Valentine's Day

Louie was a real prince, a true cupid and lover of lover's - he gave Donna great big, huge, gigantic, enormous basket of chocolates and candy and hearts and all those things that girls love on the big V-Day and boy did she ever love it. She was delighted with each and every item and there was plenty of it, still is actually. I'm not sure what her favorite was but suffice it to say that she has now had a little taste of everything!

Finally we have a name for what "ails" Donna. It's called Osteomyelitis (infection in the bone). This is what is causing her to have back pain, probably what was causing it all along but who knew? The cure for this disease is antibiotics, via an IV and that's just what she's doing, imagine that! She is in great spirits and although the back pain gets the best of her sometimes, she is working with it and making progress. Each day is a new day, a different day. Some are really hard and some are easier but never are two the same. Her spirit shines through as she is happy most of the time. Every now and then she gets a litlle overwhelmed and cries (just like a girl) for a minute and then she gains control and is okay again. Like Saturday evening when she and I were waiting for Kirsten to arrive. She was so excited and yet when we knew she was entering the building I asked Donna - "Do you want to go down to the elevator with me to meet her?" and she said Oh yes, and we got her settled in a wheel chair but then she started crying. She said - when she sees me she is going to think I'm an OLD WOMAN! That made me laugh because as I reminded her - we are not exactly spring chickens anymore. I said - remember when we were younger and our parents were our age and we thought they were soooooooo old, well here we are. As I was leaning down near her face, talking softly and very closely, trying to comfort her, it occurred to me that I probably had bad breath - just like some old woman. I asked her if that was true and that really made her laugh - so with that, off we went to meet Kirsten. Well, then cried again but it was tears of joy tears this time ! ! !

Tonight she kept bending her arm, which would cause the IV pump to start beeping. Kirsten and I were sitting with her and would say - hey, straighten your arm. Before long she was joining in and every time she would (absent mindedly) bend her arm she would scold it as if it were a naughty child with a will of it's own and we'd all laugh. Before long she became tired of this silliness and told us she was ready to go "night-night" and both of us could just go home now. So we did.

Keep your fingers crossed and say prayers that Donna continues to progress and gets to go home to her mom and dad's soon. That will be the next step she needs to take as she continues this journey. All of you in California, get ready to greet her with open arms - she is coming home !
Not quite yet but she's definitely going in the right direction.