A set back......
Thursday morning I hit the road at 6:30 am - heading to NYC to bring Christine and Dallas home for a bit of normalcy before the chemo starts again. Chris calls me on my cell around 9:00 am - she is showered and has the Ronald McDonald House room cleaned and packed, awaiting me to cart the suitcases to the car when I arrive then head to the hospital to pick them up.
Chrissy's voice is full of excitement , she can not contain herself, she is so ready for a bit of normalcy-
Normalcy - hmmm... what is normalcy these days for us??
I am near the Poconos, no traffic, cruising around 72 mph, sun is out, skies are blue, iced tea in cup holder, music is turned up loud and I am so ready to enjoy a brief week and a half of normalcy with the 2 most important ladies in my life.....
My cell rings - it is Dallas. I answer her call using her typical greeting "speak to me" but I get no response. My daughter can barely speak - she says " daddy, they say I need to have surgery today"
I get to the city, my head is spinning. I park the car, grab Harper ( stuffed animal dog) from the car and head to the ninth floor at Sloan. Dallas is in ok spirits for the situation. I am so glad to see the ladies!
So, the skin graft area is totally not looking right. She has a blood clot and surgery is needed to drain the area. We wait all day for the OR to be available. It is only to be a 1.5 hour procedure. Dallas goes in at 6:00 pm - she comes out at 9:30 pm. They found that part of her muscle had died at each end and also found a blood clot. Methodical work hopefully corrected all...
It is 1:30 am and we are finally back to her room on the 9th floor. The experience of Dallas awaking in the recovery room is something I will never forget - she was totally freaking out, mad that "they" made her in so much pain again, mad that she could not breathe, mad that her leg was in a cast again, mad that she will need 5 days of bed recovery, mad that she is now back at square one of recovery, mad that this was happening to her - I could not fix this, I felt so helpless.....
Normalcy - what is it??
Bill I
(dad)
Chrissy's voice is full of excitement , she can not contain herself, she is so ready for a bit of normalcy-
Normalcy - hmmm... what is normalcy these days for us??
I am near the Poconos, no traffic, cruising around 72 mph, sun is out, skies are blue, iced tea in cup holder, music is turned up loud and I am so ready to enjoy a brief week and a half of normalcy with the 2 most important ladies in my life.....
My cell rings - it is Dallas. I answer her call using her typical greeting "speak to me" but I get no response. My daughter can barely speak - she says " daddy, they say I need to have surgery today"
I get to the city, my head is spinning. I park the car, grab Harper ( stuffed animal dog) from the car and head to the ninth floor at Sloan. Dallas is in ok spirits for the situation. I am so glad to see the ladies!
So, the skin graft area is totally not looking right. She has a blood clot and surgery is needed to drain the area. We wait all day for the OR to be available. It is only to be a 1.5 hour procedure. Dallas goes in at 6:00 pm - she comes out at 9:30 pm. They found that part of her muscle had died at each end and also found a blood clot. Methodical work hopefully corrected all...
It is 1:30 am and we are finally back to her room on the 9th floor. The experience of Dallas awaking in the recovery room is something I will never forget - she was totally freaking out, mad that "they" made her in so much pain again, mad that she could not breathe, mad that her leg was in a cast again, mad that she will need 5 days of bed recovery, mad that she is now back at square one of recovery, mad that this was happening to her - I could not fix this, I felt so helpless.....
Normalcy - what is it??
Bill I
(dad)
Dallas,
There are so many people--old people--I see every day in the hospital that have made bad choices in their lives and now are paying the consequences with their bodies falling apart. I see lung cancer from smoking, blindness from people not taking care of diabetes, and heart surgeries from too many greasey meals...why am I telling you this? Because you don't deserve the things you are going through right now. I'm sorry that you hurt. I'm sorry you've had to have another surgery. I'm sorry you're wearing casts again. I'm sorry you couldn't go home and be "normal" Make it your mission to get back up on two legs, to walk no matter how bad it hurts and to get back to "normal." Don't let the setbacks get the best of you! I know I don't know you, but your smile and style in your pictures says you've got alot going on for a little girl and I bet you have an attitude (good or bad) that can push you through this mess. I will continue to pray for you and can't wait for the update that says YOU'VE WON...you WILL beat this.
jay hartman
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Oh Honey, I'm so so sorry. I have an 11 year old daughter too. I feel your pain, watching your baby go through this. we haven't been through this but your story touched me. I work for the City of Cottonwood Heights, Utah and we have your poster up about August 17th at Fat Cats! I can't go but i'm going to put together an email to send out to the city employees. I hope it helps. If you don't mind I'll add your blog to my list of blogs so my friends can read up on you daughers progress and help out if they see fit. Please take care, you'll be in our prayers.
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Hi Dallas, I'm your great aunt Rhia. I just wanted you to know that I am thinking about you and have been praying for you. I've asked my church to pray for you also. I know you will beat this!! Hang in there!
Love,
Aunt Rhia
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