Half-Way Point

Here's where we spent 5 1/2 hours today.  Everything went smoothly...right on time or a bit ahead of schedule...EXCEPT for the infusion lab. Woody didn't see Dr. Sosman today as he was away.  So we saw his PA.  The main thing that she wanted to know was if Woody had had any side effects and was pleased that he had had none that he knew about.  I think that we only talked to her for five minutes...one of the reasons that we kept so on time!  We got to the cancer infusion lab a few minutes before the appointment time and they called him in fairly quickly...and that is where it stopped.  It always takes a bit of time as they have to order his Yervoy (Ipi) infusion med from the pharmacy and it usually takes about 30 min. to get it to them.  Well, we think that lunch got in the way of getting it into Woody's cubicle and hooked up to Woody's IV.  The appointment time was 11:30am and the nurse didn't bring it in till 1pm.  And, it wasn't Woody's nurse, but another who happened to see that it had been delivered and since our nurse was at lunch, she brought it in.  Anyway it got underway at 1:08 and it was finished dripping into him at 2:38. And, at that moment he was half-way through with his Yervoy/Ipilimumab infusions...two down and two to go.  This time they didn't make us wait around very long after the infusion finished.  It was a whole different feel this time...rather impersonal...makes a difference who your nurses and techs are.  Today's just did their job, but didn't add any enthusiasm to it!  We both did get heated blankets...which felt so good in the extremely cold cubicle.  The tech couldn't figure out why Woody had to have his vitals taken every 30 min. She asked what the infusion was since most of the patients don't have to have that done except at the start and maybe at the end.  I guess that just shows that Woody is special!  Something that we look forward to during the hours at Vandy is that on the way home we stop at Steak and Shake and eat.  Woody really looks forward to the shake (not for me as I hadn't warmed up enough yet) and I really look forward to a good hamburger and fries.  We pull back into our drive a little after five. We were away from the house for a little over nine hours. Some of our neighbor grandchildren met us as soon as Woody pulled into the garage.  They had something to show us in their backyard.  Nathan and Graham had built a fire pit and benches to go around it after Graham finished his schoolwork for the day.  We sat around it (not lighted as it was in the upper 80's).  I took a couple of pictures while everyone sang "Jesus Loves Me" and dreamed of the day or evening that it would be cool enough to roast a few marshmallows. Woody left not long after we got home to walk to the prayer room at church...so he will get his walk in despite having to leave fairly early this morning.  Me...I'm just glad to be home!