Out on the lamb



Turbie-Twisting Clean

 Spent Thanksgiving weekend doing Thanksgiving things, as it should be.  That included a drive behind the Orange Curtain for mucho turkey and all the stuffing, including the requisite pie.  (As an aside, I've been told the ratio of the circumference to diameter of a thanksgiving pie is the same, regardless of whether it is pumpkin, apple or mince.)  Today was a routine visit to the doc to get blood level checks.  Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, blood levels were low.  Heidi spent most of the morning at the doc's office getting more platelets.  She started to get red dots on her legs yesterday, which we've learned is a sign of clotting problems caused by low platelets.  Other signs are pointing toward a need for red blood cells later this week.  Who needs fancy tests when you can read the signs?  Anyone who wants to donate to the cause can browse to http://www.givelife.org/ and tiptoe to your local donation site.

All this low blood count business means Heidi had to put away the dental floss, Sonicaire and other such bacteria-dislodging bleeding-inducing luxuries.  Oh well.  Such is the sacrifice.

We scheduled our consultation visit at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.  I've been asked many times why we are going there instead of continuing treatment here in Tucson.  We were actually told by two different oncologists here to get the stem cell transplant elsewhere.  Seems the stem cell program is on hiatus here in Tucson.  They're expecting it to restart, perhaps in January.  In the meantime they are sending all stem cell transplant patients to other cities.  Most go up the I-10 to Phoenix's Mayo Clinic.  But Fred Hutchinson is the epicenter of such work.  Since we have family there in Seattle, it makes sense for us to go to the center of the stem cell transplant universe.  To the galactic center of the bone marrow galaxy, so to speak.  Where the leukemia hippies go get their anti-cancer nirvana.  Whence the origins of treatment began and developed.  As I said, we have family there so it makes sense for us.

Consultation is a one-day visit.  We're flying in Monday morn (Dec 6) and flying home Tuesday eve.  We get to talk meds with the docs, discuss treatment options, hear about trials, tour available housing and talk everyone's favorite subject:  insurance.

The highlight of the trip for me will of course not be the drive to the airport, nor the flight to Seattle, not even getting on Sound Transit light rail for the ride to Westlake.  No, the best part of the trip, what I am really really looking forward to, that I've been talking about ever since Paul Allen created his Vulcan community around Eastlake, will be to get off the train at Westlake and ride the SLUT.  That's right, mass-transit boys and girls, for everyone who's anyone wanting to get in and out of Eastlake, the South Lake Union Transit is the one to ride.  You can bet that when Heidi and I don the Eddie Bauer look and slog back into the Jet City, that's where we'll be.

Special Escape Edition, part deux

Monica, Wall-E and Heidi

The actual escape, part deux, is scheduled for tomorrow.  But tomorrow I will be too busy escaping to blog anything.  So today I'm writing, tomorrow we're escaping.  Like, deux!

People who have been incarcerated like Heidi have trouble adjusting to life outside.  Last time Heidi had difficulty walking more than 100 feet without turning around, because that's what she does in the hallway at 3NW.  She still walks for an hour at a time, but in 100-foot segments.






Gloria Starting Chemo



This trip I'm predicting Heidi will find it difficult to not discuss bowel movements.  Here in the hospital, every doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner, fellow, grad student, nurse tech, and housekeeper wants to know that what's going in and what's coming out.  It's very important part of medical care.



In the real world, people don't discuss that kind of thing.  At least not in polite company.  No, in all company.  My word of advice for all of you who visit Heidi when she is out is to learn how to change the subject quickly. 

Polina, the Russian Agent in charge of Sleep Deprivation
(Yes, Nurse Tech boss, that is my beer, not hers)
(No, Nurse Tech boss, I do not share beer)
(Okay, Nurse Tech boss, I do share empties for photo ops)

Monica, in the first photo way above, is one of the aforementioned problem-causers.  But the real reason to write about Monica is her dry sense of humor.  She has this way of showing disdain for me that sometimes seems soooooo genuine.  But I know it isn't because I'm the second most-lovable person in this room.

Gloria has taken care of Heidi many times in glorious (Glorias?) fashion.  She is a good example of the excellent caregivers here on 3NW.  There are many others too.  Too many to mention them all.  Some I have already included in previous posts.  Many others deserve to be mentioned, and mentioned again.  Praised and praised again. 

