The kids asked Alex what I do all day in the hospital. Somehow, time is passing quickly, thank goodness! I’ve slept here five nights already, hopefully with just about 16–23 more nights to go.

So this is what my typical day looks like:

• Eat three full meals and graze throughout the day. I learned during pregnancy that the key to fighting nausea was to feed myself, not starve myself, so that’s what I’m trying to do. Though I gave in and took half an Ativan today, and that helped tremendously as well, along as enabling me to take an hour nap in the afternoon.
• Eight times a day, I get my vitals checked, get chemo, and/or take medications.
• Take two to three showers a day. This is to wash off chemo toxins that have been excreted through my pores, to avoid getting an itchy rash.
• Walk around the hall so I can stretch my legs and dream about breathing fresh air once again, ride an exercise bike in the solarium, and do yoga in my room.
• Watch two to three movies on my laptop. One day I watched the entire Outlander series featuring the hot Sam Heughan, thanks to a recommendation from my friend Amy. Yesterday was a day of documentaries. Today I may watch the Vagina Monologues.
• Knit and crochet. I’m working on knitting a replacement blankie for Griffin (we lost his original somewhere in Oregon last summer). I do that while listening to NPR or watching a movie that doesn’t require my full attention. After that, I’ll be making something for Zoe, and then chemo caps for me and others here.
• Read, read, read. Right now I’m deeply into an anthology in which my friend Olivia has a couple pieces. Sisters Born, Sisters Found. I’m really loving it so far, finding stories that either resonate strongly with my personal experience or are so foreign that they show me an unexpected yet interesting perspective.
• Add a daily selfie and post, of course!
• Throughout the day Alex and I text, email, and call. Often he visits once or twice. Today he sent me a care package via our friend Tita since he’s feeling physically a little beat. I’m lucky to have such an amazing husband.
• Each night I get two FaceTimes with the kids: once while both of them are getting ready for bed, and then I read to one of them for about 15 minutes and watch them doze off. A sweet way to end the day!