Music to My Ears

11/18/2011:  12:55 PM

A-maz-ing week!! Completely uneventful.

Davis has felt pretty good all week long.  He still struggles with extreme fatigue. On Wednesday, our local hospital completed a CBC on him. This was to ease my mind that he didn't have a drop in hemoglobin. When hemoglobin drops, Davis becomes very pale, his eyes dark, and he has a tendency to sleep more and get headaches often. No worries. His levels all checked out. His hemoglobin was 9.4, and he isn't transfused until he is around 7. His platelets were 89, and no transfusion needed until 10. His ANC (absolute neutrophil count or "immune system") was at 1851, and healthy kids are 1500 or above.  I am so thankful for the high ANC during this cold/flu time. I will pick him up at lunch today at take him to Sarah Bush for another CBC (complete blood count) and CMP (complete metabolic panel) because he is set for chemo and a spinal tap on Monday.

This week has been devoted to school.  Davis' teacher, Mrs. Meyer, and I have been fine tuning our communication techniques to make sure Davis is getting all of his work completed. It is pretty easy to keep track of when he is at school consistently; it is when he misses days after days that causes him the trouble. Davis has finally started consistently practicing his band instruments. He plays percussion.  And to be honest the snaps of the snare and the shrill pitch of the bells set don't bother me one bit.  I think it may be because I played percussion in school and have such a respect for the percussion section, and teaching and having children have allowed me to develop my super-awesome tune-out mechanism. Davis has been very apprehensive to play in the band when it is assembled as a group because he has a fear of messing up. Unfortunately, when you play an instrument like percussion, everyone can tell when you are off.  I think that when he is comfortable with the music, he won't worry so much.

Well, here's a new one.  While Davis still has hair, he is losing his eyebrows. The bushy parts near the bridge of the nose are practically gone, and the outer parts have thinned considerably. It's funny looking.  I remember when Davis prayed he wouldn't lose his hair.  I can't help to think this is God's way of showing a sense of humor. God answered his prayer. Davis should have been more specific if he wanted to hold on to those brows. :)

I had a surprise visit from some of my kids earlier this week.  Well, they aren't really my kids, but I rarely think of my students as belonging to anyone else but me. Most of the time, I care for and treat them as I would treat my own, so I usually don't take the time to differentiate. It was a quick visit, but it made my day. No, my week. I just get so homesick for my students and the routine. But the people I work with and my students do a great job of keeping me included, and I am grateful for it. I know this leave of absence is temporary, and I know I am right where I need to be.

The kids have been working on their upcoming church Christmas play.  Practices have picked up a bit and that has busied our schedule a bit more. Davis decided not to take a part this year. He didn't want the added responsibility of memorizing lines, and he worries that he may be unable to make it because of illness or doctor's orders. He plans on singing in the choir though. The choir is where his true passion is anyway. Davis has always been drawn to music. And before diagnosis, Davis played the piano, composed music, and wrote little songs (mostly silly) every week.  When he was diagnosed, it seemed like his love for music melted away nearly overnight. Lately, I have seen a rekindling of his interest again. All the way home yesterday, he sang a tribal Indian chant to me. It made me laugh quite a bit. 

Davis heads down to St. Louis on Monday given his counts today are good.  He will have chemo via his port, and he will receive a spinal tap.  I pray that all goes well.  It is still very hard for me to see Davis put under anesthesia. I feel so helpless when watching him fade into eye-open coma-like state, and I struggle to relax the whole time he is under.  I think Kyle feels the same way, even though he has never verbalized it to me. There are many times that I just want to scream, "Enough!  Just do it to me!", but I can't. I am sure that any parent who has a chronically sick or life-threatening ill child feels this way. I can't imagine that I am the only one.



We continue to ask that you lift up positive thoughts and prayers for Davis because we still have quite a journey ahead.

We will keep you posted.