Phew!

We're back on our hotel room, exhausted but feeling really good. Oh course, when I say exhausted I'm talking about me and Ben. Noa has pulled herself to standing in her hotel crib and is totally rocking out to her lullaby music.

Noa was, as ususal, a rock star.

We were very lucky that we started a bit late (at 2pm, which is pretty much nap time), and they were able to wrangle us the music guy and his guitar, which was a bit help. That plus some pre-procedure benedryl and a total of six adults holding her down added up to about 15 minutes of hair-raising screaming when the IV was put in... followed by about an hour of knocked out sleeping. We had a rough half-hour when she woke up, but once she got the idea that this funky thing on her foot wasn't going away, she seemed to get over it.

The transfusion of the stem cells themselves only took about 10 minutes. Dr. Kurtzburg - the woman who is running this program - did the placing of the IV and the transfusion herself. Putting the IV in the foot turned out to be a good thing because Noa could sign with us and play with toys without being constantly reminded of the IV. The next 3 or so hours were all about saline solution which is intended to keep the cells moving throughout the body.

We learned so much - if only I had the brain power to relate it all now, but in the next day or so I will reveal all we learned about how they believe the stem cells actually work, some tips for folks interested in knowing more about banking cord and more.

But I will tell you that the stuff they use to clean the blood makes Noa's breath smell like... well they say it's either creamed corn or oysters. I'd say it's more like old oysters in creamed corn. It's only supposed to last 24 hours but I have to tell you... she stinks!!! It's quite strange. Ben and I are practicing looking around innocently and wondering what stinks for the plane ride home tomorrow.

Another tid-bit of information, Noa is a real trail-blazer as she is only about the 70th kid to undergo this procedure.

All-in-all it was very smooth. And we felt especially blessed because the child in the room next to us became the first kid to actually have an allergic reaction to the blood cleaner there. We don't know exactly what happened, but there were a lot doctors running around and it was kind of scary. By the time we left it looked like everything was totally under control. Still, it was scary and we really felt for that family - this whole thing was scary enough with everything going right!

Before I sign off for the night, I want to make sure to thank my parents who sprung for the initial collection of the cord blood. We were pretty much out of money by the time Noa arrived and the initial collection is not cheap, so thanks!

Also thanks to all you. Ben and Noa and I can't tell you how much it has meant to know you were all thinking of us and sending good wishes our way. We feel it all deeply and we feel so lucky and blessed and loved.

Now we're back to sitting in front of the tube like everyone else and watching the election results roll in. I'll post more back in NYC. Phew!