Photographing the Hospital Today

6:15 leave for CHLA

Traffic on the 101 at 6:30am on a Monday morning

We put "magic cream" on her before accessing her port and cover it with "Press and Seal" Seran wrap, which is easy to remove and doesn't hurt.

Vitals on entering the Infusion Center at 7:30am

Grace's treat in the morning is to pick her breakfast to eat in the Infusion Center. She always picks Raisin Bran and I can't argue with that.

Accessing the port with the "bumble bee," named for it's yellow tabs and "stinger"

Blood draw to get counts. At CHLA they can get this back to us in an hour.

Grace proudly holding her new Palace Pet prize. Somehow the story has evolved that Lord Business from the Lego Movie, which she hasn't seen, has trapped these pets in their plastic boxes. Only an act of true courage can set them free. She gets to pick the pet in advance, hold the boxed pet during access and opens it the second we're done.

Getting a check up by the physician's assistant in the play room. The amazing doctors and nurses at CHLA will literally bend over backwards to keep the kids happy. Literally. He was completely contorted so he could check her out without her having to stop playing.

Video games and movies helped her eight-hour treatment go by much faster. She got to pick her games and movies.

She had several hours of fluids, a thirty minute medicine, followed by a three hour blood transfusion and one more hour of fluids. 

Auntie Rachel brought Pho, one of Grace's favorite meals.

Watching movies in bed.

Grace was in a very social mood today. She'd stop anyone willing to listen and tell them about princesses, throwing cows in a video game, Ella the Barbie. And at CHLA she found a very large and active listening audience. 

Taking a photo with the lady bugs outside the playroom in the Infusion Center.

Grace's reaction to the tools on the table. She calmed down when she realized that none of these "poke," they only flush which doesn't hurt at all. 

We really liked our nurse today, as we typically do. She's carefully taking the adhesive off for Grace, something that she typically hates. Today wasn't bad, Grace knows which adhesive remover works best and asked for it. So she got it, and it does work best. It smells rather nice too.

This is the "bumble bee" right before de-accessing. It has an inch needle that goes through her skin into the "flower pad" below. The pad has a drip line that goes into her heart and is used for taking blood and adding medicine and fluids. 

Ready to go home!

In our favorite peacock elevator, on our way out of the hospital and back home.

A post-hospital snack in the car.

Traffic lined up at the pay booth. Time is 4:36 pm, a nine hour visit, not including drive time.

After an hour and a half drive home, Grace is surprised by Grandma's "Gracie's getting better" princess cake.