On Wednesday, we finished the first round of chemo for Consolidation II. Caleb's had 3 weeks of treatment in this phase, and next week we'll begin again with the same meds we started the first day of school. He remains strong. This week it's possible to tell that his blood counts are low, but only just barely. He has energy and runs and rides his tractor and plays with his sisters; he just has a shorter fuse and weeps more easily when things don't go his way. We are adjusting to how this all plays out, because this is more or less how things will be for us until April. In April we begin a new phase of treatment.
For now we have been enjoying (?) our trips to the clinic. Aside from the meds given and the reasons we're there, it's a great place to be. The cancer world is full of conflicting experiences, I think I've mentioned that before. We're happy to be there, and smile when we meet our new friends, but despise the reason we have to meet our friends and what brought us here in the first place. If the walls of that clinic waiting room could talk, I think they'd weep in pain and joy. It's a strange, yet good, place to be.
We've been trying to park away from the hospital and walk in, and Caleb rides his (actually it's Nella's) trike. He loves the ride, and I love the walk. He cycles right into the elevator, beeps as he backs out, and parallel parks the trike in the stroller parking area at clinic. I mean really parallel parks. So long as the weather's good, we hope to keep this up. The exercise is good for us, and we all know how nice it is to save on hospital parking! It is a quiet joy for me to see Caleb speed ahead of me, drawing smiles from the university students walking to class. They see a child on a trike, doing what kids do. I do too, but I know what else he can do. When he speeds away from the hospital, after chemo, I marvel at God's grace in his little body. It's not always like this, it hasn't been, and it won't be. But right now, watching Caleb's bald head speeding down the sidewalk on his trike, I burst with joy.
Have a good weekend.
For now we have been enjoying (?) our trips to the clinic. Aside from the meds given and the reasons we're there, it's a great place to be. The cancer world is full of conflicting experiences, I think I've mentioned that before. We're happy to be there, and smile when we meet our new friends, but despise the reason we have to meet our friends and what brought us here in the first place. If the walls of that clinic waiting room could talk, I think they'd weep in pain and joy. It's a strange, yet good, place to be.
We've been trying to park away from the hospital and walk in, and Caleb rides his (actually it's Nella's) trike. He loves the ride, and I love the walk. He cycles right into the elevator, beeps as he backs out, and parallel parks the trike in the stroller parking area at clinic. I mean really parallel parks. So long as the weather's good, we hope to keep this up. The exercise is good for us, and we all know how nice it is to save on hospital parking! It is a quiet joy for me to see Caleb speed ahead of me, drawing smiles from the university students walking to class. They see a child on a trike, doing what kids do. I do too, but I know what else he can do. When he speeds away from the hospital, after chemo, I marvel at God's grace in his little body. It's not always like this, it hasn't been, and it won't be. But right now, watching Caleb's bald head speeding down the sidewalk on his trike, I burst with joy.
Have a good weekend.
J
2 comments:
dearest Jess, what strength and courage you and your family have - its a constant testament to me of faith that's so strong and an ever present example of God's grace as well. you gave me goosebumbs reading about the joys of the cancer-clinic; just one great example of the many oxymorons we face in life... the more pain and sorrow the more meaningful the good things are; or so i believe... so keep finding the roses admist the thorns and never forget to beep before backing up with your trike!!
So glad things are going well. It's inspiring to hear of all the positive things in your experiences. Your last post was very heartwarming! We think of you often!
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