Reincarnated As A Mother

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Day Eight: Out there: Reese's Birthday. In here: Sigh...

Well Reese turned 6 today.  Another birthday that I spent in the hospital- away from her.
.  I can only hope the girl doesn't need major
counseling when this is all said and done.
My mom brought her by for a few minutes.  She went to the zoo today and decorated cupcakes
 with her sisters and Mrs. Batten, Holland's 5th grade teacher.
Then it was off to a swim party with some girls from my mom's church congregation.
They had a birthday banner, cake and ice cream.  So I think she had a good bee-day.
We will have small family party tomorrow night up here at the hospital.
Now to Keanut.
Since vomit isn't the most popular smell these days, he got another sponge bath
and a pretty uneven haircut.  One of the nursing assistants tried to hold him while I tried
to trim his hair.  Tried being the opportune word.
 I had to throw this picture in... we are calling the fuzzy Winnie the Pooh bear on the far left:  B.C.  -- Before Chemo.
The smooth bear in the middle is A.C.  --  After Chemo.
And then there is Sock Monkey... trying to prove to Kean that face masks are all the rage.
 Momma Gump (Kean's therapist) came up and all he wanted to do was cuddle with her.
We took him for one of about forty wagon rides around the Pediatric Cancer ward.
 The kid was kickin' back.
 We also ran into Sweet Kendra-- our next door neighbor in here.
The girls are planning on taking her a piece of birthday cake tomorrow.
That was a big deal for her to get down on her knees and then get back up.
She's making progress too!
Kean's counts are pretty good.  He's keeping the mask on better during our outings.
But he slept horribly last night, has been vomiting on and off all day and
his stomach is now quite tight and swollen, which means
he is one miserable cookie when his pain meds have worn off.
Ah, the lovely side effects of the drugs he is on.
On the very bright side... he has stolen the hearts of most of the folks up here.
He has fallen into the habit of blowing kisses to all we pass on our many laps around the nurses desks.

2 comments:

emily sessions said...

If it makes you feel any better I remember a number of my bdays where my parents were away in the hospital with my sister and I think I turned out ok. She seemed to be having a great time at the swimming party, all smiles when we sang to her and cut the cake. Man that girl can swim great for her age. Bet she has spend hours in the Bodilys pool!

Kerri said...

It's like reliving a dream reading your blog. Someday it will all have passed and you will feel, as I do now, that you were carried every step. I love you guys!