We are slowly settling into a new routine around here with lots of help from Joel's parents (who live ~45 miles away in Eugene). Since Eila began chemo, we've kept her home from daycare (she got to go in for 3 days in September) in an effort to keep her healthy. She's immune-compromised because of the chemo, and the doctors have instructed us that we need to bring Eila to the emergency room any time she has fever of 100.4 or higher. (A fever could be symptomatic of a bacterial infection, which is very dangerous to someone in Eila's condition and treatment needs to being immediately.) So because daycare is basically one big germbox, it seemed like a good idea to keep Eila home.
We're lucky that Eila is so young and doesn't know how to question the changes in her schedule - she LOVES daycare, especially all of her friends there. If her vocabulary allowed it, she would be asking us daily when she got to go back. Annikka is still going to preschool/daycare. She's doing a really good job with the changes and trying to understand why Eila stays home now. She doesn't even complain about all the new hand washing rules we have - and Eila likes hearing Annikka sing the ABCs while she washes.
On Mondays and Tuesdays, Grandma drives up to spend the day with Eila. Annikka goes to gymnastics on Monday afternoons with her friend Hirut, and gets to come home early to spend more time with Grandma and Eila. Eila asks for Annikka in the afternoon when she wakes up from her naps, so I'm sure she's very happy to get to see her earlier these days. On Wednesdays Grandpa comes over to play with Eila - both girls light up when he gets here. It's really sweet to see the bonds she's developing with them.
I am only working Monday to Wednesday now. Joel and I take Eila to her Thursday treatments, and then I'm home with her on Fridays. So far she is still doing well and hasn't been experiencing negative side effects from the chemo. It's a little hard at home some days because she's still acting like a regular wobbler. And while she happily plays, I think she gets a little stir crazy being in the house so much. We try to get her out for walks, but the rain is starting to return to Oregon (time to order a rain shield for her stroller). For example, yesterday I asked her if she wanted to go bye-bye; she squealed, ran for her jacket and dropped it on my lap, ran and got her shoes, then sat down next to me lifting her feet up. So sweet and so sad. Keeping kids active but away from germs is hard - if anyone has suggestions of things we can mix into her day, please let us know.
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I'm sure you're already getting creative with activities to do at home, but just going on what Preston likes most when we're home, some ideas are baking/cooking (he loves to dump things into the bowl for me), gymnastics (maybe have Annikka teach her some 'moves'), get a trampoline (not helpful on rainy days, though Kyle adores 'rain bouncing' when there isn't lightning), bubble baths with goggles, pillow fights. I'm glad to hear you're getting so much help from family! Everyone will benefit from that!! -Elicia
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