Hello, I am sitting in the sun on the front patio thinking about how grateful I am that last week is over.

Just when I thought we were on the home stretch we all got sick again.  Dean came home last week with a cold and even though we tried to isolate him and give him time for lots of rest, both of the girls came down with colds on Sunday night.  It hit them hard and fast.  For Sharmi, it took two full doses of Benadryl before she was able to breath enough to finally go to sleep that night.  They gradually got sicker and sicker.  On Tuesday Sharmi had a fever over 101, so off to the hospital we went.  Dean was out of town again so Trina and Carl came over to help me get packed (just in-case we got admitted).  And Trina helped me gather a few things that Chantel would need to stay the night with her.  I am really grateful for Trina’s relationship with Chantel.  She is a mommy’s girl, but she was “as happy as a clam” to be leaving with Trina.  It made my heart a little lighter knowing that Chantel was not stressed by being away from me.  Trina said that Chantel had a great time and loved waking up and playing with Ethan and Emalyn in the morning.

Carl drove Sharmi and I down to the ER.  It was really wonderful to not have to worry about driving.  Hospital trips always take so much out of me.  It is also always helpful having another person at the hospital with us.  Sharmi did great when they accessed her port.  I was talking with the doctor, Carl was holding Sharmi and I looked over and it was done.  She didn’t even whimper.  This was a back to her old self. 

We had tons of doctors looking her over and they did a list of tests.   Her ANC was over 5000 which meant that her immunity was high enough to fight off the cold by itself so they sent us home.  We didn’t get home until close to mid-night and Sharmi was still wide awake and hungry when we got home.  The next day her fever kept jumping around and I couldn’t tell if we were going to have to go back again or not, but it stabilized by evening.   

Wednesday night Sharmi’s fever was better, but both of their colds and clinginess was not getting better.  The exhaustion of being a single parent the last two weeks was getting too me.  I tried to have some quiet time to prevent a looming meltdown, however, the girls would not hear of giving me a break.  They crawled on me, jumped on me, tried to take my temperature, and Sharmi even read stories to me, while sitting on top of my personal space.  This did not help with my sanity at all!  I laid there crying wishing I was a turtle.

My parents felt my exhaustion and they came for the weekend to help give me a break.  This was a good thing, because I got sick Friday night as well.  Mom gave the girls hot foot baths too help their colds and even though we were all sick we found time to enjoy the girls.  Friday night I heard Sharmi walk into the bedroom with her Daddy after giving hugs to everyone and she said, “Wow, what a busy evening!”   She is so grown up.  Chantel is jabbering away.  She loves to run.  She begs “ru ru” and she wants to be picked up and to run around the house chasing sister.  She has also taken swinging to a new level.  Grandma and papa pushed her from both sides for almost an hour Friday.  She would ask, “highe highe”.  Her sister also also taught her the love of a blanket,  Chantel calls it “bink, bink.”  She carries it around and she won’t sleep without it.  She adds new words to her vocabulary every day.

This evening everyone appears to be on the mend, but I am sure it will take a few days yet until we are well.  I pray that Sharmi gets full health quickly because she goes in for her LAST HOSPITAL DOSE OF CHEMO on Tuesday.  Thank you Lord!!!   This also begins the last series of steroids.  I can’t believe the drugs are really coming to end.  What a long journey.  I understand why Sharmi can’t comprehend life ever being different.  I even have a hard time believing it will be different it has been more than half of her life. 

Well, I am worn out.  Good-night to you all.  I hope all of you had a wonderful weekend. 

Love, Cheris