There isn't a whole lot more today to discuss. After and I gave blood, we had dinner and then we went to IKEA. We needed to get a few things for Seth's room and a few things for the house.
We had a good time! Caleb got tired towards the end and it was time to go home. So, we headed home.
A funny thing happened...although it wasn't the first time for us. We drive a a Toyota Corrolla and we really like the car. However, it really isn't a great car to transport furniture in.
So, we checked out and knew that we were not going to be able to fit the furniture and all of us in the car. So, what did we do? I drove the boys and Tera home while Seth stayed at IKEA with our furniture and then I went and picked him up. We dropped the seats and it all fit into the car.
So, all in all it was a very uneventful day (which we like). Caleb feels good and is asleep. We are praying for another great day tomorrow. Whatever happens, we will encounter life together! That is what we keep trying to tell Caleb as we go through this that he will not face any of this by himself.
Thanks for all of your prayers!
I will keep you posted!
Grace and Peace
Monday, April 30, 2012
A New Day- April 30th, 2012
Sorry it has taken me so long to get this out today. We have been doing a few things this morning and I just have not gotten around to it!
Caleb had a good night! He only woke up once during the middle of the night. He did wake up pretty early, but Tera and Caleb went for a little walk this morning which was good for him (and her). When they got back, Cully and I were waking up and so we started our day.
I actually started my day with a run! It has been so long since I have run, but it felt really good. It wasn't a long run, but anything is better than nothing. I am going to try and run a few more times this week. It gets me moving and I always feel better afterwards.
Caleb's teacher, Mrs. Henderson, came over this morning and they did some school together. They had a great time and I believe they are going to get together again on Wednesday. Mrs. Henderson is great! She is dedicated to making sure Caleb is ready for the 3rd grade. She even said if it means working through the summer, she is in...whatever it takes! So, since he is feeling good, we are going to try and get another session in before chemo starts again.
The rest of the day, we are hanging out. I am working a bit and I am going this afternoon to donate some platelets. I have always been a blood donor but it is funny how this is even a bigger deal to me at this point in my life. Caleb has received two blood transfusions and will more than likely receive several more throughout his treatment. So, the least I can do is give so that others can benefit as well.
So, right now we are just enjoying being together and relaxing.
I will keep you posted on how things are going.
Grace and Peace
Caleb had a good night! He only woke up once during the middle of the night. He did wake up pretty early, but Tera and Caleb went for a little walk this morning which was good for him (and her). When they got back, Cully and I were waking up and so we started our day.
I actually started my day with a run! It has been so long since I have run, but it felt really good. It wasn't a long run, but anything is better than nothing. I am going to try and run a few more times this week. It gets me moving and I always feel better afterwards.
Caleb's teacher, Mrs. Henderson, came over this morning and they did some school together. They had a great time and I believe they are going to get together again on Wednesday. Mrs. Henderson is great! She is dedicated to making sure Caleb is ready for the 3rd grade. She even said if it means working through the summer, she is in...whatever it takes! So, since he is feeling good, we are going to try and get another session in before chemo starts again.
The rest of the day, we are hanging out. I am working a bit and I am going this afternoon to donate some platelets. I have always been a blood donor but it is funny how this is even a bigger deal to me at this point in my life. Caleb has received two blood transfusions and will more than likely receive several more throughout his treatment. So, the least I can do is give so that others can benefit as well.
So, right now we are just enjoying being together and relaxing.
I will keep you posted on how things are going.
Grace and Peace
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Recap of Today- April 29th, 2012
Today was a really good day! Cooper and Caleb got to hang out during church. It was really fun!
After church, we ate at 5 Guys again with the Sharpes' and the Johnson's. It was a good time! We need to find a new place that Caleb can eat. 5 guys is awesome but not the most healthiest for you!
This afternoon, I did something that I haven't done in quite some time...I took a nap! It wasn't on purpose, but kind of just happened. I was on our couch in the living room reading a bit and started dozing. Tera was watching TV in our room so I joined her and that was all she wrote. I am not sure I shouldn't have been doing other things, but it did feel nice.
Tonight we had a good conversation with Jose and the Knudson's. It was a good time and good food! Thanks Lisa for an awesome meal!
Caleb has had a really good day. He got to see a few of his church friends outside after church and I believe he really enjoyed it! He has felt good all day and we are excited about that!
One cool thing that happened today was our boys were back together again. I am not talking about Caleb and Cully, but Jose was back in the house for a bit and they all got to hang out. When it was time for him to leave with the Knudsons, Cully said, "What, you are going with them?" When they left, Caleb asked us a question. He said, "Jose is coming back to live with us, right?" We assured him that in a few weeks he would be coming back. We all miss Jose but we know that it is only temporary and that it is the best situation right now while we are in the hospital a lot and he is finishing school. But, it was good to have him here and the boys enjoyed hanging with him for a bit!
All in all, it was a great day! We have a busy week ahead. Caleb's teacher is coming over tomorrow to work on some school. I have a lot of things to work on with work to get ready for chemo treatments on Thursday and then more chemo on Saturday through the beginning of next week. It is hard not to think that Thursday we will start the whole up and down counts again. We love the fact that he feels good and want to keep him here. But, we understand that to make him completely better, we have to go through some valley's to get there. So, we will journey on!
Thanks again for all of your prayers!
Have a great night!
Grace and Peace
After church, we ate at 5 Guys again with the Sharpes' and the Johnson's. It was a good time! We need to find a new place that Caleb can eat. 5 guys is awesome but not the most healthiest for you!
This afternoon, I did something that I haven't done in quite some time...I took a nap! It wasn't on purpose, but kind of just happened. I was on our couch in the living room reading a bit and started dozing. Tera was watching TV in our room so I joined her and that was all she wrote. I am not sure I shouldn't have been doing other things, but it did feel nice.
Tonight we had a good conversation with Jose and the Knudson's. It was a good time and good food! Thanks Lisa for an awesome meal!
Caleb has had a really good day. He got to see a few of his church friends outside after church and I believe he really enjoyed it! He has felt good all day and we are excited about that!
One cool thing that happened today was our boys were back together again. I am not talking about Caleb and Cully, but Jose was back in the house for a bit and they all got to hang out. When it was time for him to leave with the Knudsons, Cully said, "What, you are going with them?" When they left, Caleb asked us a question. He said, "Jose is coming back to live with us, right?" We assured him that in a few weeks he would be coming back. We all miss Jose but we know that it is only temporary and that it is the best situation right now while we are in the hospital a lot and he is finishing school. But, it was good to have him here and the boys enjoyed hanging with him for a bit!
All in all, it was a great day! We have a busy week ahead. Caleb's teacher is coming over tomorrow to work on some school. I have a lot of things to work on with work to get ready for chemo treatments on Thursday and then more chemo on Saturday through the beginning of next week. It is hard not to think that Thursday we will start the whole up and down counts again. We love the fact that he feels good and want to keep him here. But, we understand that to make him completely better, we have to go through some valley's to get there. So, we will journey on!
Thanks again for all of your prayers!
Have a great night!
Grace and Peace
More Haircuts
Here are some more pictures of people getting hair cuts.
The first is one of my best buds from Ohio! His name is Mike and he is such a good guy! He has been so concerned for Caleb and our family and texts encouraging words often! Thanks Mike for doing this! It really means a lot!
This little guy is one of Caleb and Cully's friends. His name is Parker! He had a different take than anyone else but we think it looks good and fits Parker for sure. Thanks Parker for being a part of the fun!
Before...
After!
Keep sending the pictures and we will keep posting them!
Thanks again to everyone!
Grace and Peace
A New Day- April 29th, 2012
Caleb and Cully are still sleeping and Tera and I are getting ready for church. Caleb had a good night. Tera said he only woke up once.
