We went to Duke again this last week. It was our 6th trip. We got there earlier than normal so Abigail got to take her customary trip on the escalator...not once, but twice. I'm always amazed at how the little things can thrill my kids. Riding the escalator up and then down again happens to be one of those little thrills. I'm not sure Abigail fully appreciates or even understands the full extent of our participation in this trial. All she's focused on is that it's a really long drive, she gets poked and prodded (and occasionally pricked) and she has to daily be inconvenienced to take her drops. Little treats like warm bagels with cream cheese from the cafeteria and escalator rides make it tolerable. That, and the surprise books and small games that I pack in our "Duke trip" bag which, by the way, has a large Wake Forest Demon Deacon embroidered on the side. Dad, that one's for you!At this visit, her dosage increased from 4 drops to 8 drops. Again, she had tingling in her ears and throat. Dr. Kim said that it was a frequently reported sensation for other participants. It sounds silly now, but I asked if there was any possibility that it could be a result of holding up your tongue for 2 minutes or if he felt that it was definitely a result of the drops. Definitely the drops. Again, no sign of hives.
Three other girls came in while we were there. They had all started the trial about the same time as Abigail. I'm always proud of her when she initiates a conversation and tries to make a new friend. There's only been one time though when we've seen a little boy at two different visits. Mostly, it's all new faces every time we go. It would be nice if another treat was seeing a special friend at each visit. Dr. Kim's new schedule is going to mean that we can only schedule appointments on Mondays and Wednesdays so we might start to recognize a few other participants.
