Day +7: Another Sleepy Day

Today, Brianna is getting her second dose of rATG (see my last post about what this drug does). Because it has the potential to cause an allergic reaction, they prefer to use Benedryl as a pre-medication. Brianna is very sensitive to drugs of all sorts. When she was given half the adult dose of Benedryl, she was sleeping for hours. With the rATG, she needs the full dose. So to say she's sleepy is an understatement. She's been sleeping for a couple of hours this morning, and I don't expect her to wake until noon. That's okay though, she was up again several times during the night using the bathroom. She's on a diuretic for fluid retention, and it works quite effectively!!

Yesterday, was a busy day. (Brianna and I were actually musing about how fast time seems to fly here.) The hospital's school staff came and reveiwed all that she needs to be working on. Fortunately, one of the teachers has trigonometry experience, so Brianna can continue with that. For English, she's reading The Crucible. She has several worksheets she needs to answer after each act that she reads of the play. They've also given us the video, so Brianna can get better acquainted with it before she reads. (If you recall, the video starred Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder. Personally, I thought it was an okay movie.)

Also, she's working on her history and will get some art credits. They're going to bring the next art project down for her to work on, and she's excited. Lucile Packard Children's Hospital has an art program in which kids create pieces and then they're featured in a magazine, Healing Hearts. The art is also featured on a closed circuit television station throughout the hospital. You'll find TVs near the elevators and all over, with the kids' artwork shown in slide show format. It's really neat they have this. So Brianna is feeling better about getting all her 11th grade year credits completed, even though she's been out and sick so much.

We finally shaved her head yesterday. She began losing her hair on Sunday and Monday. It was hard for her to deal with, but she wanted me to buzz her head. We did and after her shower, some areas had very little hair if any at all. She is still beautiful and looks like a high-fashion model who's on a special shoot!

Her dad also came to visit late yesterday. He's been able to come up from Southern California every week and spend time with her and Trevor. Brianna enjoys his visits, and I think he was very happy to see how well she is doing.

Again, the doctors have said she is doing really well considering it's Day +7. Usually between now and day +10, kids are feeling their worst. Thankfully, she is eating well, getting lots of rest, feeling good with no pain and is laughing often. We pray this coninues.