Here in a bit, we will head to church. I am excited because I get to teach our teens this morning about Blessed are the peacemakers. We will be challenging them to be peacemakers instead of peace lovers. It should be fun!
We are going to have a port room at church today! You ask, "What is that?" Last week, I texted the Gokee's to see if they were going to be at church with Cooper. Jeff, his dad, said that his wife was going but that he was staying home with Cooper. Caleb cannot be a part of the children's thing that happen in the children's building. Cooper has been in the same place although this may change with his treatment. So, I thought I would find a room at church that has our service streamed on a TV and allow Caleb and Cooper to hang together with their families and their families could still in some way be a part of the service. So, we have a room for people with ports and their families. Caleb is pretty excited!
After church, we will be chilling. Tonight, we are having dinner with the Knudson's and Jose. Jose is a student in our youth group who has been living with us for a few months. When we found out Caleb had cancer, we were in the hospital for 3 weeks. It was becoming harder to get Jose where he needed to be when he needed to be there. So, the Knudson's said he could come live with them for awhile. Tonight, we are going to talk about what the next part of this journey looks like. We ask for your prayers as we meet and discuss what needs to happen next.
So, it we are expecting a good day. Since I started typing, Caleb woke up and is now eating Fruit Loops and reading as I type. Caleb says, "Hi! He is doing good and he wants everyone to have a good day!"
It is a day to praise God for all He has done!
I will keep you posted.
Grace and Peace
Here in a bit, we will head to church. I am excited because I get to teach our teens this morning about Blessed are the peacemakers. We will be challenging them to be peacemakers instead of peace lovers. It should be fun!
We are going to have a port room at church today! You ask, "What is that?" Last week, I texted the Gokee's to see if they were going to be at church with Cooper. Jeff, his dad, said that his wife was going but that he was staying home with Cooper. Caleb cannot be a part of the children's thing that happen in the children's building. Cooper has been in the same place although this may change with his treatment. So, I thought I would find a room at church that has our service streamed on a TV and allow Caleb and Cooper to hang together with their families and their families could still in some way be a part of the service. So, we have a room for people with ports and their families. Caleb is pretty excited!
After church, we will be chilling. Tonight, we are having dinner with the Knudson's and Jose. Jose is a student in our youth group who has been living with us for a few months. When we found out Caleb had cancer, we were in the hospital for 3 weeks. It was becoming harder to get Jose where he needed to be when he needed to be there. So, the Knudson's said he could come live with them for awhile. Tonight, we are going to talk about what the next part of this journey looks like. We ask for your prayers as we meet and discuss what needs to happen next.
So, it we are expecting a good day. Since I started typing, Caleb woke up and is now eating Fruit Loops and reading as I type. Caleb says, "Hi! He is doing good and he wants everyone to have a good day!"
It is a day to praise God for all He has done!
I will keep you posted.
Grace and Peace
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Recap of Today- April 28th, 2012
We had a great day! Not a lot more to report other than what has been reported through the blog.
After his friends left, Caleb and Cully had dinner, hung out with Uncle Seth for a bit, took a shower and now we are in bed trying to get them to go to sleep. It seems a bit hard tonight, but honestly, it is kind of like old times. Caleb is listening to his ipod singing about as loud as he can and Cully is laughing a ton (he is actually farting a ton and cracking himself up). I think once we calm down a bit, they will go to sleep quickly. We will take the rowdy though! It is actually kind of nice!
We are hoping Caleb has a great night of sleep! He had such a great time with his friends today! It was so hard for him to not go crazy, but he did well. He is doing good, but we do not want him to over do it. I think they had a good time and it was awesome for him to see everyone and as he says, "be a normal kid" again! Even if it was only for a couple of hours today, he loved it and it meant so much to him! Thanks to everyone for taking time out of your schedule today to spend some time at our house! It was awesome!
Tomorrow is a church day and so it is pretty busy! We are ready to tackle anything that comes our way! It will be good to be with our community of faith and I believe we are going to hang with the Gokee's for a bit at church tomorrow. We are really looking forward to that!
Have a great night! I will let you know how tomorrow goes!
Grace and Peace
After his friends left, Caleb and Cully had dinner, hung out with Uncle Seth for a bit, took a shower and now we are in bed trying to get them to go to sleep. It seems a bit hard tonight, but honestly, it is kind of like old times. Caleb is listening to his ipod singing about as loud as he can and Cully is laughing a ton (he is actually farting a ton and cracking himself up). I think once we calm down a bit, they will go to sleep quickly. We will take the rowdy though! It is actually kind of nice!
We are hoping Caleb has a great night of sleep! He had such a great time with his friends today! It was so hard for him to not go crazy, but he did well. He is doing good, but we do not want him to over do it. I think they had a good time and it was awesome for him to see everyone and as he says, "be a normal kid" again! Even if it was only for a couple of hours today, he loved it and it meant so much to him! Thanks to everyone for taking time out of your schedule today to spend some time at our house! It was awesome!
Tomorrow is a church day and so it is pretty busy! We are ready to tackle anything that comes our way! It will be good to be with our community of faith and I believe we are going to hang with the Gokee's for a bit at church tomorrow. We are really looking forward to that!
Have a great night! I will let you know how tomorrow goes!
Grace and Peace
Head Shaving Party- Part 2
It was time for the 2nd round of head shaving! This one involved Caleb's classmates!
1st, Caleb got another trim!
Then it was time for the boys. Gunner stepped up 1st!
Before...
After!
Then Nathan.
Before...
After!
Then Luke.
Before...
After!
Then we got a shot of all the boys in the 2nd grade class together! They look awesome!
Ethan, Luke's brother, got in on the action!
Before...
After!
Then Cully got trimmed again!
Then, we were all shocked when Troy, Luke and Ethan's dad, stepped up without saying anything! He just took his seat and got it done!
Before...
After!
We had a blast! Thanks to all who could come out! Uncle Seth and myself also got a trim. I actually didn't use a guard this time. This is the shortest I have ever had my hair! I feels good!
So, enjoy our pictures! I will post more later!
Grace and Peace
America's Best Dance Crew- Go Elektrolytes!
So we told you about the dance Crew on ABDC called the Elektrolytes from Gilbert, AZ. We wanted to give them a shout out by showing you what they do after each performance. I guess you could say it is their "symbol" or "pose" that represents them. Caleb and Cully and the entire Thompson family are cheering for you guys!
You can check out a lot of their videos on You Tube! They are extremely talented! They have sent Caleb messages through our friend Codi and rumor has it that they will all be wearing the lime green VelociCaleb bracelets when they dance this week! The show comes on Wednesday evenings at 8-7 pm.central I think...check your local listings! (Thanks Uncle Mark, Aunt Allyson and Uncle Seth for getting these bracelets!)
We have currently ran out of these bracelets. We are ordering more and hope to get them in soon!
We now have red "Caleb Can" bracelets. (Thansk Betsy and Matt!)
If you would like one of these bracelets, just text or call and we will do our best to get you one!
Thanks again for all of your support! We are so blessed!
Grace and Peace
Cully's T-Ball Game
My brother Seth and I took Cully to his softball game this morning. Complete with a new lefted handed glove, we woke up early and got ready! It was an awesome event! Here are a few pictures of the game!
Here Cully is in the field! He is ready for the ball!
Here he is in between innings! He is so cute!
Here he is getting ready to bat! He isn't a bad little player. He hit the ball on his 1st try every time!
The game was complete with everyone on the team running after the ball, team mates tackling each other for the ball, and a lot of fun! Thanks Scott for signing him up!
We also got some video, so I will try and put some of those on later so you can see him in action!
