Girl Power vs.the Pandemic

She did it! Despite being in Toronto in the midst of a global pandemic with all of the extra stress that it caused, we got it done. 

Sonya came with us at Abby's request and I was glad to have her moral support. We were screened upon arrival at Sick Kids Hospital to ensure we weren't unwell. 

Hematology/Oncology is on the 8th floor and the Sears Clinic is their equivalent to CHEO's Medical Day Unit (MDU). It's predictably much larger than CHEO's with a huge waiting/play room. 

We were met by Nicole who had been on my previous video conference with Sick Kids. She showed us into a meeting room with a sofa and comfy chairs. Already the vibe here is very different from CHEO. Bigger, less personal, but then again maybe unfair to say that in the middle of a pandemic. We'll warm them up with our friendliness! 😃

Abby brought Llama Llama Blue Pajamas the Third with her as an homage to Ollie and the First and Second Llamas. 

Dr. K.Y. explained what would happen with the stem cell transplant and answered Abby's many (very intelligent) questions and then did a quick physical assessment of Abby. He was kind, patient and very helpful. 

Next it was off to have blood taken. Sick Kids has its own blood lab right in its Hematology/Oncology Clinic! 

The technician, Connie was lovely and so patient. She encouraged and cheered on Abby the entire time. Sonya was helpful too, telling her how brave she was. Abby was stressed, but then so was I as I held her. Not about her blood test, but just overwhelmed by all that we are dealing with...cancer, a stem cell transplant where one of my kids has to save the other, being in Toronto during a pandemic which could kill my son if he's exposed through one of us, and this morning I had received a message from our POGO Interlink Nurse, Graham, to tell me that Ronald McDonald House has now closed their doors to new patients. Anyone else feeling stressed thinking about all of this at the same time?!

So we have no home base for next week until the transplant. We have many kind offers of staying with friends, but during this time of social isolation it's now so important that we have a space on our own near the hospital, within walking distance as we don't want to worry about parking or public transportation right now. So I'm working on that now. Thankfully given the money fundraised for us we will be okay, which helps since the average cost nearby for a month is $3,900!

After the bloodwork we got a tour of the 8th floor to see the Bone Marrow Transplant ward that will be home for Ollie and I for up to two months. Staff were friendly and kind, although parents appeared stressed. There is a great, spacious and modern family kitchen. Movies and Games galore, but no playroom because here they encourage and need isolation to survive. The isolation rooms are tiny compared to CHEO's. They're seriously so small that I won't be able to even pace his room if I'm stressed or need to burn off energy. They don't have bathrooms and just have commodes as apparently in the 1990s they didn't think bathrooms were that important or sanitary. Turns out that the research has proven them wrong, and they

are planning to renovate to include bathrooms in the near future. Thankfully there is a parent washroom down the hall. 

There are many restaurants in the lobby including sushi, Subway, Smoothies, Greek, Starbucks, Pizza Pizza and others we didn't even see! 

So we had a kale smoothie (Maria Abby asked me to take this as evidence that she does like Kale in some things!) and then left the building. 

We got some amazing take out pizza at Maker Pizza, arrived back to sweet treats dropped off by dearest friend, Jenny, and hunkered down to watch movies and rest.

In Ottawa Ollie had a good day and his CT with daddy went well. Last night Uncle Vic visited and tonight Maria was dropping off his favourite mashed potatoes and taco meat.

As always I am overwhelmed by my village. People who love my children as I do and would do anything for them, like go out in a pandemic to help them with whatever they need. We can never repay the kindness we have experienced, but will certainly try when we can.

So tomorrow Abby and I will be on our way back to Ottawa for a week to close up operations there and bad ready to move our lives for the coming weeks. Mario and Abby should be back after transplant and coming to Toronto for certain weekends after. 

Hoping you're all well and symptom free with your closest loved ones.