Since Babygirl had her transplant in a center that is a 380 mile round-trip from home, and since for the first six weeks they require twice-weekly follow-up, we've racked up a few miles. For the last two weeks we did one follow-up per week "locally," meaning only 150 miles round-trip. Since the end of January that makes almost 3,400 medical miles.
Starting this Monday we will be down to weekly trips, probably every other one to CHOP, and the other "local." That will certainly make things easier, but our medical travel distance over the next six weeks will add up to 1,600 miles. We will likely never travel less than monthly.
It's already routine. Going to Philly, we stop as little as possible, and bring snacks from home to keep the cost down. We travel on Sunday, see the team on Monday, and return home that day, so we have to stop somewhere for food and fuel, and usually we buy a morning snack for her to take her meds with after they take her blood. We listen to music, her iPod or mine, and on one lucky Sunday happened upon the Prairie Home Companion's Annual Joke Show! Babygirl frequently naps away some of the travel time. And we have the added blessing of staying with family near Philly.
The trips are costly. With gas, tolls, and food it's $100 round trip to Philly, which added up to $400 in one pay period. I feel like I am always at a gas station somewhere.
But it IS fatiguing. The miles pile up on our car and on our bodies, and on our hearts. We knew we were in for this, and I'm not at all ungrateful for how well Babygirl feels now! But I feel like I have no right to complain. It's a bit like complaining about the challenges of parenting when you have adopted a kid. People sort of look at you funny and say things like, "Well, you ASKED for it!" (As if biological parents parent involuntarily?) We KNEW that if we accepted a transplant out of town that there would be a lot of travel. And we did it because we knew it was the best place to go for the care that Babygirl needed, and still needs.
On one recent trip, Rhonda the Honda hit a pothole and the entire electrical system failed for a moment. At the next bump, it all came back on, and Hubby made it home without further incident (she died later that day when I was driving her locally and needed a new starter, and whatever thingydoodle the starter hooks into). God has been very, very good to us as far as road safety is concerned; and we have had almost no bad weather - a miracle in the northeast in February.
We went to Philly a day early last weekend, arriving at dinnertime on Saturday instead of Sunday. I joined my sister-in-law for a Pub Crawl with her friends, something I have never done before. I had a good time, a nice walk, a few drinks, and a lot of laughs. I slept like a rock, and my first thought upon awakening on Sunday morning was, "Oh, thank God, I can have a NAP today." Yeah, I'm tired LOL.
DeeDee
Driving that distance would take it's toll on anyone who hadn't even been through the traumatic months you all have. Wishing you all continued safe journeys.
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