Here Cully is in the field! He is ready for the ball!
Here he is in between innings! He is so cute!
Here he is getting ready to bat! He isn't a bad little player. He hit the ball on his 1st try every time!
The game was complete with everyone on the team running after the ball, team mates tackling each other for the ball, and a lot of fun! Thanks Scott for signing him up!
We also got some video, so I will try and put some of those on later so you can see him in action!
A New Day- April 28th, 2012
It is a new day! Caleb was up from about 12:30-1:30 am saying that his legs hurt. We never quite figured out why, but gave him some meds to see if it helped. We are thinking that he probably walked more last night than he has in 4 weeks and this could have produced some sore leg muscles.
He slept till about 10 am this morning and seems to be doing well! He seems to have energy and is ready to face the day. We are very thankful for this!
Today will be pretty chill for him. I think he is having af few friends over for head shaving. I think Uncle Seth, Cully and myself are going to touch up our heads as well!
I will keep you posted throughout the day.
Grace and Peace
He slept till about 10 am this morning and seems to be doing well! He seems to have energy and is ready to face the day. We are very thankful for this!
Today will be pretty chill for him. I think he is having af few friends over for head shaving. I think Uncle Seth, Cully and myself are going to touch up our heads as well!
I will keep you posted throughout the day.
Grace and Peace
Recap of Today- April 27th, 2012
What an awesome day! What an awesome evening!
Our evening started at 5 Guys! Thanks Gokee's for the suggestion! We had burgers and fries together...it was a good time!
Then, we went to Caleb's school for an activity they have every year called Celebration of Learning! This is in the parking lot when we first arrived!
The Celebration of Learning is a time for the students at Caleb's school to show a little bit about what they are learning. Certain grades do certain projects and have to talk about them and explain what they learned. The 2nd grade class always does a wax museum where they pick famous people from history, learn about them, decorate a tri-fold board, and then when people come up to their spot, they have a speech memorized that tells the highlights of that person's life. Caleb wasn't able to participate, but it was fun going and supporting his friends. His friends did not know that he might be there tonight. Now that I think about it, no one except Mrs. Henderson (Caleb's teacher) and Mrs. Moll (Caleb's principle) knew that he could potentially come tonight. All of his friends were so excited to see him and we heard they were yelling at their teacher to make sure she knew he was there.
Caleb had so much fun tonight! It was such a good idea to go and I am thankful that he felt good enough to go! He talked with all of his friends, spent a little more time with some of them, and then talked with his teacher for a long time. We could not get him to leave because he wouldn't stop talking. I promise he was talking about 100 mph. You could just tell he felt like a million bucks! It was such a blessing to see everyone keep their distance but show love and support to him! We are blessed to be a part of this school!
The school also has a silent auction that goes along with the Celebration of Learning as a fund raiser. The Thompson's did their share! We got some great stuff too! Once again, it was an amazing evening for Caleb and I believe it did more for him than we will ever know!
When we could finally pull him away from everyone, we came home and watched America's Best Dance Crew. There is a dance crew from Gilbert, AZ (about 5 minutes from our house) called the Electrolytes! You should check them out. The show actually airs on Wednesday, but we had it Tivoed. They did a great job and are through to the next round. Caleb's hip hop teacher, Codi, knows a lot of them and so we are hoping they win! After that, it was off to bed to get some much needed rest!
Tomorrow will be a fun day as well! I think some of the boys from school are coming over for our 2nd head shaving party! Most of them needed to wait to shave their heads until after their wax museum was done. So, I think several of them are coming over and we will get the clippers out. Also, we are going to a birthday party and tomorrow I get to take Cully to his T-Ball game. This will be the first one I have been able to go to and I am super excited!
Tomorrow is a full day and I will make sure to get pictures of it all to share with all of you!
Have a great night!
Grace and Peace
Friday, April 27, 2012
Caleb is home!
We left the hospital at 2 pm. Here he is unattached and ready to leave!
When we left the hospital, we knew that Cooper was having a treatment at the clinic across the street. So, we walked over and saw him. When we got there, he was just finishing up so we got to hang out and talked for a little bit. Here they are together!
So, we are excited! Caleb and Cooper are planning on hanging together at church on Sunday!
The Gokee's are an awesome family! We are loving getting to know them. We hate that it is under these circumstances, but it is nice having someone who can speak the new language you are learning. It is nice to have someone with whom you do not have to say a word and you all understand exactly what is being felt or thought! It will be awesome to celebrate together when Cooper and Caleb are cancer free!
Keep praying for Cooper. He has had some rough days. But, we are believing and knowing that God is with them and with us!
I will keep you posted!
Grace and Peace
Recap April, 26th/A New Day April 27th, 2012
So, last night I was going to post like I do every night. However, I was laying next Cully while he went to sleep and the next thing I remember is waking up, looking at the clock and it being 4 am in the morning. At that point, I rolled back over and went back to sleep. Honestly, it was really good for me. I can't remember the last time I went to sleep between 9 and 9:30. But, it felt good and I feel extremely rested this morning! So, although I had a ton of things to get done last night, I guess they could have waited till today!
Caleb was asleep early last night as well! I think he had a pretty good night. They took his counts again this morning and they continue to rise. And once again, they jumped a huge amount. Here are a few of the numbers (I know I said I wasn't going to share them, but they are to amazing to not share). Now, this is his overall blood count numbers, so it isn't a representation of the indiviudal amounts.
Two days ago, his counts were 220. This is really low. He has to be at 500 to even think about going home. They say some kids get as low as 0, but 220 is very low. Yesterday, they were at 3,900! That was super crazy! Today...get ready for this...I hope that you are ready to shout out a praise...his counts were 11,000!!!!!!! They said he may have better counts than either Tera or myself! They said that if a plague hit, he could currently fight it off better than either one of us! How crazy!
Now, we know this will not be the norm but right now we are super excited! They said that this week will be a good week! It may be the last good week we have so we are going to enjoy!
Right now, I am with Cully and getting some work done. Caleb, Tera and Seth are just waiting for the word to leave and then I will go and pick them up from the hospita!
So, today is another going home day!
We might do something fun tonight! I will keep you posted and let you know how the rest of the day goes!
We serve a BIG GOD! He helped a little boy defeat giant with one rock! He made bread fall from heaven! He parted a body of water! He left a perfect place to redeem creation! He rose again from the dead! And he gave a little boy in hospital room 7126 an amazing blood count! We serve a BIG GOD!
I will keep you posted!
Grace and Peace
Caleb was asleep early last night as well! I think he had a pretty good night. They took his counts again this morning and they continue to rise. And once again, they jumped a huge amount. Here are a few of the numbers (I know I said I wasn't going to share them, but they are to amazing to not share). Now, this is his overall blood count numbers, so it isn't a representation of the indiviudal amounts.
Two days ago, his counts were 220. This is really low. He has to be at 500 to even think about going home. They say some kids get as low as 0, but 220 is very low. Yesterday, they were at 3,900! That was super crazy! Today...get ready for this...I hope that you are ready to shout out a praise...his counts were 11,000!!!!!!! They said he may have better counts than either Tera or myself! They said that if a plague hit, he could currently fight it off better than either one of us! How crazy!
Now, we know this will not be the norm but right now we are super excited! They said that this week will be a good week! It may be the last good week we have so we are going to enjoy!
Right now, I am with Cully and getting some work done. Caleb, Tera and Seth are just waiting for the word to leave and then I will go and pick them up from the hospita!
So, today is another going home day!
We might do something fun tonight! I will keep you posted and let you know how the rest of the day goes!
We serve a BIG GOD! He helped a little boy defeat giant with one rock! He made bread fall from heaven! He parted a body of water! He left a perfect place to redeem creation! He rose again from the dead! And he gave a little boy in hospital room 7126 an amazing blood count! We serve a BIG GOD!
