He's Looking On The Bright Side

It's now becoming part of life to drive to Children's Hospital in the morning together. The new thing we did today was go to the very nice library they have there. We sat on the floor and read a great book called Barkis about a boy and his puppy.(One of the top 10 best books for a 5 year old boy.) Later as we were sitting in the oncology clinic painting a picture Nathan said it's actually good that "this happened" (his tumor). His reasons? We get to spend time together reading and painting; we get to go out to eat together; and he doesn't have to take a nap. We have a lot to learn from children, don't we?

Kids and Politics

Just because I think it's cute......

Nathan thinks Obama rhymes with Alabama and says it like he's slugging someone. "o- BAM- a." Melissa calls him "OhMama".

We were out walking the other day and 2 year old Melissa saw a yard sign and pointed and said, "John McCain!" (it was a John McCain sign, too) She's been hearing the girls point out McCain signs lately.

Natalie: "Don't you wish we lived back then when we could curtsy, and when there was no Obama?"

Dania: "So why DO we want a woman to be the vice president anyway?"

2nd Chemo Day

Our big, brave boy Nathan faced today without tears or complaints. They lowered the dose because of the side effects he had last week, so hopefully he will have a better week.

We took the I.V. pole he named "Rattles" down to the cafeteria. Then back in the oncology clinic Nathan had fun painting a picture. We sat around an art table with two other moms and girls and a "play therapist." The patients and their parents have sweet attitudes even though what they're going through is difficult.

So far, the speech therapist, occupational therapist, and the neuro-psychologist who have evaluated Nathan have all found the same areas of weakness in his brain functioning, most likely related to the tumor. Hopefully these areas will get stronger once the tumor shrinks.

A Good Day

Nathan is doing great today. Thank you, God. Energy and appetite back to normal, so we're feeding him like an athlete before his event. Wish you could have seen him and his sisters stomping through the fall leaves today. Sorry, no pictures, our camera isn't working now. He was "sherrif Nathan" all day, wearing his sherrif badge and Aurora P.D. ballcap.

He asked tonight, "So, if the chemo is bad and makes me feel bad, why are you wanting me to have it?" We answered with a garden/weeds/weedkiller analogy. And again, pointing him to faith in Jesus, that he can go to Him in prayer and tell Him his requests. Because Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

JINGLE BELLS AND SIDE EFFECTS

Two of the side effects the doctor said might affect Nathan were jaw pain and loss of appetite. He has had both the past two days. Not good for a skinny boy like him, so please pray that he would still be able and willing to eat all that his body needs, and that the side effects would go away.

But, on a good note, I always know that he is feeling good and happy when he breaks into singing his version of Jingle Bells (crossed with "Old Mac Donald"), which he did this morning, running through the house:
"...jingle all the way,
old Mc fun it is to ride
in a once old open sleigh,hey!"

How The Lord Provides

I know some of you might be going through some hardship right now, and I want to encourage you by sharing how God has cared for us lately. This week some people got a collection together to pay for Nathan's Mannatech supplements for the next six months. We believe these, by God's grace, have really helped his health. What a gift! On Monday, minutes before I was going to go to the grocery store, with limited funds just this week, I opened a card from someone I had never met who gave us a grocery store gift card. And we received other generous gifts, none we deserve, but God is gracious. This week we were gone every day, and housecleaning was suffering , but a family with the most amazing young ladies you'll ever meet came over to help us with housecleaning yesterday. What a boost! Other people fixed us meals the last few weeks, someone else came over to help Aaron stack our wood for the winter. The cherry on top is that some women who have volunteered to take care of the girls while Nathan and I are gone are the BEST, most joyful and diligent homemakers I know! The girls will have a course in Homemaking 101, and will learn some valuable things from these godly women that will help them for their lives.
Nathan is feeling well today, and it's the most beautiful of Fall days.

