The Last Hoorah

Mom is anxiously counting down the hours until she is free from 358 East. Most of her things have been taken home (minor miracle considering how much stuff had accumulated) and we took down all her pictures and cards today and put them in her binder of good wishes. She is saying good-bye to her nurses that seem like they should be part of the family by now, having her last meals (thankfully), and taking her last spins around the atrium.
The high point of the morning occurred when she once again tried her beloved chocolate. Many of the stalkers may not know that this chocoholic lost all taste for her oft craved treat...but not to worry, she will be ingesting at least 1 lb. of See's bridge mix when she arrives home. We really are getting our Nana back!

What's the new book?

So Shalaine, my Gone With the Wind book club is meeting this Thursday night so I need to know what book to purchase for my new weekend reading......I'm going to hold off and do the GreSha selection of Three Cups of Tea when our ward's book club does it--it's coming up on their list, so I guess I'll go with the next ShaSha read. Please do tell.

We are excited that mom is coming home tomorrow!!! Please take photos so we can see her joy when crossing over the Hendrickson threshold!!! We love you Nana and are glad that you are going home for awhile to rest and we are praying for your blasts and a match to be found. If anyone knows could you let us know if any of the siblings have been tested yet and those results?
Thanks. Lou

An Evening at Dunder Mifflin

Anyone who has worked the abbreviated night shift knows that not much happens, so there isn't much to report. Mom and I entertained ourselves with a little Jack in the Box and Season 2 of the Office. We were pleasured to watch one of the all time greatest episodes where Micheal Scott cooks his foot in the George Foreman grill. If that doesn't bring her Platelets and Grans up I don't know what will! Possibly an office reading of Threat Level Midnight, but I could be wrong.
Mom was feeling a little weak towards the end of the shift so we are guessing that blood transfusion is imminent. Nothing gets you going like a bag of blood...so day shift may be relieved from the marathon walk that is called "the Loop".

PS Jessica was Mom's day nurse, Renee the night nurse, and I saw Mary walk by in the hall--I didn't have the heart to tell them that they got beat out by Dorothy in the nurse exit polls.

Which Twin Had the Tony: Report from the Day Shift

As we approach our much anticipated departure new news is much harder to come by. After Mom got released from her pole we took the extended loop walk which became quite an adventure. We first had to dodge the Culligan truck in the service drive and then our walk up the ramp coincided with the construction crews end of shift. I can tell you patients have no priority when it comes to construction crews. I was concerned that we had come this far only to have her run over by stampeding construction workers. We clung to the railing using the pink walker as a weapon and ultimately prevailed. The rest of the afternoon was spent reading the Scriptures and offering prayers of gratitude for being spared.
Earlier in the week I snapped the following picture so the any doubt could be erased as to where Jeff got his "good looks." I'll let you decide for yourselves!

Peering into the Crystal Ball: The early AM Update

A visit this morning from Dr. Luke proved very informative. Platelet counts are holding at around 10. We anticipate a rise over the weekend. Red blood dipped a bit and she may be transfused this weekend. Strong indications are for a Monday release.

I asked Dr. Luke - in the hypothetical - that should mom be deemed in remission when she has her bone marrow test at the City of Hope on Jan. 14, what would be the next steps. He said that it was likely that the following Monday she would be readmitted for consolidation chemo therapy. If she is not in remission then we would await the recommendations of the City of Hope on experimental treatments that could be used to get the cancer in remission.

America's Next Top Models???

Corrie got a camera for Christmas and hasn't put it down since.

THANK YOU SANTA WHEREVER YOU ARE!!!!

Should old acquaintance be forgot

Not if Dro has anything to say about it. But if you don't share the same resolution of becoming the best little girl scout around and need some help getting in the 2008 spirit, check out the latest Chrome Dome Web Videos.
New Years held up to Hendrickson tradition and was a time of family, chaos, and insanity. Here's a little New Year's Hello from some of the elder Hendros to our Queen Chrome Dome:



And a little celebration from the wee ones.
Warning: Highly recomended that you do not watch prior to your a.m. can of Diet Coke or a double dose of Excedrin. Stephanie and I apparently took a much heavier sedative before this video was taken. We will be selling it in the back alley after church on Sunday.