Back to School!

Yesterday, Avery & Gage went back to school…Gage to 1st grade and Avery to 3rd grade. They love our neighborhood school, and I’m so thankful for all that the teachers & staff have done to make school such a great place for our kids…even in challenging times.

In some ways, I still can’t believe we made it through kindergarten last year…and in other ways, I’m beginning to imagine what it will be like when Gage is finished with his treatment next fall.

On days like yesterday, when I can really feel the passage of time, I spend much of my day reflecting back on much harder days and also anticipating that someday there will be a first day of school  that doesn’t involve dropping off nausea meds with the school nurse.

Here are a few pics from yesterday…

Avery and her new teacher…

Gage and his new teacher…

Ellie & Wesley heading back home after the morning drop off…

And, here are the other pictures that ran through my mind yesterday morning…

Dropping Avery off for 1st grade (2007)…

Dropping Gage off for kindergarten and Avery for 2nd grade (2008)…

This year, dropping Gage off for 1st grade and Avery for 3rd grade…

Psalm 31:24

Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD

Please pray for us this year as we continue to walk the road of Gage’s cancer that our ultimate hope will be in the Lord…and that we would be able to help our kids understand that as well.

There are many things that I am tempted to fear: swine flu…and the question of what that might mean for Gage’s year, fever & hospitalization, family chaos & emotions that run high when he’s not doing well…in addition to the things all parents worry about with kids at school (academics, friendships, etc.). Still, the only secure hope is in the Lord…and as we continue in our third year of treatment for Gage, I want to be able to be strong and take heart in His care and love for us…not grow weary and discouraged.

So please pray that the kids would adjust well to school this week, especially since next Monday Gage will spend the day at Children’s for a spinal tap, extra chemo, a breathing treatment and the beginning of a week on steroids.

(If you’re new to the blog and curious about Gage’s daily chemotherapy protocol, you can look at this older post that explains it.)

As always, thanks for checking in and for praying.

RH

Long Day

Today was Gage’s clinic visit that comes around every four weeks. And, until you’ve lived a week on steroids, a week on detox and then two weeks of  (hopefully) minimal side effects, you never realize how fast every four weeks comes around!

Usually these visits are somewhat smooth at clinic, but Gage then feels pretty crummy for the rest of the week. Unfortunately today, the clinic visit was long and stressful…and we still have a week of steroids to look forward to. When the nurse tried to access Gage’s port to draw blood (to check his counts) and to administer his chemotherapy, his port was blocked and not working. So, after multiple tries (including re-accessing his port), the nurse pushed a “clot busting” medicine through his port…and we waited.

In the meantime, the doctors discussed x-rays, dye studies, delaying chemotherapy until tomorrow…and the possibility of needing a new port. As you can imagine, the day got pretty rocky for everyone as this point, especially Gage.  And, the clinic was running very slowly to begin with, so the stress, hunger and boredom had plenty of time to simmer. Thankfully, the anti-clot medicine finally worked, and the nurse was able to both draw blood and give chemo. Relief. And, another reminder that we live closer to the edge than we’d like to with Gage…it doesn’t take much to put us in a vulnerable spot with him.

So, almost six hours after arriving at clinic, we finally left. (And, then Blake took Gage to the new Lego store at the mall to end the day on a better note.) And, during the long visit today, we also got to see the new plaque near the prize closet at the clinic that Team Holmes named in honor of Laurren Smith.

Please keep praying for sweet Laurren and her family, as they are in California seeking further options to treat her cancer.

And, thanks for your prayers for us this week, as Gage and our family walk through the challenges of another week on steroids.

Thanks for checking in…

RH