new normal

I remember like it was yesterday, the first time we took Ethan home from the hospital when he was born. A brand new mom and the sense of disbelief that the nurses and doctors were really releasing him into MY care. That I was now solely responsible for him, without the reassurance of the nurses telling me he looked just fine, and that each noise, murmur or movement was normal. Driving away from the hospital, ever so slowly, worried that each pothole and bump would somehow hurt my precious baby. Wanting everything to be ready - the house, the car, the new life. Wishing I felt confident but having to push through because it was time for us to go home and start our new normal. Trepidation and yet joy at the thought of taking him home.

Going home on Wednesday from the hospital was a lot like that.

We couldn't have been happier to go home early and yet it was scary to be released from the round the clock care at Children's. Being home has continued to be a mixture of both as we have gently begun to settle back into a new normal. The meds and cleaning and organizing and adapting and the hovering and double checking and gazing at him while he sleeps and giving so many extra squeezes to Eloise after such a long time apart--- day by day we are figuring out our new normal. And it really feels so very good to be home, with all of us together again playing, singing and just being together.

Ethan said he wanted to wear his glasses because he could see better.

And a hat because this drafty house had the thermostat down to 59 degrees this morning.

The schedule for now regarding Ethan's treatment is to have chemo and any biopsies or procedures done on Tuesdays at the outpatient clinic at Children's. We then have a home health nurse that comes on Thursday to check vitals and draw blood to see where things are at.

A few specific prayer requests:

• For all of the blasts (cancer cells) to be destroyed. The goal of induction (this first month of treatment) is for Ethan's leukemia to get into remission (aka -- no blasts) and for the rest of his 3 year treatment to keep him in remission. His bone marrow biopsy from Tuesday (Day 8 of treatment) showed less blasts than at the beginning of treatment, which is good. He will have another biopsy this coming Tuesday February 11th and then another on Tuesday February 25th. Please pray that by February 25th (or sooner) all of the blasts will be gone. 
• For ease in taking his medications, as it's a struggle for him to take medications that taste so yucky. He takes between 3 and 5 medications each morning and night - please pray for ease and calm for Ethan as he learns how to take these medications that are a permanent part of our new normal. 
• For Eloise's cold to be healed quickly. We came home to Eloise having a snotty nose and cough, nothing concerning but please pray that she is healed quickly and that the rest of us, especially Ethan, stay healthy.