BAH!!

Did you just hear something?  That was me, finally releasing the breath I have been holding for 7 weeks.  I need to buy some wood to carry around with me because I have become so superstitious about writing something down, and then having it bite me in the butt.  So I have waited until now to tell you all of the things that DIDN'T happen in Houston.

Drum Roll please.....

1.  We never spent one night in the hospital.  NOT ONE NIGHT.  Do you know how humanizing that felt?  We did all of the chemo outpatient. It had to be modified due to the radiation, so outpatient was possible for all of it.  My packed duffle bag of bedding stayed in the closet the entire trip.  SEVEN weeks away from the hospital.

2.  Andrew didn't lose his eyelashes.  I know that may seem trivial.  But when your son has lost all of his hair, you hang onto things like eyelashes.  And his are so long and beautiful (if I do say so myself).

Eating a colorful cupcake in celebration of his last radation treatment.

3.  His skin doesn't have an appearance of redness, like a sunburn, which I assumed was a given.

4.  He is not blind.  Always a big positive.

5.  He did not have red irritated eyes.

6.  His lacrimal gland was not destroyed.

7.  His hearing is still great.

8.  We did not have to stay any longer than expected. Nothing delayed us, and there were SO MANY things which could have.

I AM SO THANKFUL!!!  Thank you for the prayers.

Things that DID happen:

1.  Andrew gained weight, about 1/2 a pound.  While his blood is taking more of a beating, he seems to otherwise be coping with the chemo much better than before.  He is happy and able to eat, most of the time.

2.  We had a vacation we would not have had otherwise, albeit extra long and painful.  We had times of fun and exploration.

3.  We met some amazing people.  And especially one amazing nurse.  Thank you C.

Every morning before radiation, Andrew would growl "like a dragon" at all of the treatment staff. 
They bought him a dragon as a going away gift.  So sweet.

4.  Do you know the Radiation Team bought Andrew balloons, cutie patootie clothes, a toy dragon, cars, and a truck to be taken apart and put together with a drill?  AMAZING.  If one has to put up with 6 weeks of radiation, this was the place to do it!!

At the end of the treatment Andrew got to hit a gong.  He hit it over and over and over and over again.  Good thing he couldn't read the sign:

So thank you for your prayers. I so often find that I pray and pray and pray, and then when the thing I prayed for comes true, I chalk it up to natural occurence. Not really fair, is it? There are obviously still many anxieties, and side effects that could rear their UGLY head in the future, but for now, I will be thankful.

If you are near some wood, knock on it hard for me. 

In...and out....In...and out.  My breathing has gotten a little more steady. 

But now I'm going to go sob somewhere.