Saturday, June 25, 2011

Today was the first day of the rest of our lives

I guess it's midnight so technically this all began 3 years ago yesterday. Really, 3 years ago a few days ago, but before June 24, we were still kind of in denial, hoping for something else to happen other than what did. The dates June 24, 25, and 26 will be forever remembered for our family as the day that things went horribly wrong.

June 24, 2008: I was at work that day. It was the second-to-last day with students. A half day for them and a full day for us. The Boy had this weird lump in his lower abdomen, and Musical Daddy took him to the doctor. I took a phone call in my classroom on the class phone, which doesn't happen too often, and it was Musical Daddy saying that the doctor was sending them for an ultrasound. I met them at the place, to be told that they were just finished and we were expected back at the pediatrician's office, back up the road. When the pediatrician told us what he thought we were dealing with, he was in tears. Kidney cancer. Wilms Tumor. Supposedly one of the "easiest" cancers to deal with, but still cancer. We were to pack our bags and check in to the hospital.

Right around this time, 3 years ago, we were trying to soothe The Boy whose primary soothing method--his right thumb--was taken from him in order to put the IV in his hand. Didn't help that the resident who tried twice never could find a vein on him despite jabbing him over and over and over again.

The morning of June 25th was when he went for his CT scan. We didn't "go" very far to get there, as we were not leaving that hospital. More flashbacks soon.

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