Saturday, April 16, 2011

You Can Tell Things Are Getting Better When....

We still have a long road ahead...the rest of Sammy's life, in fact.  But I am beginning to see that each stage has it's pros and cons.  The earlier stages were, obviously, more immediately harrowing.  Read the earlier posts to see details.

Now we are in the maintenance phase, there is a more 'normal' pattern to our lives.  Three week cycles provide us with the stability of knowing when Sammy is going to grow steroid 'devil horns', when he will have the Vincristine pain, and when we can plan something fun as he will be okay.

What I have noticed lately is a mixed blessing.  Sammy is really becoming aware of his inability to do things.  I mentioned this before in the post Questions From A Six Year Old.

A couple of days ago, I watched Sam 'run' around the playground with his friends....last as usual, with the limp and gait which sets him apart from the others.  We stayed at school late that same night to watch the annual talent show...great fun.  I also met the father of one of my former students.  He survived cancer twenty years ago and is now a big player at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  He and Sammy exchanged port stories...Mr. M had his on the same side, but his was external, Sammy had the Port-a-cath....buried under the skin.   Connection made, stories shared, offer of help if ever needed gratefully accepted.  We headed home.

But at the end of the day, Sam was sad and melancholy.  He was upset but didn't really know why.  As usual, we did our little talk and out it all came:

Sam is sick of being the one everyone knows as having cancer.  He is sick of not being able to run, and he is sick of having a port!  The last one really surprised me for some reason.  Then Sam explained that he just wanted to be back to 'normal'.  No amount of telling him "he is 'normal', he just has some extra things to deal with," helped...duh!  But I had to try.

This time, however, I did not have the heartbreak I had previously during one of these discussions.  I was beginning to realize that, as Sammy was getting upset at his lot, it was because he was feeling so much better, healthier, able to get on with life!

So, you know things are getting better when...Sammy is ready to take on the world as a non-cancer kid!

9 comments:

  1. So true. He is ready to move on and that must provide so much hope, but frustration at the same time.

    Lots of love and hugs,
    Shannon

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  2. What a great observation. Even with the little illnesses that catch me from time to time, I know that when I feel really bad, I just want to be quiet and left alone. When I start to get better, I get whiny and grumpy!

    Sammy must be feeling much better!

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  3. Thanks for your comment on my blog. I popped over to have a read of yours and have sat and had a blub. Life seems so unfair when cancer invades it. I can totally empathise with everything you are feeling xx

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  4. I just to say just be strong be a fighter. That's what I did

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  5. Hi Katy- Thanks so much for joining The Blogging Buddies

    I've been reading through the beginning of your blog...still have a lot to read :-)

    Sounds like Sammy is feeling better....I certainly hope so and will definitely pray for him.

    Hugs!

    Carolee
    Come on home - mom blog
    The Blogging Biz Mom
    While there, feel free to subscribe to my newsletter
    Working at home advice

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  6. Hi Katy,
    I hope that Sam continues to feel better and do well with his treatments. God bless.

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  7. Hi Everyone,
    Thanks so much for the wonderful support. Glad to see some new faces....just having more people aware of what cancer kids go though is so important...and your words cheered me up. I will visit everyone asap too!
    Love and hugs,
    Katy x

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  8. Hi Katy- wondered if you got my email about being on my radio show?

    I'm also doing a blog post about Sammy today at Come on Home

    Have a great day!

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  9. Hi Katy,
    I am one of your blogging buddies. I will pray for Sammy's continued improvement.

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