Katie's BMT Updates

It sounds like wearing a wig has its upsides, comedic relief and no more bad hair days unless want them. Take a picture, I want to see what cotton candy hair looks like.

Curtis

Hey Katie-
Happy 4th.
Glad to hear you're home. If I'm out and I happen to see a good wig, would that be a good gift? I promise no rainbow-afro wigs... unless Zach thought that was cool.
CL

Dear Katie,
So gald to hear from you and you sound like you are relaxing somewhat. What is Clinic? I guess that it is where you get your infusions, right? Glad that you have some fun wigs. The baseball hats should be arriving in a couple of days. If you don't want to wear them, my guess is that Zach will.
Happy 4th of July!!! I am at work and had a few minutes and found your latest POST. I want to get my 2100 med pass done and maybe we can see some fireworks-we are on the 3rd floor.
Talk with you later.
Much love,
Mom

A Glorious Fourth to All!

The monsoon arrived yesterday. When I took Tootle out last night, I got hit with 5 drops of rain! Points east of us got real rain. The Monsoon is technically a shift in the direction of the wind. Instead of weather coming in from the West, I now scan the eastern sky for clouds. Gulf moisture is pumping in--so much for "dry heat." The humidity is up to 39%. Combine that with 109 degrees and get something called the "misery index." During the monsoon Phoenix can get humidity to rival Washington, DC. Fortunately, that does not happen often, but the air now seems heavy.

When the monsoon triggers rain, it can come by the buckets. The hard-packed desert cannot absorb it and flash floods result. Arizona has a law with the great title of "The Stupid Motorist Law." If a stupid motorist drives into a posted intersection or wash and gets carried away by the water, the stupid motorist gets to pay for rescue. It takes only 6-10 inches of moving water to sweep a car down stream.

The Haboob is the dust storm that often preceeds monsoon rain. In some cases it becomes a wall of dust hundreds of feet into the air. Haboob pictures can be dramatic.

Okay, so that is more than you ever wanted to know about desert weather; but how much did you want to know about double pick lines and such? There is much to be said for learning on a "need to know basis." I am so very glad that Ian has learned to do needed injections so that Katie can be at home.

May Lady Liberty shine on us all! Hurray for Freedom!

Eva

Dear Karie,
I missed the fireworks becasue I had my work done but got an admission and had to pur on a telemetry monitor, put in an IV, put in a catherter, and do the whole admission, put the chart together, and put all the orders in the computer. So that took 3 hours. Oh, well the night will go fast, fast, fast. I'm just starting working on my charting and cahnging over my mediaction sheets and ddoing my 24 hour chart checks. I also have to put traction on his leg for a hip fracture. But we cannot find it anywhere.
Not much happens when I work except work.
Boots, the new kitten is doing well. He is a lot of fun and is minding pretty well. I am using a flyswatter to discipline him an dhe does not like it.
Well, got to go. Talk with you soon.
Love,
Mom

So happy for you and the cotton candy pink wig. You needed that. Can't wait until you get to season of Sex & the City when Samantha "gets wiggy with it." It might fuel your barely latent wig addiction, which is now coming in handy, I might add. Looking forward to visiting soon.
Shona

Hey Katie! I'm hoping Zach recovers from his sniffles quickly, so you can cuddle him as much as you want!

Your new pink wig sounds wonderful. You may need a boa, too, to feel completely fabulous. O Magazine, of all places, had a mini review of a hair product for "the hair down there." (That's what they called it; we know it's called pubic hair.) I believe it's available in pink, if you know, you want the carpet to match the curtains.

It sounds like Ian's taking good care of you, good man! And though you may very well feel part-Borg now, well, sometimes Borginess can be useful, as when you want to avoid getting stuck multiple times with a needle in a vain attempt to find a vein. In any case, you will always be the most fabulous Borg-ette I know. (Now imagining the Rockettes with extra technological features.)

Today Rob and I wandered around the city, enjoying having the day together. He's trying to impress at th office, so he's been working late most weekdays. We stocked up on groceries because everything in Munich, other than the pure tourist stuff and McDonald's, is closed on Sundays. No access to groceries! Just typing that makes me anxious!

Thanks for the Cooking Light recommendation. I'll check it out. I've been managing ok so far, but let's just say it's good that corn flakes are cheap, because it's not unusual for us to supplement our meals with that!

Today we did stumble upon a street of Turkish markets, which was a great find. A large number of immigrants in Munich are Turkish, so döner kebabs are easy to find, but it was really exciting to find whole markets of spices and ingredients, including manti, Turkey's tiny take on dumplings. Naturally, I've been taking photos of all our meals, so I'll do a food post soon.

Thinking of you, sending good GVHD vibes!

love,
Charlene

(From Grandma) Dear Katie,I keep thinking of you all the time. I re-live the days that you, Peter, and I used to play on the dining room floor. We used to play house and those things that were fun. We always had fun. Also the days your mom and dad were gone and you would help me with Peter so much so we could go out to get something to eat. Remember the time I go lost with the car when we took your mom and dad someplace? When you were in CA and I drove your dad's car, how frightened I was, but we finally got where we were supposed to be (some kind of gathering?). Okay, Katie. Remember I am praying for you every day and so are the ladies at church. They ask me all the time how you are doing. Do remember that I think of you, Zach, and Ian all the time and have you all in my prayers. Love, Grandma.

