IT WAS JUST A TEXT...

While getting ready for the day, I noticed an unread text message on my phone. It had come around 10:30 the night before, well past my bed time. It read, "I think I'm coming down with something." Gasp, exhale and then Gasp once more! Those were the foreboding words Kristin had spoken to me about two weeks before she was initially diagnosed. At 6:00 in the morning, the day was still young. My mind had already gone through a very complicated to do list of who to call, arrangements to be made, & items to pack in a matter of minutes. While in the warmth of the shower, my mind went back to earlier conversations with Kristin during the week. She had mentioned she felt like she was coming down with a cold. A cold? That was certainly do-able. My hurried mind sighed and then relaxed. "It is probably just a cold Leslie....she's fine." Darren, never one to panic, echoed the sentiment.I drew from the comfort of blessings and promises she has been given and tucked my worries away.

Yes, she has a whopper of a cold. She's allowed to have a cold. The night she sent that text, she was shivering with a little fever. I felt so bad to have not gotten the message until the morning. We all know what that freshman year is like. Late nights, not eating right, burning the candle at both ends. It has caught up with her for sure. I know that all parents living with childhood cancer, or anyone with cancer for that matter, know all too well, life can take an unwelcoming, uninvited turn, without a moments notice. Even if it is just a text!

Labs were done and all is well. There are no autoimmune disorders that could have been contributing to the feet issues. This is good news. Although the ANC (absolute neutrophil count) is up, meds will not be increased until the next clinic visit. As for seeing the rheumatolgists, that has been difficult. I was able to make an appointment for January. Yep. January....So, I asked the nurse at Primary's to see if they could get her in sooner; as per the request from the rheumatolgists scheduler, by having them call their office. The nurse's comment was, "I don't think I want to get in the middle of that. That is something we don't do. I'll leave a message with Dr. Wright to see if she wants to do that." Really ????? #$*! I couldn't believe she was telling me this. She also said,"Well, it is just Raynaud's isn't it?" Just Raynauds? I don't know,...purple feet, swollen, ice cold to the touch all the time, toes that bleed for no reason? Really, you tell me if you think it is just Raynaud's and if you would be content to brush it off ? How about if it were your child and she was in pain all the time with toes so purple they looked black, and every step was difficult???? Give me a break! I waited all week for Primary's to call back, left two other messages...no such luck. Meantime Connie Goes (from Oakland, we love her as she is very knowledgeable and understands Kristin so well) called and gave us the lowdown on the recent labs and again expressed her concern about the feet. So, after being frustrating with Primary's, I left a message with the specialists MA asking if they could squeeze her in earlier. Then, Friday afternoon, the rheumatolgist's office called and said they could see her on Oct. 29. Great! Until then, Connie has started her on amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker that helps with blood vessel conditions.I'm curious to see how it helps and pray that this condition is only temporary.

Well, that's all folks. Love to you all and thank you so very much for all the continued prayers. Please remember everyone who has been touched by cancer as there are way too many and there are never enough prayers!