I will keep you posted!
Grace and Peace
Thursday, April 26, 2012
A Little Hic-Up
I reported earlier that Caleb might get to go home toeday. That has changed just a little bit.
His counts are still going up, but they want to watch him a bit longer and have his blood checked one more time tomorrow morning. If everything looks good again, he should be able to go home tomorrow morning. That is still good news! It would be awesome to go home today, but we want to make sure we are taking a healthy kid home.
He still doing well and looking good. He is eating more and drinking a lot so that heps! He also has not had any pain meds since 7 am this morning and is not complaining of any pain whatsoever! That is awesome!
So, if everything keeps going the same direction, we should be home sometime tomorrow. We haven't seen the doctor yet today, but when we do we will have a few questions for him about everything.
We are celebrating good counts and a laughing boy! We are currently watching a movie and he is cracking up! Laughter is an awesome thing!
I will keep you posted!
Grace and Peace
His counts are still going up, but they want to watch him a bit longer and have his blood checked one more time tomorrow morning. If everything looks good again, he should be able to go home tomorrow morning. That is still good news! It would be awesome to go home today, but we want to make sure we are taking a healthy kid home.
He still doing well and looking good. He is eating more and drinking a lot so that heps! He also has not had any pain meds since 7 am this morning and is not complaining of any pain whatsoever! That is awesome!
So, if everything keeps going the same direction, we should be home sometime tomorrow. We haven't seen the doctor yet today, but when we do we will have a few questions for him about everything.
We are celebrating good counts and a laughing boy! We are currently watching a movie and he is cracking up! Laughter is an awesome thing!
I will keep you posted!
Grace and Peace
A New Day- April 26th, 2012
Good news! Caleb's counts have rebounded in a big way! When I say big, I mean big! His mouth is looking a ton better and he has no more pain.
So, if he eats we and drinks a lot, he could potentially go home this afternoon or evening. That would be awesome!
He is currently eating breakfast. He had scrambled eggs (which I think he would eat for every meal), sausage link, a few bites of waffle, peaches and pears. He drank an apple juice and is waiting on a few more drinks to arrive.
We are waiting for more drink. He is pounding it all down even as we speak.
So today is about eating and drinking! Like I said, his mouth feels so much better and so it allows him to eat and drink without pain.
I will keep you posted!
Grace and Peace
So, if he eats we and drinks a lot, he could potentially go home this afternoon or evening. That would be awesome!
He is currently eating breakfast. He had scrambled eggs (which I think he would eat for every meal), sausage link, a few bites of waffle, peaches and pears. He drank an apple juice and is waiting on a few more drinks to arrive.
We are waiting for more drink. He is pounding it all down even as we speak.
So today is about eating and drinking! Like I said, his mouth feels so much better and so it allows him to eat and drink without pain.
I will keep you posted!
Grace and Peace
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Recap of Today- April 25th, 2012
I am sitting in 7126. Caleb is fast asleep...all meds have been taken that he needs to take until 5 am when they will wake him again to take more meds. If he needs more pain meds, he can have them at 2 am I think. Hopefully, it will not come to that.
His mouth is looking a lot better. We are putting cream on his lips and it seems to help give moisture to them which helps overall. He had a little bit of a breakdown I heard when I was on my way up after church. My brother Seth was getting ready to leave and he didn't want that at all. So, Seth stayed for a bit. After he went back to sleep, Seth headed home for much needed rest.
Not sure exactly about why the breakdown happened. I am sure it is a lot of things combined. He is in the hospital again, his mouth is killing him (which doesn't allow him to eat without pain), and he cannot leave the room. I am sure all this piled on top of each other, with a few other things as well, would cause anyone to lose their mind! I am not experiencing what he is on any level, and honestly, I am having a hard time with everything as well.
I hate to say it, but those few days at home when he was feeling good, I started to let my mind slip into the idea that things were going to potentially get back to normal again quicker than anyone had thought. I mean he was looking good, acting like he felt good, and doing just about anything he wanted to do (within reason). So, in my mind I was thinking that this was going to be great and I would be able to have a somewhat normal schedule of being in the office a bit and doing things that needed to get done.
Now that we are back here, I feel like I am going through somewhat of a grieving process again. I am once again grieving the fact that life is different and will continue to be different from this point forward. I wonder if this is what it is like to lose someone you are really close to? Are there times that you think, "I am getting back to life as normal" only to be reminded that it will never be the same normal as before? The emotions are many...sadness, pain, uneasiness, confusion, loss, anger, and fear (as well as many more). It is almost like I am riding Space Mountain and the moment I think I know what is coming, something happens that throws all that out the window. The second I think a drop is coming, I actually start to head into a loop. I can't say it is fun, but I know that we will make it!
I bet this is what the disciples felt so many times when they were with Jesus. As I study, I feel like there were so many times they were thinking, "Oh man, I know exactly what this means...I know where this is going" only to find out it was really nothing like that at all. In fact, most of the times it was either opposite or on a different playing field all together. I mean the Son of Man doesn't die...what is that all about?
So, it seems that we are not alone on this journey. Thousands have been where we are and I take comfort in that. The doubts, anger, frustration, and fear that I have is nothing new to God or to His people. Hebrews 12 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
I am a part of the story of God and that story is made up of people who struggled, doubted, and wrestled with God in the midst of many of life circumstances. I guess I can join them in their struggle. I am not saying I am like them or that I should be compared to them whatesoever. Quite the opposite! But, since I am surrounded by them, I will do my best to run the race with them! It seems that is all I can do! To give up at this point would seem silly! He has done so much for me that I can't help but respond to the love he has shown me time and time again. I can't say I am happy or that I love our current situation in life...but I embrace it and believe that in the midst of it I can be made a little more like Him! If not, this is a cruel joke!
Have a great night!
Grace and Peace
His mouth is looking a lot better. We are putting cream on his lips and it seems to help give moisture to them which helps overall. He had a little bit of a breakdown I heard when I was on my way up after church. My brother Seth was getting ready to leave and he didn't want that at all. So, Seth stayed for a bit. After he went back to sleep, Seth headed home for much needed rest.
Not sure exactly about why the breakdown happened. I am sure it is a lot of things combined. He is in the hospital again, his mouth is killing him (which doesn't allow him to eat without pain), and he cannot leave the room. I am sure all this piled on top of each other, with a few other things as well, would cause anyone to lose their mind! I am not experiencing what he is on any level, and honestly, I am having a hard time with everything as well.
I hate to say it, but those few days at home when he was feeling good, I started to let my mind slip into the idea that things were going to potentially get back to normal again quicker than anyone had thought. I mean he was looking good, acting like he felt good, and doing just about anything he wanted to do (within reason). So, in my mind I was thinking that this was going to be great and I would be able to have a somewhat normal schedule of being in the office a bit and doing things that needed to get done.
Now that we are back here, I feel like I am going through somewhat of a grieving process again. I am once again grieving the fact that life is different and will continue to be different from this point forward. I wonder if this is what it is like to lose someone you are really close to? Are there times that you think, "I am getting back to life as normal" only to be reminded that it will never be the same normal as before? The emotions are many...sadness, pain, uneasiness, confusion, loss, anger, and fear (as well as many more). It is almost like I am riding Space Mountain and the moment I think I know what is coming, something happens that throws all that out the window. The second I think a drop is coming, I actually start to head into a loop. I can't say it is fun, but I know that we will make it!
I bet this is what the disciples felt so many times when they were with Jesus. As I study, I feel like there were so many times they were thinking, "Oh man, I know exactly what this means...I know where this is going" only to find out it was really nothing like that at all. In fact, most of the times it was either opposite or on a different playing field all together. I mean the Son of Man doesn't die...what is that all about?
