Hip Hip Hooray

Our doctor and surgeon, Dr. Rodgers, came in last night around 5pm, checked Andrew out, looked at his chest tube container, and announced that he thought we might go home "tomorrow" (today). It seems as if the healing is coming quicker than we thought and Andrew is doing well internally. The doctors did a chest x-ray this morning and will look at that first. If all looks well with his lungs then they will take the chest tube out and monitor him this morning. They will be looking for pain tolerance, fluid intake apart from the IV, and overall disposition of Andrew. If all looks good then the next step is to remove ALL his tubes including his central line that he had placed in at the beginning of the diagnosis!!!  We think after all this we will request one more night of monitoring just to make sure everything is okay, but then we will probably go home tomorrow with a tumor free (for the most part) and tube free kid for the first time in three months. When the news came it was a little overwhelming how fast things were going to happen given that everything else has been so slow, but at the same time I am so thankful. My little man is gaining his strength and personality back and we will get to take him home!
  This time in the hospital has been a strange "rest" for me. I don't mean physically as I haven't slept real well with the nurses coming in, Andrew's cries in the night, and the blow up mattress on the cold floor. Nor  do I mean because this has been an easy time being here. We have had to regulate Andrew's pain pretty closely and haven't been able to hold him since before the surgery. Also, we haven't been able to hug our other three kids and reassure then that everything is okay (although Nanny and Papa have done an incredible job).  I guess it has been a strange rest of just relying on God, others, and the amazing staff here at the hospital. The stress of the home and raising 4 kids all at once has been taken since we have been here so I have been able to focus completely on my sweet little boy. I have been able to pamper him with popsicles, read numerous Spot and dinosaur books to him, and play with all his new Toy Story toys. I have been able to read, journal, and take a nap also. On top of that I have been able to just bask in the care of our friends and family. I have enjoyed the many calls that have come in to see how we are, the company of friends in this hospital room, and even the joy of seeing the life like balloons that Andrew has received that dance around and make him smile. When I have called home to make sure the other kiddos are okay, I have received the sweet voices of my parents sharing about their day of stories and park visits. The girls have gone to sleep without trouble and told me how much fun they are having with Nanny and Papa. My parents scoop my kids up, love on them, and make their schedules as normal as possible. That sure helps a mama's heart while I am  away. I am meeting new friends, some that have journeyed much harder roads than us, but all of them reminding us of their love and care for our family even at the tail end of this journey.
    I sat last night by myself in the room watching Andrew sleep. I began to retell this story of Andrew's cancer to myself. I thought about the simple cough that began all this mess and the first day we found out. I found myself wanting to just sit in the weight of all this news. Not because I enjoy pain, but because I kind of wanted to remember so I could see how far God has brought us, as well as the amazing MERCY that has been shown to us. The story is overwhelming. I found myself crying over the fears, the darkness, and the joys. Our family has strengthened and grown in so many ways through this time.  I allowed myself to just sit in some pain and some details that I have wanted to run from and never think about again. I could remember those feelings that went along with different doctors' words. I could remember how I never thought I could make it one more day and how in the world would we survive this case? But, here we are on the flip side. We still have scans and tests for the next two years, but we are DONE with this cancer journey(Lord willing). We are done 7 months sooner than we had originally expected. We are done with fewer chemos, fewer shots, fewer hospital returns, and fewer heartaches. Our God has saved us from what might have destroyed us.

Psalm 34.17-18

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;

         he delivers them from all their troubles. 

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are crushed in spirit.