Lastly, I have to mention Polina, the bane of my sleepovers.  Polina tries so hard to be discreet and polite and quiet and operate under the low cover of darkness (I'm sure they taught her that in the agency torture school).  But still I will always accuse her of intentionally kicking my bed and shining her night ops high intensity flashlight in my eyes.  That's what I do.

If all goes according to plan we will be checking out of here tomorrow and not returning.  At least not returning in any official, sanctioned capacity.  I'm sure Heidi will find an excuse to bring some baked goods this way.  I certainly won't balk at any opportunity to ask Monica for a beer as I did many times when she insincerely asked if we needed anything.  Or ask Polina for some vodka.  Or continue to request a 5.1 Dolby surround-sound system so we could actually enjoy a multimedia movie.  That's what I do.

Thanks so much to all on 3NW at University Medical Center.  Obviously we couldn't have done it without you.  You made such a potentially horrible experience bearable.  No, much better than bearable.  There were actually enjoyable aspects of our visit here.  We will miss you.

Sunday is Hospital Day and the day to watch football

Breakfast on Beds

I stayed at the hospital last night.  It's nice not having to drive home alone, but it's really not that great sleeping here.  The cot I sleep on isn't very good.  The thin mattress has a plastic cover, so I sweat to it if I don't move around enough.  Ditto for the plastic-covered pillows.  I figured out early to put down two bottom sheets to provide more absorption. 





Post-run for me
Post Clown-Dressing for Heidi



And then there are the interruptions.  If Heidi is on saline IV, she gets up several times per night.  Every trip to the bathroom is followed by a nurse tech coming in to measure and flush.  There are interruptions for blood pressure, medicine, eye drops, blood draw, plus some interruptions that seem to be intended just to kick Scott's bed and shine a light in his eyes.  Did I mention that Polina is the one to blame for all of this?



So it's nice, but not so nice.  The breakfast in bed in the morning is pretty sweet.  Can't beat delivered waffles. Can't beat waffles delivered to us in bed while I'm still in my underwear!  And you don't have to worry about spilling syrup on the sheets because they get changed daily.    Okay, a few perks I'm gonna miss when Heidi checks out.

Setiva, Kaitlin and oh-la-la Heidi

Speaking of checking out, it is scheduled for tomorrow.  Heidi gets another dose of Cytarabine tonight and one tomorrow morning.  I'll go to work tomorrow and hopefully around quitting time she will be ready to come home. 





Day 2 of Round 2

Day 2 and we're back in the routine.  It's so much less ominous this time.  The first trip to the hospital we approached with much trepidation.  We had heard about the side effects, the nausea, hairloss, sickness, and more, but we had no idea how bad all those things could be. 

There is so much less fear this time.  We know what all those side effects are like.  And all the doctors tell us it will be much less severe this time.  The hospital stay will be much shorter, too.  Another big unknown last time was whether I could do the laundry without Heidi's help.  That proved to be within my capabilities.  I cleaned toilets, washed dishes and kept the house from burning down.  This trip will be less than a week so I plan to just let the clothes and dishes stack up where they land.  Don't tell Heidi.

It feels much like Westley and Princess Buttercup navigating through the Fire Swamp.  The fire jets make a predictable noise before they erupt.  The lightning sand is easy to spot before you step in it.  The ROUS, well those are probably just urban legend.   These things we can deal with.  Prince Humperdink, on the other hand . . .

I have to end this post with a big heartfelt sincere thank you shout out to Commercial Properties of Maui, Heidi's former former employer.  They decided to make their end-of-year donation to the National Bone Marrow Donor Program.  Seems they used to give gifts to their good clients at year's end until, at Heidi's urging, they decided to instead put that money into a charity donation.  Other members of the CPM team and family have also been touched by cancer.  A nice touch that is very much appreciated by this former former employee and spouse.  A class act, boys.

Back in the hospital for Round 2

Steve Accessing the Port

Finally made it back for Consolidation Chemotherapy.  Not that it's something to look forward to, but it is a necessary step that must be done to progress toward being cured. 

Heidi is now in room 3724.  Phone number 520-694-3170.  We're expecting this to be her new home for the next 6 days, barring any water leaks or room refurbishment changes.



The gang's all here again:  Kristy, Heidi and Lorelei (whom
we almost did not recognize with her clothes on)



We were told yesterday she would be checking in this morning.  So I stayed home from work and telecommuted while I could.  They're short of rooms at 3NW because one wing is being refurbished.  So it took some patient juggling to clear a room for Heidi.  Finally about 2:30 they told us they were ready. 



