Day 20 and half way done with stem cell transfers!
December 29th, 2009
- 4th stem cell transfer by Lumbar 1/2 way through procedures!
Hello All;
Well today marks our half way point with London’s Stem Cell Transfers. We started off the day with the normal Physical Therapy. Then we had to make a trip to the Bank Of China with our translator Jack. On December 23 I had to make a withdrawal out of our account for the Electric Wave Therapy machine we are bringing home with us for London’s continued treatment. Well the ATM took my card (my mistake) and I had to go to the bank to show my passport to retrieve my card. Thankfully that all worked out and we were able to get the card back. We were down to our last RMB (Chinese money) and had to use credit for last night’s dinner. Yugg, but everything is okay now thank God.
After retrieving my card we were in desperate need of diapers, milk and a few other items London needed. So the translator told the cab driver to take us to the “RT Mart” this is a market you can get diapers and such for a little less expense than the mall across the street from the hospital. So we arrived at the RT Mart, paid the cab driver and thought he would wait for us, but no………….we did our grocery shopping and came out to catch the cab back and no one new what we were saying and we didn’t have the hospital address or anything written on paper for the cab drivers lined up at the RT Mart to help people.
We went to several different cabs trying to tell them “Peoples Hospital” as this is the name of the Qingdao hospital but no one understood us. Finally this Chinese man driving pretty much a 3 wheeled motorcycle with a camper on top talked to us and we were able to communicate enough with him as to where we wanted to go. This cab was so small I didn’t think the 3 of us and our groceries would fit and we were still scared he couldn’t understand us. Jessie said “No way am I getting in there” and I said ”he seems to understand where we need to go and no one else understands get in.” So off we go in this beater little thing laughing our butts off because I for one could barely get in the side was so high off the ground I had to assist my foot to get in. Off we were door on my side wouldn’t close, and this thing is so loud and bumpy London is laughing hysterically which made all of us laugh.
Sure enough the nice man knew what I was conveying to him and we made it back to the hospital without any major malfunctions. It was a ride we will laugh about for years to come. I can’t explain how funny the entire experience really was and when we were safe and sound in the hospital parking lot, again we burst into laughter.
The rest of the afternoon we waited on London’s stem cell procedure, we went down to the pediatric department to get her IV line in and that took 3 tries before they were able to get a vein and London was screaming her head off. They wanted to put it into a vein in her head but we insisted on the hand and they were able to get it on the 3rd try. We didn’t want to put it into the head because London sleeps on her tummy and rubs her face into the bed, back and forth, left to right and we just knew she would rub the iv line out of her head. So that was finally taken care of, got her back to the room in time to give her some dinner (she has to eat at no more than 2 hours before a lumbar procedure.)
With dinner over we relaxed a little while then went to have her 4th stem cell procedure about 8:30 PM. She was difficult for the doctors this time and didn’t want to lay on her side for the lumbar and cried because she was mad. The procedure went well other than she didn’t want to cooperate. We had her back in the room about 9:15 PM she fussed a little over an hour and now she is sleeping well. She has to stay flat for 6 hours after a lumbar treatment and it is now a little after midnight.
That is the news for today I will let you know in the morning how she rested and if there were any side effects.
Until tomorrow; With Light and Love; Ruby, Jessie and London
Entry Filed under: London's Journey,sod,Uncategorized
4 Comments Add your own
1. Debra & Kenai Stover | December 29th, 2009 at 1:32 am
I think your return from the market is a fantastic example of “it’s not the destination, but the journey”.
)
Happy Halfway!
Debra
2. Judy | December 29th, 2009 at 6:29 am
That was a funny grocery store experience I’m glad you made it back to the hospital safely. Another fantastic Journey right? Ok I’ll check in with you later on Skype!! Love you guys
3. Debbie, Kathryn, Callie and John | December 29th, 2009 at 9:10 am
You girls have such a wonderful attitude! You made us laugh just reading about your experience…it reminded me of a Montreal cab ride I once had, but I think your experience outweighs my experience by far. I miss you all and will be glad when you’re back home! Love and kisses to your brave little “trooper”,
Debbe
4. Brandy Hope | December 29th, 2009 at 10:35 am
I’ve heard so much from people @ E&M that I had to check out the site. I’m so gladd things are going well, and I am confident that they will keep going well. The tri[p to the store sounds like a great experience and one to tell London later in life. Well I hope to see you guys soon. Be safe. -Brandy
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