Why We're in Boston

Many of you have asked why we're in Boston when Orion is healthy and between treatments. This requirement was a surprise to us too. One of the consequences of chemo is that the white blood cell count goes to zero. There is major risk of infection. The doctors feel strongly that we should not be more than an hour from MGH. Cooley Dickinson couldn't provide the needed transfusion and care, and Baystate would be barely acceptable (they say). And we didn't tell them that even Baystate is 50 minutes away from Ashfield. Steve has a list of symptoms to watch for and Dr. Ebb has given him a phone number to call so that Orion would be immediately admitted to MGH without going through the dreaded emergency room! That convinces me that it's serious.

So Steve and Orion have one more night on the MGH floor of La Quinta Inn, than they'll move into the condo he's mentioned 1/2 mile from the hospital. I've been coming in on the weekends, and once they're in the condo, I'll be able to work one day a week there rather than taking vacation days. I wish I could find a way to bring the dogs since they would be OK in the condo, but Ida's ACL injury prevents her from climbing stairs. A friend lent me a hip-helper harness that I'm going to try.

Meanwhile, continued thank yous to people helping me leave the house on the weekend. Heidi's been house and dog sitting every weekend. I bet that's hard on her social life. And thanks to Maura who took multiple trips to the Arbors yesterday to check out the injuries from my father's latest fall (which of course happened on the weekend.)