Day + 49 Almost halfway there!

All continues to go well. When we first started talking about this whole procedure we were told that Peter would be an out patient for 100 or so days, we are almost halfway there. Yeah!!

Clinic visits are Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and usually all that is needed is magnesium. Tomorrow Duke Home Health comes to teach us how to use a home infusion pump so that Peter can get magnesium on the days we do not go to the clinic. This may mean shorter visits at the clinic as less magnesium should be needed. The plan for next week is to give us Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off and then see how things are going on Wed.

We talked with Dr. Horwitz today about the clinical trial. From what he says, if there is no donor available between now and the end of the year, they may miss the window of opportunity for the thymus gland transplant. He said ideally they would like to do it within 10 days of day +60. Guess we will just have to wait and see.

Susan, the nurse practicioner, says we have partial approval for Christmas. We can go to Raleigh for Christmas dinner, but not for Christmas Eve services although she suggested we ask again, which we will. Our plan is to go to the 8PM service in Nagle Hall and then come right back to Durham.

We continue to get to know the other's at the clinic better everyday. I have been working on a brightly colored quilt top and everyone comes by to check on my progress. Today I opened up the quilt to show a few others and the group discussed whether I should finish as planned or make some changes. After consultation, I am going to be finished earlier than I thought. I had been thinking of making the changes suggested today, but needed some validation about my decision. Several of the other wives quilt and knit so we compare notes and share ideas. We also discuss where the best places are to walk, shop etc. without large crowds. At this time of year, that is not easy to do!

Peter got a large package from his co-workers at GE today. It really made his day. He opened the package and put all the gifts under our Christmas palm tree. It is so nice to know that he has that many friends at work who are pulling for him. Believe me, we will be back in Wilmington as soon as we can!

Movie plan for this week: Friday matinee "National Treasure". Hopefully if school is out, there won't be many school kids at this movie. We probably won't go again until school starts up again in January.

We continue to receive support from all our friends in the Raleigh area also. We have seen Cindi & Fred, Roy and Arlene and Cindy and Randy. It helps to make not being at home a bit more tolerable. Of course, we talk to Heather almost every day and see her once or twice a week. Kim and Todd will be up next week and hopefully can stay for a few days.

Guess that's all for now.

Wendy