Last month Chase's counts rebounded quickly and he was able to come home by Day 24 after he was admitted. We were hoping he would be able to keep to that schedule this month as well, but it's all a matter of how his body responds to the "attack" of the chemo.
We were told earlier in the week that he was looking good to come home Memorial weekend, which is exactly what we were hoping for. However, Chase shocked us all when we learned that Thursday morning they were talking of sending him home THAT day!!
But let me backtrack a bit...
Unfortunately, Wednesday night when I arrived at the hospital I was completely wiped out. I dropped my bags and asked Chase if he would be okay if I took a nap. Almost two hours later, he came and woke me up. I've been tired before upon arriving at the hospital, but this was different, and I was a bit afraid that I was catching something. At 6:30 the next morning, I woke up feeling queasy and unfortunately, got sick!!
Getting sick and exposing your children to an illness is a fact of life. However, in this case, I was pretty terrified. I don't know what made me feel worse - the fact that I was sick or the fact that I was potentially exposing Chase to an illness that could keep him in the hospital when he was so close to going home. He was ONE day from going home!! One day and I had not only had to get sick, but get sick AT the hospital. I immediately went to the nurse's station to get some antiseptic wipes for the bathroom so I could clean up the bathroom. Rebecca was his nurse for the night and was nice enough to bring me a gingerale, which I slowly nursed.
I was able to get back into a restless sleep and thought I heard Chase and his day nurse talking about him going home that day. When I finally woke up, I asked him about it.
What did he say? "She said that I might be going home today."
To which I replied, "What? Why didn't you tell me?"
And he said,"Because I wanted to go back to sleep."
Chase's only problem with going home on Thursday was that he would miss Bingo night! He was actually hoping to not go home until then, but as soon as it was confirmed that he would be going home, I called David to alert him that I was both sick and that Chase was going home. What a day!
Well, Chase is now home and right back with his brother and his video games. It was a battle to get the two of them to go to sleep instead of staying up until all hours talking! Worse than teen girls I tell you, but who can blame them.
The best news they gave us was that Chase didn't have to go back into the hospital until a WEEK from Tuesday!!! Woo-hooo! So, this time we get to keep him home for longer than last time and he won't have his stay interrupted by a trip to the clinic for a bone marrow aspiration, which he'll have when he goes back into the hospital.
Chase handled this month's stay remarkably well! We have been so very blessed by how he has responded to the chemotherapy and by his health. He has definitely kept the nurses entertained with his antics such as dancing (very, very badly) around the nurse's station, running down the hallways like a goof, and surprising Rebecca with a syringe that was NOT full of water...just to name a few. He was felt so well that he's almost been wired with excess energy.
Again, I cannot thank you enough for your continued prayers for him. I see them working. We were told that this month would be the easiest of all of the rounds of chemo. Although I am realistic that the upcoming next rounds may be rougher for him, I know prayer and Chase's strength of spirit will see him through.
Thank you so very much!! God Bless!
The O'Bannon Family
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