Rounding out phase 2...

Today Cooper received his final lumbar puncture (spinal tap) with chemo to his spinal fluid (of phase 2 that is!) 4 weeks in a row of having to go under anesthesia and we've done this same procedure each Friday! I'm grateful for a little break for his lower back there. We get a whole 2 weeks off from having to go to the hospital until he starts phase 3!! That actually feels like a long time :)

It's interesting though, it seems like he is getting MORE nervous everytime we go in. Not sure why exactly, I would think he'd start to get more use to it. The receptionist asked how he was feeling today, mainly to check for sick symptoms, and his response was "nervous".

Getting this specific procedure they allow us to come into the room while they put him to sleep. I hold his hand, kneel down beside his bed to be at eye level and stare into his eyes as they administer the drugs. I'm grateful they let us do this mainly because the last words he hears before the drugs take effect are, "I'll be praying for you the whole time, I love you buddy!".

It amazes me how quickly those drugs take action. I guess when they are basically getting injected into your heart they take action real fast!

He has handled this phase like a champ. A few mild side effects but overall we have seen him get some strength, energy and confidence back!! We've done enough of these spinal taps we now know the right concoction of steps to take for Cooper to limit the spinal headaches and lower back pain afterwards.

Insulin shots are DONE!! We got final approval and release from endocrine that his blood sugars are back in a normal range of a non-diabetic. He is considered VERY high risk for high blood sugars to come back once steroids are required again in phase 4. Now we know what to look for and can jump in if his body needs it. Bye bye for now CGM, happy to not see any needles in my boy currently!

We can breathe a little in our house. Feels good...

Sometimes I feel like I've been given a gift of a special lens into the goodness of people. It feels weird to call it a gift because it's the result of my little boy having cancer but it takes my breath away sometimes and stops me in my tracks.

Two nights ago I went to tuck the kids in. My Sadie (11 years old) is my creative daughter. She's ALWAYS crafting, drawing, writing, creating SOMETHING. Initially when I went into her room and saw her working away on her desk I didn't think twice. Then she was SO focused that I asked what she was doing.

Her response....

"Making Valentine's day cards for kids at the CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL."

These weren't just simple cards either. Each one had a special deep message to it. Super creative, pop-ups included! I asked where she got this idea and she said one of her teachers heard about it and was putting together a delivery for the kids there (Thank you Mrs. B!). She took her mission seriously and I have a hunch I know why this was a little extra close to her heart. She's been looking for ways to support and love on her brother. This is a way she's found that she could extend a piece of her giant heart to other kids who are experiencing the same thing as her brother.

My mama heart had all the emotional and proud feelings surging through it...

Being on the receiving end of some of these gestures I can tell you just how incredibly powerful they are. No matter how "small" one might think something is, every act of kindness creates a ripple effect that touches many more lives then you will ever know. I think that's why I feel like it's a gift, because I'm able to actually witness some of those ripples and have a deeper understanding of what that means for the people experiencing these storms.

She will never see the look on those kids faces when they read her card, she will never know their names, she will never know their stories but I know they will remember her. Sadie Rose, you have a gift. Keep loving on people!