Feb 19 pm

No chemo yet. Piper's CVL, after trying all night to get it unclogged, is still not workable. The decision has been made to remove it and replace it with a port. To be honest, I am very happy with this. Having a port will mean normal bathing, no dressing changes, no flushing every other day, a decreased risk of infection, less of a chance that she will pull it out while moving around. The only catch is that it has to be "accessed" now instead of just hooked up. Part of the CVL is external and it is a simple act of connecting and disconnecting the end to the IV when doing chemo or transfusions. A port will have to be accessed with a needle through the skin. We will use EMLA cream which numbs the area before they access it and then it stays put until we are finished with whatever procedure. And it will only have to be flushed 1 time a month as opposed to every other day. Much easier especially as this is Pipers last chemo in the in the initial 6 months of intensive treatments!

Last night at 1130 an incredibly loud, unpersonable orthopedic surgeon came it to let us know that Piper did indeed fracture her elbow. He then proceeded to tell me he was going to look for a cast tech and would be back in a few hours. I let this sink it, walked around to the nurses station, chatted with Pipers wonderful nurse who told me that yes, I could tell him to come back in the morning. And so I put a note on the door and went to sleep. At 815 this morning, the overhead lights came on and I hear some man asking if I wanted pink or green...what??? He was back, so I woke Piper and she was casted up and is acting totally fine. No thanks to Mr Personality.

All in all, we are playing the waiting game. Piper should go in for the port surgery at 5ish and until then they are going to put an IV in her hand to get fluids going. She has not been able to have anything to eat since 9 this morning and is letting us know this is no good to her. Thankfully my mom is here with me and we are taking turns walking the halls...because Piper really likes when people/strangers tell her she is a pretty baby or when they smile at her. And here she has no lack of attention.

Please pray that her surgery goes well, that her arm continues to be no bother and that the chemo works without too many side effects. This kid is truly amazing...