness for my doubting Him.  He did what He promised and I doubted Him.  The God of the universe.  He truly does care for His children.  Even with that being such a little thing. It meant a lot to me.

 

This is what I am stuck with until my cancer is in remission and I have a transplant:



 

The bandaid on my neck is where the scar is, where they cut me. So, not too bad.

From the bandaid back towards the big circle thing in the middle of the white bandage is a tunnel.

Essentially, that tunnel takes the medicine straight to my vein. And, it also takes blood out of my vein and down the tubes. For times when they draw blood to be tested {which was every day}

This is also where I will be hooked up to chemo and it will go straight to my bloodstream.

 

Later that day, we were preparing to move me to Chapel Hill.  Jackie and I had agonized and prayed over what to do with the girls while I was in Chapel Hill. I wanted them near me.  And, we both wanted to keep the family together as much as possible.  So, my sister, Lisa, and my best friend, Christina both offered to trade off staying with the girls after Sher and Joy left.  Praise God for great family and friends willing to go well above and beyond what is "expected".  We really were blessed.

Jackie went home to help Joy pack up and Sher stayed with me.

My transport came and you know what!?  I knew one of the EMS {is that right?} that was going to drive me to Chapel Hill. He was my middle school best friend's brother!  Such a small world.  Especially in a small town. 

It was my first ride in an ambulance.  Hopefully my last. 

We arrived at Chapel Hill, and they wheeled me to my room.  I got into UNC's hospital gown and got settled into my new home for the next few weeks.

After a couple hours, Jackie arrived, but the girls were asleep, so he just ran up to get Sher {Joy was still in the van with the girls}. 

 

I don't remember a lot of the details between Monday night and when I started Chemotherapy on Thursday.  When Jackie wakes up in the morning, I will ask him and fill those in on another post.  IF it's worth posting about!