"Going to the hospital took a lot out of me."  That's what Cathy just told me.  This morning Cathy had an echocardiogram at Bethesda North.  This procedure was basically an ultrasound of her heart with some evaluations of the rhythms as measured by some kind of wavelength measurement device.  She has already received word that her heart is normal, which is what we expected.  After chemo they will do this again to gauge if there has been any damage inflicted by the drugs, and the adriamycin in particular, which is a possibility.


"I don't know if I want to do this five more times."  That's the first thing Cathy said to me this morning.  Of course, she will, and she will be tough and poised as she always is.  Those words are the closest to complaining she has come this whole time.  I take that back.  A few days after diagnosis she said, "This stinks."  Cathy is like that, she's amazing. 


If you didn't know, Jonah and Aaron were both naturally birthed.  Right there we have a testament to Cathy's toughness.  This is something men could not do.  There was some yelling when Aaron was born.  When Jonah was born, though, her only complaint was at one point during contractions, "That's a little bit ow-ee."  During delivery there was only grunting.  When Clara was born Cathy had an epidural to see what it was like.  She made it through all the contractions talking like nothing was happening.  When the nurse told her it was time to call in the doctor and start pushing she said, "Already?"  I don't write this to make any other mothers out there feel bad that childbirth was hard.  I know it was hard.  I couldn't do it.  I just use those stories as examples of how I'm always awed by Cathy's toughness and determination.


Today was hard for Cathy.  She didn't tell me it was hard, but I could see it.  Her nausea has been completely under control, not non-existent, but under control (thank you for your prayers).  Cathy has, however, slept most of the day, or at least been resting with her eyes closed.  She's had a low-grade fever all day, about 99.5.  The doctors aren't concerned unless it goes up or doesn't go away in a couple of days.  She has very little stamina.  A few minutes of walking around or conversation wear her out.  Her eyes indicate that she's on the upswing, though.


Other bright spots: Cathy ate toast, chicken, and banana bread today.  We also learned that chemotherapy clears up psoriasis.