Moving and Wishing (and, of Course, Waiting)

The only diagnosis-related information we received today was that we hope to have at least a preliminary diagnosis on Monday. If this was a "standard" tumor we would have known what it was yesterday. Who wants to be just standard anyway? Additional pathology tests are being ordered, people in lab coats are looking through microscopes, and at day 7 we are left with our thoughts, anxious for progress and eager to get William back on his feet. On the bright side, a weekend of waiting also hopefully means a couple more good days with William before the chemotherapy starts.

After a slow morning, William enjoyed visits from his kindergarten teacher bearing a stuffed Corduroy bear, a good friend who knows her way around hospitals and offered some good hospital wisdom, Hazel the dog, his primary teacher from church bringing a Star Wars DS game, some good buddies bringing legos and fresh fruit for mom & dad, and a visit from his cousin with a game and DVD. The visits were great and very much appreciated.

Will made some big strides today - he was able to get out of bed twice and stand up (painful, but necessary) to exercise those knobby knees that have survived on IV fluids and popsicles for the last several days. William also got to provide a wish list to the hospital staff who have a program for the kids to grant one of 3 wishes. His wish list included: the biggest space police lego set, a Spiderman DS game, and a Cleveland Indians hat (no pressure from Dad, really). By that time in the late afternoon, we were also wishing to get out of the ICU, but awaiting a room to open up back on "the floor." That wish was soon granted, and we moved back to the pediatric oncology wing, but after 6 1/2 days with our own room, this time we had roommates. That's fun in college, but not so much in the hospital. The roommates were nice, but the other patient was much older than Will and was enjoying some loud and rather violent videogames. The space in the room was also quite cramped.

The move out of the ICU seemed to perk William up a bit and he made his food wish list and placed an order for a peanut butter mood jamba juice and a cheeseburger happy meal. This was a very welcome request since he has hardly eaten this past week - Dad raced out to make it happen. In the meantime, Julie and Tricia worked on their request for getting us in a different room. Never underestimate the power of determined moms. After about 3 hrs in the roommate setting, we had a room of our own. It was outside of the isolation area where Will will need to be after chemo starts, but we jumped on it, and we're getting good at moving.

So we'll see what happens with the rest of the wishes. Mom and Dad are wishing for a speedy diagnosis (and cure!), and for us all to adjust to our new normal and to look for and appreciate the good that accompanies this not-so-fun situation. Tonight William made sure to pray for all of you out there who are praying for him. We're all in this together and we know many others are going through trials as well right now (Claire and Jamil's families are in our prayers). We read a bedtime story tonight from a book my mom and dad recently put together of family history stories - it was about my family's challenging trip moving cross country in 1977 (think broken axle in the middle of Nebraska). A good reminder that we all have had to (or will have to) overcome hurdles of some kind to get where we need to be and to become who God wants us to be.