Greetings and salutations,
So when we last left off are "Warrior Princess" was handling all of the procedures, the poking and prodding about as well as one could hope. Well nothing has changed in that respect she is still standing and still ending her days with a smile. Everyday I marvel at how she can keep her spirits so high. It really makes you pause and think about the times a small cold or setback, could have made me think about complaining. This whole experience has really shown what strength really is about. Its not how much you try to show, its in how much you can transfer to other people. So Isabel is the strongest person that I believe I will ever meet. Its amazing as a parent to stand in awe of your child who is only 4 1/2 year old. I feel like once she overcomes this cancer, she will have surpassed my greatest accomplishment. I guess in the end that's all any parent ever really wants. For the next generation to take it to the next level. I hope that I get to tell the story of Isabel the Warrior Princess over and over again. If Xena could become a cult legend, our Isa should be one of inspirational proportions. I understand now why she loves Tinkerbell so much they have much in common. They have wings like angels and can spread their "dust" of love to all who will accept it. Her smile brightens up the day of nurses, surgeons, doctors & visitors. So three more days in and the outlook is as sunny as the weather outside. Who coincidentally once she was officially diagnosed and a preliminary treatment plan was formed. I guess even mother nature wanted to borrow some of her sunshine. So on to the daily updates as best as I can remember.
Sunday: Day Two of her "rebirth". We woke up in the ICU in great spirits. Having had Isabel really start to smile the previous day, we were hopeful to be moved up to the Cancer Ward. But like any goal worth fighting for, we had to go through some pain to get there. Although the nurses and doctors were coming less frequently to check her vitals and perform the same neurological test. We had something a lot worse in store for are Warrior Princess. The dreaded band-aid removal. The previous day she had an EKG to check her heart after her three prong surgical day. So we had a total of 12 strips still left from Saturday. Those had to come off for her to move upstairs. Add to that the larger square bandage on her neck from her biopsy from Thursday(I believe). And finally her catheter needed to come out so they could see if she could use the bathroom on her own. All of these things were painful in their own right separately. But add them all together and you had a nice jumbo pot full of pain. Considering a simple Dora band aid would stay on a week after her boo boo, so as not to have to pull it off lol. So Ivey decided it would be best for Papi to be the bad guy lol. As she went to the family waiting room to collect herself and eat her lunch. Isabel, Papi & the Nurse were left to test her pain tolerance. First was the catheter which I forgot to mention also had some tape attached to her leg that had to be removed first. Our warrior princess let out a mild angry warning. "I don't like her Papi she started out saying. Having seen her already mad, I proceeded to just go all in and remove the 12 EKG strips. Each one added to her discomfort and warrior-like scream. If the nurse had any doubt that Isabel was a fighter her bucking like a Spanish bull who just saw red. I tried all I could to calm her down.
"Isabel what's your last name" I asked her.
Isabel "NO I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT". "
"Isabel who is my hero?"
Isabel "Papi tell her to leave" with a look in her eyes like she meant busines
"Isa please stay still, nobody wants this to happen to you, its ok to be angry"
Isabel as if she needed my permission let out a nice loud fair warning "Papi I don't like her, tell her to leave, she's hurting me"
"Is Is were almost done and then she will leave and nobody will bother you and let you rest"
Just more grunting and a look that I would never hope was directed at me
Finally we had taken them off and I was trying to soothe her and calm her down.
With her heart still racing she looked over at the nurse who was cleaning up "Papi she's still in here" lol
I told her I'm sorry Papi had to do that but we couldn't go upstairs to the nice room with all those stickers on her. She asked that I go get Mami and I obliged. The hard part of the day was complete..............or so I thought. With Isabel back to being her playful happy self, I felt comfortable leaving the hospital for a breather to watch the Skins game. The oncologist came by before I left and said that with everything coming back positive that she would be moving upstairs later in the day. So with that great news I left to watch the Redskins take on the hated Eagles. Well I guess not everything came up roses this weekend. As I unfortunately expected the Redskins lost the game, and gave life to a 1-5 team. Being upset about something so trivial felt unimportant after-wards. But I allowed myself a moment of fandom
To sum up the day I received a great relief after having to put her through pain. By her being moved up to a nicer less invasive and bigger room. But Isabel got the gift she had been waiting for. To see her two cousins Jeilyn and Jessica aka her sisters from another mother. For them to be able to come into the room and spend time with her had her giddy as I have seen her since her the beginning of all this. So with that another wonderful day ended with a smile on her face.
Monday: After sleeping at the house for a good 6 hours, I woke up feeling refreshed. But with Isabel and her upcoming day on my mind. I knew that today would be her second treatment of Chemo in her spinal fluid. As I headed to the hospital I tried to prepare myself for the day ahead. They say that music can be therapeutic, I think it can also be a great escape. Sometimes being in your head as they call it can mentally drain you. For me music allows me small escapes into just being in the music. Before I know it I was pulling up to a familiar sight. A nice colorful sign "Children's Hospital". As I headed upstairs I was hoping that this ride of good news and pleasant surprises would continue. Again Isabel didn't disappoint. I entered the room with her smiling and watching her now allowed around Papi "Sponge Bob Square Pants". Compared to all the previous days. This one started out the most relaxing. She had slept through the night. Even barely opening her eyes when they drew blood at 4 am the previous night. There wasn't much to do but wait for her spinal Chemo infusion later on in the day. Which we were told would be around 1. As I now learned when being in the hospital for this length of time. If they tell you it will be in an hour it will take 3. If they tell you 3 hours it will probably be in 1. They say patience is a virtue. As a mantra I often say, I find it hard to appreciate patience when being told when her scheduled procedure would take place. So later in the day around 3pm they were ready to take her to the OR. Isabel tired of being poked and produced was very hesitant to being asked to switch to a gurney to be taken down to the OR. We finally got her to agree to go down if Papi would carry her down. Nothing gave me greater pleasure then having her wrapped in my arms, feeling like a firefighter carrying his victim to safety. That's how I have to look at each and every procedure, treatment, test & medicine. Like each one brings her closer to being healed. The surgery went off without a hitch, and seemed to be over before it started. Before you know it Ivey and I were in the recovery room with her watching ICARLY. Waiting to get the ok to head back to her room. By 4:30 I believe Isabel was in her bed smiling again and ready to take a nap. I know that children her age take naps everyday. But through all this never has sleep been as rewarding then going through something of this scope. I know now that when I was growing up I've had my parents stalk me in my sleep. Nothing is as peaceful as watching your child sleep peaceful without a care in the world. If you really stare long enough you might see their REM sleep, and wonder what they are dreaming about. When she woke up she got to see her cousin Ty Ty who was so excited to finally see his Isabel. She got to eat chicken nuggets and french fries. She later capped the night off by having a bowl and a half of fruit loops with a side of chocolate milk, and a cupcake to top it all off (baked by her Tia Raquel of course).
With that ends day 3 of her rebirth, with everything going as well as could be expected. So as I send this out during the start of her 4th day. I leave you with this...........
"Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are." -Arthur Golden
So thank you for your continued support, prayers & positive energy sent our way
Aldo A Santiesteban (father of the Princess Warrior)
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