Checking In Outfit



Besides killing a day of work for me, we wanted very much to get started on chemo treatment today.  The sooner she starts, the sooner it ends and the sooner she can check out.  We pleaded with the doc to time this visit so that she would be out and healthy enough to drive to Costa Mesa for Thanksgiving. 



Fortunately we did arrive soon enough to get it started tonight.  Actually, as of 6:30pm they have not yet started.  But the drugs were ordered and should be here soon.  As I told Lorelei, any bartender that takes this long to mix a cocktail does not get a tip from me.



Special Genetic HLA Match Edition

At the Kiva on a Nice Cool Night

Got a phone call from the oncologist today with results on the HLA matching from Toby and Robin.  This is potentially huge news, because with a match we go through only one Consolidation treatment followed a month later by the stem cell (bone marrow) transplant.   If neither sibling matches, they'd have to search the Bone Marrow Donor registry.  That would add a couple months and another consolidation or two to the treatment plan. 

S'more  time

So we were really hoping for a sibling match.  Heidi was also really hoping for a completely other reason.  Seems she has these memories as a kid of her relatives and parents' friends insinuating that she was adopted.  It's really pretty silly.  You'd agree with me if you saw Heidi with her new hair style and her brother together. 

I have cow-orkers who have been offering to join the bone marrow registry.  There really is no reason to wait, with or without a sibling match.  But as I told Troy at work today, "I really don't want any of your DNA in my wife, regardless of benevolent intentions."  Hey, Troy, ya know I love ya, man.  :^)    I also learned at work that you can write anything you want as long as you put a smiley face afterward.

This whole leukemia-chemotherapy thing has the potential to bring the skeletons out of the closet.  After shaving Heidi's head, Kristi the Head Cosmetologist (pun intended) remarked that at least she wasn't dropped on her head as a child.  Nicely-shaped head without any noticeable dents.  Reassuring.

Heidi was convinced that if neither sibling matched that would be vindication she was stolen from a gypsy family as a baby.  No, maybe I have that story wrong.  Anyway, vindication of adoption. 

In summary, lack of sibling match would be bad news on several fronts.  Vindication of adoption and DNA from my cow-orkers.  Skeletons from the closet and then much, much worse.

The oncologist called today and gave us the news.  Heidi called me right afterward and told me the good news.  Then she called both daughters, her sister, her dad and her bro.  She isn't adopted.  Toby is a good HLA match!  I immediately told Troy at work he should still register with the bone marrow registry to inflict his degenerate DNA on some anonymous victim.  We don't need you, Troy.  But I still love ya, man.  :^)

I'm sure, in the future, I will be blaming Heidi's idiosyncracies on Toby DNA.  But for now, I'm gonna try hard to bite my tongue and tell everyone that Toby is in the top two of my favorite brothers-in-law.  Ya know I love ya, man.  :^)  We know Heidi was not dropped on her head and she wasn't stolen from gypsies.  We're all smiles.

And to Robin, I apologize for the news that we cannot rule out the possibility that you are adopted.  I highly recommend you don't shave your head, lest you find out about the time that . . . oh, never mind.

And she'll have fun fun fun until her doctor takes her liberty away

At A Steak in the Neighborhood (restaurant
in downtown Tucson)

Dinner and a show last night.  Yes, I couldn't let Heidi show me up in the hat department.  Nice steak dinner and then opera.  Three weeks ago I went to the opera by myself—definitely not fun, fun, fun.

Yesterday morning we hiked in Catalina St Park.  Heidi did phenomenally well, considering last week she was too weak to leave the sterile 3NW wing of the hospital.  Considering two months ago she was too weak to walk up the driveway.  We tried to reach Romero Pools.  Heidi didn't make it all the way, but she got damn close.  She stopped after several miles, up a couple thousand foot elevation gain.  She stopped to rest and I ran ahead.  Only took me 10 minutes to reach the pools, but that was enough for Heidi.  After I came back to her, we headed back down the trail. 

Resting on the Trail

I'd like to ask the oncologists how many of their leukemia patients hike like that between Induction and Consolidation phases of chemotherapy.  I'm guessing not (m)any. 

