^A short time ago now we busted out of the hospital for a really short week. It was a good week though. Round two was a tough one with some scary fever side effects to the Ara-C chemotherapy drug. One incident involved a vagal maneuver in which Christine walked into the hospital room after work just as the nurses where applying a large bag of ice to Amos' face. She nearly fainted at the sight. A vagal maneuver basically resets his heart rate, which had just had a Supra Ventricular Tachacardia spell that had him in a funk that day. It became a concern so the staff had to reset his heart rate with the icy maneuver, and just in time to freak out Momma. Amos' heart rate and counts came back into alignment and they set us on a path to return home again.
^Christine's Auntie Di and Grandma Eileen came into town just in time to help us move out along with the help of a fury friend they brought with for Amos, Fuzzy the Bear. Di and Grandma were a huge help in getting us moved out of the hospital and back into our home. They cooked, cleaned, and all around lightened our load and hearts. They're typically good for that kind of good home cooked lovin and we were so thankful.
^My good ole' Wisconsin hometown family friend, Jay Riebolt, and his new wife, Jessica, also came to town. Jay offered up some classic comic relief and they gave me a good reason to get out in the hills again. They made the big drive up from their home in Pheonix, Arizona to see us and Amos. I had been itching to get up to elevation so a day of tour guiding these two desert low-landers was just what the doctor ordered for me. Selfies at 9,600 feet above sea level are way better then your average lunchtime selfies. Just sayin.
^I was super stoked to get up in the hills with them and show them around a few of my favorite spots. Farmington Canyon has a special place in my heart, and so do Jay and Jessica. I was glad I could bring them into that world for an afternoon and I was appreciative of the chance to share it with them. I don't get to share these kinds of places with friends from home all that often. It was good to get some high elevation mountain chill in the bones of these Arizona dry heat residents.
^Amos is enamored by pretty ladies too! Watch out Jay!
^Crisp fall air with Momma is food for the soul to fatten Amos' spirits up before round three of chemotherapy. His cool little bear hat is just adorable too!
^Nonni and Grandpa came in for the last days of his home stay as well. All of the activity and playtime with family and friends served to make the short one week break at home fly by. Next thing we knew we were packing up our bags again and Nonni and Grandpa were helping us move back in to the hospital.
^As usual we suited up our little man in his samurai battle attire and we checked back into "hotel chemo'. It was a really quick week, and we were not really ready to go back just yet. Christine and I were both in kind of a negative funk checking back in that we were having a hard time shaking. I chalked it up to the long-term grind of this war, but we were able to snap out of it in due time to get back on track. It is tougher then we ever imagined to stay positive and grind this whole ordeal out.
^However, scenes like this of our little man bopping around in his big stretcher bed checking everything out as we pass through the halls of the hospital brings a smile to one's face pretty quickly. Even though he is getting wheeled into a bone marrow aspirate procedure he just wants to check out everyone while waving and smiling at each passer by. He is still just a happy little kid who just wants to play and giggle. How can you not smile at that.
^Goofy guy loves my thick glasses too. What a crack up!
^So "Doctor Amos, Mr. July", as goes his nickname in the cancer unit, is back at it for round three. As I write this post he is through the drug administrations and is entering what I have come to call the hangover stage of round three in count recovery. We have a few more weeks in the hospital while he recovers from this round's chemo. Then we will get another short reprieve at home again. Amos has been having some issues in a bout with a norovirus, but he is starting to come out of it now. The mission once he recovers is to get him into a good nutrition regimen to fatten him up proper before the next round. The bone marrow transplant comes next, and that will be the metaphorical storming of the castle. Transplant is the big finish. The grand pooba. The huge finale. The battle to end this war. Our little samurai has fought so valiantly that I stand in awe of his tiny yet grand presence. I can't believe all that he has endured so far, but now that the biggest and scariest battle yet looms in the near future. It made tears well up in my eyes the other day in our doctor consultation as they talked about just how gnarly it is going to be on him. I just can't bare the thought of watching him go through the toughest round yet. I am having thoughts of forging into battle behind him like a valiant samurai leading us into the unknown and inevitable horrors of this great battle to end this war. However, he is a battle hardened tiny veteran by now, and Christine and I would walk into a war of any odds with our little man, our little warrior, quite honestly the fiercest little fighter I have ever seen. Amos will slay this cancer with his mighty samurai sword and he leads the stoutest army behind him ready to fight with him tooth and nail to the glory of remission. For now we focus on the task at hand of recovering from this latest battle won, and preparing for the final showdown looming in the distance that we now have in sight. It looms just over the next horizon and it is scary as hell as we crest the ridge to see the mighty castle of cancer that we will have to conquer. Our greatest battle yet awaits us, but for now we will fatten him up, enjoy our next home respite, and prepare. The glory of victory lies just beyond our final test. While we may retain some fear for the horrors of the final battle, we are fixed on the glory of remission that will be ours after Amos slays the formidable cancerous beast that resides within the castle in the distance. He is gonna be ready, we are gonna be ready, and all of you are gonna be ready. Sharpen your spears of prayer, your swords of love, and join us forging ahead into the darkness. For the final battle to end this war is near and it will be the greatest test of us all, but the bright and glorious light of victorious remission awaits us on the other side. We must get ready!
