Ryan and I continue to reside at the end of a hallway behind double glass doors. We are in a fish bowl. The total space is approximately 8 tiles x 10 tiles (ceiling or floor depending on which one you feel like counting). Yes, I've counted. The old pipes in the ceiling creak constantly and make quite a racket at night. We have earplugs for that. We hear the ambulance sirens through the Emergency Exit door that our sleep chair actually overlaps and we have to move out of the way for other patients/parents to access the shower. We try to keep the perspective that this is all temporary.
The door on the right is another patient room and the door next to Ryan is the shower and the door on the left is William's.
The door on the right is another patient room and the door next to Ryan is the shower and the door on the left is William's.William is passing his days watching cartoons and The History Channel. His energy and appetite have decreased which are normal side effects of this therapy. But darn it, we're still trying to pack on the pounds. Although he has told us on several occasions he doesn't want to talk (his tell-tale sign he's not feeling good), he remains quite pleasant. It constantly amazes us how patient and accepting he is of all he's gone through. He even confided in Aunt Paige that going through all this was almost worth it to get his own room! Really? A little more begging may have worked over getting cancer.
Visits from Uncle Rich and Aunt Paige, Grandma and Grandpa Murdock, and all his brothers have brought a welcome change of pace to the days. Although I must admit that I am a little jealous of the prolonged visits they had with William in his room. Unlike me and Ryan, they don't have to pace their daily allotment of exposure to him.
The boys were a little bummed they couldn't go into the room, but if you look closely in the photo, you can see William in the reflection in the mirror. They quickly got over their disappointment by raiding our snack bag of sour candies and goldfish crackers. At the moment, Ryan and his parents have left the hospital and are enjoying the afternoon at the California Academy of Sciences which boasts an aquarium, planetarium, rainforest, natural history museum, and more. Hopefully tonight we'll all sneak out to dinner together if William is okay being left alone for a bit. (He may not even notice while in a TV coma!)
So although the days may be long, the accommodations tight, and the boredom hard to fight, this too shall pass.
What a great perspective you have. I am sure you are counting the days (or hours?) until you can return to the comforts of your own home. How nice to have a few visitors to help distract from the boredom! We think of and pray for you constantly. xoxo
ReplyDeletewow. layers and layers of new and interesting challenges...and you face them with such strength and courage. i love you all!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope that we didn't rob you of your dinner plans by returning home right after the museum. It was a great place to spend an afternoon, and certainly return to again and again. The boys had a great time, and learned a lot. We can now truly appreciate the challenges of having a radioactive child in the family, and all the precautions that have had to be taken. Most people would think that surgery would be the greatest challenge to face during an illness. Will has had more than his share of chalenges and been a super patient-with loving go-for-the distance parents. We love you all so much.
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