jake update

Jake had a clinic visit a couple of weeks ago.  We were lucky enough to have a four week break in between which was so nice!  Jeff had taken him to his appointment the month before and because his central line had been taken out, they had to do a blood draw through his arm.  He was expecting a finger poke, but apparently that messed up his potassium levels, so a needle through his arm it was.  Jeff videoed a few minutes of the drama.  He said it had gone on for about fifteen minutes before this.  Poor child is petrified of needles.  It has nothing to do with what he has gone through in the past, he has been scared of them from day one.  You would think that after numerous surgeries, radiation, chemo, five kazillion pokes to access his port, it would get easier.  Apparently, that is not the case.

This clinic visit, he was prepared.  I prepped him the whole way to the hospital about what to expect.  The problem came when two minutes after we got to our room, the nurse popped her head in and said he needed to get a flu shot.  Jake lost it.  Crying and yelling.  Negotiating.  Trying to get up and leave.  And yes.  He even threw the emla cream at the nurse.  It was a proud moment.  Luckily, Tiffany was there that day and she was able to give him the shot.  He still cried and screamed, but did much better than he would have had she not been there.  Ugh.  Just when this cancer stuff seems to get a little easier, something reminds you how yucky it really can be.  He is a tough little kiddo and has been through so much.  I will be so grateful for the day that we can just put this all behind us.

He is doing very very well.  He actually just finished his last anti-rejection medication today.  It is a little bit scary.  But, so far, so good.  If everything continues to go well, three months after he finishes the prograff, he should be able to start school and go back to church.  It will be in the middle of cold and flu season, so I am not getting my hopes up, but he may be able to go back to school earlier than we were planning on.  Every day he gets a little stronger... I know I have said it before, but it is so amazing to see how far he has come in such a short period of time.  I am so grateful for all that he teaches us and for how resilient he has been.  Love him.  Love that he is doing so good.  Being home is still surreal.  I pray each and every day that we can keep it this way.