Return to Chemoland

David checked back into Baptist East this morning. He got there early, so there was some "down time" before the chemo started. Two of the nurses were going over to the new building that is being completed this month. The building will house several units, including Oncology. They will move from 5 North to 3 Parkside (they will look out over Brown Park, near the hospital). David asked if he could go with them to see the new unit. They checked with his nurse and off they went. He was the first patient from Oncology (and the nurses believe the first patient at all) to see the new setup. He says it is beautiful and spacious and amazing.

Privacy, comfort offered in new patient rooms

Increased patient privacy and comfort are highlights of the new 144-bed Park Tower, Baptist East’s eight-story addition overlooking Brown Park that opens in August.

All patient rooms are private, with handicapped-accessible bathrooms featuring roll-in showers. Rooms are nearly twice the size of current private rooms, providing ample space for needed medical equipment and more elbow room for visitors. Each room also features a window seat which can become a twin-size bed.

Other features help minimize interruptions for patients, including a viewing window with blinds so nurses can observe patients from the hallway. Two rooms on each floor are specially equipped for larger patients.

For the convenience of families, waiting rooms on each floor include a kitchenette with refrigerator and microwave. Food and beverages will be for sale in the ground-floor Park Tower Cafe.

Visitors and patients can also enjoy the rooftop garden, accessible from the outpatient surgery waiting room, and the Healing Garden.

Nursing units moving to the new tower are the Cancer Care Center, Palliative Care, Orthopedics, Neurosciences and Women’s Health. The spaces now occupied by those nursing units will be renovated and re-opened in late 2009 when Baptist East will have a full complement of 519 beds, an increase of 27 percent over the current 407 beds.

Opening first will be eight additional operating rooms to meet a growing demand for outpatient surgery.

After they returned, he had lunch and got started on the RICE (the chemo regimen they have used this time around). He is in great spirits and is doing well. Keep calling, sending cards (electronic or otherwise) and praying. I am going to get Davey tomorrow. Max and I will meet my mom and dad in Elizabethtown (nice city, dumb movie) for dinner and then we will go for a quick visit to David before bedtime.

I did get to talk to John Huber for a bit this evening to get a feel for how the transplant will work and when it may be. We have reached the time in all this to begin thinking about and planning for that. We have decided to do the BMT here in Louisville, so we can maintain as much of "normal" life as possible, including Davey's first foray into soccer (and my first attempt at something I SWORE I would never be... a "soccer mom"!), kindergarten and life for 2 sweet boys.

I hope this finds all of you well and enjoying your summer. School will be back in session before we know it!

The joy of the Lord is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:10