Liv Update: The Good And The Bad

I'm kind of over Seattle.  I'm over the long drive, Snoqualmie Pass in the winter, the cold drizzle of the city.  I'm over the traffic, the hotels, the hospital, the money required to see us through these trips.  Most of all, I'm over the fact that we have a reason we have to be there all the time.   But enough pity party, because after the last few days it has occurred to me that after almost two years we have this whole Seattle charade down to a point where it almost isn't traumatizing?  Can it be?

The Bad:  We are now regulars at two hotels.  Ew.

The Good:  We are regulars now at two hotels and have now figured out that they provide goody bags not just for the adults, but for the kids, too.  Including this super awesome foam pig mask which Livi, of course calls a puppy.

The Bad:  Every single Seattle trip has a hospital involved, likely includes anesthesia, lots of medical equipment, and the nurses and receptionists know us by name because we are there so much.

The Good:  We are now at a point where the anesthesiologist gas mask no longer makes Olivia cry.  They give her a mask to gas her puppy and then she happily puts it on herself.  (Why does her tolerance of this somehow make it seem sadder to me?)  Furthermore, at this particular procedure we were informed that Olivia's eyes are tumor free!  Hallelujah!  We love this kind of news! 

 The Bad:  Seattle is wet.  

The Good:  There is a lot to keep us occupied.  This week?  The Seattle Aquarium and Nordstrom (where a group of strangers asked if they could take their picture with me because I'm pregnant.  True story.)

The Bad:  Fish.  ("I don't like the fishes, mommy.") They are "scary." Seriously?  Seriously.

 The Good:  The otters and seals (or "water puppies"as Liv called them) totally made up for the large amount of scary fish. 

The Bad:  Having a sniffle or cough of any kind in the oncology clinic gets you a face mask and banished to an abandoned hallway while you wait for your appointment.

The Good: Aunt Kiki is in town and makes wearing masks cool.

The Bad:  Turns out Liv's month-long illness is likely Influenza A or whooping cough (even though she's been vaccinated.  What?)  We will know tomorrow.  So if you've seen us or been around us, we are sorry and if you get sick take it serious!

The Good:  We learned her blood work was good and also that her oncologist was aware of a (very nice) comment on the hospital Facebook page I made about him.  It may have involved a comparison to Santa Claus and how much we love both those guys around here.  It was awkward.  And kind of hilarious.

We are now home and exhausted.  These trips are at least 100% harder pregnant.  What isn't harder pregnant, really?  Eh.  Whatever.  The good this week far outweighs the bad.