Sally starting her bright yellow but highly intense chemo today.

AnnMarie in full Big Bird suit after returning from the Katie Couric show

Happy to bust out for the day…

Hi all – After a busy weekend, we returned to Memorial Sloan-Kettering this morning for Sally’s second week of receiving a high dose of Methotrexate, a very strong chemo. She had a runny nose so after running a test, confirmed that Sally has a cold. MSK doesn’t mess with colds, so Sally was put into isolation and staff had to wear yellow gowns and face masks in the room (AKA Big Bird outfits). By isolation this time, they sure meant it. Sally spend the day in a windowless room with no clock at the end of a back corridor. It felt like we were in an interrogation room.

I went to work for a few hours and then came to relieve Nicole so she could do the Katie Couric interview. It was interesting as we had our primary Out-Patient nurse, Amanda. I had not seen her since the first day Sally was diagnosed, she had spent the first scary hours of that day with me while they prepared to start Sally on chemo and Nicole ran home to get stuff to spend the night.It was good to see her again, she had said that day she would request to be our Primary, and am happy she did as Nicole and I really like her.

They started today’s chemo right after I arrived as they were waiting for all of the tests to come back about the kind of cold she had. If it was anything more serious, they would have had to push the treatment back a week. I was surprised at the color of it, a bright yellow. Almost a happy color. It was a reminder that we need to view this stuff as something that is helping Sally, even though it causes near term pain and discomfort. So we hung out in the interrogation room, she fell asleep on me for two hours so was able to get some work emails out. Towards the end of the treatment, Sally felt warm and her temperature climbed a bit. We were released, but have to monitor her, if her temperature goes up to 100.2 we need to bring her in tonight.

Nicole says the interview with Katie Couric went well, she was joined by her friend AnnMarie. We were given some stats on pediatric cancer by Cannon’s parents who have done a ton of research on it. When the producer asked Nicole if there was anything she wanted to say, Nicole told her the stats. The producer was shocked and moved by the numbers, so said she would work to get them in. Sure enough, after going over some scripted questions Katie Couric teed up an opportunity for Nicole to go over the stats. She’s afraid she may have forgotten to say “percentage” after one, we’re hoping she said it right and the whole portion gets included. Overall, they had a great time, its a short segment but will have a ton of reach for the cause. We’ll let you know when they plan to air it.  Afterwards she and Annmarie came back to MSK and we headed home.

And we got home to food! A local organization here in Bay Ridge called Bay Ridge Cares set up a meal train for us so people can drop off meals twice a week. Nicole and I have been getting home late requiring whoever is watching the boys to cook them dinner, and Nicole and I are too busy and tired when we get home to cook anything for ourselves so typically just don’t eat or snack on junk. I can’t tell you how awesome it was to come home to something to eat, amazing what you take advantage of. Thanks to Amy Manning for sending the first meal, she ordered for us all the way from Buffalo! If you want to sign up, you have to create an account on our designated page: http://www.mealtrain.com/view/?id=TTFuc4VAR04%3d

So we’re back at MSK tomorrow to begin the flushing out process to get the high dose chemo out of Sally’s body. We’re hoping its more efficient than last week, I also have to work late some this week so will be a long couple days for the family. Let’s hope Sally doesn’t get a fever, we all need sleep and last week was enough of an adventure. Please keep Sally in your thoughts and prayers.

Matt