So, it seems that we are not alone on this journey. Thousands have been where we are and I take comfort in that. The doubts, anger, frustration, and fear that I have is nothing new to God or to His people. Hebrews 12 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
I am a part of the story of God and that story is made up of people who struggled, doubted, and wrestled with God in the midst of many of life circumstances. I guess I can join them in their struggle. I am not saying I am like them or that I should be compared to them whatesoever. Quite the opposite! But, since I am surrounded by them, I will do my best to run the race with them! It seems that is all I can do! To give up at this point would seem silly! He has done so much for me that I can't help but respond to the love he has shown me time and time again. I can't say I am happy or that I love our current situation in life...but I embrace it and believe that in the midst of it I can be made a little more like Him! If not, this is a cruel joke!
Have a great night!
Grace and Peace
An Update and some Hair
This time, Sophia Starner got in on the action. She donated her hair to locks of love. What an awesome thing! We are so blessed with so many people who are journeying a long with Caleb on this adventure.
Before the photos, just a quick update.
Caleb's counts are going down for sure. I am not going to post numbers because without context they may not make a whole of sense and can either look way worse or potentially way better. But, lets just say that they are going down.
They will be keeping Caleb here until his counts start to head the other direction. So, until then, 7126 is where he will be with either Tera or myself. We are not sure how long that will be exactly but they are saying it could be longer than the original 2-3 days. His mouth is still full of sores. It seems to hurt when he is eating, which presents another problem.
Currently he is eating good...let me re-phrase. Currently, he is getting to eat all of the things he loves (ice cream, ice cream sandwiches, otter pops etc). So, he really isn't eating "good" but he still has an appetite which is good. He is also drinking plenty which is good!
He is getting pain meds for his mouth. They are also continually checking his sores and running cultures on them to see what they are and if they are getting better. He is also on meds to help his mouth out as well.
So, here we are! I will keep you posted!
Now, for the photos.
Before...
After!
Before the photos, just a quick update.
Caleb's counts are going down for sure. I am not going to post numbers because without context they may not make a whole of sense and can either look way worse or potentially way better. But, lets just say that they are going down.
They will be keeping Caleb here until his counts start to head the other direction. So, until then, 7126 is where he will be with either Tera or myself. We are not sure how long that will be exactly but they are saying it could be longer than the original 2-3 days. His mouth is still full of sores. It seems to hurt when he is eating, which presents another problem.
Currently he is eating good...let me re-phrase. Currently, he is getting to eat all of the things he loves (ice cream, ice cream sandwiches, otter pops etc). So, he really isn't eating "good" but he still has an appetite which is good. He is also drinking plenty which is good!
He is getting pain meds for his mouth. They are also continually checking his sores and running cultures on them to see what they are and if they are getting better. He is also on meds to help his mouth out as well.
So, here we are! I will keep you posted!
Now, for the photos.
Before...
After!
Thanks Sophia! You look really good!
Caleb's Uncle Chris also joined the shave head club!
Thanks Uncle Chris!
Grace and Peace
A New Day- April 25th, 2012
Cully and I slept well. He woke up a bit too early for me, but other than that, it was ok.
Today is a day of seeing what Caleb's sores are all about and making sure he isn't in a lot of pain. I will be back and forth from the hospital and work today. I have a couple of meetings and Cully really can't handle being at the hospital for very long periods of time. He gets bored. And to top everything off, with all of Caleb's mouth sores, they have him on room isolation (which means he can't leave his hospital room) and that makes it even more difficult with Cully. When we can go to playroom, go to 3rd floor patio, walk around, it makes it a bit easier. But, being in the same room for many hours isn't something he is ready for. Cully is playing with his guys right now and playing well.
Tera said Caleb had a lot of interruptions last night from nurses. With all the meds, they kept coming in and checking on him. But, the meds are helping so that is good.
I will keep you posted throughout the day on how he is doing and what we find out.
Have a great day!
Grace and Peace
Today is a day of seeing what Caleb's sores are all about and making sure he isn't in a lot of pain. I will be back and forth from the hospital and work today. I have a couple of meetings and Cully really can't handle being at the hospital for very long periods of time. He gets bored. And to top everything off, with all of Caleb's mouth sores, they have him on room isolation (which means he can't leave his hospital room) and that makes it even more difficult with Cully. When we can go to playroom, go to 3rd floor patio, walk around, it makes it a bit easier. But, being in the same room for many hours isn't something he is ready for. Cully is playing with his guys right now and playing well.
Tera said Caleb had a lot of interruptions last night from nurses. With all the meds, they kept coming in and checking on him. But, the meds are helping so that is good.
I will keep you posted throughout the day on how he is doing and what we find out.
Have a great day!
Grace and Peace
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Recap of Today- April 24th, 2012
Seth and I were walking to the elevator from the hospital. I was going to go to Cully's t-ball practice and Seth was getting a few things from the car that Tera needed. We got into the elevator of the parking garage, I leaned my head back agains the wall and said, "Man, this is not at all how I thought this day would go." Funny how things interrupt our plans sometimes. Honestly, this cancer didn't interrupt some plans for our family, it interrupted our entire life!
Tera knew that Caleb didn't feel well and that his counts were probably low. So, we bumped his Thursday appointment up to today. Later I found out we didn't actually bump the appointment on Thursday, today was just going to be another visit to make sure he was doing ok. So, a the most we thought we would spend a few hours in the clinic and potentially get a transfusion so boost Caleb up a bit and help him feel better.
When we got there, his counts were actually not that bad. They were a little low, but not necessarily low enough for a transfusion. He could have gotten one and it would have been ok but he wasn't so low that they thought, "He has to have a transfusion today." That was good news. But, he had sores in his mouth that were hurting him really bad. It was also hurting him to swallow. So, when they looked in his mouth, they found that not only did he have many sores in his mouth but that some of them were infected. When they checked his temp, he also had a fever.
The situation went from, "Counts look good, he looks good" to "he has many sores...probably even down his throat and stomach lining. They are infected and he has a fever. We need to admit him to hospital to help with pain, help sores heal and observe and make sure his fever doesn't get any worse." Wow! Talk about a total shift!
So, Caleb now calls 7126 home, but hopefully only for a couple of days. They have him on ever kind of anti-biotic I have heard of and some others I haven't even heard of. They also have him on some pain meds as well as a cream that they wipe in his mouth to help numb the pain. I am not sure they know why the sores are so bad, but if something they are giving him doesn't work I am not sure anything will! Tera was telling me everything that he was on and I was just impressed she could remember it all.
I came home with Cully. Caleb seems to understand that this is only temporary and will only be a few days, but Cully had a hard time leaving tonight. It is still very real and vivid. We told him that Caleb was going to get to be home for 2 weeks before he ha to go back into the hospital for more chemo. When I told him that Caleb was back in the hospital, he said, "Has it been two weeks already?"
Here we are again! We are in good spirits! Caleb is being taken care of and his pain alleviated at the moment. I can't say that it is fun or what we planned, but if it is helping Caleb rest better tonight than he might be at home it is ok. I don't really like it, but we are praying it is only for a couple of days.
I am very tired! We were sort of getting into some sort of routine again. Obviously it wasn't a well tuned routine, but some sort of routine non-the-less. Now, back to driving a ton, sitting at the hospital, making sure Caleb and Cully are ok and taken are of and sleeping in two different places as a family. Even though it was the first day, I am pretty worn out.
