Off-Treatment Clinic Visit #2

Today was our second off-treatment clinic visit, but it was our first scheduled visit because last time, I brought her in a few days early due to the swollen lymph nodes. Mike stayed home for the first time because he is working third shift for work right now and he was completely exhausted. So, Katie & I ventured off to clinic by ourselves.

This was our second visit with no port access, but they did still have to do a blood draw. By the time Katie was done being weighed and measured, the IV specialist, Danielle, was already waiting for us in the exam room. I thought, "WOW! we are going to be out of here in no time!" But, that wasn't the case at all.

This was Katie's first blood draw with no EMLA cream. I decided it would actually be less traumatic without the EMLA cream because she screams bloody murder when we are taking off the tegaderm that keeps the EMLA cream on her arm. So, needless to say, she was scared and put up quite a fight getting her blood drawn. But, Danielle is a genius at getting kids blood. She was in and out so fast, Katie laughed and said, "I didn't even feel her take the needle out!"

After the blood draw, we had to wait for Dr. Keuker to come and examine Katie. So, we waited, and waited, and waited...

He finally came in after an hour. Then, he sat down at the computer and started cleaning up Katie's med list, deleting all the meds that she has discontinued. The list is now a lot shorter :-) We also had a LONG discussion about Katie's dry skin and her rash. The conversation started to seem a bit excessive and I was silently questioning Dr. Keuker's sanity because he was asking me the same questions over and over...lol. But, then in walks the rest of the staff with a few presents for Katie and a cake and they burst into SONG...LOL! They caught me totally by surprise, so I didn't have my camera on me, but I do wish I had my video camera because it was priceless!

The song...
Our patients have the biggest S-M-I-L-E.
Our patients have the greatest H-E-A-R-T.
Oh, we love to see you every day,
But now the time has come to say,
Pack up your bags,
Get out the door,
You don't get chemo anymore!

I was completely floored and of course there were tears and hugs. Dr. Keuker asked me if I thought he was losing it, to which I replied, "YES!" He laughed and said that he had to stall while the others got everything together. Way to take one for the team, Dr. Keuker! Thank you to the amazing pedi-oncology staff at Umass...we love you!

The whole "end of treatment" thing continues to feel weird to me. I know I am not giving her meds every night, but it is going to take a lot longer for the neurosis to go away. I still feel like a mom to a child with leukemia, but that's not the case. I have to try and remember what I was like before she was diagnosed. Maybe get some of our old routines back, be more involved with other people again. Something I will have to work on in the new year...lol...

Katie's next clinic visit will be January 13, 2011.