A Braver Boy Facing Tomorrow's MRI

Tonight as I put Nathan to bed I thought about how God makes us strong by taking us through difficult times. His attitude toward tomorrow's MRI is so different from the first ones he had before and after brain surgery. I think he was more afraid of the MRIs than the surgery. Now, it's not a big deal, and he is looking forward to seeing how the tumor is doing. And he knows he is going to get a 45 minute foot rub from me as I hold on to his feet while he's in the tube watching a video with the sound of jackhammers all around him.

What Are Your Favorite Christmas Albums?

The Christmas album we listen to most and consider a treasure is CHRISTMAS WITH MATTHEW WARD. I recently learned that by the time he was 10 his mother had died of a brain tumor and his father died of leukemia. He and his older sisters began singing together when he was 12, and people were awed at the way their voices blended (probably the best harmony you'll ever hear). They formed the group The Second Chapter of Acts, and basically pioneered the contemporary Christian music movement, and years later Matthew Ward went off on his own. We think he has the best voice of any male singer. About ten years ago he had his own bout with cancer, and after that put out two albums that are our all-time favorites - My Redeemer and Even Now.

What are your favorite Christmas albums to listen to as you're baking cookies?

Baby It Was Cold Outside

For those of you outside Colorado who are wondering what -15 degrees feels like, it's COLD. We had not turned on our very old furnace for about 2 years, just using our woodburning stove for heat, which normally works pretty well. The last time we had turned it on, it smelled pretty bad. Well, when Aaron came home from work chilled to the bone (he had to fix some things outside in the cold), and the house was 59 degrees he decided to try the furnace. Instant heat is a very nice invention.

But, after some of the coldest weather in Denver's history, we had a nice warm (30-40 f) day yesterday. The Aurora Police were at Children's Hospital while we were there, handing out presents and visiting with the patients. Nathan wanted to know if they knew Officer Crump, the man who visited him the day before his brain surgery. The officer said, "Oh, he told me about you." Nathan said, "He DID?"

(Photo courtesy of Elizabeth at XarisStudio)

www.XarisStudio.com

Some Good Improvements

If I didn't have enough incentive to stay well, I have it now. Yesterday, since I had a sore throat and a cold I had to wear a mask to protect the other patients while we were at the oncology clinic. Nathan and I played basketball and catch in the little playroom there. Compared to a few months ago, he can catch a ball and shoot baskets noticeably better. So his perception and coordination are improving. Also, he ate regular ol' cheese pizza at the cafeteria, something he couldn't eat a few months ago.

His next MRI is scheduled for the morning of New Year's Eve, and we should have the results that day. The doctor said that sometimes they can't tell much on the first MRI, but we're obviously hoping that we see the tumor shrinking.

Our Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

For the first time we got a permit to cut our own Christmas tree. It was a lot of fun driving into the mountains listening to Christmas music, and then hiking through the woods together to find the perfect tree. The only problem was that all the trees in this area were spindly things you could see through. Dania was the one who found "Charlie" and we brought him home. Hope all the needles won't fall off before Christmas.

Chemo Buddy

Nathan's treatment day went well. I was especially thankful that the snow that was forecast for Wednesday didn't come in until after we got home.

On Wednesday we met a boy named Justin and his mom. He is also five and his birthday is one day before Nathan's, and he has all sisters and a brain tumor. What they don't have in common is that Justin's tumor is cancerous and he has lost vision in one eye because of it. And they have to go to the oncology clinic every day instead of once a week. Justin's mom is a cheerful and thankful person. In fact, most of the moms I have met there are markedly cheerful and thankful. What I admired most about her is that she doesn't handicap her son by her attitudes. When talking about his loss of vision she said, "but there's still lots of things he can do and will do." Please pray for little Justin and for his healing if you think about it.

Nathan had gotten an invitation by the Make-A-Wish Foundation to a Christmas shopping spree they set up at Children's Hospital on Friday, where he could "buy" gifts for his family. But we ended up having car trouble and no babysitter for the girls, so we couldn't go. That night on the news they showed that event, and patients in wheelchairs shopping, and the camera focussed on a gift bag with the name NATHAN on it. As I wondered why the Lord didn't allow Nathan to go, I realized that it would be better for him to have a special shopping time with Aaron or me in stores like everybody else, since he is healthy is every way except this thing growing in the wrong spot. It is such a worthy and good event that they hosted for these children, but I'm glad that Nathan can go out and spend a few dollars at Target or somewhere.