I have been thinking a lot about the cross and what it means that Christ "entered into" our suffering. He didn't stay far off, but came to where we are and entered into our situation. What a great God we serve! Not sure I could serve a God immune to suffering. Seems like he would have no idea what I was going through. But, I don't have to worry about it, for our God entered the world, was betrayed, mocked, spit upon, crucified and even died. But, we have hope because even though he entered into our world, he brought redemption through his death and resurrection so that we could have hope no matter what circumstance we are in!
Cancer is a nasty thing...chemo is a nasty thing as well. Don't get me wrong, we love chemo and how it is helping Caleb. But, no matter how bad it gets, we remember that God gives grace to make it through any situation! In our weakness, he is strong! This reminds me of a song and I will close today with the lyric.
Jesus loves me this i know
for the Bible tells me so
Little ones to him belong
They are weak but he is strong.
We are resting in the healing, powerful, strong, comforting hands of Jesus tonight. We pray that we all rest well, that Caleb feels a bit better tomorrow and that we have a good day!
Grace and Peace
Back to the Hospital
During the check up, we found out that Caleb had a fever. With cancer and chemo, fevers are not good. So, Caleb is getting admitted back to PCH for a couple of days so that they can watch him and make sure he doesn't catch any sickness. Also, he has infection in some of the sores in his mouth. So, with the combination of the two, they want to keep an eye on him while he has the fever. We are not sure how long exactly but back to the 7th floor we go!
We are sitting in the clinic now and Caleb is getting an anti-biotic even as we speak. As soon as they find out what room we will be in, we will get checked in and move in. Of course, we brought nothing that we need in order to stay a few days. So, one of us will be heading home soon and grabbing a few things...Caleb said to make sure we don't forget the X-box...and go from there.
I will keep you posted on the newest information as soon as we get it.
And our new norm continues...with "new" always being the optimal word! Maybe a better phrase would be "expect the unexpected".
Grace and Peace
We are sitting in the clinic now and Caleb is getting an anti-biotic even as we speak. As soon as they find out what room we will be in, we will get checked in and move in. Of course, we brought nothing that we need in order to stay a few days. So, one of us will be heading home soon and grabbing a few things...Caleb said to make sure we don't forget the X-box...and go from there.
I will keep you posted on the newest information as soon as we get it.
And our new norm continues...with "new" always being the optimal word! Maybe a better phrase would be "expect the unexpected".
Grace and Peace
More Pictures
This one comes all the way from Japan and our cousins who moved out there for a couple of years. My cousin Charlie is in the Navy and is stationed there. The two boys are Elijah and Caleb. Thanks for doing this. It meant a lot to Caleb!
Before...
After!
You guys look awesome!
Before...
After!
You guys look awesome!
An update
We got the port in. It was a little bit bigger deal than it needed to be. Caleb was a little anxious, but once it was in and he did not feel it, things were better. I think that next time it will be even better than it was today.
Now, he is eating Otter Pops galore and we are waiting to get the results back from the blood to see what we need to do and if he needs a transfusion or not.
I will keep you posted!
Now, he is eating Otter Pops galore and we are waiting to get the results back from the blood to see what we need to do and if he needs a transfusion or not.
I will keep you posted!
A New Day- April 24th, 2012
We had a good night. We are currently waiting on a call from the clinic to see if they have a time slot available this morning. Caleb seems to be doing ok this morning. He just ate some Eggo Waffles. In a few minutes, we will do the shot. I think it will be much smoother this morning.
I have several things to get done today. I may be getting them done in the clinic. It could be an all day affair, especially if he needs a transfusion.
Cully will be hanging out with Uncle Seth today. Not sure what they will be doing. I think they are going to go to the store and possibly go grab some lunch together. Uncle Seth does a great job with the boys. It is a blessing that he is able to be here. Both of our families would move here in a second if it were possible and help out in any way they are able. At this point in his life, it works out for Seth to be here and we are grateful!
This is short. I need to go give my son a shot and jump in the shower in case they want to see us ASAP. It takes about 20 min to get to clinic and we need to be ready for the call.
I will keep you posted throughout the day about what is happening and how Caleb (and mom and dad) are doing.
Thanks for your prayers!
Grace and Peace
I have several things to get done today. I may be getting them done in the clinic. It could be an all day affair, especially if he needs a transfusion.
Cully will be hanging out with Uncle Seth today. Not sure what they will be doing. I think they are going to go to the store and possibly go grab some lunch together. Uncle Seth does a great job with the boys. It is a blessing that he is able to be here. Both of our families would move here in a second if it were possible and help out in any way they are able. At this point in his life, it works out for Seth to be here and we are grateful!
This is short. I need to go give my son a shot and jump in the shower in case they want to see us ASAP. It takes about 20 min to get to clinic and we need to be ready for the call.
I will keep you posted throughout the day about what is happening and how Caleb (and mom and dad) are doing.
Thanks for your prayers!
Grace and Peace
Monday, April 23, 2012
Recap of Today- April 23rd, 2012
Don't worry, you are on the right page. I just thought I would change it up a bit!
Today was another rough day for Caleb. The chemo is really doing a number on him.
He woke up and seemed to feel ok. We did his shot and it actually went pretty well. I think we have a system that will work and ease his mind leading up to it (at least I hope we do).
Later in the morning, he was so tired that he took a nap before lunch. All day he hasn't had much of an appetite. He has been in a pretty good mood all day, just doesn't have much strength.
We called the nurse and chatted with her a bit about how Caleb was doing and things we were seeing. She wasn't extremely concerned, but wanted to try and get his clinic day moved up. So, instead of Thursday, we are going to try and get in tomorrow. They are thinking that he may need a blood transfusion.
So, tomorrow morning, we will call and see if there is a time that they can squeeze us in. This could mean a port access which Caleb is not happy about at all. But, it is kind of nice getting in a little earlier to make sure things are going ok.
Tonight, he was not feeling well at all and so we did all of his new bed time routines and he went to sleep around 8 pm.
So, tomorrow, pray for an open spot and a smooth clinic visit. Getting the port put in again will potentially be a hard thing on many levels. But, we are hoping that we have learned a few things with the shot that might help as well. Also pray for guidance for the nurse and doctors as they see how Caleb is doing and see if he might need a transfusion of some sort. Pray that Caleb feels well tomorrow. Pray that we will have guidance to help Caleb through the day. Pray that we will feel God's presence with us as we journey through this time together.
I have been reading and studying a ton today. I have learned a ton about who God is and how he makes himself known in hard times. I am really looking at the question, "If God is good and loving, why does suffering happen?"
I will keep you posted.
Have a great night!
Grace and Peace
Today was another rough day for Caleb. The chemo is really doing a number on him.
He woke up and seemed to feel ok. We did his shot and it actually went pretty well. I think we have a system that will work and ease his mind leading up to it (at least I hope we do).
Later in the morning, he was so tired that he took a nap before lunch. All day he hasn't had much of an appetite. He has been in a pretty good mood all day, just doesn't have much strength.
We called the nurse and chatted with her a bit about how Caleb was doing and things we were seeing. She wasn't extremely concerned, but wanted to try and get his clinic day moved up. So, instead of Thursday, we are going to try and get in tomorrow. They are thinking that he may need a blood transfusion.
So, tomorrow morning, we will call and see if there is a time that they can squeeze us in. This could mean a port access which Caleb is not happy about at all. But, it is kind of nice getting in a little earlier to make sure things are going ok.
Tonight, he was not feeling well at all and so we did all of his new bed time routines and he went to sleep around 8 pm.
So, tomorrow, pray for an open spot and a smooth clinic visit. Getting the port put in again will potentially be a hard thing on many levels. But, we are hoping that we have learned a few things with the shot that might help as well. Also pray for guidance for the nurse and doctors as they see how Caleb is doing and see if he might need a transfusion of some sort. Pray that Caleb feels well tomorrow. Pray that we will have guidance to help Caleb through the day. Pray that we will feel God's presence with us as we journey through this time together.
