#GabeStrong: Day 5 & 6

Day 5:

Today, Gabe had a routine CT scan scheduled around 8 am. This is just a baseline bone scan so they can see his bones and have starting point of reference.  They did use anesthesia, so that way it wouldn’t be so traumatic for Gabe.  He does not like to be still, so it would have been a nightmare to try to keep him still for the test.  He did very well with the anesthesia, and the procedure did not take long at all.

I’ve been sick since we have arrived, and our social worker was able to get me referred to a nearby clinic to be seen and get some antibiotics.  I need to get better soon, so I’m not sick around Gabe.

We spent the remainder of the day learning everything we could before being discharged.  We had training with a Line Nurse, on how to administer his medicines through his pic line.  We also met with the pharmacist to get his meds and go over all of them.  It has been such an overwhelming thing for us.  So many medicines, doses, and supplies are needed!  Jacob is already a pro at injecting the meds.  I am not allowed to give them yet, until my illness is gone.  We do not want to take any unnecessary risks.  Every single nurse commented on how great of team that Jacob and I are as they watched us with Gabe.

The biggest news today was that we were discharged from the hospital! Yay! When we asked Gabe if he was ready to leave the hospital, he asked, “We don’t have to ride in the ambulance?”  Poor guy. We are in a hotel for now, until Gabe is out of isolation.  So we can’t leave the hotel all together, and we have to go get Gabe’s meals and bring them back here.  There’s also a food list—things that Gabe can’t have, and items that could be a risk.  If we go to a restaurant, we have to ask for the food to be made fresh.  He can’t have anything that has set under a warmer.  If we have leftovers, they can’t sit out for more than an hour.  There are so many things that we are learning, and I’m trying not to let it overwhelm me.

We got to sleep in a bed last night, and Jacob’s brother brought our pillows.  Very excited to have those! Hospital and hotel pillows are so thin.

Jacob and I are trying to find something—anything—big or small that we are grateful for and focus on those things every day. When we get overwhelmed, or stressed, we start listing items that we are thankful for.  Like the wonderful care that St. Jude’s is giving Gabe, the amazing support from our friends and family back home, a free place to stay, and so on.  God has been very good to us!

 

Day 6:

Today was our first outpatient day.  We had to go back to the hospital for labs, and meet with our social worker.  Since Gabe is in isolation, we had to use a special entrance and were taken immediately back to a room for his appointment.

Gabe is getting so much better with drawing blood.  The nurses can use his pic line, and they refer to it as his “buddy”.  At first, he would scream and cry, because the first day was really rough with the IV, and all the initial pokes and prods of drawing blood.  They took so many vials! Now, we tell him, they just have to “clean” buddy, and there’s “no ouchies.” I feel like I’m stuck on repeat, saying this over and over to Gabe.  He still doesn’t like having his blood pressure taken.

We did not anticipate how long it would take to get ready for his appointment! We have to bring all of his meds, and some have to stay cool.  I also didn’t realize how long we would be in the one room, so we will definitely pack more snacks next time.  We did some laundry this morning, and in the rush to get to the appointment, we forgot that we left them in dryer! Right in the middle of the appointment, we both remembered the laundry and had a good laugh. Luckily, it was still here when we got back.

The steroids that Gabriel takes are making him very hungry.  He can eat a big meal and ten minutes later ask for more!  One morning we got him biscuits and gravy for breakfast, and when we asked him what he wanted for lunch, he said chicken and gravy! LOL! He’s never asked for that combination before.

Gabe’s lab results continue to look good.  They are happy with how his body is responding to the treatment, and there are not any immediate concerns at this time.  We go back for another chemo treatment on Friday.

Two of our Pastors, (Pastor Chad, and Pastor Tony) and Jacob’s Uncle Sam and Aunt Jan came by to see us today.  I can’t even begin to describe how much their visits and prayers meant to us!  The amount of love and support that has been shown for Gabriel and us is incredible.  We continue to be amazed and humbled.  Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts!

We spent the rest of the afternoon/evening with Gabe resting, and I caught up on some paperwork for my store.  We do not have to go anywhere tomorrow, so we plan on one of us venturing out to get a few things on our shopping list.

There’s several fundraises going on right now: t-shirts, quilt squares, and jewelry.  Make sure you join our Prayers for Gabe facebook page to stay up-to-date on all of these.

We love you guys!

#GabeStrong