A HUI HO (until we meet again)

Carmen was discharged from the hospital today at 11:00am. 

It is amazing what one day can do.   Yesterday I mentioned Carmen's Hemoglobin was at 7.6 but needed to be over 8.0 and her ANC (absolute neutrophil count) was at 251 but needed to be over 500.

This morning Carmen's blood test came back with a whopping 10.6 Hemoglobin and 512 ANC!!!!!!

The Hemoglobin increasing was primarily due to the blood transfusion but the ANC increase was all Carmen and her body's will to fight.  All great news and provided us with the confidence we needed to leave the confines of the hospital.

As much as we wanted to leave the hospital it was also terrifying to depart our safety net of the amazing medical team at Kapi'olani.   Everyone we came in contact with at the hospital was incredible treating Carmen with care and love the entire time. 

Before we left Carmen was visited by a real Princess....a.k.a.....Miss East Oahu, with a crown and beautiful leis.  It was yet another great thing that the Kapi'olani Hospital arranges to lift the spirits of the children.

During the ten days in the hospital, Heather did a great job making the room feel as much like home as possible.  Today....we had to relocate our little home away from home to the hotel - along - with Carmen's 15 balloons.  We were quite the spectacle, rolling into the Royal Hawaiian Hotel with balloon, bags and a look that can only be achieved from living in a hospital for 10 days.  I am not sure the guys at the door knew quite what to make of the whole situation but they jumped to attention and made Carmen feel right at home.

For those of you who do not know, The Royal Hawaiian Hotel is painted pink and known as "the pink palace of the Pacific".  Mom and Dad told a little white lie today and let Carmen know that the hotel was her castle and it was painted pink just for her arrival.  She loved that. 

As soon as we got to our room, Carmen wanted to go for a walk.  It was so nice to see her outside and unplugged from all of the wires.  We walked up and down Waikiki and bought her a brand new pair of pink crocs, since Mommy only had time to pack her play shoes when she left for the clinic in Kauai last Wednesday to check on Carmen's fever.

Carmen is feeling great, her appetite is increasing and she seems like she will be ready to run around soon.  The medication we have to administer twice a day is still going to make her tired.  We need to keep a close eye on Carmen over the next few days to make sure the infection does not return.  Carmen's next visit to the hospital is Tuesday for another round of Chemotherapy and spinal tap.

Grandma, Grandpa and Trevor arrive tomorrow at 1:30pm.  We have been keeping in tough with Trevor via Skype but it is going to be so terrific to see little T tomorrow and reunite Team White.

Below are a few shots of the day.

Unplugged

(The Piddycone stays in for the next 30 days)

 Princess

We are out of here

Have balloons, will travel