06/13/05 PM
9:10 PM (Randall posting): Gosh! What a stressful day. The girls are all tucked away in bed (Susan too--although she's reading a proposal for work), and I'm doing research on buying a car on the computer. I'm really, really glad we decided not to go to Durham this evening. That would have been too much on top of everything else. At a minimum, I think we have something of a plan for how we will progress with our car situation, and I hope it doesn't entail moving too quickly, although we need to do something soon. Did I mention that our lives are becoming an awful lot like riding a roller coaster lately? What a ride! I think I might be sick.
Both girls seem to be doing fine. Sophie's dressing change was traumatic (of course) but she seemed to get over it right away and she was her happy-go-lucky self within minutes of us finishing. This new dressing (Opsite 3000) is so much better than the others we have tried. Although Sophie still cries and struggles through the whole process, it is much easier on Susan and me (or whoever is helping at the time) with this new dressing.
We're managing Sophie's diet fairly well, although she certainly has her own opinions about what she wants to eat, and they rarely coincide with what we suggest! All in all, we're finding ways to get complex carbohydrates and proteins into her diet on a regular basis, though, and hopefully that will manage her hypoglycemia well enough.
With all that has been happening in our lives (car trouble, Sophie's hospitalization, etc.) chemotherapy has not been chief among our worries. Maybe there is some grace in that. The scary has become the routine. Talk about perspective. It certainly makes me thankful, so very, very thankful that Sophie has responded as well as she has to the chemotherapy. We have seen so many kids with various types of leukemia who have struggled far, far more than Sophie has thus far. It is just heartbreaking to watch, and it makes us appreciate how well things have gone for Sophie. It is, however, a very somber reminder that we are indeed in a life and death struggle.
Comments
Randall, I can fully agree that it indeed has been a stressful day! I needed to be in Winchester by 0930 this morning and didn't make it. The guy who was repairing the water pump on my car called me at ten minutes after twelve midnight to say that the car needed a new timing belt. NOw I am not very savy with car things, but I know that I can't go to Walmart at that hour and get one! He got one this morning and then called me at 1030 to ask when I changed the spark plugs last - only the Lord knows because I sure don't. He then put new spark plugs in and then set the timing. I finally got my car back about 2:30 or so. It ran fine getting to Winchester. I am very thankful that I was able to get the repairs done earlier than if I had waited to have them done at the Subaru dealer, but I nearly had a hypertensive crisis over not being able to get to work on time. I know that this was beyond my control, but frustrating because no one seemed to understand my sense of urgency - especially when I kept repeating the time I needed to be in Winchester. After getting into work I immediately got a call to go out to pick up a sick baby in Martainsburg, WV. Normally, I like going on transport, but I have been stuffy and coughing all weekend, so I was less than excited about going. I was even less pleased when I discovered the AC was not working in the back of the ambulance. My chest was pretty tight by the time we got back. I am grateful that the baby although ill is not so ill that I needed to do a whole lot to get her back here.
I will trust the Lord to provide you the car that you need at the price that you that provides the gas milage that you need.
Hugs and kisses all around. Love, Eileen
Posted by: Eileen J. Brumbaugh | June 13, 2005 11:51 PM
Hi Randall and Susan,
I'm not sure if you are looking for a new or used car, but I have seen ads recently for GM in which everyone can get the employee discount for a limited time (till July 5). It is for all GM brands, including Saturn, Hummer, Saab, etc. You probably already knew about this from looking online and seeing ads on TV, but just in case you hadn't already I wanted to make sure that you knew about it. Good luck - you both have so much stress right now. Sometimes it seems as though things will never calm down, but they will, so hang in there!
Regards, Heidi
Posted by: Heidi Liss | June 14, 2005 11:46 AM