(From Grandma) Dear Katie,I keep thinking of you all the time. I re-live the days that you, Peter, and I used to play on the dining room floor. We used to play house and those things that were fun. We always had fun. Also the days your mom and dad were gone and you would help me with Peter so much so we could go out to get something to eat. Remember the time I go lost with the car when we took your mom and dad someplace? When you were in CA and I drove your dad's car, how frightened I was, but we finally got where we were supposed to be (some kind of gathering?). Okay, Katie. Remember I am praying for you every day and so are the ladies at church. They ask me all the time how you are doing. Do remember that I think of you, Zach, and Ian all the time and have you all in my prayers. Love, Grandma.

Hey Katie (and Ian),

I've been wanting to know how things were going, but hadn't had the link to your blog until today (thanks Ian!). It was really great to read through and see how you've been. The neighborhood isn't the same without you! Imagine missing the 4th of July Florida Street Maddness!

83 to go!

-tim

Dear Katie,
Hope are is going well with you today. Think of you often. It's 0100 on the 6th already and I am at work and taking a small break before I go back to my paprework.
Remember I told you that DDon and I were going tot he Farmer's Market on thursday? Well, we wernt and it turned out to be a whole 3 tables and one of the tables was Don's cousin.
she sold me a bag of cukes and zuchini for a $1.00. That made Don and laugh, because we almost passed it by. But we got to go out to dinner and then stopped by a ranch which was having team roping. I really like this kind of stuff. Ihope to learn to ride someday and eventuallly get a horse.
Well, back to the paper work.
Love you much,
Mom

hey Katie! We're counting down the days with you and hoping they fly by without too much incident!

I did my food post. It reads like an ode to sausage.
http://www.charlenelam.com/blog/?p=394

Munich is really lovely, but I decided to move my flight back to NYC up about a week. I just can't sit back and enjoy eating all this sausage when there's a whole apt in New York to pack! I'll be sorry to be apart from Roberto again so soon, but he'll be out there 2 weeks after I get there. ::shh:: Keep it on the downlow -- I'm not going to tell too many people, so I can just focus on packing when I get there! Also, I don't want people thinking I don't like Munich -- I do, I would just prefer to be in a place wholeheartedly, and I can't do that with my brain divided by an ocean. I can really live it when I'm actually done with my move.

much love,
Charlene

Glad you are home. And love that you will have a cotton candy wig. It will be so cool and fun to wear.

None of us can really imagine what this is like and I'm so happy you are blogging about it your journey. Who knows ... you may have a best seller on your hands??? (Don't you just hate the person who gives homework)? :-)

Katie, my dear, I'm sending you good thoughts and lots of good energy. Off to NYC for 2 weeks.

HUGS! Susan

Congrats on 16 days and a cotton candy wig. Can't wait to see the picture. Hope you get to hug and squeeze Zach really soon.

Ok--this will be of little interest to anyone but Zarlings. Are Zarlings reading this blog?

Carl was on a 14' ladder changing a light bulb in his barn. He and the ladder fell. He is a banged up mess who was flown to Harborview Hospital. The good news is that no injuries are life threatening. He has no neurological deficits. He is telling people that he encountered a bear-ha! His right elbow is so smashed that no joint can be seen on the xray. He has had one surgery to clean it up. The reconstruction surgery is expected 7/8.

I was able to talk with him today. Of course, I told him that I will be glad to come to Seattle or Yakima to help in any way. Carl's response was, "Well, there are still four lights in the barn that need to be changed."

Hope you are doing well, Katie. I await a new blog entry. Lovingly, Eva

I loved your article on "Home Sweet Home." We're cheering you on all the way and following your journey. Hang in there.

Dear katie,
How are you today? I am all messed up and thought that this was MOnday and I was going to ask you how Clinic was. I was so tired yesterday that I slept until 7pm and went back to bed at 10pm and slept until this morning. I felt lots better today. That hospital sure gets its money's worth out of me.
I went to Stillwater today and got my hair colored and cut. then I went to my meeting and out to luch with a friend. Then I did some errrands and came home. I bet I spent almost $400 with all the errands, my hair, and gas. Almost makes me sick.
It eained today and we really needed it. I hope it rains tomorrow. I am staying home all day and take the shovels to the house, it really needs cleaning and the laundry needs caught up.
Don bought me 2 beautiful house plants. One is a Calalily. I had 2 beautiful ones back in CA and it just make me sick to ;eave them behind. I did find a friend who has a green house and she took my plants and said that I could visit them anytime. I was so pleased that he remembvered. Last year he got me a chair for my computer and my legs don't swell anymore. he realy gets me some thoughtful things.He thinks that I won't like the things that he gets but I really do and am so surprised.
Boots is quite a character and follows me everywhere. I really like having him around. But I still miss Mitty.
Well, got a few more things to do before I go to bed. Take care and I'll talk with you soon.
Much Love,
Mom