Daddy has cancer :(

One of the things people ask us about once we start discussing Josh's CML is what we have told the kids.  We really struggled with this decision at first, but have since felt peace with how we are handling it.

When Josh was first diagnosed you can just imagine the mess we were for the first few days.  With all of the crying and sleeplessness we both looked pretty awful, and you know how kids can pick up on that stuff so quickly.  So we decided it was best to tell the kids that Daddy's blood is very sick and he has to see a lot of doctors to help us figure out how to make it better.  They were very content with that answer, but have had a hard time understanding why it is not better yet.  After the first doctor's appointment we were saying grace at dinner and we prayed for Josh's blood.  I remember Wyatt asked us why we would pray for that cause he already went to the doctor, so in his sweet little brain it just was already all better.

Of course we don't want to burden the kids with unnecessary fears or worries, so we have kept it pretty light.  But recently I have been thinking and praying about this more.  When I was a little girl my dad smoked.  And I still remember when I went to school and for the first time I heard someone say that smoking was bad and would kill you if you did it.  I was horrified!!!  And so worried about my sweet daddy (He quit smoking shorty thereafter!  Woo hoo dad!).  But I don't want our kids to ever have that happen.  So we have decided that we want them to be comfortable with the words "cancer" and "leukemia."  Just so they don't associate them completely with sickness.  That they see how Daddy seems the same to them as before, but he has this illness.  So we have just been throwing the words around a bit more lately, like when they got these cute pillows!

At our last appointment we learned that it was Cancer Survivors and Caregivers Week at M.D. Anderson.  Evidently they have all sorts of events and such to celebrate progress in cancer treatments.  So for the Leukemia Center that meant free smoothies and pillows! Do you know Josh loves smoothies?  Well he does - his favorite being from a random smoothie shop in a mall in College Station.  I think we should make a trip up there soon just to have one!  Anyways, I got sidetracked.  So poor Josh couldn't have one cause it was too close to his Tasigna dose.  Aggh!  But they looked good!  LOL!  We also got a little goodie back full of all kinds of little sample stuff that you know I love - chapstick, sanitzer, and a great pen!  You know I love fantastic office supplies!  We were super excited to bring home these pillows for the boys and they just fell absolutely in love with them.  They are teeny tiny and I kinda thought they would just put them on their beds and cuddle with them or something.  Nope - they sleep right on top of that little pillow.  I love it!!  I think they are looking forward to our next MDACC visit cause now they think they will get something every time!  :)