Rest When We Need It

Exodus 33:14 My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.

Such rest. We are only in day two (the second of four chemo bags was just started), but already, this is such a non-event. Ruby is a little tired, and a little more picky about food today, but she is still smiling, playing, eating, and loving like a champ.

Rounds today were simple, as they usually are. Ruby's chemo is a continuous drip for 96-hours, which means she will be done on Sunday afternoon. Her team confirmed today that she can go home then. She will have blood draws at home 2-3 times each week while at home, and when we receive those results, there is always a chance that she needs a transfusion. In that event, she will have to go to the Aflac Clinic for 4-5 hours. And if/when she spikes a fever, she has to go to the clinic or ER immediately for antibiotics. In that case, if her ANC is under 500, she will have to be admitted also. So life may be a bit of another kind of crazy some weeks....I foresee plenty of random afternoons for the older kids, but it still means us all sleeping under the same roof most of the time.

He gives us rest. This stay is still five days. Five days away from the kids and Lehr, five days hooked up to a machine and a pole, five days away from friends and outside and all of the things Ruby loves. But this stay feels like a huge rest because it is only five days. We had two great weeks home, and part of what made that time so relaxing was the lack of anxiety over entering the hospital for another month. Rest for my soul.

(*I did not bring my camera to the hospital for this round....five days hardly warrants a suitcase, let alone a camera. :) So no cute Ruby pictures except from my less-than-worthy phone photos posted on Facebook.)