Midweek St. Patrick's Day, March 17th

Erin go braugh. Ireland forever. Perhaps I should say, Elizabeth go braugh? But if I just said it and didn't write it I'm sure Eli would think "go bra?", "what's Mom smokin'?" So perhaps we'll just pretend that I didn't say it at all, ok?

This week has been one of activity. Elizabeth has her radiation every week day at 11 and on Mondays she has chemo, too. So Mondays are very busy for Karyn and Liz. Tuesday was busy too with an outing to the country club where teams were drawn for the BB tournament... a tournament that will result in the Final Four. Karyn and Eli enjoy sports as much as their father and so the three went out to have fun with the other members of their ilk. The club had prepared a room just for them. They had a good time. Tuesday happened to be pizza night and Eli didn't want more cheese in her diet so they opted for the Outback and called me to join them.

We had a nice family meal, more than enough food. We laughed a lot (we tend to do that) and had a great time. Elizabeth was wearing her new wig and every time I looked at her I was surprised to see her with bangs. It is so weird how real the hair is with highlights and such. Yet she doesn't wear bangs normally and it seemed so odd to glance at her and see the bangs. It played with my mind. It didn't seem like she was wearing a wig, but it seemed like something was different. I wonder how I'll do when she gets the short haired one she is looking at? It is hard for moms to accept change in their kids, even when they know what it is about.

Anyway, tomorrow it is my time to take Elizabeth to her appointment. I am happy to do it. She informed me last night that after her remote took a dip in a class of water it didn't work anymore, so I'd have to reprogram her new remote. (It seems I'm the only one who can get it to work.) Am I lucky or what? So tomorrow we will have a day together.

Each day is a day closer to beating this "C". If you live in Tacoma you may have read about the new cancer center at TG. It was featured in the paper this weekend with Dr. Rieke and some of the staff being shown using the new equipment and talking about the new facility. Jim and Liz told me that they were there last Friday when the reporters and photographers were there, but they couldn't muster the strength to awake from their naps. I guess they were both napping in the comfortable chairs. (It's hard to take Jim anywhere that he doesn't catnap on you.) So now Elizabeth goes to the "new and improved" center at TG and gets her radiation.

Tomorrow is my turn to take her... I'm wondering just how comfy those chairs are... I may have to test them myself. I'll let you know if I, too, fall under their spell and nap.
posted by Kathryn Whitacre, Elizabeth's mom