Tricks And Treats!

 Yesterday (Oct. 30th) was full of lots of ups and downs.  Brendan was pretty up for the Halloween party at the hospital.  He got up, ate breakfast and got ready for the day.

He enjoyed the poster sent by his bus #119 friends!

Notes from his bus friends.

 He was anxious to go get a costume from the "Costume Closet" (since his costume from home wouldn't arrive in time for the festivities).  But every time we tried to leave the room, another doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or cognitive tester showed up. 

Getting checked out by an Ewok!

Checking out his reading skills with a fun Halloween book.

 Just when we didn't think we would make it upstairs to get a costume, the occupational therapist showed up and took Brendan to the "Costume Closet" for his therapy session.  All of the costumes were donated and given to the kids to keep.

The Kidz Crew had lots of choices for Brendan.

After walking all the way there, Brendan had to sit down for a minute while deciding what costume to wear.

Part of his therapy was putting the costume on all by himself.

"Dr. Leia" (the oncology doctor) had to have a photo op with Darth Vader.

Pretty soon it was time for Trick or Treating on the 3rd Floor.  Brendan's friends from therapy (the storm troopers) showed up to escort him.  Brendan felt that trick or treating was a therapy conspiracy to get the kids out of their beds and walking for candy.  (He may have been on to something. . .)

The down part of the day came when Brendan returned to the room all tired out. (He commented later that all the noise in the hall was just a little much for his head.) Then the nurses hooked him up to his IV antibiotics, prepped him for the port access change, and insisted he shower before they came to put the numbing cream on his port.  He also had just overheard talk of his upcoming surgery on Tuesday and it was a bit overwhelming for him.  So we cleared the room, put him down to sleep for 1/2 hour (that was asking a lot for everyone to leave him alone that long) and let him sleep.  That must have triggered his reset button because he was good the rest of the day.

Taking out the old port

A good-bye kiss from Aunt Shenla

Cleaning off his skin over the port

Putting on the numbing cream and letting it sit for 45 minutes.

Getting ready to put in the new port access.

The new port access (needle with tubing) is pushed through the skin and into the port tube under his skin. 

A great surprise came in the afternoon when good friends, Janos and his wife, showed up with Hungarian food, a helicopter for Brendan to fly in his room, and the promise of a real airplane ride when he gets out of the hospital!

Wow! What fun!  (Don't tell the nurses)

Janos shows us how it is done

Charlie takes a turn flying

So Brendan had a great day full of Tricks and Treats.  One trick was that he was told he would need a blood transfusion to boost his low hemoglobin levels.  They didn't end up doing that.  Another trick would be thinking he was done with surgery, then finding out that he has to undergo another surgery on Tuesday to remove 5 or 6 lymph nodes from his neck.  The tumor board felt that they could reduce the radiation to his neck substantially if they could remove the cancerous lymph nodes. So we will be getting ready for another surgery this coming week.

It was a real treat seeing how wonderfully the staff, doctors, and nurses all made the day fun for the kids.  They dressed up, made it possible for the kids to have costumes, and helped them get out and have some fun time.  Everyone just wanted the kids to enjoy the day.

Gifts handed out to give to the kids.  Brendan wanted to give it to Maddy for her Halloween birthday.

Happy Halloween!

More medicine :(