That's more like it

We've had a really good day today. Things started looking up Tuesday afternoon, and we're incredibly thankful. Today Caleb was back to his bouncy self. Here he is with his guitar on our trampoline (thank you Sarah B!! we love it!!), playing and jumping. And singing about playing and jumping. Shortly after this picture was taken, Caleb began to cry in pain, and right away my adrenaline kicked up again, "oh no, what now!!" It was his finger. He had been playing for half an hour without a guitar pick. A bandaid and his own pick and things were good as new. And I could share with him a story of when my finger hurt from playing without a pick. He loves being normal.

We're living day to day again, and I think that we need to remember to stay there. Earlier in the week, as I reflected on our journey thus far, and what lays ahead, I realized that I have been looking too far ahead, and I really should probably stop reflecting so much. When I get back to the day-to-day approach, each painful day will have an end, and each wonderful day can be all-consuming. We had a great day today, and we feel great. The kids all went to bed happy. Tomorrow will have it's own troubles, but today, nearly done, has been good. Living day to day helps me to CARPE DIEM, seize the day, while I'm living it.

Next week, speaking of not looking ahead, Caleb will have a veinogram, a dye-test on his circulation, to check for blood clots. Because of the clot on his port, and I'm assuming because he is newly on asparaginase, which has possible blood clots as a side effect, they want to make sure everything's moving as it should. I'm not thrilled, to put it mildly, that he has to undergo this test. I don't want to go on about it, because it could take away from the joy of our day today, but there is a possibility that the clot that we thought we busted a few weeks ago could be still there, on the outside of the tube (catheter) of his port line. If this is the case, we'd possibly be looking at another port surgery. But, we'll deal with that closer to when it happens (at least, we'll try our best).  It's a sedated test, which is...comforting from a Caleb's anxiety perspective. That will be nicer for him. It makes it a little more complicated, because sedation requires a pre-op appointment, and all of this takes place in a different area of the hospital, and we'll be dealing with different professionals, not our wonderful 3F nurses & doctors. Thankfully, our child-life specialist, Nancy, has offered to come with us. Caleb loves Nancy, and she can help to filter and direct some of how Caleb experiences this procedure. Earlier this week I was far more anxious about this procedure, but have come to a place of nervous acceptance and I really just want it to get done and overwith.

Please pray for Caleb and for his body in the coming week.  And for more strength to seize each day and not fear the next.   

For now, we'll keep ourselves busy painting birdhouses and baking pumpkin bread, and trying on Halloween costumes.  And playing guitar, jumping, and singing.