Today was a trip to Phoenix to watch the Seahawks move to sole possession of first place in the NFC West.  Just for the skeptics among you, I should point out that most of the people still there when the final gun sounded were wearing blue.  Mostly dark blue with that other shade of blue.  Blue on blue.  Lots of blues.  You get the point; no red.

I almost forgot about the doctor appointment on Friday.  That was pre-fun.  Actually, no surprises.  Heidi is going back in for Consolidation chemotherapy, probably on Wednesday.  The doctor is going to time it so that on Thanksgiving she will be out, but her blood counts shouldn't be too low to go see her family in Costa Mesa.  We'll drive to Costa Mesa—about an eight-hour drive.  That will make it easy to make last-minute plans based on her blood counts and the relatives viral status (that means no cold or flu symptoms).  I'll probably have to precede her entry with a can of Lysol spray and wipe everything with alcohol wipes.  We'll have a bottle of hand cleaner at the door for everyone to use.  It will seem like overkill to everyone else, but getting sick there would screw up many things, including our trip back to Tucson.

My hat is better, but apparently I need a fake flower on my lapel.
And the Seahawks Won.

The consolidation phase to 3NW at University Med Center will probably last a week.  She gets Cytarabine three times.  This is the same drug as one she received last stay, but at a higher dose and without Daunarubicin, the other poison she received last time. 

I'm trying to think of a clever way to end this post, but I'm coming up empty.  And it's late.  So I'll end with a heartfelt thanks to all you who watched the hair-cutting video.  Now up to 1130 viewings.  Probably won't be any more hair-cutting during the Consolidation phase.

Oh, and still no word on whether either sibling is an HLA match.  Should know this week.

Cute hats and viral videos

 

In the Backyard

 I really don't have anything new to write about.  More hats.  Same viral head shaving video.  Did I mention it has now been viewed 750 times?  I'm hoping for 4 figures. Tell all your friends.  And if anybody is interested, there's also a video of my head being shaved.  If . . . anybody is interested . . .


I went to work today.  Came  home early and we went to a movie. So much better than spending all my waking hours at the hospital.

Next week we should be back on the hospital schedule.  We see the doctor tomorrow.  Expecting him to say go back in the hospital for consolidation chemotherapy on Monday.  That should result in a 1-week hospital stay, followed by the usual creeping up of blood counts, followed by work, movies, shopping, restaurants, and other normal stuff.   Ahhhhh, normal stuff.

It's cute hat time

Heidi came home Friday afternoon.  Saturday we went to the mall and Target.  Sunday we went to Costco.  Yesterday she went to the grocery store.  Today, the post office and bank.  I was at work.  So far lots of normal stuff and it feels right. 

Next week it's back to the hospital for consolidation chemotherapy.  In that phase, she gets Cytarabine 3 times over 5 days.  No Daunarubicin, so it's milder than last time.  Should be in the hospital only a week, and then home to do normal stuff again.  Ahhhhh, normal stuff.  Much better than hospital stuff,  despite the fact that the nurses and staff at UMC do so well to make the whole experience bearable. 

If all goes right, we should be able to drive to S. Cal for Thanksgiving, but that depends on many things, including:  1) starting consolidation early next week, 2) getting out in ~1 week, 3) white counts recovering to road trip worthy in 1 subsequent week, 4) no sick relatives at Thanksgiving get-together. 

 

The hat in the photo above used to belong to Oddjob before Heidi stole it and added a dumb flower.  If I were Oddjob I'd be mad.

 

No test results on the possible HLA sibling match.  They submitted their samples almost 2 weeks ago.  Should know the end of this week or next.  If they match it means we should be at Fred Hutchinson in Seattle probably in December.  If the siblings don't match it will take another couple months to find a match in the bone marrow registry.  

Walking the Neighborhood

 

Cute hat number umpteen



Special Escape Edition

The head shaving video now has been viewed . . .

Doesn't matter anymore.  Heidi has been discharged and is home.  Repeat, home is where Heidi is.  No more posts.  Nothing to say that is G-rated.

Check back on Monday . . .

Month 1 and counting

There's a bit of a disagreement here on 3NW View Estates on the maintenance requirements for the sympathy shave.  Last week we both got our hair clipped . . . Oh, did I mention how the hair shaving video had gone viral?  Over 500 viewings so far.  Heidi thinks there a bunch of perverted people with bald-headed woman fetishes.  I'm a little disappointed nobody has yet asked to see my head shaving video.  It was also video recorded, people.  Like Duh!

