Tag: Chase

A Wonderful Provision…

A hospital is not exactly the best place for non-patients to get sleep.  We found that Ellie and I were having a hard time getting enough sleep, with Chase being up multiple times every night (and especially worrying that he’ll start scratching his incision in his sleep).

One of the nurses in the PICU told us about the Ronald McDonald House, which has been such a blessing to both of us over the last few days.  I don’t know how many times I’ve seen the donation slots at McDonald’s over the years, and never thought about what they do.

Ronald McDonald Houses are all over the country near major hospitals.  People that bring their children to a hospital for medical treatment often need a place to stay.  It’s their “home away from home.”

The Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children’s Hospital

I was amazed when I walked into the Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Childrens.  It is an amazing place.  When the new Children’s Hospital opened up, Ronald McDonald also moved to a new location.  They have 60 rooms where families can stay, and it feels like a 5-star hotel.  They encourage families to mingle with each other by not having TVs in each room, but they have a common room on each floor where people can be together.  There’s also a kitchen where a family can make their own meals together, and a commercial kitchen where volunteer groups come in to prepare meals for the families that are there.

 

The kitchen at Ronald McDonald House

 

David and the staff and volunteers at RMH have been so loving and caring for us over the last few days.  It has been such a blessing.  I’ve slept multiple times over there (sometimes just to nap for a few hours), and when I can pry Ellie away from Chase’s room, I’ve sent her there as well.

I know that now that I’ve been the recipient of this wonderful organization, I won’t be able to pass by the little donation slots at McDonald’s without remembering what I’ve been given.

Preparing for a Long Haul…

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.” — Psalm 91:1-2

Chase went into his surgery this morning at about 7:45, and the surgery went quickly and well.  The surgeon, Dr. Alden, was able to remove all of the tumor that we’d seen on the MRI last night.

However, the initial results of the pathology that was sent in during his surgery showed that the tumor is malignant, which means that it’s an aggressive tumor which gets bigger quicker than a benign tumor, and may spread more quickly.  Also, Dr. Alden saw several smaller (“spore-like”) tumors in the sub-arachnoid space of the brain. 

The sub-arachnoid space of the brain.

Since the pathology report showed that the tumor is malignant, the doctors are also now more concerned about some gray coloring that they’d seen on the MRI on Chase’s spine.  They think that the tumor may have spread down into his spinal column.

So, where do we go from here?  That’s the big question that’s been on Ellie and my mind.

Well, the next step is the full pathology report.  The full report will tell the doctors exactly what kind of tumor it is (there are a bunch of types of malignant tumors), which will tell them how aggressive the tumor is, and what kind of treatment is needed.

What is for certain is that Chase will need to do some kind of chemotherapy for the next four or so months, and then he will probably need to do radiation therapy.  This may continue for some time, depending on the type of cancer it is.

This is going to be a long process for Chase.  We appreciate all of the prayers for us and for Chase, and all of the phone calls, texts, Facebook messages, and tweets that people have been showering on us.  We are so grateful for all of our family and friends that have been so encouraging to us in every way.

Chase after his surgery, with his awesome scar.

In The Dawn

I’m sitting here watching the sun rise over the lake -a scene I always have and probably never will again associate with times of rest.

In just a short time, they will take Chase for surgery and I will say goodbye to the child I’ve loved and the life we’ve always known. Who he will be and what our lives holds at the end of today, only the Lord who made us knows.

As I’m considering life with a post-surgery Chase, I’m confronted with how strongly I love the idol of “normal”. How soon before we get back to “normal”? What will Chase’s new “normal” look like?

I desire to save him from a terrible pain that I’ve willingly chosen to submit him to …for the good of his life.

There is no “normal”.
There is only Christ.

I’ll see you on the other side, Chasey Bear.

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A Boy and His Panda Bear

Chase is always in rare form, but recently it’s been so rare that if he were a steak, you’d probably get food poisoning.

He’s not, and you won’t, so don’t worry, you can keep reading in relative peace.

Rarity in point: Chase has a panda bear.  Actually, it’s a stuffed panda bear who is (in Chase’s mind) actually a dog named “Panda Bear” – which explains why Panda Bear always barked at us.  (We really did wonder for the longest time if Chase was “animal sound challenged”.)

Panda Bear is a flailing, crazed creature  who has a penchant for getting in people’s faces when he “talks”.  FYI, Chase “talks” for him in a high, squeaky, abnormally loud (which is going something for Chase) voice.  I don’t think I’d mind him so very much if he didn’t try and smother Chase’s younger brother in his enthusiasm or talk to us over the baby monitor at 5:30 in the morning.

Much as I’d occasionally love to send Panda Bear back to China from whence he came, a boy and his panda bear are not soon parted.   So, I guess I’ll keep him … Chase, that is … uh, I mean, I guess I’ll keep them.

 

It Goes Without Saying, Right?

My “corn popper” experience with Chase made me think about how often I assume that I have adequately passed on a social convention (such as “We don’t make incessant and loud noises in a room where an infant is sleeping“) when in reality, my children feel no such compulsion in regards to their behavior.  In other words, they do things they really, really shouldn’t.

In honor of this, I have compiled a small list of my most recent “It Goes Without Saying” moments …

  • It goes without saying that we don’t pop the corn popper into the room where the 6 week old is sleeping, right?
  • It goes without saying that we don’t pick up the stick of butter thawing on the counter top and take a big bite out of it, right?
  • …that we don’t take a bite out of somebody else’s deodorant, right?  Come to think of it, don’t take a bite out of ANYBODY’S deodorant EVER, okay??
  • …that we don’t try and take out the Christmas tree with a large library book.  Oh, and this would be one of those “let’s skip it altogether” moments; much like the deodorant.
  • …that we don’t climb the four-drawer file cabinet like a ladder.
  • …that we don’t use your brother’s Excalibur sword to swipe the picture frames off the shelves over your head.
  • …that you don’t eat crayons.
  • …that you don’t eat crayons AGAIN.
  • …that you don’t take your pants or your diaper off.  Especially not at church.
  • …that the large floor signs in department stores are not for line backer-style rushing.  (Neither is the Christmas tree)

Wow.  I said “small list”, so with this, I’ll stop.  

In other news, I’m also calling a cease and desist because I just realized that every single item on this list has been performed by only ONE child.

It goes without saying that I’m signing off to get another cup of coffee …

Right?

 

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