Tuesday, February 17, 2009

All we wanted was the oil change... Day 96 16FEB09

Ever go to one of those quick oil change places? You know, where the sign out front guarantees an oil change in 30 minutes or the next one is free. You pull up and hand your car over to a greasy kid in blue coveralls and go take a seat in the waiting room in one of those hard plastic chairs.

Fifteen minutes later the service manager comes in and says something like this, "we were draining your oil and noticed that the viscosity is beyond prescribed levels and recommend you get an engine flush, also your air filter is occluded and needs to be replaced per the manufacturers suggested schedule, oh and your cabin air filter is causing a restriction in the venturi pressure of your A/C. You want us to replace those, right?"

Dumbfounded you nod yes and sit back down.

Four hours later you are still stuck in the hard plastic chair, mostly because you have lost the feeling in your legs, staring at a TV mounted so high up in the corner that you neck may be permanently bent at an awkward angle watching re-runs of Jerry Springer and Montel. Meanwhile sixty other cars have been run through the lube rack in under 20 minutes while yours languishes away. Finally your car is ready and you stagger out into the sunlight and head home, your day totally spent.

This is the kind of day Joshua and Renee had.

Joshua's CBC came back with his ANC at 682, his Hemoglobin at 5.5 (7.1 is the transfusion point) and his platelets at 34 (in the range where a simple nose bleed could be really messy).

So he got the full service 30,000 mile special.

A platelets transfusion, a red blood transfusion, his port accessed, blood drawn, CBC, Vincristine via IV, and PEG.

The works.

Nine hours after he got to the clinic he and Renee finally re-emerged and came home.

How does one react after having spent all day being poked and prodded, transfused and infused? I know how I would react, with torrid vituperation. But not our Joshua, how does he react?

How about with a smile.

Through it all he kept his head up and rode it out. I am amazed at how he keeps going.

His legs are still getting weaker from the Vincristine so now he is going to have physical therapy and he will wear braces on his legs at night. This will help keep his tendons from shortening and interfering with his ability to walk normally. He goes back to the clinic on Thursday to see how his platelets are doing as they only last for three days.

3 comments:

Nonna said...

Hey Snaggle Snuggle Monkey,

You are, without doubt, the most amazing and awe inspiring human I have ever met!!!

And you are the only one who could go in for a 20 minute "quickie" and wind up getting the whole enchalada.

I hope you got at least 7 miles of bravery beads.

Sorry to hear about the leg braces but I do hope they help.

Keep smiling Snuggle Monkey - you are so beautiful.

Tons and tons of Love, Hugs and kisses,

Nonna

Jamie(Sister) said...

DY 96!! You did awesome Joshua!!!! I am very proud of you!!!! =) I know i wouldnt have been able to come out of there with a smile. But you did great Joshy! Thats to much stuff and you handled it like a pro. Aww im sorry you have to wear leg braces, that makes me sad Joshy. I dont like hearing that. =( But i think you and dad will figure something out to make them look cool or something!!! =) I love you so much Joshua and you are doing a wonderful job!! Keep you head up and keep that big beautiful smile on your face. =) I loved talking to you yesterday.... I miss you mom dad and Jarrod. Ill see you soon though monkey butt.

XOXO LOVE JAMIE BELLA AND CHRISTIAN
ps( bella says high and she gave me kisses on my feet to give to you. = )

Laura and Frank said...

96 Days and you get a tune-up! You are a REAL Hero and have come through everything with such an amazing attitude. I love that smiling face! The Dude Ranch is this weekend and I hope everything works out well and you have a most AWESOME time! Leg braces are going to be OK - it just takes a while getting used to them. You and Jarrod will have to use your artistic minds to decorate them so cool that you look like a Transformer;)

Love, Miss Laura & Frank