Making Grant Jealous

This was a bumper sticker we saw on the way down. It made Joel laugh.

Monday November 21

Joel went for blood work.  His counts were too low for starting chemo Tuesday but we headed down to Vancouver anyway cause radiation was starting.  The roads were all great.  We stopped at Rachel's for a quick supper.  When we got to Ronald MacDonald House there was another supper being put on by the wives of the Canucks.  Homemade vegetarian lasagna, homemade shepherds pie and two kinds of salad.  Yum.

Tuesday November 22nd

Joel went for blood work at Children's to check his enoxaparin levels.  They were a little high so we lowered his dose and he will have them checked again in another week or so.  SOS (students from UBC) put on a Mexican dinner with cheesecake for dessert.  Yum again.

Wednesday November 23rd

Joel and I went exploring in Vancouver and got so lost.  We had lots of fun and were not worried..... I love my GPS!  Radiation started.  I will try to get a picture of Joel in his mask and on the table next week.  It looks like something out of a science fiction movie.  He had side effects that night; headache, nausea and he was very tired.

Thursday November 24th.

Joel had a check up with David Dix and more blood work done in the morning.  Counts have come up (White - 2.6, ANC - .96, Platelets - 234, Hemoglobin - 131) so he will start chemo tomorrow.  We talked to him about how shaky Joel is now and he will keep an eye on it.  Otherwise everything is looking good.  Another radiation appointment in the afternoon.  And then we were rear-ended on the way back to RM House.  No damage to the car and no injuries.  Joel was excited cause it was the first accident he had ever been in...... really?  Got back to RM House to another meal, this from Worksafe put on by an amazing Romanian family.  Chicken, sausages, cabbage rolls, salad, pollenta, roasted potatoes, bread, dip and a very yummy chocolate cake.  Side effects from radiation were not so bad today, Joel was just super tired.

 Joel and I went to the Naam for lunch.  He ordered chili but couldn't eat and I had the dragon plate.

 I ate all of mine!

 Friday November 25th

Chemo started at 8:00 am. Just two today, the cyclophosphamide and ARAC.  The spinal is being held until the radiation is finished just so it doesn't aggravate his brain anymore than necessary. Joel was given 2 tickets to the Canucks game on Tuesday.  Long day at the hospital but a bunch of football players came thru and said hi.  Chemo was done just after 3:00 pm.  When we got to the car it had a free parking pass on it. Then it was off for another dose of radiation which went well.  At RM House two tickets to Science World were waiting for us.  And there was another family dinner put on by volunteers.  Chicken marabella, rice, peas, salad and snickerdoodles.

Saturday November 26th

Joel slept till 10:00 am.  He is getting super tired.  Chemo at the hospital at 11:00.  When we got back to RM House, someone from a Railway company had dropped off 2 tickets for the Grey Cup game tomorrow.  All the kids names were put into a draw and Joel's name was picked.  He said he would take me to the game with him.

And now Brianna has gone into labor......... we will keep you all posted.

I am going to be an Oma!

I have the best kids ever.