Mother's Day

At 6:00am on Mother's Day I sleepily asked our stellar nightnurse, Olga, "Can you hepblock her now?". Millie had finished chemo and the follow up rescue drugs by midnight, and in theory should be able to be unhooked from the IV and ready to go home. Cycle 8 was complete after 5 nights of ifosfamade and etoposide in a shared room during a busy week in the pediward. Olga obliged and Millie was able to wake up naturally and untethered.

The 6 days were tough- the physical therapy team visited Millie each day and tried to get her to exercise her leg and foot with limited success. Millie was very sensitive and reluctant to try on the braces they offered. I actually haven't seen her cry that much throughout her entire treatment. By Sunday we had agreed to put a half cast back on later in the week to alleviate her intense fear of the weakness and sensitivity in her leg.

After she had been unhooked from the IV, we found out Millie's hemoglobin was low at 8. Luckily, we avoided a transfusion and were able to be packed up and ready to go when Brian's mom (Oma) and Griffin arrived to drive us home.

As usual after such a stay, Millie and I basically collapsed at home, and I dozed while cuddled with her in front of a movie. The evening was wonderful, with Oma and Opa coming back with a mess of fried chicken and a mother's day dinner that couldn't be beat. I slept, as if comatose, in my own bed.

The option of putting a half cast back on her leg gave Millie some kind of courage, as by Monday she was attempting to walk a few steps without crutches.

This is a truly amazing little girl we are dealing with. By Wednesday she has abandoned the crutches all together and is walking up and down stairs and throughout the house! She walks tentitively, and with a dropfoot gait, but is walking!

Her Granny and Grandad took her today to a park where she actually climbed up the play equipment and worked hard and exercising her foot.

We're all so proud of her.