I have been reading and studying a ton today. I have learned a ton about who God is and how he makes himself known in hard times. I am really looking at the question, "If God is good and loving, why does suffering happen?"
I will keep you posted.
Have a great night!
Grace and Peace
Another Hair Pic
This is my Aunt Sharon from Nashville, TN getting her hair shorted for Caleb. Thanks Aunt Sharon!
Before...
After!
Before...
After!
Adventure with Cully
Today, it seemed Cully was sitting in front of the TV or some gaming system a lot. So, what is the solution to that? Adventure time with dad. We jumped on our bikes and took off. All in all, our adventure took about 2 hours. Here are a few pictures to show you what we did.
1st, a picture of Cully on his bike!
Our first stop was at Panda Express for lunch. Cully had some white rice and daddy had a bowl with orange chicken and fried rice. It was yummy!
Then, we went to Starbucks! Cully loves it just as much as daddy! Cully had a double-chocalate chip frapp and dad had an iced coffee with skim milk (daddy is trying to lose some weight!).
Then, daddy needed to go to his office to pick a few things up and make a few copies. While we were there, Cully stopped in to see his friend Heidi. She gave him some stickers.
After that, we headed home and took a quick swim! I can't believe our pool is already 80 degrees and it is only April!
After a swim, we played with army guys! Of course Cully won!
All in all, we have had a fun day together! Obviously so much more has happened, but these were the highlights.
Grace and Peace
1st, a picture of Cully on his bike!
Our first stop was at Panda Express for lunch. Cully had some white rice and daddy had a bowl with orange chicken and fried rice. It was yummy!
Then, we went to Starbucks! Cully loves it just as much as daddy! Cully had a double-chocalate chip frapp and dad had an iced coffee with skim milk (daddy is trying to lose some weight!).
Then, daddy needed to go to his office to pick a few things up and make a few copies. While we were there, Cully stopped in to see his friend Heidi. She gave him some stickers.
After that, we headed home and took a quick swim! I can't believe our pool is already 80 degrees and it is only April!
After a swim, we played with army guys! Of course Cully won!
All in all, we have had a fun day together! Obviously so much more has happened, but these were the highlights.
Grace and Peace
A New Day- April 23rd, 2012
It is a new day! I can't say last night was great, but we got some rest and are ready to face the day.
Caleb woke up with his mouth hurting. He now has sores in his mouth and they seem to really hurt! He was up around 2 complaining. We gave him some numbing mouth wash to see if that helped. Not sure if it did yet, but he slept the rest of the night. He is still upstairs sleeping.
Prayer Requests:
1- Caleb's mouth pain to be at a minimum
2- Shot to go smooth today
3- Strength for Caleb
4- Strength and guidance for us to know how to help
Thanks for all of your prayers! It should be a pretty relaxing day! We need to get a few things done around the house and I need to get a few things done for the church. Other than that, nothing huge!
I will keep you posted!
Grace and Peace
Caleb woke up with his mouth hurting. He now has sores in his mouth and they seem to really hurt! He was up around 2 complaining. We gave him some numbing mouth wash to see if that helped. Not sure if it did yet, but he slept the rest of the night. He is still upstairs sleeping.
Prayer Requests:
1- Caleb's mouth pain to be at a minimum
2- Shot to go smooth today
3- Strength for Caleb
4- Strength and guidance for us to know how to help
Thanks for all of your prayers! It should be a pretty relaxing day! We need to get a few things done around the house and I need to get a few things done for the church. Other than that, nothing huge!
I will keep you posted!
Grace and Peace
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Recap from Today- April 22nd, 2012
Today was a different day for Caleb. Different can be good, but in this case not so much. Caleb had his 1st "bottoming out" experience today. We knew his counts were going to be dropping and that it would potentially be happening by today or tomorrow. Today was the day. I guess we do not have scientific evidence that his counts were low, but his body an demeanor gave us an idea that they were.
We started the day at church. Caleb went with us this morning and we had him wear a mask. We also did not go into a building whatsoever (except when we left, we walked through our worship center). You can tell it was very overwhelming for him. Many people wanted to see him and talk with him. For an 8 year old, it was a lot!
We were there for about 45 min. or so and Caleb was ready to go home. So, my brother stayed at home with him for the rest of the morning while Tera and I did a few things we needed to get done. It is great having Seth here. He is such a huge help!
After church, we ate some lunch...meatballs, mashed potatoes and asparagus. Caleb loves this meal but didn't really feel like eating. He was looking pretty tired, so after lunch, I took him upstairs for a nap. I laid down with him and he slept for about 2 1/2 hours (I have to admit I fell asleep with him). Tera, Seth and Cully went to Target and a few other stores to pick up a few things we needed.
After he woke up, he was still tired and not feeling good. It was weird...you could tell he didn't feel well, but it wasn't like anything was hurting him. He just didn't feel good! There were little things throughout the afternoon that he would say hurt. But, other than a little stomach pain, he couldn't tell us what was wrong. He laid around, watched some TV, and then was in bed by 8:30 pm ready to go to sleep.
It isn't easy watching your child suffer! It isn't easy not being able to help your child. I mean you can only give him so much medicine and although it may have helped a few of the symptoms, it didn't really help.
Tera and I had a long talk tonight. We are both really scared! Sure, we know that the doctors are very optimistic. Sure, we believe that Caleb is going to be alright. Sure, we have a support system like no other. But when you watch you child have a lifeless afternoon, it is hard not to be scared. What if the cancer is getting worse? What if something else is happening in his body that we don't know about? Rest assured, the doctors have assured us that that is worse case scenario...but what if?
After a little while, we realized that we made it through another day and that tomorrow is a new day. All we can do is take it a day at a time and we know that together and with God's presence journeying with us we can make it through anything!
Today wasn't easy at all, but we made it. When you pray, pray that Caleb has strength to do what he needs to do tomorrow. We do not have a lot that we need to get done tomorrow which is good.
Also, pray for mom and dad. We are both still working through what this means for us an our family. I am sure it could potentially mean something different everyday. But pray for us, especially Tera, to have peace, good sleep, and be able to rest not only at night but throughout the days as well. In our own mind we can't do this for 6-9 months. But, we really don't have a choice.
So, we will journey on. No matter what comes, we believe that God's grace will be enough for the situation. It truly is "Amazing Grace"!
Thanks for your prayers! Have a good night!
Grace and Peace
We started the day at church. Caleb went with us this morning and we had him wear a mask. We also did not go into a building whatsoever (except when we left, we walked through our worship center). You can tell it was very overwhelming for him. Many people wanted to see him and talk with him. For an 8 year old, it was a lot!
We were there for about 45 min. or so and Caleb was ready to go home. So, my brother stayed at home with him for the rest of the morning while Tera and I did a few things we needed to get done. It is great having Seth here. He is such a huge help!
After church, we ate some lunch...meatballs, mashed potatoes and asparagus. Caleb loves this meal but didn't really feel like eating. He was looking pretty tired, so after lunch, I took him upstairs for a nap. I laid down with him and he slept for about 2 1/2 hours (I have to admit I fell asleep with him). Tera, Seth and Cully went to Target and a few other stores to pick up a few things we needed.
After he woke up, he was still tired and not feeling good. It was weird...you could tell he didn't feel well, but it wasn't like anything was hurting him. He just didn't feel good! There were little things throughout the afternoon that he would say hurt. But, other than a little stomach pain, he couldn't tell us what was wrong. He laid around, watched some TV, and then was in bed by 8:30 pm ready to go to sleep.
