Lashes and Brows, Boxes and Cows

Lashes and Brows

Look at these eyelashes and brows!  Esther's hair is starting to grow back, it's very soft on her head.  Her eyes have just come alive with the addition of eyelashes any girl would love to have.

Look at those sparkly eyes! 

Do you see my fuzzy hair?

Esther only has 2 more radiation treatments, Friday morning and next Tuesday morning.  At the radiation oncology clinic whenever anyone fininshes their treatment they get a few goodies and a little celebration for thier graduation day.  At 7:30 in the morning, people aren't too celebratory, so several times it's just me and Mr. Bill, the front desk attendant, cheering.  I've heard afternoon graduations are more lively.  On her graduation day she gets to paint a her hand print on the wall with the other, many, kids who have completed radiation.

Three Weeks!

We will be checking out of Brent's place in about 3 weeks!  We had originally thought we'd be heading home following her final day of radiation, but given that we're having new carpet installed tomorrow and the next phase of treatment is coming so fast, we've decided to not add extra stress.  Moving everything back into the basement, finishing our LONG cleaning list to make the home safe for Esther to live, and moving/cleaning our apartment at Brent's Place all in a few days felt very overwhelming.  So, following Esther's first week of antibody therapy, we'll be heading home.  We may organize a few visits for Esther to come home, but it depends on the environment of the house following new carpet and we have to finish that cleaning list.

We have a busy couple weeks following Esther's last day of radiation, February 19th.  The following week, of the 25th, she has a we3ek of scans and other tests to gain a baseline for this portion of her treatment.  This will include another bone marrow aspirate, MIBG scan, CT scan, heart and pulmonary function tests, and hearing tests.  Then the first week of March Esther will check into the hospital for 5 days for her first antibody therapy treatment.  We learned more about the therapy today and Esther's pretty excited about the side effect that makes your hair grow really fast.

Boxes and Cows
A great crew of people from our school group and from Anthony's office came last night and made quick work of the boxes and tearing out the carpet.  New, non-nasty, carpet will be installed Friday.  

Only a group of engineers could figure out how to fit a bedroom, office, living/play area, a gazillion books & school room into a one car garage. They also spent time discussing where the floor drain actually drained...into the creek or into the normal drain system.  Anthony's office does a lot of work with water, I would've never thought about were the floor drain went.  When Anthony sent me the picture I was more concerned with how gross it looked and wondered if we could clean it somehow...

Empty basement, hard workers!

Saturday, beginning around 9am, there will be few large boxes of doughnuts up for anyone who can come help me get all our stuff from the garage back into the basement.  Will you please send us an email if you can help for a little while.

Cows?!   Cows?!  Well, not really, but I guess there was a lot of dairy consumed on Valentine's day, so maybe cows.  It makes for a catchy title, right?!

Esther was pretty excited about Valentine's day.  Wednesday night the girls all got in the spirit by helping make heart shaped pizzas, complete with heart shaped pepperoni, for dinner at Brent's Place.  The volunteers who come in to prepare meals are such a gift.

Today she gave little Valentine cards to her nurses, doctors & other hospital staff.   She was SO excited to give them out.  She is missing her inpatient nurses, and we had a three extra cards.  I was wishing I bought more because she kept naming them off.  Of course she put extra hearts on Mr. Ricardo's Valentine.  Tonight she prayed she wouldn't have to stay at the hospital again, but I think she'll be consoled by getting to see these caregivers we so love!

At Brent's Place professional chefs came and cooked a delightful, sit down, candlelit meal.  We got a heads up to the coming festivities, so we were sure to pack appropriate dresses and new HIGH HEELS and glittery shoes were the perfect touch.  I remember in Kindergarten I switched shoes with a girl in my class who had high heels.  My mom made us trade back, I was so sad.  Really, my shoes were nasty and hers were pretty and high heeled, my mom did the right thing, but for our girls, high heels all around!

Back in Ft. Collins the Alvarado men let Zinnia choose their dinner location.  She choose Old Chicago's.  I think they all enjoyed it and she was excited about her own new, sparkly shoes.    Anthony posted this on Twitter tonight, "Valentine's Day at home apart from @samalvarado. Die Hard commencing."  

He sent delicious chocolate covered strawberries...flowers aren't allowed around BMT patients, so there are none at Brent's Place.  I think I like the strawberries better!