Platform 9 3/4

Annie is home and happily recuperating from today's biopsy.  This was her fifth bone marrow biopsy but her first at Children's.  She was off food since dinner and liquid since 6 a.m.  Although she was scheduled to arrive at 8 a.m. the procedure was delayed and didn't begin until 10:30 a.m.  Nonetheless she did fine with just a little anxiety about being in a new setting and having gas anesthesia versus through an IV line.  She was also happy to have a special friend along - a former student and babysitter who recently graduated from nursing school.  Nothing like having your own nurse on the team!

It was interesting to note the differences from her last hospital.  First, being a children's facility, they explained and showed pictures of the procedure and rooms so she knew what to expect.  Second, they had a team of six nurses and one doctor versus one nurse and two doctors.  Third, it was in an operating room and parents weren't allowed to stay for the procedure (but she was asleep so it didn't seem too bad).  But a really interesting difference was that while you wait during the surgery you watch a large board like at a train station.  Each child has a number and you see which room they are in and how many minutes they have been "in pre-op," then how many "in op," then when they move to "post-op" and "recovery."  While it's no eurorail, it does ease some of the tension.

Now we wait and transfuse until the results from the biopsy and marrow search come in.  The next meeting with her doctor is March 2nd so it will be a bit of a wait.  One thing that helps in the meantime is that she was prescribed aminocapoic acid for any "bleeding events."  Since they don't want to transfuse platelets and they continue to drop (9,000 vs normal at 150,000-400,000) this will hopefully help in an emergency or when she gets a bloody nose.  Her last one required pinching her nose for 1 1/2 hours in the middle of the night so that is a welcome help.

We'll report after next Thursday's hospital visit and hope we have no "events" before then!