Day -6

Thursday, March 23, 2023 · by John Lilly

Last night was uneventful, which is the best.

Sam's still asleep; they'll come in to start preparing for the thiotepa -- just 24 hours of that.

In my experience, sleep is one of the most important things. Nights on the ward can be tough -- lights and beeping and the feeling that the night will never be over, so you get up in the morning tireder than when you went to bed. The opposite case, where things are quiet enough to get a little sleep, put a little gas back in the tank -- that's just about the best thing. 

Tonight may be a little trickier since Sam will have to get up once or twice to shower the thiotepa off his skin, but hopefully he'll get at least a couple of stretches of good rest. 

And then the weekend should get easier.

For my part, just catching up on email & switching all our autopays from the bank that failed last week over to our new bank that will probably fail next week. (Not really! Hopefully. Who knows?) 

Also, I've got this little story my brain keeps working on about the rabbit ATG. Thinking about the post-doc who comes to talk with their oncology advisor: "okay, the good news is I've got this new research idea. bad news is I need to round up a few dozen rabbits." 

♥ 43 hearts

8 comments

David Hornik · Thursday, March 23, 2023
I have been avoiding the new bill pay. I don’t even know where to start. Sigh. Let me know if you figured out a hack. And if it involves rabbits.
Cindy McLaughlin · Thursday, March 23, 2023
Someone should start a company that auto-changes all billpay when you switch credit cards, banks, etc.

And if that idea doesn't put you and Sam and anyone else in the hospital into a deep sleep, nothing will.
Michelle Stewart · Thursday, March 23, 2023
Hooray for sleep!
Andrew Korb · Thursday, March 23, 2023
There's something special about rabbit jokes, and there are volumes of them. We can always use new ones, though, so keep at it! You're on to something! Lot funnier than SVB! Lots of love to you all.
Bryan Rollins · Thursday, March 23, 2023
If Sam really starts to crave carrots, now you'll understand.
Amy Irby · Thursday, March 23, 2023
Hanging onto every word in these updates from you and Kathy inside your world. Good to hear your heart, mind and humor are still shining through, even if nothing feels 'normal' these days. Keep holding onto what you have as a family unit, as those core parts are strengthening more with each new challenge - illness, treatment options, falling trees, floods, school schedules, meal planning, sleep disruptions, bank failings, bills, and rabbits. Please know that your army of friends, family and cheerleaders for life are continuing to send healing prayers, positive thoughts, virtual hugs and much love across the miles. Hoping it reaches each of you and helps you feel connected. GO SAM!
Emily Mencken · Thursday, March 23, 2023
I will never think of bunnies in the same way again. They are little lifesaving heroes!
Rafael Bejar · Friday, March 24, 2023
Here's a distraction. The original ATG used for treating people came from a horse. One horse. He was inoculated with human thymocytes (T-cells) and the antibodies he produced in response were collected to become the anti-thymocyte globulin used as a therapy for aplastic anemia. His name was Caesar. His ATG worked really well. When Caesar died, we weren't sure that ATG produced from another horse would work as well, or at all, since the immune response can vary between individuals and is a bit idiosyncratic. Fortunately, horse ATG turned out to work whether the horse was named after a deceased Roman emperor or not. Rabbit ATG turned out to be stronger (and probably easier to obtain compared to repeatedly bleeding a horse), but was proven to be less good overall when tested against horse ATG in a head-to-head aplastic anemia study. Another victory for Caesar and his kin.