DAY 1

Day 1  (6.14.2010)

Well today we checked into the hospital for the beginning of this new adventure. We awoke early and exhausted from a packed last weekend in Fresno which was a great escape from san fran and everything there. We hung out with our friends, got some things in order and had our last little trip before all of this begins. We swam, I learned to ride a dirt bike (something I have never done) and I think I have found a new found love…don’t tell my parents.  We just played and spent time with good people, went to church and were able to give a little thanks for the incredible things everyone has been doing for us that no verbal thanks can ever do justice for. Thanks to you all again and to everyone that is praying, thinking, supporting, just being there. Thank you! we drove back on Sunday night and talked a lot about what would be happening the next day. We both slept well and arose early, packed and headed to clinic for an appointment. They wanted to make sure everything was good to go and well it was. Chad was full of energy like he usually is, we met  an amazing woman that is post transplant, she was beaming with life, head covered in a hat and dark skin in many places she was one of the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. She talked to us about the beauty of going through this and the strength she and her husband have found in it. Yet another angel sent from god. We talked and laughed and she spoke of how she was inspired by chads positive attitude, she had seen him in the hospital right after his relapse while she was inpatient after transplant. She reassured me like I already know that I married a great man. We finished that appointment and headed to admission, gotta love paper work and overfilled waiting areas, then we headed to radiation where chad was tattooed with purple sharpie marker, unfortanely not the real one he would have liked to get, but he now has his lungs outlined on his chest. It looks like you could play operation. Chad can describe what that experience was like, I was sitting in the waiting room reading the little prince in german and watching all the people come in and out that for one reason or another are being radiated in there brain, throat, or leg. After that, chad was well still bouncing off the walls with more excitement and energy than any other person. It was funny the radiologist came to get me from the waiting room and said, are you mrs. Hickey. With a huge smile. I said yes and she said I hope you know your husband is a sweetheart. She was all smiles and looked like she had just had the funnest time ever. She laughed as she walked away and turned around and continued to complement chad on how happy and positive he was. It made me smile. After radiation we went and checked into our room. That sounds like we checked into some sweet, well it has a bed, mini fridge, shower, toilet and foldout chair bed. Sound pretty suitish to me and it has a great view of san fran so you cant complain too much. i ran down to get bags and when I came up couldn’t find chad until I heard him and a group of nurses laughing hysterically in the hall way. We laughed and caught up with all of them from all of our lives the last few weeks. Then we went to get his port in (a surgically placed iv in the right side of his chest that can be left in for months at a time. ) works great for transplant so you don’t have to be stuck so many times which chad is looking forward too. HE HATES NEEDLES! So he went in, I tried to write to catch up on the past month or so, so you all can be filled in, it will be done shortly.  You know marriage, engagement, pre treatment, past hospital visits, ambulance rides on our honeymoon…lots of fun stuff. It is all to come. But anyway chad went in, full of energy and came out high as a kite with a 3 pronged port sticking out of his chest. He was high for a bit until he hit his bed and was out for hours, when he awoke he was nauseous and in pain from his port, and headaches from the pain meds. He tried to eat which he was looking forward too since well seven oclock am when he had to stop eating but found soon after that it didn’t want to stay in his stomach. Gotta love cancer and everything that comes along. Day 1 and throwing up already. Poor guy. So pumped with zofran and Tylenol chad is sleeping again, he is a trooper. I love him so much.