Picture Pages, Picture Pages!

Ever have a night where you feel...off?

Last night was one of those nights.  Instead of driving to the place in Belleville I've been staying, I went home.  Sat down in my own living room...drank one of my own adult beverages.  Wore my own house pants, and played a video game on my own TV.  I didn't blog, because I was in a poopy mood, and thought that anything I spewed out to the internet would not add anything to the world.

So today is a new day, I had some good moments at school reminding myself that my students are just human, and not doing terrible things because they're out to get me.  It's just that some of them are ill-trained puppies who need a bit more love and a bit more structure.  Ahhhhhh....

I kicked out Shelley tonight, and made her go home to sleep in her own bed.  I'm hoping by now she's snoozing away.  

Last night at the hospital was really nice.  We got official go-ahead to walk outside, and the warmer weather today, and the crisper weather last night was a real treat for Amelie.  We walked outside for about 45m around the hospital grounds.  Amie kept asking for more, but we knew that it was tiring her out, and didn't want an end of the day tantrum because she was overly tired.

Before we went outside, we checked out the 8th floor U-M Football themed playroom.  As I've mentioned, the U-M Football team has donated often and generously to the Children's Hospital, and this place was swanky.  It's about the size of a small restaurant inside, and had a ton of room to run around, climb on stuff, and have a blast. 

Amelie was worn out and wobbly today, so she was holding Momma's hand the entire time.  I tried, but she didn't want to hold my hand.  I'm chopped liver.  :)

This was as we were getting ready for bed.  I'm posting this just for y'all to see a bit more detail on her hair loss.  Most of the floofy curls on the sides are gone, and she's really, really thin in back and on top. I brought all of Shelley's knit hats to the hospital so she could see which Amie could use in the weeks/months ahead.  

Right now she really likes the "Lamb Hat" that Momma knit.

(This is a picture of her pre-surgery, for those interested)

There's a lot of really cool artwork around the hospital, but I'm not saying this is one of them.  

However, I am saying that this painting totally rocks.  I love medieval bloodletting!

This is one of the cooler artworks.  It's an origami Sheep!

Origami Hedgehog!

For those of you who don't know, Hedgehogs are good luck in Russian culture.  Shelley lived in Kazakhstan (not the fake one from Borat, but the real one) when she was in the Peace Corps.  We have a lot of Hedgehog things around the house, and tend to buy them as presents for Micah and Marina in Denver, and Wendy in DC when we see them.  I wanted to buy this, but it wasn't for sale.  Cool though!

Finally, there's this whole series of Mashup Superhero + knitting pictures by the elevators on our floor.

Not sure if any of you know that Shelley is a truly amazing knitter.  Usually when I say things like that, people are like...yeah.  

Washcloths are really cool. (rolling their eyes)

However...check these out.

Can you tell me that's not amazing?

or those?

So tomorrow will bring us several more medical adventures.  A detailed list of tomorrow's activities.

• Amelie has a surgical procedure tomorrow morning at 8:30a where she's getting a 2nd port put in her leg.  This is a much larger (two lumen) port that will be temporary.
• This port is to facilitate the stem cell harvest that they're going to be doing.  She'll receive her stem cells back in cycle 4 of her Chemo to help her deal with the intensity of the chemo.
• While her port is in, Amelie cannot walk, and might not be able to get out of bed.
• Amelie is 2 and does nothing but move.
• Tomorrow is going to be a hard day for everyone.
• I'm taking tomorrow off work to make sure that Shelley has all the help she needs.
• If they don't harvest enough tomorrow, they have to harvest again on Friday.
• They'll take the 2nd port out when she's done with the harvest.
• Tomorrow is Amelie's birthday.  She's 2.

One last thing, as this just happened as I was typing.  A former student, who also works here at U-M Mott, came to drop off some presents for the girls.  This particular student, Leia, was also a preemie like Anya, and was a student of mine when Anya was born.  (Preemie Power!)

She and I talked for a while (I'm starved for non-cancer conversations, btw), and as she was leaving, she showed me the T-Shirt she designed and purchased.

Shelley and I were just talking about how we need something like that, and there she shows up wearing it.  

Although Shelley would totally say that I needed a color other than white, because I ruin stuff so fast by being a messy, messy boy.  MESSY BOY.  :)

So, to sum up:

1. Lots of medical stuff tomorrow.
2. Leia is awesome.  
3. Amelie's birthday is tomorrow.  She's 2.
4. Shelley is at home sleeping.
5. I am at the hospital.
6. I need to sleep now.

Night!