March 19, 2011

For the most part Grayson and I live in a bubble. We do not leave the apartment except for clinic visits  and the only television we watch is Sprout (very educational). Needless to say I am feeling very detached from the world. I do have the interent although this apartment has a very SLOW connection. I have been reading some of the news updates about Libya and Japan and I feel such a burden of sadness. So many people hurting and so much destruction and so many people to pray for. I stare at my little boy and I am just overwhelmed with joy for his existence and the precious time I have on this earth to do nothing but LOVE him.

Grayson has made so much progress these last few weeks. Besides the lack of hair he looks and acts completely normal. We have so much to praise and thank God for. He has just been our rock through this entire ordeal and why should it be any different going forward. This has just reminded us how little control we have over our lives and how dependent we are on Him.

I have been purposing to just spend time enjoying my alone time with Grayson these last few days before we go home. He is just so much fun to play with. He has such personality already. I wish I could post all the videos I have taken of him on youtube but the internet here is just too slow. It takes 2 hours to upload 5 minutes worth of video. I will load them when we get home so that you can all see how cute this little bald-headed baby is. His new thing is that he puts his index finger over his lips and up his nose and says "SHHHHHH"! He learned this from his brothers no doubt. His big brothers are the best "teachers". He copies EVERYTHING his older brothers do. Even the sound effects when they play with cars or action figures. Grayson has to imitate every "vroom" and "bang". We are also going to have to get a trampoline or bounce house because the child loves to jump. When we aren't in the elevator we are jumping on the bed. I must say that I love having boys! A girl really would have been fun to dress but I am just in love with these fearless, running, jumping, climbing, karate chopping, rotten boys of mine. This experience with Grayson has just made me appreciate my time with them so much more. You hear as a young mother that the time will just fly by. Well I am not going to let it fly by. I am purposing not to waste these moments with them.

I was actually able to get out this past week and go to a women's meeting at my church. I love the gals at my church and was so happy to get out of the apartment and see some of them face to face. What a supportive and loving group of people my husband and I are blessed to know. Tom stayed at the apartment with the baby for those few hours. For some reason watching Grayson turned into a 3 person job when I left the apartment. He had one child for a few hours and he had to call in reinforcements! Thankfully my in-laws came to his aid ;) My husband reads this blog on occasion and I just have to say to him "Thank you". Thank you for giving me the choice to stay home and love on our babies. It's a choice that you don't have, but you so willingly give to me. I love you.

Back to Grayson. He is really starting to walk now which means lots of falls and bumps and bruises. I know his platelet count is great and has been great so I am not really worried about the falls. Oh but you should pray for my husband because he worries about every scratch. I think this child of ours is probably going to be a very spoiled rotten toddler because after what he's been through his family won't allow him to cry for even a second.

Well if all goes as planned this should be our last week at the apartment. I can't believe we are almost home. This should be our last Saturday at the apartment and tomorrow our last sad goodbye to our family!
Prayer requests:

Monday- Grayson's blood test of his cortisone levels show they are back to normal and we can stop steroids altogether.
Tuesday- SURGERY! Removal of Hickman and placement of port plus 90 day bone marrow aspirate. Please pray everything goes very well. No adverse effects of anethesia, no bleeding, no infection, quick recovery.
Wednesday- No pain during light therapy after having surgery the day before. This is also our last light theraoy session. YAY!
Thursday- No problems packing the enormous amount of stuff we have accumulated over the past several months.
Friday- A perfect ECHO (heart sonogram) and no changes or damage to his heart function due to all the chemo. 100% donor marrow and the go ahead to GO HOME!!!

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support for our family.