"I'm Singing in the Rain"

Last night when I left Kevin I asked him, "why don't you think about shaving and taking a shower tomorrow." He said he would think about it, which was actually really encouraging.  So I arrived this morning, he had eaten half of his breakfast and had told the nurse he wanted a shower.  He asked the nurse what she thought of his "rough and tough western guy look".  She told him she prefers clean shaven.  I had someone on my side.  So he shaved and then drug his stand with his three drips to the shower.  He told me "if you hear a loud thud, come running", so I was listening intently.  And then it started, "I'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain, what a glorious feeling I'm happy again."  What a great sound that was.  Kevin has turned the corner.  He feels a little better and he has continued to progress throughout the day.  He ate half of his lunch.  The goal for today is to start taking the medications he needs by mouth rather than receiving them in his central line.  In order to go home he has to be able to take the 40 daily pills by mouth and keep them down.  He is making good progress and I am happy to be the recipient of his sarcastic humor. 

The 8th floor of the hospital is the Bone Marrow transplant floor.  There are different types of transplants and they refer to the type of transplant that Kevin received as a "mini" transplant.  Even though the doctors are prompt to tell us there is nothing "mini" about it. "Mini" refers to the fact that they don't totally kill his immune system before the transplant.  They bring his immune real low, but don't totally eradicate it.  The "mini" also is done mainly out-patient and, barring any future complications, Kevin will be allowed to spend the majority of his recovery time at home.  The patients on the floor are the patients that receive the full transplant and require hospitalization for weeks or months.  Every couple hours I leave this lovely room we are in and go for a walk.  Every time I walk I pass the patients on the floor that leave their room several times a day to walk the small loop around the desk.  Our three days at the hospital have made me grateful.  Grateful that soon Kevin and I will be home enjoying the comforts of our own home and our family.  If I hadn't spent this short time in the hospital, maybe I wouldn't be so grateful for this tender mercy.