St Jude – Dinner Date

Mail call…  Summer got a record box yesterday.   I knew it was a record box because it was 12×12 and like 1/4 inch thick.  This box had a lot in common with the beer bread package that Summer got on Monday night…  Even after opening…  There was no reference to who sent it! 

Whoever sent the “WE” record by Arcade Fire should know that she was totally ga ga for it as we opened up the box.  Once it was free of its cardboard shipping package…  Summer opened the LP sleeve and examined the poster, sticker, and packaging like she was Charlie and had won the golden ticket.  Very cool.  I want to thank you… Whoever you are.  (Geggy Tah reference inferred)

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At 8 this morning Summer called the medicine room and put in an “ask” for an early Chemo treatment.  I was drinking my complimentary Target House coffee when she told me that we needed to hit the road and be at St. Jude by 9.  So much for a homemade breakfast!  I grabbed 2 uncrustables and we hit the road to St. Jude.

2 hours later… She was done with Chemo and heading to the activity room.  There are resin molds waiting to be filled!!!!  Summer is allowed to work in the room by herself because she is technically an adult.  This is a privilege she relishes!!!  We were in and out of the activity room 3 times today between appointments.

This made for a great workout since Summer was given 2 GIANT bags of “fluids” and a pump to carry around in a backpack all day.  (And all night!).  I think that bag weighs 25 pounds!  I told her this is great practice for the airport on Friday morning.

After her speech appointment at 2…  We left St. Jude and headed to Macy’s so Summer could find something to wear in Colorado.  Nothing for the temps… She needed something in a Saluki red that helped her look like she is part of the team.  We wandered through a pretty big store while she was toting that backpack… Again… I reminded her that she better get used to walking feeling with this kind of weight.  I think I will not bring it up again.  She got quite sick of that conversation.  Summer found a sweater that made her happy.  It was on sale for 12.50, that made her extra happy.

Bonus…  There is a Crumbl Cookies right across the street from Macy’s so we made a pit stop and picked up a 4 pack.  (Still unopened at 9:20!!!  She likes the idea of food more than eating it!)

We got back to Target House with about 45 minutes to spare before her dinner date with her St. Jude friends.  Summer went to her room for a quick nap.  I thought that sounded like a idea good as well, so I crashed for 30 minutes with an alarm set, just in case.  The alarm woke me up with 10 minutes to spare before her reservation.  I checked on Summer and she was fast asleep.  I think we both would have been fine if we stayed in and rested tonight!

We marched on.  I dropped Summer off at the door to the restaurant and headed over the HattieB’s Nashville Chicken.  Hey, she’s 21 and hanging out with friends.  The last thing she wants is Dad at the table or hanging out in the restaurant watching over her.  When Angela was on the phone with us a little bit ago…  She asked Summer what they talked about…  “Cancer” was Summer’s response.  Big shocker right?  

HattyB’s mild half-chicken was the bomb.  I could probably go hotter, but I didn’t know what to expect.  I will be back!

Tomorrow, Summer has PT starting at 9AM and between other appointments, we have some wrangling to do with her fluids.  Those fluids are supposed to be in place for 48 hours and she will have to be in pretty good shape before a doc is going to sign off on pulling them off.

If she thinks she is boarding a plane on Friday at 5AM… She can’t have anything plugged in.  Between the fluids and port… Summer has some work to do.

She is not on the plane yet!