Escaped!... Day 309 16SEP09

I'm not quite sure if the doctors let us out because they thought Joshua truly is well enough to go home OR if they kicked us out due to all the mischief Joshua was getting into! The good thing is that Joshua's anc has reached 482 and we are back at home and not due to go into clinic until Monday.

Joshua was either bored, frustrated or just mad last night because he decided to do something that totally shocked his father and I. Late in the evening he asked me how to spell "cancer". So I told him. I asked him where he was writing the word and if it was in my journal. He said yes. I should have investigated a little more, but I was busy working on other things. When Lee showed up late last night to see Joshua and wish him a good night, he noticed where Joshua had actually written the word CANCER.

Drum Roll Please....................................Joshua wrote

CANCER SUCKS MOM
- JOSHUA
ON THE WALL OF THE HOSPITAL ROOM!!!!!!!

Inside I wanted to laugh and cry. He was right! Cancer does Suck. But then I wanted to strangle him because he wrote on the hospital wall and he even signed his named to it! I also knew at 11:30 at night I was the one that had to try and clean it off!
So this is what I told Joshua.....First, A little word of advice. If you are going to vandalize a wall which is totally wrong, don't sign your name to it. And Second, What were you thinking? Joshua, of course, was upset that he got into trouble, and he did realize that it was wrong. He has never written on a wall before, and if he would have written that on his bedroom wall at home I would have left it up!

Sometimes you get so caught up in the clinic visits, hospital stays, blood draws, port accesses, xrays, chemo, pills, platlets, HGB, WBC and every other thing that goes with cancer. that you lose sight of how your child is actually feeling deep down inside! Joshua is so brave and strong sometimes that he doesn't really let his true emotions show. If I had my way, I would let Joshua write Cancer Sucks Mom on everything he could. Cancer not only affects the child but the entire family. We not only have to deal with our child but the other problems that go with it, like trying to figure out whether we make the mortgage payments or buy food for the family. We deal with trips that are cut short or even canceled at the last minute due to fevers and the hundreds of hospital bills we receive. Our family is holding strong and the love and support that we receive from our family and friends is overwhelming sometimes. We are very grateful to have all of you in our lives.

I would like to remind everyone that the Month of September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. I know that times are tight but please consider contributing in some way to help the children and their families that have been touched with cancer. There are many wonderful organizations that we have mentioned in the past that have helped our family a great deal. Also, If you would like to make a direct donation to help Joshua we will be putting a donation link on the blog in the next week or two.

I would also like everyone to send out some very special prayers to our cancer families at St Joseph Hospital. Please include them all! This week has been very rough on a couple of families and when one family is affected, we are all affected. Please pray for all of our angels!