C-day plus 77 THE END

This is a picture of a Baxter IV pump, a device that has become commonplace in hospitals and wherever Intravenous (IV) solutions are given. It measures with some precision the amount of fluid which the patient is receiving, along with the rate and the amount remaining. Prior to using these machines, nurses would estimate the fluid rate by using a drip tube and counting the drops during 15 seconds or a minute.

The significance of this particular readout on this particular screen is that it represents the alarm sounding as the last drop of chemicals of Carolyn's chemo therapy passed this pump. In other words CAROLYN IS THROUGH WITH HER CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENTS!!!!!


Because part of her prescription included a relaxant, she slept through most of the treatment today and was still slightly groggy as the nurse began removing all the tubing and I suggested she shout for joy so I could take the picture.

If this treatment affects Carolyn the same way the past treatments have, she will not be up to doing much this coming week. Fortunately, there isn't much she needs to do and she does have some good support from church, family, and friends. Again, we'd like to thank all of you who have kept Carolyn in your thoughts and prayers and those who have made this journey bearable.

She's expecting to have three weeks of radiation therapy starting the middle of January. "Just to make sure we have [killed] all the cancer cells," the doctors said.