We are now home from a long weekend at Albany Medical Center.  We checked in on Thursday evening to get Charlotte started on hydration.  Daddy did the night-shift, allowing Mommy to get a half-good night of sleep at the Ronald McDonald House.

20090306150620Chemo was eventually started at about 11:30am on Friday, having the 4-hour Cisplatin course run through mid-afternoon.  Charlotte actually slept for about three of the four hours, this was done to the anit-nausea drugs that basically knocked her out!

Later, Granny and Poppa came to stay with Charlotte, allowing Mommy and Daddy to take a couple of hours to go and have dinner, which they did at The Recovery Room Sports Bar and Grill, which is located on the ground floor of the Hilton Garden Inn directly across the road from the hospital.  Great food, and a good time for them to get away and have a short break.

Granny also stayed for the night-shift, allowing both Mommy and Daddy to get a good nights sleep in a real bed, and not a chair that apparently works like a bed!  Unfortunately, in the RMH the mattresses are all "Sleep Number" beds, and both Mommy and Daddy set the numbers at 35, but at about 4:30am they had both woken to find the number at 85, and they both have sore backs from the beds being like boards!  Whoo-hoo to beds with technology!  I think not… 🙂

20090306154729Saturday was an off day for the chemo drugs, but some anti-nausea drugs were needed.  Charlotte had a very cuddlely day, not really wanting to do much but sit and love with Mommy, Daddy or Granny.  Poppa returned later in the day to collect Granny, and they went home.  Mommy had the overnight on Saturday evening, allowing Daddy to retire to the RMH some sleep.

Sunday morning was time for Vincristin and 5FU chemo drugs, and then dischrage.  We left the hospital at about 10:30am and all went back to the RMH.  Daddy and Charlotte explored the toy room while Mommy got ready to check out, and we left to come home at about 11:30am.  On the way home, Grampa Ron called and said that Gramma Dar was working and wondered if Daddy wanted to go to the Albany River Rats game in Glens Falls with him.  Daddy, who loves hockey was right there for this one!

20090306161801Whilst Daddy and Grampa went to the hockey, Charlotte and Mommy and an evening in catching up on The Wiggles and The Imagination Movers, recorded on DVR while we were away.  Good mommy/daughter time! ðŸ™‚

Sunday night brough around a solid 12-hours of sleep for Charlotte, and about 8-hours each for Mommy and Daddy.  Monday has shown some nausea again, but the medications appear to be working.  Charlotte is still lacking some energy, but this is partly because her hemoglobin counts are low (not enough for high concern yet, though).  All other blood counts are within normal levels.