What Happened?

I just had to share our family picture from last night at the Wishing Place.  What a wonderful family!

 I wondered how Brendan would fare today after all the excitement and activity of the past week.

 But he had an amazing day!  What happened?  He was up.  He moved around.  His knee didn't hurt to step on it.  He was hungry.  Best of all, Emily came to visit!

 I had warm fuzzies all day looking at this beautiful hanging basket someone left outside my window yesterday.  How thoughtful!

 After weeks of coaxing, Brendan felt well enough today to draw his art picture for Make-A-Wish.  They asked him to draw one of his favorite parts of his wish trip.  He drew a picture of Shamu.

 I came in the house this evening to find Brendan walking down the stairs.  What?  He hasn't been up the stairs for weeks now.  Yesterday he couldn't even get in or out of the car without a lot of help.  And today he's walking up and down stairs.

 So, what happened?  I don't think the platelet transfusion made that much difference (except to stop the bleeding).  I figure it must be the steroids.  They hoped it would help with the inflammation and the bone pain.  And they knew it would probably improve his appetite (since it usually makes kids ravenous.)  Well, Brendan ate four pieces of pizza today and drank lots of lemonade. It is quite a remarkable turnaround from the pain and lack of appetite of yesterday.

What is even more amazing was the fact that he did all of this without the osteoarthritis pain medication he usually has.  Because it was an NSAID (think ibuprofen) it interferes with platelet production.  So they took him off of that pain medication.  Everything he did today was with reduced doses of Tylenol.  I'm sure we have lots of prayers to thank for his well being today.  It's truly amazing!

I know so much has changed this week with the news that Brendan has decided to end his treatment and study related tests.  It may be a lot to take in all at once.  I know we (his family) have had much more time to process this news and absorb the shock of it all.  Since Brendan's bone biopsy the week of May 2nd and the pathology results on May 4th, we have been well aware of what may be coming.  In fact, our minds were opened to the possibilities and the difficulties that would be presented if metastatic bone disease occurred way back when we had an extended discussion with Dr. Fluchel while Brendan was in brain surgery last October.

Some have asked why we let Brendan make such an enormous decision himself.  Well, for one thing, it is his life.  While we counseled with him and prayed and fasted for him, we knew that it had to be his choice.  He was the one that would have to endure another surgery and the pain of another bone biopsy.  He was the one that would have to endure more rounds of chemo and low blood counts.  When it came right down to it, it didn't really matter what he chose.  All paths led to the same end.  So it had to be his choice as to what he was willing to endure on the way.  We all feel right about Brendan's choice to end treatment -- even the doctors.

Over the months, I've watched other parents and other children grapple with the heavy burden of an untreatable cancer.  I've seen that while difficult, it is possible to make it through.  In many ways, we have been prepared for this eventuality since the very beginning.  While it has not made it easier, we have at least been shown that it is possible to continue on with a "perfect brightness of hope" knowing that our Heavenly Father has everything under control and that His plan is perfect.  I love that it is called the Plan of Happiness!