Joy Jar

Today’s appointment went very well.  Tate had to get Erwinia shots and nothing else.  This Wednesday he has an appointment with the oncologist and will get Vincristine and Doxorubicin through his port and Erwinia shots, and he will begin a second 7-day course of steroids.  Tate dreads the steroids most. 

The best part happened before the appointment started.  Tate walked!  He walked all the way from the car into the exam room.  He has not been able to make that distance since July.  Maybe June.  Greg and I were SHOCKED!  We have not seen our son walk for more than four months.  I have so much praise for Tate’s tenacity and his physical therapist.   

Possibly one of the sweetest girls on the planet works the front desk at the clinic and always helps us when we arrive.  Due to the number of sick people in the waiting room, it is a very dangerous place for anyone with a compromised immune system to be.  She gets Tate into an exam room as soon as possible so he is exposed to a minimal amount of germs.  Her face lit up when she saw Tate walk through the front door!  She has been so kind and caring on his many bad days, and her joy at seeing Tate walk was palpable. 

There is always an observation period after the Erwinia shots, and today Tate’s nurse brought him a Joy Jar.  He had a lot of fun going through all the stuff packed inside the jar and pulling faces.  I don’t know that the nurses have ever seen him have a good day, and they were laughing at him and with him.

Tate needed to use the wheelchair to exit the clinic after walking that far and getting 3 shots in his legs.  He said it hurt his feet to stand because the tendons have shortened and being on his feet stretches them.  He described it as similar to what has happened to his hands but not as severe.

We headed to Starbucks for a treat on the way home from the appointment.  Tate appreciates how Starbucks adds peppermint flavored drinks to the menu this time of year.   

Today Tate was also able to put on his socks for the first time in several months.  He said it took him about 5 minutes per foot.  The chemotherapy-caused neuropathy has taken so much from him that being able to put on socks again is a major achievement!           

This evening Tate came to the back door to watch Dwayne walk around the yard and couldn’t believe how much the the tortoise has grown.  It has been months since Tate was well enough or mobile enough to check on Dwayne.  I hope Tate knows we are taking the best care of that dirty little dinosaur we can.

We are so grateful for this good day.