 |
| First Game Day 2012! |
As I pulled Jace’s jersey over his football
shoulder pads at 5 PM last night, I told him, “If you get dizzy during the game, just
sit down-- or tell your coach, OK??”
He impatiently replied, “Ok, but I won’t.”
“You won’t get dizzy, or you won’t tell your
coach?” I quickly tried to clarify…
But it was too late. He was running away from me
onto the field to start warming up for his football game.
I haven’t let up on the steady campaign against
football…J,
but I’m still losing. Jace is determined
to play, though football has proven more difficult for him than baseball. Despite
his chemo treatments yesterday morning, which included anesthesia, LP, chemo to
the spinal fluid and brain, AND IV chemo in his port, Jace insisted on playing
in his game last night. He’s trying to
earn a starting offensive position, and he knows that won’t happen if he stays
home. He spent most of the afternoon on the toilet with a bowl in front of him,
but when it was time to ‘suit up,’ he didn’t hesitate.
Jace also made me promise I wouldn’t remind his coach that he had chemo that same day. Jace knew he wouldn’t get enough playing time if I did.
I’ll admit that when I watched Jace trot off the
field after a victory, smiling big…sweating…giving the other boys high fives… I
melted a bit. I don’t like football any more than I did, but it’s proving to be
another challenge that is NOT getting in the way of our Iron Man. Isn't it interesting how sometimes our kids teach us the most valuable lessons? This week Jace is teaching me that complaining doesn't help, we are stronger than we think we are, and when things are difficult, we just need to endure. Thank you all for sending such reassuring comments and thoughts. I'm so grateful for the feedback we get from this blog.
This morning out of the shower Jace was dizzy and
tired. He rested on my bed while I rubbed his feet and legs. I reminded him how
close he is to finishing chemo. He smiled a weak, pale smile that said, thank goodness. Then he got ready for
school, found his backpack and headed out.
I called after him, “If you get sick, call me?...”
He replied, “Ok, …but I won’t.”
 |
| 8 AM After LP |
 |
| 7 PM After Game |
