Baby Steps

Yesterday was chemo day. And as those days usually go by the end of them we were both exhausted.
Here's something I'm learning about chemotherapy visits. There is no such thing as a short visit. The nurse was even joking with us that they take a class on how to keep patients waiting. I'm 99% positive that's not the case but all to often I feel like whenever she needs anything done, a wait will be involved. Too often I go in thinking it will be a quick visit and then almost 3 hours later we're walking out the door. Add two hours of driving and the result is usually exhaustion.
Be that as it may yesterdays visit was a pretty good one. The big take away from the visit was that we need to get this girl walking again. For the first month of her treatment she was on a steroid that resulted in weakened muscles, which means she quit walking. After visiting with the doctor we go down a couple of hallways to the infusion center. I decided we might as well start "project get this girl walking" then. I held her/walked behind her while she yelled, "no!" "please!" and "stop!" all the way to her room in the infusion center.
When we got home I continued doing it almost anytime she wanted to go somewhere. She's not yelling quite as loud today but she isn't thrilled with this new "project" either. I also got in touch with her physical therapist and she's bringing over a walker to give her added support. I'm also planning on discussing the possibility of bring her ankle braces back. Despite what Little Miss thinks none of this is fun for me. My instinct is to carry her and baby her as much as humanly possible. In reality, though, that doesn't help her at all. Helping does not mean, doing it all for her.
Also at our visit yesterday they handed me the calendars for November and December. While I'm still in "one day at a time" mode I have started being able to look ahead a little. See what's coming. The gist of it is this, October and November should be pretty easy for us. "She will have a good Thanksgiving," those were Dr. T's words. Then come December and January it will basically suck. Those are my words. We're back on the steroid, one week on one week off, which is twice a day. In addition to all the other chemo infusions.
So given how much fun those two months will be I'm more determined to get her legs strengthened and walking again. Hoping that somehow that will make it easier.
Today the girl woke up in a fairly good mood. Wanted to sit with me at breakfast, she usually request that I "go!" And then sat at the table while we read books and did puzzles for a good while. I soaked up all the content girl that I could.

Baby steps.