Round 2

So, tomorrow this roller coaster takes another turn. Nora starts round 2 of her chemotherapy treatments.
We are scheduled to check into the clinic at 11:00am. She will have some blood work done (all from her port), and hopefully, her numbers will be stable enough to start round 2.

With big sister, Heidi

This round is a little different than round 1. And by a little different, I mean completely different in every way. Round one was 3 days of treatment- 4 bags total, 2 drugs. This time it will be 3 new drugs. One day. All 3 bags back-to-back-to-back. One of them is quite powerful, so she will need to be monitored for at least 24 hours after it has been given. It is unlikely, but it can attack the wall of her bladder, which would cause bleeding that would be noticeable in her urine. For that reason, we get to attempt collecting her urine once again.

You may wonder how one "collects" a baby's urine. (I would have wondered that myself 3 weeks ago). Trying not to give out TMI, it involves a ziploc bag with a large sticker around the top of the bag. In Nora's case a few weeks ago, it involved SEVERAL bags, a colossal mess, the deafening threat of a catheter insertion, many prayers, and a merciful & genius nurse who brought some gauze and cotton balls during the eleventh hour. Catheter averted and my girl's pee-soaked gauze was sent to the lab JUST in time. Phew! There are a lot of good people who have come into our lives at Children's Hospital that have made this experience just a little more bearable. That nurse was one of those people.

To be honest, we have been so blessed with how little her first round of treatments have affected her day-to-day life. She is still her happy self and aside from her port and occasional nose bleed, she is a completely normal, healthy 5 month old to the naked eye. And did I mention beautiful?

I'm not going to pretend I am not scared out of my mind. I will barely sleep tonight and my mind will be racing all morning, but I will be right next to her tomorrow- holding onto her precious finger and kissing those cheeks as many times as she will let me. I continue to be reminded each day of how precious and fleeting life is. I am reminded not to sweat the small stuff, because in the end, it really is ALL small stuff.

Please say an extra prayer tonight for my sweet Nora. This the kind of fight we can't face alone.