Pinch Me

Well, it is 7:40pm and all our children, ALL our children are in bed. We were able to bring Andrew home today and that has been a wonderful experience. He woke up this morning and smiled at me when he saw me. I said, "Guess what? I have a secret. You get to go home today!" He smiled real big and said "okay!" His mood was a little lighter today and he ate a little bit more. He finished his first round of chemo at 12ish and we were on our way at around 2. Rick had to take a load of things home and pick up Andrew's carseat before we left so he also got to share with the girls the news we are coming home. It was a great farewell to that hospital.
 We arrived home and Andrew immediately ran over to his toys. He played with his sisters and gobbled down some more goldfish and water. I just sat in the midst of the interactions and got teary. We were home. Pinch me...we aren't in a hospital room waiting on nurses or eating cold pizza. My boy is curled up asleep on his sesame street sheets with his nightlight and Mickey Mouse in his arms. And for the most part, this is how it will stay tonight. We may have some early risers or a baby that decides he needs to eat again. But tonight Rick and I will sleep in the same bed, under the same roof with our kids. It feels a little overwhelming.. another miracle.
 The funny thing is, as wonderful as this is, it is still scary. We are not sure how long we will be here without fevers or complications. Our son still has cancer. It is not gone and although one treatment is done, we still have others to face as well as the side effects. He is so sweet with his siblings and with Rick and I. He just watches, plays and cuddles. His little body is working so hard and fighting for his life right now. I love being home, but I am a little scared about the next step. I hope all things go well and we don't have to check back in until the 29th, but this battle continues to be a one day at a time. We still have to change his diapers with gloves on. We still have to give shots and medicine to keep the nausea away. We still have to bribe him to eat so a feeding tube isn't in the future. And some of our library books are about hospitals and siblings with cancer. It feels like home but things are different. I still struggle with believing I can make it one more day. I still want to rush downstairs and put everything away that we brought home because what if we have to go back tomorrow. I still pray that God will have mercy. However, I cling with my fingernails again tonight that God loves us and will continue to carry us tomorrow. He did today. And He worked another miracle...He brought Andrew HOME.
 Please continue to pray for several things. Many of you, like ourselves thought for sure Andrew would only have to have 4 chemo rounds. That may be the case, but we are still waiting on one more lab from the biopsy. If this comes back positive we will have to do 8 rounds (because of the shape or something with the tumor). If it comes back negative, then 4. Please pray for 4 rounds of chemo. Also pray for the side effects of this awful poison we are pumping into him. So far he is just not hungry and a little sluggish, but other than that it is okay. The doctors believe this round might be fine b/c he is so healthy but as time goes on and his body weakens, then things will get harder. Please pray for God's mercy with those side effects. Pray also that his appetite and thirst will come back. We can give him a day or so and then we need to be a little worried. They mentioned feeding tubes and things like that if he can't keep his body weight up. All things a mom worries about. So please keep the prayers and love coming. We will keep you updated.