Emily smiled at us this evening! Didn’t quite see the teeth, but she definitely smiled and the beautiful big blue eyes sparkled!. Emily was propped up in bed and eating strawberries when we got there. She nodded her head and said “Uh huh” to everything we asked her and was ready for a nap. The Physical Therapists were very pleased with her today as she tried to do everything they asked regardless of how difficult it was. IV pain meds have been cut way back and they are focusing on oral pain meds now. She is really wanting to get rid of the IV tubes and they were having to replace one in her sore little hand later this evening after we left. MUCH IMPROVEMENT this afternoon after a tough couple of days!!!
The plan for now is a spinal tap on Friday and at the same time they will implant the “hickman” (not sure on spelling or correct name), tube in her chest for her treatments. They hope she can go to her “new home” close by the hospital mid/end of next week where she will actually stay (instead of the hospital) for her 6 weeks of radiation as an outpatient, which should begin soon. Then she will have a 6 week break (instead of 2 weeks) before starting chemotherapy. They hope that at that point she will be able to come HOME to Hampstead and then she will be readmitted to Duke for the 4 months of chemotherapy during which time she will not be allowed to leave the hospital and visitation will, of course, be very limited.
Several good leads have come forth regarding housing for the family and they are checking into others in the next couple of days. We sure hope they can find something very close to the hospital.
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