Lourdes starts eating on her own

Today I'm grateful for...

My son (Carter turned 9 today)

Being surrounded by such loving friends and family Having a strong wife
Having my mother in law come to help with the kids

It's been a very busy last few days in the Molina-Wilkerson home. We had Lulu's birthday on Saturday (which Lulu and I got the chance to go to dinner and the play 42nd Street alone), Carter's birthday today, and lots of time with Lourdes in between.

Lourdes got her feeding tube taken out yesterday. She now eats a demand, and has thrown our visitation timing all off, but it's a good thing to see that she doesn't have to be feed through a tube anymore. I added the first picture of her with nothing attached to her face on this journal entry. I was very excited to take get a picture of her void of any apparatus on her. And tonight I went to feed her, but as I entered the NICU I got a little deflated to see the nurse was just finishing her bottle. Well at least I got to burp her, and to my surprise Lourdes was still hungry after finishing 60 cc of milk for the nurse. She was soooo cute smacking her lips, flapping her tongue, sucking on her fingers, that I just wanted to stay with her the rest of the night. I was told that I could try to give her 20 cc more, and see if she would eat more? I almost couldn't get the nipple into her mouth fast enough, and when I did get it in she devoured the bottle's contents in record time. I have never seen her as awake and alert as she was tonight. The couple of hours I was at the hospital, Lourdes was awake and really active.

Earlier in the day when Lulu was visiting Lourdes, there was some discussion between the doctors about when Lourdes would come home. They had projected that Lourdes could be released form the hospital as soon as this Thursday, August 20th? Of course, we're elated with her coming home, but we'll be in SF on Thursday and Friday and wouldn't be able to bring her home until Saturday when we returned. We were disappointed that due to our circumstances that we couldn't arrange the coming home party until Saturday at the earliest. It seems that our insurance for Lourdes will stop their coverage on her the date the hospital says that she is well enough to go home. (seems that Thursday is that date)? We'll be scrambling to find a solution to this newly discovered minor inconvenience. God heard all the prayers you have spoken, and we are soon to have our little angel home with us. Stay tuned, we're getting close!

I feel bad that Lulu and I haven't had a lot of time together since Saturday. Actually, we haven't gotten to say more then a few words to each other these last three days. Sunday Lulu and I alternated our schedules to be at the hospital, and didn't see much of each other; Monday and Tuesday, I went into the office early and then went from there to the hospital to see Lourdes until 9:30 each night. I haven't been terribly conscientious of her condition; or her needs these last few days. As far as I know, she is feeling relatively good (as good as you can when you're going through chemotherapy), but I do know that she's been very tired lately, and I would hope that she slows down just a bit? That's one thing about my wife, she doesn't know how to go any other speed except "full throttle".

I have gotten that worried feeling as we approach the trip to UCSF for the 4th chemotherapy treatment, and the consultation with the doctors. We will be meeting the breast surgeon and the oncologist this trip, and a discussion about the type, date, and other specifics of the surgery will be discussed? I know that I have lots of un answered questions about the next steps, and I'm sure that Lulu has even more then I? I also have a small tinge excitement, because I will have a chance to see some of my (our) new found friends at the infusion center? I also plan on handing out the remaining "thinking of you" cards the boys made a number of visits back. I really look forward to the opportunity to make new friends; to not only receive their support, but also give out some of my own? In addition, I'm thinking that Lulu and I need some private bonding time that we seem to be missing this last week? And this is one of the benefits of getting treatment in SF.

Thanks again for the support you all have given our family. This whole experience would have been much more difficult without all the care and love that we've received.