After a rough night of lots of fears and tears we got up and faced the day. We had an early appointment at the local hospital and on the drive in we talked a lot about how strong and brave Lochlan is. When we got there we had to park quite a distance from the doors, so I figured I’d be piggy-backing him in as usual. But he decided he was ready to try walking. He walked the entire way in! It’s the furthest he’s walked in over a month and he was so proud of himself.
He was full of fear for the picc dressing change but the two wonderfully kind + gentle nurses worked so hard to make it as painless as possible. He screamed a few times but I reminded him to say his affirmations, “I am brave! I am strong! I can do hard things!” And to take deep breaths between each one and he handled it like a champ. He was so relieved when it was over he thanked the nurses over and over.
He also got weighed while he was there and he gained another pound and a half since Tuesday! They were so impressed that they cancelled my appointment with the dietician 🙌.
His bloodwork came back normal. His platelets went down a little after Tuesday’s chemo, as did his neutrophils but still within a healthy range.
Then on the way out of the hospital Lochlan decided he would walk back out to the car instead of using the wheel chair. One step at a time, he made it and he was so happy.
The entire ride home he was like my old Lochlan… talkative, happy, asking questions, etc. The relief he felt was palpable. And when we arrived home he said, “Mom, I think I can walk to the house and up the steps myself” and he did!
As the afternoon went on his fatigue from so much worry and stress caught up with him and we dealt with more big emotions. But I feel like we really had a breakthrough. He told me, with conviction, “I am going to be OK! I know it in my heart. I AM GOING TO BE OK!!!”
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