LOOOONG journey home - just breath

Holy cow! That was the hardest trip of my life. Not being under the care of the doctors and nurses, being stuck in a hot plane (and then a freezing cold plane) - my body can't regulate temps well. Feeling nauseous and fatigued beyond anything I've ever felt before. As my friend Barry who went through this before warned me, the week after biochemo is the hardest week. I'm a believer. It is very nice to be at home. To see my sweet children... to limply lift my head to wish them well on their first day of school,

and watch my trooper wife march them off even though I know she is exhausted. I am just trying to survive right now. Taking in food, keeping myself hydrated and trying to rest. It's a simple plan and one free of any ambition. 

We got home about 10:30pm last night to Kaptain Kara-merica. Wow! House cleaned and disinfected, kids bags packed for first day, the whole house organized, mopped and perfect. It was full of food and the kids had gone to bed at a good time. They woke up refreshed and happy. I really am in awe of how much she did while we were gone for the week. I don't know how to thank her enough. We are truly blessed with such amazing people in our lives. Thank you Auntie Kara! I hope you know what your selfless service means. I'm convinced I see the savior most clearly through other's eyes. For some reason that is the clearest way His light shines to me... Kara's eyes were sparkling last night. Thank you to her wonderful husband and kids too. 

A couple of funny anecdotes Kristin told me yesterday when we were coming home. I remember basically nothing from the hospital. I was out like 22 hours per day. I do distinctly remember being snuggled up to her in our little twin bed most of that time. She said often people would come in to take my vitals and they would jump and say "whoa, we got two in this bed" or one woman came in and said "ya'll are like little teenage lovers. I'm gonna have to go slap my husband upside the head when I get home." My favorite was I guess someone came in and said "your last name is just way too hard so now we all just call you the 'cute couple'." Kristin responded that she wanted to adopt that nickname and the nurse just laughed and said you can't adopt a nickname that everyone already calls you :).

We have to go get labs tomorrow to make sure all is well. If I have diarrhea more than 3 times, a temp over 101 or anything problematic we have to go to the ER. UGHH. I don't want to do that. Hopefully all heals well. Hoping for a normal week next week.

One last funny thing I didn't remember at all until Kristin told me the story... I was laying in bed and I looked up and saw Dr. Patel
(medical oncologist) at the nurses station (see pic when she was chatting in my room). It was only Kristin and I in the room. I started saying "Fire, Water, Air, Earth" and singing the song for "Avatar, the last airbender". I guess I was convinced that my doctor looks just like the firebender's daughter (Azula) in that show and I felt like singing... don't remember at all!

Lastly, my sister in law Valerie mentioned to me that you never know when tender mercies would come and from where. Got one last night night via text message as I was sitting in airport waiting for luggage and feeling like I was in hell... received a note of love and encouragement that felt very much out of the blue but felt like a tender mercy as it brought me to tears. Thanks to those who receive promptings and follow them. Life is made up of so many of these types of opportunities. Thanks Nigel :).