After the famed hair shaving event (which was actually done with clippers—you who saw the video would know), my hair had the audacity to try to grow back.  Heidi's hair isn't really growing well.  Not uniformly.  But after a few days I was not looking sympathetic anymore.  So I took my home clippers and re-clipped.  I know what your next question is.  You want to see the video from my second clipping.  Unfortunately for you perverted people with bald-headed man fetishes, I did not record that event.

Bob, Baldy and Lori (umpteen-time visitor)

But I did clip the hair on my face too.  I didn't shave, of course, because Heidi is not allowed to shave.  It would be unsympathetic for me to flaunt my ability to shave while Heidi cannot.  And I am the very supportive spouse type who would never flaunt.  Some members of 3719 View Estates think I should be shaving anyway. 

Therein lies the disagreement. 

Unfortunately, I have very dark thick hair (see previous post on genetic predisposition of generations of hairy Armenians).  So my attempt to look the part comes across as more scruffy than sympathetic.  It's the thought that counts. 

So I'm putting it up to a vote.  Remember, now, that Heidi cannot use her Sonicare toothbrush or floss either.  If you think I should just use clippers on my head and face, vote that way on your November ballot.  If you think I should stop all hair removal efforts (including on my ears), stop brushing and flossing and flushing the toilet, please vote appropriately. 

Critical Bone Marrow Biopsy Results are in

Riding Inside, Dreaming of the Outside

The most important bone marrow biopsy in Heidi's Leukemia treatment was taken yesterday and the results were due today.  I didn't sleep much last night.  I couldn't work much today. 

But I did manage to finally get outta bed this morning and drive to see my bald girlfriend living in the penthouse downtown.  No, not that one.  After the big move, she is now my bald girlfriend living in a view penthouse downtown.  Heidi is either the floor favorite or the biggest whiner, because they gave her the only room with a view of something other than the next building.  She can see the beautiful West Tucson  Mountains out her window.  Then they gave her an exercise bike so she could look out the window and ride.  Perhaps I should use an acronym to refer to my BGLVPD. 

Before I forget, her room is 3719 and her phone number is 520-694-3165. 

This morning, while visiting my BGLVPD, the doctors said the results from the biggest bone marrow biopsy in Heidi's leukimic experience would be revealed today.  Dr. Pavvi [with a last name I cannot spell nor pronounce], playing the part of Vanna White, would reveal whether we would get what's behind Door No. 1, another month of re-induction treatment; Door No. 2, progress on to a 1-week consolidation treatment; or Door No. 3, . . .  Wait a minute, okay, play along for a moment and pretend there are only two doors and, yes, I know Vanna doesn't do the three-door thing.  Just go with it for the moment. 

Okay, 2 doors.  Door No. 1 is go back to the beginning; do not pass Go; do not collect $200.  Door No. 2 is to land on something cool like St Charles or Connecticut.  But not Electric Company; I never really liked the utilities unless you also get Water Works and then it's marginally worth it.  Because when everbody is buying houses and hotels raking in the rent, that paltry $75 per stay just seems kinda crappy.

Heidi, meanwhile, fresh off the viral head-shaving video experience (which, by the way, is now up to 457 viewings—I'm working on my Oscar acceptance speech), takes this stuff all in stride. 

So I'm at work all day trying to concentrate, but not really getting anything done.  Heidi, fresh off the viral head-shaving video , says she will call me when Dr. Pavvi [ _______ ] delivers the pivotal results.  Finally about 3pm I call her and ask whether she has the most important results yet.  She says her friend Gigi was visiting, and before that, Lori was here.  Lori, by the way, wants me to point out that she is the frontrunner for most visits by a long shot.  I won't quote a number because she will go out of her way to tell me how badly I underestimated, detailing every facet of every visit made to date, all while on another visit.

Where was I?  Oh, then Heidi asked me when I was leaving work to come visit (yes, Lori, more times than you, neener neener neener!), and I asked if she wanted anything from Safeway.  See, almost every day after work I drive here to the hospital, but stop at Safeway for beer and sometimes food.  You read the order correctly:  beer, and sometimes food.  The past week I have also shopped for a bag of Halloween candy.  The nurses love to visit Heidi, perhaps because she is the floor favorite, or perhaps because she is the biggest whiner (no, maybe not because of that), or perhaps because there is always a bowl of halloween candy in her room. As an aside here, let me point out there is a fourth possibility.  They might be visiting Heidi just to be closer to me. Yes, there is candy, Heidi and a view, but let's not forget the wild card:  me. I'm just saying . . .

