Mia had round three of her chemotherapy this week.  We started on Monday and continued on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Since this was round three we got the schedule for her stem cell harvest.  We have to be in Salt Lake on Wednesday the 22nd.  We have an appointment every morning until her numbers are right, at which point she will be admitted to the hospital for the collection.  This will be done through two catheters on each side that will remove her blood, take out the stem cells and then return it to her body.  Depending on how fast they get the 5 million stem cells they want we may not have to actually stay overnight.  Originally they told us we would be in Salt Lake for no more than a week.  But now we have been told to plan on ten to fourteen days.

Funny how that can make such a difference.  One week is easy to prepare for.  I can do the laundry before I leave, pay the bills, grocery shop and no one will have to worry about it until I get back. But two weeks means somebody better wash some laundry and someone will have to go to the store and I better make sure the checkbook gets taken care of.  Thank goodness for the internet, because I do most of my bills and banking online anyway.

School starts on the 27th and so I will not be home for the first day of school.  The only one who is really upset about that is Heidi.  She was supposed to meet and greet her teacher on Friday the 24th but since I will be gone I have made arrangements to take her in on Tuesday before I leave.  Heidi is sad that  I won't be able to be her room mother this year.  I have been for the past three years.  I am sorry that I won't be able to volunteer as much as I would like.  But some things just have to go.

Mia started to not feel well last night.  Today she took a long nap.  Her chemo makes her really tired for a few days.  It also makes her side hurt a lot.  I need to check with the doctors about whether I can give her anything for the pain.  I think it must be from her spleen.  When she was a baby sometimes she would get upset in the car.  All I had to do was reach back and touch her, it didn't matter what part of her I could reach and she would calm right now.  She is much the same now.  When she is upset or scared all she wants is mom or dad to sit next to her or hold her hand.  She is very sweet.