Shangrila?

I really have given this blog-thing a very pathetic attempt. I am making no time for it as by the time the boys finally get to bed, I'm pretty much there myself. But then I have Gabrielle who has her last feeding at around 11 pm and then I scoot into bed so lightening fast. I have started many posts but never publish them, it just feels funny to post 'diary-like' entries so I keep those to myself:)

Anyways, life has been pretty boring around here. No wait, let me say very boring! We have all been sick and trying to get better as Gabrielle goes in for her transplant in 3 weeks. It all started with James who came home with a yucky virus that gave him pink eye, runny nose, cough and a low grade fever. Of course it spread to Michael who got pink eye really badly and then Regan and then me, and then finally, poor Gabrielle. Thank god it's not pink eye, but she is all congested and not feeling well.

How do I keep Gabrielle from getting sick? It seems close to impossible.

I did everything I was supposed to and I even went a little over-board by disinfecting as much as I could once the boys went to sleep. I wiped down their toys, washed their sheets and pillowcases, disinfected the bathrooms, made James wash his hands every 15 minutes or so it seems, used disinfectant on Michael's hands, didn't take them anywhere 'public' like malls and stores only out for walks or out front playing hockey, wouldn't let them touch or go close to Gabrielle, didn't leave the house and she still got sick!!!

AHHHHH...

Does there exist a place where colds and flus don't affect people? A place where the sun shins all day long and you can push the kids out to play in their shorts and t-shirts and it's nice and warm? I never ever noticed this dreadful time of year until now. For as long as we have Gabrielle with us, I will forever dread it.

My paranoia stems from the fact that Gabrielle has her transplant in the third week in February. When I have a moment to think about what lays ahead for her it scares me. Really, really scares me. So, I don't think about it. I pretend that it's not happening. I switch to business mode and I talk as if I'm getting my car fixed.

We have a meeting with the doctors at Children's hospital this week, the following week she gets her stint put in and then the third week she'll be admitted and will start her 10 days of chemotherapy. After that, they transplant which is actually quite a quick process and then begins the most important part. Her body will begin to grow the new cells and will hopefully not reject the donor cells. Once her white blood cells are back up to 'normal' she will be sent home. Best case scenario from start to finish is 6-8 weeks. Sounds pretty simple eh?

My sweet, sweet Gabrielle.

xx