Ready for Routine

 8/2/2011: 2:00 PM

QQ . . couldn't be happier

Davis seems to be adjusting to the chemo more so than he has in previous weeks.  We did not see the muscle weakness and leg pain like we have in the past. And although he has severe nausea, he has only been physically sick one time. What a blessing. We have met other children at Children's who are physically sick from the chemo the moment they receive it, and some have to be hospitalized due to the side effects that they experience. We have been very fortunate that Davis has tolerated the chemo so well.

just half of the very thorough food list

The weekend was peaceful. Davis's every waking moment still revolves around food.  His latest cravings have been QQ Buffet, Jimmy John's, and Pagliai's. We manage to run to town when we can to meet his needs. We don't necessarily cater to his every food need, but it is important that he keeps eating, and there are few foods he enjoys anymore. His little gold personality has created lists of all the foods that he eats.  He has created columns and a key labeling each food good, bad, or medium.  Bad represents all of the foods that upset his stomach or foods that are off to his taste buds.  The list, four total sheets, covers the fridge and is conveniently located for us to check.



hundreds of cards

It took the greater part of the day yesterday to read all of the cards we have received over the last couple of weeks. I think I enjoyed it more than Davis. A "shout out" to the children at the Livingston, Texas Pentecostal Church who hand made Davis the most precious cards with scriptures, words of encouragement, and prayers. We feel the love from Texas all the way up here in Illinois. We can't begin to properly thank everyone for the shower of cards filled with love and encouragement.  We appreciate you all.

Davis does seem to have a bit more energy lately.  He now takes naps willingly, something I have always dreamed of since he was born, but now the appeal of willful napping has lost its oomph. I would have liked for him to nap when he was two. Oh well. Energy . . .yes. He manages to aggravate Annakate often, and I am grown accustomed once again to her yelling, "Mom, tell Davis to leave me alone!"  He is figuring how to work the system too.  Whenever he and Annakate are rough housing or wrestling, and he is losing, he starts hollering, "Ouch, my port. My port!"  She could be tickling his feet, but he will say his port hurts in an attempt to get the upper hand. She is catching on though; I am not sure how much longer she is going to fall for that one.  Needless to say, I think it is time for another lesson on "The Boy Who Cried Wolf".

night swimming . . .
isn't that a song?

Since Davis melts in the heat, we save our outside time for nighttime. Kyle managed to convince Davis that an evening swim would make him feel better. They had a great time. Me - not so much. I remained on the deck until the mosquito and horse fly action became more than I could stand.

Poor Annakate . . .
being tickled and tormented

Davis, feeling more like himself every day, is ready to get up and get out. He so desperately wants to get back to a routine: school, church, friends, lessons, etc.  He longs to go to the fair. Yesterday, I had to be the bad guy and tell him no. I even called the clinic to confirm my decision, because it is one thing to believe when Mom tells you no, it is another thing when the doctor says no. Grandma and Grandpa Coffey did bring him fair food, which brought him some comfort, but it is not the same. I know that forgoing events and places he loves is so hard, especially when he feels well, but it is what is best in the long run. I just hope he doesn't lose sight of that. 



today . . .crazy hair day at
volleyball camp

 Many have asked how Annakate is adjusting to all of this change. She is doing quite well.  Being a high energy child, there are times when she is bored, but she manages. I find myself telling her often, "hold on a sec" as she demands a lot of attention. Kyle and I make sure that we take individual time to spend with her, since her interests and abilities are much different than Davis's at this point. I am so thankful that our schedules afford us flexible time to spend with both of the kids. I think we will all do better when we have a consistent routine of school and music lessons, because we love being active and involved.

It wasn't long before Davis was diagnosed that I was telling my friends about a song that I was drawn to. I am not sure if you have heard it; it is titled "Blessings" by Laura Story. As my students can attest, I love music and have always connected emotion to it. I have always been impressed by the talents of people to catch a feeling or capture a thought in such a poetic way. Anyway, this Laura Story song ministers to me all of the time - literally. We play the song over and over again on the long trips to St. Louis. It seems whenever I turn on the radio, it is playing. And on the rough nights when I am sleeping in Davis's room, I am wakened throughout the night for no known reason, and that song is playing -always- on the radio that is never silent. If you are not familiar with it, I encourage you to check it out. I continue to find comfort in it.



Davis became super tough when Val walked in to
draw his blood

I just heard from the clinic on Davis's counts today. His white blood count is holding at 1.0 (healthy kids between 5-10); his hemoglobin responded to the transfusion on Friday and is up to 10.7 (healthy kids are around 15), which would explain the new found energy. Unfortunately, his platelets clotted, so he will have to be redrawn on Friday for a platelet count. A sustainable platelet count is important and necessary for the spinal tap he will receive on Friday. His ANC (immune system) had dropped as expected from above 600 to 461 (above 1500 is normal). But thankfully, still no cancer blasts in his blood. 

Friday is the day which we ask you really hold Davis up in prayer. If all his counts are good, he will undergo the bone marrow biopsy and spinal tap mid-morning. We should know by evening if he is in remission, and we are believing that HE WILL BE IN REMISSION. This is the first mile marker of many on his road to his CURE! We know that you will continue to offer up well wishes, positive thoughts, and prayers on Davis's behalf. And we continue to thank God for his many blessings. 

I have decided to close with a portion of "Blessings" from Laura Story.  I just love it too much not to share.

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We will keep you posted.