Day one at MSKCC

LOOK at Grier's caring bridge site for new photos-- can not figure out how to add a lot of pictures to this blog!


We left this morning and got a quick breakfast before we entered the Hospital-- We went straight to finance as they call it- I would say more like patient registration-- then we waited to be taken back to get labs drawn-- they must have done 10 tubes of blood --- good thing he has a hickman-- no pain!

Then we met with the social worker-- and then off to meet with Dr. Kushner-- He was very good with Grier-- but Grier was over the whole talking to others at that point! We had been there for a few hours by then-- He did OK with the exam-- freaked when he had to lay down on the table-- but other than that he did fine- A lot of info was thrown at us and I am not going to speculate on anything until they do their tests- We were overwhelmed -- but I am going to wait until Friday when we meet with him again to see what he thinks- The funny thing was everyone loved his shirt today because it had his name on it and they could remember it!

The whole cancer center blew my mind today-- it is amazing how many kids were in the day hospital-- they were busy being tutored, playing in the playroom, walking around with IV poles--etc--- And most looked like Grier-- I am not talking about a few kids-- there were at least 50 I saw and this was a light day! Then there is a hospital for inpatient too--- Why there is not better funding for childhood cancer in our country is a good question-- You hear on the news about how breast cancer and prostate cancer rates are going down-- that is because of funding-- It is sad to see all these kids doing more aggressive treatments than most adults-- with little research funding for better treatments! Sorry-- I had to add that in!

After we finished we got lunch at a great sandwich place-- Lenny's?? Grier had his usual-- turkey, provolone, and tomato! Then we walked back to the Ronald and changed shoes so we could go on another marathon walk-- We were in a hunt for a baseball bat-- to match the ball we bought at the Mets store yesterday-- Well-- we found one!
Grier napped on the walk and he woke up as we left St.Patrick's-- Jeff and I went in as far as we could without being searched!! We had to go back because we needed to start this 4 hour urine specimen-- OK-- this has been a pain in the rear-- we are stuck here in the room and we are bugging him about peeing in this cup and then we transfer to another contraption-- and have it on ice since there is no fridge! So, dinner was take out tonight-- Chinese!! Grier read his fortune and he said-- " It was time for him to go home.. and play.. and go to maggie's house!"

That is my longest post ever!!! I did not even cover half of what happened-- only one more hour of collecting and I can relax a little better!