Post Chemo Round 1 Reflection from Taylor

[Dad’s discharge has been delayed 2 to 4 days because the doctors are concerned about his high white blood cell count. Yesterday, we were insolation as a precaution for C Diff but in the evening, isolation was lifted. Praise God! Today, Dad has more energy and is slowly getting his appetite back. Grateful for your prayers!]

The first full day when Dad was in the hospital, not going to lie, I struggled a lot mentally and physically.  I had driven back from San Diego with my roommate the night before and within 30 mins of my arrival, Mom and I rushed him to the ER.  

In my entire life, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Dad as sick as he looked and if he had been sick before, it was never this bad.  To see him sitting in the hospital bed just broke my heart so much.  I could tell something was very off with him and he wasn’t his usual goofy self that I had grown to love and adore.  Over the next couple of days, Dad gained some of his strength and humor back which was a good sign and was able to still crack some jokes like he usually would with his nurses.  During his first night in the hospital, Dad had gotten a hang nail and asked for someone to help him trim it.  Mom had volunteered me to do it since I have better eyes and when I was a baby, Dad had made me bleed while trimming my nails.  Before I started trimming the hangnail, I told Dad, “Okay Dad, I’m going to trim your nail now.  Hopefully I don’t make you bleed like you did when I was a baby!” and I got a little smile out of him. 

I’m thankful that the timing of this whole situation (though as devastating as it is), there’s a silver lining to it all.  Although I was let go from my full time job earlier this month and my part time job is remote, this allowed me to have the flexibility to come back to LA to spend an extended amount of time in LA (without having to rush back to San Diego) to help Mom take care of Dad through his treatments.  The first night Dad was allowed overnight guests in what we call his “penthouse corner suite,” I volunteered to stay since Mom had stayed overnight the previous day only to then realize that I probably should’ve stayed the night Dad started his treatment and not Mom, (sorry Mom, I had no idea).  Though the overnight stays at the hospital haven’t been as restful, I’m constantly reminded of the love and support not only from my friends in San Diego but of my friends in LA as well as my family and parents’ friends coming alongside us offering their support and prayers as we navigate this journey.  During the times that Dad does have the strength to interact with us, my family and I have been taking turns reading everyone’s kind words and prayers to him.   I know his responses may be few and far between, please know that my sister and I are trying our best to read every single one of the comments, texts, messages and emails to him when we can.  

To Mom and Dad’s friends, Dad’s fellow cast members, family members, my friends, and to my sister’s friends, thank you from the bottom of my heart for being there for him through the good, the bad, and the ugly and for the outpouring of love, support, and prayers.  

I know this might not reach his nursing staff here at the hospital but if by chance it does, thank you for doing part of the hard work taking care of my dad and walking us through all the medications, procedures, giving us suggestions on what’s good for Dad to eat when he’s going through his treatments, for tolerating Dad’s sometimes, sorry Dad, bad dad jokes, for allowing him to talk your ear off about various stories from his days at Disneyland and for allowing him to practice his very limited Tagalog with you.  

Our hope and prayer is that Dad will one day be well enough to continue to create magic at Disneyland and to see everyone again soon.