But I digress.  Heidi told me today on the phone, while leading up to telling me the biggest bone marrow result, that Lorelei had eaten all the chocolate candy from the candy bowl.  Yes, Lorelei, the famed video camera operator from the famous viral head-shaving video.  So I bought a bag of Reeses, because the way I see it, the more nurses that come to visit Heidi for candy, the more nurses come to visit Heidi to take care of her.  It's a win-win.  Actually, not so sure about the first win, because all the candy makes Lorelei kind of hyper, and then she goes on a sugar crash, and then I have to threaten to call her mother and tell of her poor food choices.  She is now in Minnesoota visiting said mother who will surely discover said bad food choices, because, after all, you can't hide anything from mom.  And, yes, it is me calling out bad food choices when I stop at Safeway for, and I list this order intentionally, beer and sometimes food.

But I still digress.  Oh, and I did pick up a nice quart bottle of Stone IPA too.  Drank it with some packaged Safeway sushi and watched the sun set over the West Tucson Mountains out the best view window on 3NW.  Finished with a little bag of Reeses Pieces.  Thank you nursing staff for spoiling Heidi!

But I digress further.  The biggest bone marrow biopsy results were delivered to Heidi this afternoon.  Now, bear with me here, O Gentle Reader, for I wasn't there to get the results from Dr. Pavvi [ ___________ ] myself.  But according to Heidi, and she may have been paraphrasing Dr. Pavvi [ __________ ] here just a smidge, the results were Oh, yay!  Now, I'm not an expert at Heidi-speak, but I believe that is much better than Oh, damn!  It is, in fact, what's behind Door No. 2. 

Indeed, Heidi relayed that Vanna, I mean Dr. Pavvi [ __________ ] said the bone marrow extracted yesterday was visibly clear of leukemic cells and had a blast density below some critical threshold.  Clearly Door No. 2.  Now, Let's Make a Deal fans, let's be clear here that it would be better to have a blast density that is lower than a snake playing handball with a curb.  So this isn't the best results possible, but it is Door No. 2 and it is Oh, yay.  The way I see it, it's kinda like playing slow-pitch softball starting with a 1-1 count.  It's still possible to get a hit, round the bases and make it all the way home, but it's a little harder than starting with no balls and no strikes.  Or maybe that's just a bad analogy. 

So, to recap, my BGLVPD, channeling Vanna, said Oh, yay. I bought candy, drank beer, ate bad sushi, and plan to sleep better tonight.  Say goodnight, Scott.

We've gone viral!

No, Heidi is not Viral.  Heidi's head-shaving video has gone viral.  It has been viewed 340 times so far.  Wait, you just looked at it.  Now that's 341!  And now you too!  The internet is out of controlllllllllllllllllllllll.   

Wow, I gotta cut down on the Butterfingers

Heidi's blood counts continue to climb.  Her white blood count is up to 0.6.  That's much, much higher than the paltry 0.5 yesterday, or even the 0.5 on Saturday.  Still, she looks completely normal.  Nurse techs see her racing up and down the hall and ask, "you don't act like you should still be here."  The nurses come here and keep asking, "why are you still here?"  The doctors come in on rounds and ask, well they try to ask but are quickly interrupted by Heidi asking, "Why the hell am I still here?"

The short answer is white blood count.  Still too low.  She's had a mild fever on and off the past few days.  Could be another sign of the bone marrow revving up.  Could be a virus, but surely not the viral head-shaving video.  (Oh, now that's 342!)  We ask when they can take off the antibiotics.  They say not yet.  We ask when she can check out.  They say lots of stuff that makes me think it must be political season.

Tomorrow is moving day at 3NW.  They have been renovating one hall here on 3NW.  We thought Heidi would be checked out before it was done, but apparently her white cells had other ideas.  They are moving everything over tomorrow (yes, even including the Halloween decorations and scarrrrrrry jack-o-latern balloon gloves I put up) and then start renovating the rooms in this hallway soon after.  This will be her second move.  At least this one won't be at 4am.

My plan was to write on the walls and floor before we left.  That would be now.  But no fun stick-in-the-mud Heidi won't let me.  I just want everyone to know that the lack of wall defacing is not my doing.  The viral head shaving video was my doing. Omigod!  It's gone steroidal!