Speaking of Hair

This morning when getting dressed, Caleb selected his Crown Point Youth Soccer shirt.  He was on the navy blue team.  Soccer began the first week of June.  We had two nights of soccer before we ended up at Mac that week that changed our lives.  The first week of soccer, Caleb sat in the arms of Joanne, wrapped in a blanket.  The second week of soccer, Caleb didn't even want to go.  The third week of soccer, we were living in room 13 of McMaster's Children's Hospital Oncology ward, and soccer continued without us.  Caleb made it back for one night at the end of the summer, picture night.  Soccer had a profound effect on our family.  That's a longer story.

Caleb choosing this shirt today made me think about, of all things, his hair.  We have been through such a journey together, Caleb and I, through our hospital experiences.  There were times when I would look at him and wonder if he was still the same little boy that I carried into the hospital on June 21.  There were times when he looked at himself and wondered if he was the same Caleb--he told me so in July.  As he lost his hair, it became more difficult to put all of the pieces of Caleb together into the son I know.  Of course, I always knew it was him, and there were many times when he did distinctly Caleb things that showed me he was still there.  But it was painful that I had a hard time reconciling the boy in front of me with the boy from before leukemia.  Life had just changed so much.  Caleb's appearance seemed to have a symbolic quality.

Today when Caleb put on his shirt, with his hair growing as much as it is, I realized just how far we've come and who Caleb is now.  Of course, we knew that all along.  But today I realized it.  He is the same boy, through the hell of the summer and the valleys of the fall.  Today, as we played soccer in our dining room, I was able to put together my whole Caleb.  Praise God for healing.

Here are Caleb and nurse Mike, June 22.  Caleb had received several units of blood and platelets to make him so much happier and more energetic.

Here are Caleb and Anna, that last time at soccer.

Here are Caleb and Nella in front of the goal posts at home.