Yesterday we had an interview with NBC television who were asked by channel seven in Australia to film us and send the tape back to Australia so it could be aired on channel seven news. As far as I know, it was not aired on NBC. The camera man and his wife were lovely people and made us feel very welcome in New York. They took us to Central Park where we saw our very first squirrel! It was so cute and was only about a foot away from us. We then realized they were running around everywhere, sprinting across the snow and up the trees. Then we went to Time Square. Time square is a very busy and loud place with lots of shops, large neon signs and millions of people. It is also where the huge “Toys R Us” is located. There is heaps of souvenir shops there and it is the home of the Broadway shows (I think). I finally found a post office on my way back from MSKCC when I had to drop off Dylan’s 24 hour urine sample. The post office was very busy and there was a guy there who yells out where and what people need to do. But he says things so fast and had little patience for an out of town Aussie! Anyway, I got stamps now so postcards won’t be far away.
Today we were suppose to see Dr LaQuaglia about Dylan’s gastric peg, but I received a phone call from his office saying that he had decided to postpone the assessment until next Tuesday, as he will change it to a button device during his surgery anyway. By the sound of it, Dylan will have a pre surgery assessment on Tuesday 8th and I assume surgery will happen on Wednesday the 9th as Dr Modak said I would meet with Dr LaQuaglia a day prior to surgery. I then received a call from MSKCC asking Dylan to attend an ECHO (heart) test/scan at 2:30pm. Dylan was fine during the test and ate popcorn and watched T.V the whole time. It involved three stick on attachments and an ultrasound type thing on his chest. Dylan last had this test done when he was diagnosed prior to chemo, and it showed his heart was perfect. This one will show if the 5 rounds of chemo have effected his heart at all, and provide MSKCC with an assessment for future treatments to make sure his heart is strong enough to proceed.
Tonight Dylan and I will go to the New York Fire Department. This was arranged by the lovely lady we met the other night at the restaurant. Tomorrow we have an appointment with Dr Modak at 11:30am to find out the results of all the tests to see what the treatment plan will be after surgery. I will also get more details of the planned surgery. I am anxious to find out the results. We will take a ride in to the hospital in the Ronald McDonald van and walk back in the afternoon. Then we are being picked up by our Aussie friends, who have lived in New York for 6 years. They are the wonderful friends who picked us up from the airport and have helped us adjust to life in New York enormously. They also give great cuddles when I get a home sickness moment. We will stay with them for a few days and Dylan can play with their son. Dylan is eager to check out his toys and play on his playstation! It will be great to get away from the whole sick children/hospital environment for a few days and touch base with how life should be. Ronald McDonald house is wonderful though, the staff and facilities are great and very welcoming. They do an amazing job here and we would be completely lost without them. I really take my hat off to the volunteers and staff here. I will try and get some photos on the site soon, I am hoping when we stay at our friends house that I can do this on their computer as I am not allowed to do it on the computers at Ronald McDonald house (at least I don’t think I am).
Dylan really is hiding any signs of home sickness well. But this morning I tried to put on a new scarf that had been given to him and he screamed that he must wear the one Nana made for him. I told him, this new one was warmer, but he dropped his bottom lip and said "But this is the only way I can think of Nana" Then he started to cry. I hugged him and cried too. He held me crying and saying he misses Nana. After about 5 minutes of tears, I looked at him and said we must be strong because Nana wants us to be here too, so that you can get better.
