Fun with scissors

Peyton had a gleeful time telling everyone that Rachael and Nathaniel were getting shots today. They both had well visits with the pediatrician this morning and Peyton was just thrilled to no end that someone else was getting poked today. She stood right up to the edge of the table and held Rachael's hand the whole time, but grinned from ear to ear….it was truly hysterical. Rachael was a brave soul, not a single tear was shed as she got three shots. She was my big brave girl and when we talked about how Peyton does that every day I think it connected a bit more what she has to go through. Maybe a hard lesson, but I think it helped. Nathaniel was find, had to get a throat swab and that was it, however you would have thought they amputated a leg…I had to tell him to suck it up.

At the clinic visit, Peyton got a transfusion of red blood cells today. Leave up to a child of mine to make sure nothing is ever simple. This was to be an long, but simple procedure. Go in, access the port, give her some meds and blood, go home…but we have to keep things interesting around the clinic. It's a 3 hour process for even the minor amount of blood that she received today. So I made sure to pack a bag full of her favorite things: movies, games, puzzles, coloring books, snacks. About halfway through the transfusion, she was into a new art kit that I wasn't paying enough attention to….it included scissors.

She says, "Mommy."
From behind my crossword, I say, "hmmmm?"
She says, "Mooooommmmy."
I looked up and she has her blood dripping tubing in one hand and scissors in the other. Interesting, huh? She'd cut into the transfusion line! I yelled for the nurse, we all sprang into action, got it clamped down, changed and cleaned up. All was fine, amazingly enough not a drop of blood on either Peyton or my clothing. The nurses and other clinic workers were cracking up the rest of the day, walking into the infusion room asking if anyone had scissors handy or wanting to know if she gave haircuts too. That was a first for them and they said she'd definitely go down in the record books of the clinic.

Makes a mama proud.

So, otherwise, the day went well. All three kids home safe and sound….Peyton fairly bouncing off the walls from the energy the red cells gave her. Her ANC dropped to 900, but we're still on the go to the American Cancer Society get together this weekend, so we're excited and have a game plan should anything go awry, but pray for us as this is our first real excursion outside the safety net. It's sure to be a little nerve-wracking for Peter and I. I'm sure the kids will be totally oblivious with all the fun stuff going on.

As they should be.

This Bible verse was shared by a wonderfully strong and caring friend. It meant a lot that she thought of me when it spoke to her heart and I appreciate the strength it gives me.

Jeremiah 29:11-13
For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.

—Anissa