First Chemo Treatment

​What a day. We arrived at Children's around noon and rushed to the clinic for Noah's 12:15 appointment. We had a few set-backs with paperwork, etc. but made it for the MRI appointment just a few minutes late. The imaging staff was so nice and compassionate - I was able to go into the room where the machine is while they sedated him. He was still frightened, but in about 2 minutes he was falling asleep, and I quickly left the room so they could get started. I'm so glad I was able to have that experience; it will be much easier to let him go in without me next time since I know how quickly it all happens. After the scan we were admitted to a room on the 4th floor - "4 Tower" as they call it - and so it began. Our nurse (once again) was amazing and  we should also have her during the day tomorrow. Noah has a huge crush on her - he has flirted with her and serenaded her with his harmonica since the first moment they met. :) I honestly haven't seen him this energetic and full of life and joy in a while. I can tell the prayers are going up! He has been stuck in a crib entangeled with iv lines and has only complained a few times...that is a miracle in itself! 
The first drug he was given was called Etoposide; they had to stop about 15 minutes in because he was having a slow reaction to it. Typically the reaction occurs immedietly, but the Dr. on call came down and decided to try a "cousin" drug in the morning that usually doesn't cause a reaction at all. They had to make sure there was no blood in his urine, then he was given a drug called Cyclophosphamide. So far he has been ok with it.
It is after midnight and Noah is still awake. I hope he can get some sleep before the next round starts in the morning. I feel a lot less stressed now that we have started the treatment. If it's possible to have peace in the midst of the "storm" of stress/anxiousness, that's what I feel. The devotion I read today came from Mark 4:35-41, where Jesus is asleep in the boat with a storm raging around Him. His disciples woke Him up saying, "Do you not care that we are perishing?" He calmed the storm then asked them, "Why are you afraid? Where is your faith?" In the past few weeks I have prayed that God would give John and myself that calm assurance that Jesus had in the boat. He knew there was a storm, but he also knew that He had a much greater purpose and that storm would not kill Him. Calvin Miller stated in the study, "Peace:" Can it be that most of our lives are lived without this recognition? Doesn't God have much more for us to accomplish? Should not our own security in troubled times come in remembering this? We have God's living Son on board in our lives. Therefore, we may have confidence that in our own stormy situations He will calm the turbulence and give us the confidence of His presence. Then, once our storms are all at rest, like His disciples we may remark, "What manner of man is this Jesus that even our private tempests are subject to His calm?"
Praise be to the Lord for the peace that He gives, and for protecting Noah today. Thank you for your continued prayers...we will post more tomorrow/ as soon as we're able. God bless!

Thanks for the drums, Justin!