First Chemo Day

As Aaron and I walked Nathan into Children's Hospital yesterday for his first dose of chemo, our hearts were broken, but we were trying to act cheerful and nonchalant for Nathan's sake. We were there 5 hours because they had to draw blood, do tests, explain things. The hour before they actually put in the I.V., nurses and "Child Life Specialists" would come in and offer movies, games, activities. But his whole attitude and demeanor said,"This isn't a game, so stop trying to make it seem like one. " We asked him if he just wanted to get the show on the road, and he said yes.
He didn't feel the needle poke into his mediport because we put numbing cream on him in the morning. For the hour of I.V. hydration he was free to walk around the hospital, so we took his I.V. on a rolling pole and went down to the cafeteria to have lunch at an outside table. We had a good laugh when he ate a cherry tomato and squirted it out all over me. For the 2nd hour of chemo we had to stay in the oncology clinic. Nathan was now up to playing. Someone brought him some Model Magic clay, and that was a winner. When it was done he got to pick a prize, then ran out of the clinic.
We were encouraged that he acted normal the rest of the day, so normal that I forgot to give him the anti-nausea pill I was supposed to give him. In the middle of the night he woke up mumbling about the bad medicine the doctors were giving him, then started crying and was very nauseous and sick. I gave him the pill, sat in the dark bathroom holding him, praying and thinking "what did we let them do to him?" Thankfully he was able to start feeling better and went back to sleep. In the morning he looked and acted totally normal.
This is going to be a long road. Please pray that Nathan would not experience bad side-effects from the chemo, and that he would not need to have it for a year like the doctor has said, and that we might bring honor to God through this time.

Looking Good

Here are some pictures of Nathan yesterday, the day after his mediport surgery. His incision is healing nicely, and the rest of it is hidden by his hair. He wanted to walk to the playground today. I think he is happier now that his sisters aren't so careful and nice to him, and that they're back to teasing and bickering.

Build-A-Bear Says....

The Build-A-Bear that the Watsons gave Nathan before his surgery had a recording of the Watson kids reading three verses. Those verses comforted us so much during those days. Good verses for your children to have in their hearts for such a time as this.

"When I am afraid I will trust in You."

"Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you."

"Great is the Lord and mighty in power."

Here's a picture of Nathan's first meal at home. Still using left hand.

Going Home!

Nathan surprised all the staff by how quickly he bounced back after the surgery. Here is Nathan and Dr. Handler, the neurosurgeon who performed the surgery. We are forever grateful to him. Can you believe Nathan wanted to pull his wagon of stuff out of the hospital?

Day 3

Began occupational therapy to check the use of his right arm. Nathan getting restless and a little depressed because he wanted to go home.

Day After Brain Surgery

Through all this we saw strength and courage in Nathan that we didn't know he had in him. Maybe he didn't, but God put in there when he needed it.

Day Before Brain Surgery

While Aaron and the girls were across the street at Chipotle's with Grandma Glenda and Aunt Nicole who came out from Calif. & Ariz., they met some police officers. When they heard about Nathan they wanted to visit him. Nathan was very surprised when two policemen walked into his room Sunday morning asking if he had called 911. He said, "No, but I think my sister Melissa did." (She had been playing with the phone the night before.)

A Robber, A Kidnapper, Or An Indian

The day we got the diagnosis of Nathan's brain tumor and cyst was a rough one. While we sat in Children's Hospital waiting to have the 2nd MRI done Nathan said, "Mommy, this should be happening to a robber, a kidnapper or an Indian, but not to me."

Post Surgery

It went so well that Nathan went home, skipped his nap, and went to the hardware store with Dad! He will have some soreness for about a week.
The biggest prayer request now is that God would protect his body from the effects of the chemo.
Chemo starts next Wednesday at 10:00.

The Medi Port

Nathan's medi-port is used to make administering the chemo more efficient and less painful.

This is what it looks like before surgery.

And after placement.

We'll be letting everyone know how surgery went later tonight or tomorrow.

Prayer for Surgery....

TODAY, at 10:00 MST, Nathan will be going in for a 30 minute surgery to put in the medi-port (shunt). The shunt is to administer the chemo. Please pray that the surgery will go well, and for comfort for Nathan's heart. Our biggest concern right now is that he would not have bad side effects from the chemo. He is bright-eyed and energetic at home and we don't want to see him slip backwards.