It isn't easy watching your child suffer! It isn't easy not being able to help your child. I mean you can only give him so much medicine and although it may have helped a few of the symptoms, it didn't really help.
Tera and I had a long talk tonight. We are both really scared! Sure, we know that the doctors are very optimistic. Sure, we believe that Caleb is going to be alright. Sure, we have a support system like no other. But when you watch you child have a lifeless afternoon, it is hard not to be scared. What if the cancer is getting worse? What if something else is happening in his body that we don't know about? Rest assured, the doctors have assured us that that is worse case scenario...but what if?
After a little while, we realized that we made it through another day and that tomorrow is a new day. All we can do is take it a day at a time and we know that together and with God's presence journeying with us we can make it through anything!
Today wasn't easy at all, but we made it. When you pray, pray that Caleb has strength to do what he needs to do tomorrow. We do not have a lot that we need to get done tomorrow which is good.
Also, pray for mom and dad. We are both still working through what this means for us an our family. I am sure it could potentially mean something different everyday. But pray for us, especially Tera, to have peace, good sleep, and be able to rest not only at night but throughout the days as well. In our own mind we can't do this for 6-9 months. But, we really don't have a choice.
So, we will journey on. No matter what comes, we believe that God's grace will be enough for the situation. It truly is "Amazing Grace"!
Thanks for your prayers! Have a good night!
Grace and Peace
A New Day- April 22nd, 2012
Today started earlier than yesterday! Cully came in to my room around 6 am and was awake! His allergies were bothering him a bit and they woke him up. We snuggled a bit, but he was ready for action. About 6:30, we went to play some Wii and Caleb got up and came out and joined us.
We played Wii for a bit, then I had to run to the store. When I got back, it was shot time!
The shot went ok today. I still think it is going to be a process that will soon be habit and not a big deal at all. I can't wait to get to that point.
He seems to be feeling good! So, we are looking forward to a great day!
I will keep you posted!
Grace and Peace
We played Wii for a bit, then I had to run to the store. When I got back, it was shot time!
The shot went ok today. I still think it is going to be a process that will soon be habit and not a big deal at all. I can't wait to get to that point.
He seems to be feeling good! So, we are looking forward to a great day!
I will keep you posted!
Grace and Peace
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Recap of Today- April 21st, 2012
Today was a good day! Caleb still feels well and we are loving that!
We got a lot of work done on our house as well as a lot of things put away. Tomorrow, we will need to switch all of Caleb's clothes to his new room and make the move official. That shouldn't take too long...we just need to get it done.
I have told several people this and I have blogged about it often, but we are so overwhelmed by people's love and support! My parents are heading back to GA tomorrow morning. It has been great having them here and I know they have enjoyed being able to help! Also today, someone found out we needed another car to use over the next couple of months to get Caleb to where he needs to go and be able to do other things during that time as well. So, they had one that they were not using, and are now letting us use it as long as we need it! Words can't express how overwhelming this is! God has provided a huge blessing. We probably could have made it with one car, but having this car will make life so much easier and more manageable. We are extremely grateful and blessed!
I think one of the things that has been a processing point for me is that the roles in my life have switched. I am usually the one that is giving and helping and now I am the one in need. That is very humbling! I wish I could say that it was easy, but it isn't! I am learning to do something that is so hard for me...ask!
In the past, if I needed something, I always would do everything within my power to try and do it on my own. I am learning again and again that to live life in that manner is not to live life in true community. In true community, you learn to give some and you learn to receive some. It has to go both ways for you to understand what it means to have and to need...to give to others in need and receive when you are in need!
Henry Nouwen in his book "In the Name of Jesus" says that a leader is someone "who sometimes is led places he would rather not go". This is one of those places for me! I would much rather do anything for anyone than to have people do anything for me. But, I feel that part of my growth is that I cannot navigate this life circumstance on my own! I am learning that not only can I not navigate this life circumstance alone but also that I cannot navigate life outside of this circumstance alone either. I need others to help me get through this and life in general in so many ways! So, even though it is hard, God is showing me things about myself and others that I never knew before. It isn't easy, but it is truly teaching me more about God and giving me a perspective that I have never had before!
So, tomorrow I will give some and I am sure I will receive a ton! God has been so good to us!
What does tomorrow hold? Navigating church with Caleb for the first time (this is going to be overwhelming for him on many levels and hard for us to keep people a safe distance as well...so it will be tricky), another chance at working through the shot, and hopefully a chill day for all of us. I am looking forward to being with the community again! God meets with us in big ways at Crossroads! It is always good to be together!
I am super tired so I am going to try and get some sleep.
Have a good night!
Grace and Peace
We got a lot of work done on our house as well as a lot of things put away. Tomorrow, we will need to switch all of Caleb's clothes to his new room and make the move official. That shouldn't take too long...we just need to get it done.
I have told several people this and I have blogged about it often, but we are so overwhelmed by people's love and support! My parents are heading back to GA tomorrow morning. It has been great having them here and I know they have enjoyed being able to help! Also today, someone found out we needed another car to use over the next couple of months to get Caleb to where he needs to go and be able to do other things during that time as well. So, they had one that they were not using, and are now letting us use it as long as we need it! Words can't express how overwhelming this is! God has provided a huge blessing. We probably could have made it with one car, but having this car will make life so much easier and more manageable. We are extremely grateful and blessed!
I think one of the things that has been a processing point for me is that the roles in my life have switched. I am usually the one that is giving and helping and now I am the one in need. That is very humbling! I wish I could say that it was easy, but it isn't! I am learning to do something that is so hard for me...ask!
In the past, if I needed something, I always would do everything within my power to try and do it on my own. I am learning again and again that to live life in that manner is not to live life in true community. In true community, you learn to give some and you learn to receive some. It has to go both ways for you to understand what it means to have and to need...to give to others in need and receive when you are in need!
Henry Nouwen in his book "In the Name of Jesus" says that a leader is someone "who sometimes is led places he would rather not go". This is one of those places for me! I would much rather do anything for anyone than to have people do anything for me. But, I feel that part of my growth is that I cannot navigate this life circumstance on my own! I am learning that not only can I not navigate this life circumstance alone but also that I cannot navigate life outside of this circumstance alone either. I need others to help me get through this and life in general in so many ways! So, even though it is hard, God is showing me things about myself and others that I never knew before. It isn't easy, but it is truly teaching me more about God and giving me a perspective that I have never had before!
So, tomorrow I will give some and I am sure I will receive a ton! God has been so good to us!
What does tomorrow hold? Navigating church with Caleb for the first time (this is going to be overwhelming for him on many levels and hard for us to keep people a safe distance as well...so it will be tricky), another chance at working through the shot, and hopefully a chill day for all of us. I am looking forward to being with the community again! God meets with us in big ways at Crossroads! It is always good to be together!
I am super tired so I am going to try and get some sleep.
Have a good night!
Grace and Peace
More Pictures
Here are a few more pictures.
This is Annabelle and Abby's mom, Jessica! Pay no attention to the bald guy in the back!
Before...
After.
This is our friend from Ohio, Bill. He and Caleb had a huge connection while Bill interned for me in Mount Vernon, OH. Thanks Bill! Caleb thinks this look is all you!
I will keep posting as long as I get them! It is so much fun to see everyone!
Grace and Peace
A short test video
This blog entry is a test to see how to upload videos! It is a short message (and I mean short) from Caleb!
We will try and do more videos in the future!
More Hair Pictures
Here are a few more hair pictures!
This is Cully's best bud Connor!
And his dad Scott! Caleb helped with this one!
This is his after picture!
It seems animals are getting in on the action! This is Sarah's dog from GA!
Before...
During...
After!
Thanks to everyone! Caleb loves seeing all the pictures! It is such an encouragement to him!
Grace and Peace
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