We are headed for Santa Barbara on this cold, quiet morning. The girls have had it, they are not interested in going again. Who can blame them? We've been at this for over 5 months, if all goes well we have another 4 to go.

We usually stop somewhere half way down to put cream on Autumn's port. The cream is soothing and numbs the area so when she is "accessed" it barely hurts. She is so brave, each and every time she sits up straight, cleans the port herself and waits for the extra-large needle to pierce right through her chest...it's something else to watch! My god, you never think your own child could overcome that fear so quickly! I love how nurse Pam reminds us how Autumn is one of her favorite patients because she is so easy to access, she complains so little and wants to help so much. :)

We are hoping her counts will be high enough today to return to her scheduled chemo regime next week. Build them up, knock them down, that's the motto around the clinic...it's the only way to combat the damn, hungry, ugly cancer...