Kaiser Hospital is the happening place! Anybody who is anybody goes there and only the most beautiful of people roam these hallowed halls of floor number five. Checking in today felt so normal, familiar like one feels when putting on their pants. Pulling up to the front, participation for all aspects of moving into Chez’ Kaiser no longer requires attention from both parties. Previous trips required my service in moving luggage, assisting with check in and holding her hand all the way into what ever guest suite we had been assigned. But no more! Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how your perception clarifies this murky glass, my role has been downgraded to nothing more than that of husband dropping wife off for work status. Not that I am any less important, it just seems as though our journey has over time become routine.

Once inside her luxury suite, smiles laughter and hugs are had by all who grace this threshold. It really is like coming home from an extended journey. That is if home has an adjustable bed, vinyl curtains, bleached floors, IV stand that looks like R2D2’s anorexic cousin, a really small TV with a channel solely devoted to showing some random nature picture luring your delirious mind into believing one day you will get outside again. One cannot discount the three square meals a day, nutritionally balanced to meet your every carbohydrate need. Yepper it is just like home!

I know I have said this before but I feel the importance to reiterate just how much I love the staff here at Kaiser Vallejo! They are some of the warmest, kindest human beings in medicine! It is obvious it takes a special person to handle cancer patients, let alone continue treating each and every patient as though they are family.  I have never feared leaving my wife here, not one time! My wife means everything to me and you cant put a price on that type of mental security.

Dr. Truong arrived a few minutes after Jacy settled in, it was great to see her! Dr. Truong has a genuine smile, a kind heart and has been the largest advocate for my wifes care. She also leaves us feeling like we are part of her family. Jacy and I are always super happy to see her; she gives us straight facts, tells us what path we are on, and listens to any concerns we might have with a kind ear.  Jacy has felt blessed from the moment we connected with Dr. Truong and that has been a blessing as well. Nothing beats having the utmost confidence in your doctor and the care you are receiving!

After a brief rundown from doc, it finally hit home for us both this is indeed the final countdown! 5-7 days of chemo with Kaiser, a couple weeks at home with a few blood transfusions thrown in for good measure, then on June 22 it is off to Stanford for another bone marrow draw, chemotherapy and finally the big day! July 2nd, is bone marrow transplant day! Many more trips to the hospital, days with allergic reactions, blood loss, crazy cell counts, weakness, weight loss, hair loss, hives, nausea, weakness and anxiety have all led to this final countdown of healing and redemption!!

Becoming cured from this dreadful disease is going to be an ongoing uphill climb! 4 months of separation from the ones she loves, four months of crazy stuff that is going to happen to her both mentally and physically!  Through all of this there is one thing I know for sure; if anybody can beat this horrible disease it is my stubborn, gritty, ornery beautiful wife!

So please say a prayer, hold a kind thought, it is definitely going to be a long screwy, jigsaw puzzle of a summer and we could all use the good mojo you can muster to get us through!!

more to come…..