The Seven Week Adventure

We thought this was going to be a "rest up" day.  The only thing on the agenda was me representing Alex's mom by bringing a cake that we made last night together shaped like the Korean flag and escorting him at the high school Most Preferred assembly.  Roland is worried about becoming weak from not being able to move, so we did some exercises with hand weights and resistance bands while he was semi reclined.  Then it was time for a nap, but that was a short lived plan.  The nurse at the cancer center called and asked us to come right away.  Roland was supposed to have a B12 shot before beginning Chemo and radiation on Monday.  He moaned, but slowly prepared to go.  He made it to the front door, but needed to lay on the floor for ten minutes to rest before he could finish the trip to the car.  Once we arrived, he asked if he could wait in the car until there was an available place to lay down in the center.  I went to check on that and the helpers there said they would be happy to bring the shot to him in the car so he wouldn't have to move.  The  nurse intervened to say that the doctor had called and she had been thinking a lot about Roland's treatment plan and wanted to change it to something more tedious because, "He is so young and healthy."  Therefore he would not need the shot after all.  I tried to convince him that the exercise getting in and out of the car was probably good for him.  He wasn't really buying that.  What he did like was that the doctor doubled his pain medicine dosage.  I pulled into the garage and he managed to get out of the car, but lied on the concrete for about 20 minutes before gaining the strength to move to the hallway entrance.  He rested there for about 15 minutes and then dragged his legs behind him using his arms to get to the recliner.  The pain is intense when his legs are not above his heart--elevated.  He could finally rest.

Once I got him comfortable, I looked ahead to dinner for the family.  I looked in the fridge and asked myself, "What am I going to make for dinner?"  I knew I needed to pick up a prescription and some other errands and wouldn't have much time.  Within 10 minutes the doorbell rang.  It was a delivery guy with hot pizzas from Madison  S. with a sweet note on them.  She totally called that one!  Thank you Madison  especially from all the hungry teens.

The new Chemo plan is seven weeks long. That is one week for each of our children.  He wants to dedicate each week to a different child in age order.  February 11- 17 is Tikla and Austin's week.  Feb. 18 - 24 is Skylar's etc.  He didn't ask for this next idea, but I think it would be nice if during your week, you could be his cheerleader and spirit lifter and encourager (It doesn't need to be fancy: send him an email, call him and sing him a song, or whatever your style is or whatever feels right)

I wish he could feel a little better before getting started on something that is going to make him feel terrible, but maybe this way he won't notice a big change.