Today marks the one-year mark since Cooper's 2nd major surgery to remove the residual tumor. I remember quite vividly sitting in the PICU on this very night. The 2nd surgery was a lot harder on him and on us compared to the first one. I remember my heart breaking as I watched him waking up from the anesthesia in pain and them needing to do 2 blood transfusions!! I remember the large drain tubes coming out of his head and his pale skin and swollen face. Then, I look at him today and all I can do is thank God for where we have come in one year's time. I watch him crawl like a lightning bolt across the room, walk (when HE wants to), put everything (and I mean everything) in his mouth, smile, laugh, babble, and do his best to keep up with his big brothers! You would look at him and never know what the little guy has been through in his 17 months of life, aside from a faint scar in front of his ear and down his hairline, and maybe the crooked little smile because of the cut facial nerves! I am reminded of God's faithfulness to Cooper and our family and cannot put my gratitude into words.
We went to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital this morning to deliver our first 50 Cooper Trooper Caring and Courage Kits, which will be given out to siblings of children diagnosed with cancer at Vanderbilt. I felt a flood of emotions as parents were coming and going from the food court and would catch my eye. I whispered a prayer of thankfulness to God, as I was there this same time last year, NOT to deliver kits, be on the news, and interview for a newspaper article, BUT instead as a worn out, scared parent with my baby in the PICU. God is mighty to save and holds our family in HIS hands! Thank you, Lord!
My hope is to hug my boys a little tighter and live in the moment with them in 2010, because you never do know what tomorrow will hold!
Happy New Year!
This is us with Cooper's oncologist, Dr. Pine, at the delivery of our first Kits to Vanderbilt!
Dr. Pine with Cooper
Amanda, Oncology Child Life Specialist, Dr. Pine, Cooper's Oncologist, me with Cooper, Janet Cross, Director of Child Life at Vanderbilt, Rod, (Colby and Carson in front)
