Monday, September 10, 2012

#10on10 Day 13 in Room E582

I did this last month, and so here we are again, on the 10th of the month, with 10 pictures. Okay, I'll admit. There are 11. Bear with me, math isn't always my best subject.

8:30 am - morning hand-washing (and I remembered that it was the 10th so we could do this silly project!)
 9:30am Miss Theresa, the hospital teacher, was here. She and Sam worked on math and other fun things using her fun school iPad apps.
10:30am A little jaunt around the hospital
11:30am Sam's kindergarten teacher, Ms. E, came to visit! (I totally messed up the time but she still found us!) We showed her the Healing Garden and shared some books outside along with some sword-fighting.

12:30pm Opening mail and checking out the Spiderman stickers
1:30pm Doing schoolwork with Ms. E - that was awesome for me - he was such a rockstar student (and she was a rockstar teacher with him today)! (Also, he totally won't read in Spanish for me but he did for her. Isn't it annoying how kids will hold out on their parents!?)
2:30pm Bubbie and Zeyde came to visit
3:30pm A mouth-check. Chemo can cause mouth-sores so they check pretty regularly. I think he has a molar coming in, which is causing him a little annoyance. He was also eating a scone, and he wouldn't stop chewing long enough for her to check him out! It's hard to say "stop eating" when we are spending so much energy trying to get him to eat!
4:30pm Since they heard there were a few rabbis hanging around the hospital, the idea was floated for a daily campus minyan (the Medical College of Wisconsin and Froedert Hospital share the same campus as Children's Hospital). Since then, Michael and I have been taking turns (when we are here) leading a brief service at 4:30pm, Monday-Thursday, in the hospital chapel. I have asked Sam to join me almost every time but today was the first day that he came with me! And would you know it....no one came to minyan today. So Sam and I "did synagogue" (his words) - he was the rabbi and I was, well, the kid. It was hilarious to watch him run through a bunch of the songs we usually sing at Sunday School (I wish I had video of him saying things like, "good job, everyone! now repeat after me!") and he put a prayerbook on every seat, while saying to me, "It's fun to be the rabbi, mom!" So this is where you get 2 pictures instead of just one. He was fascinated by the different religious items in the chapel, like the kneeler and baptismal font. I also pointed out where our prayerbooks were kept and the Muslim prayer rugs. There's a very large Bible open on a table, and I don't think he had ever seen such a big book. At bedtime he told me that this was his favorite part of the day. {heart melt}
Name that tune? Anyone?
"it's fun to be a rabbi!"
5:30pm Finally a little downtime with DragonVale.

Actually, that's 10 hours of our day, but of course, there was a little more. Huge burst of energy at about 7pm and then finally he is down for the night. I've seen the labs, I tell you that his numbers are very low. One of the nurses told me that he is the most energetic kid she's ever seen on this floor! I am so thrilled with all of his energy and non-stop-go-go-go....but man, I'm exhausted! He wasn't very interested in exploring during our first round of chemo, he was confined to his room for the second round, and now here we are, third round - he is totally comfortable in the hospital, confident in his routine, and so far...handling all the side effects without too much trouble. It's only Day 13 and so we have quite a few left to go. May they all have this day's energy and spirit.

Thank you for your continued support. Sam and I talk about it all the time - he still marvels that there are people who don't know him who are praying for his healing. It means so much to us.

12 comments:

  1. Well he's trained with the best! What a great report....thanks for keeping us posted. Lots of love to all of you!

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  2. Hi Sam,

    I'm one of those people who's never met you, but prays for your healing every day, and says your name out loud every time I'm at services. I hope you can feel all those good vibes -- from me and soooo many others -- and that you and I will have a chance to meet each other someday soon.

    In the meantime, I am floored by your energy, your spirit and your terrific moxie (your mom will have to explain that one to you), and I'm sending you lots of hugs from New York City.

    ~ Jane.

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  3. refuah shleimah and strength to you and the entire family

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  4. Hi Sam, We haven't met you! My son, Sam (12) , daughter, Tzippi (9) and I all read about you everyday. We really do think you must have some super powers. We go to day school in Arizona and think about you when we sing the MiSheberach. We also talk about you at other times, too. We hope when you are better you will make a country tour meeting everyone who now feels like a part of your life! May this new year bring you health, even more love and be sweet! YOU deserve it! -Raquel

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  5. Hi Sam,
    I read your Mom's blog a lot, she has a bunch of neat ideas about being Jewish! You remind me a lot of my brother, he got sick a lot too when he was younger, and he loved making silly faces in pictures too! Now he's all grown up and an actor in Chicago! He still loves DragonVale too though. I wish I could send you my superhero picture, but I'm currently living in Yaounde, Cameroon. That's in Africa if you want to find it on a map. :) Refuah shleimah and good luck with those dragons! (We also like to play Dragon Story at my house, which is a lot like DragonVale, only you can't build an arena but the dragons stay cute when you evolve them!)

    -Elena

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  6. Refuah Shlema Sam! You are such an inspiration!!

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  7. Sam, you just make me smile!

    (Beth, all the way from Jerusalem)

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  8. Love the swordfighting kg teacher - sounds like you've got yourself a winner there Sam!

    May you go from strength to strength, and get back home again healthy and strong very soon!

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  9. Great photo blog for your 10 on 10. It's moving and touches my heart. I'll think of you and Sam today - and the fact that just a few miles down the road from me is a super hero!

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  10. What an amazing post; what an amazing kid; what an amazing mom.

    I love the story about him pretending to be the rabbi. Maybe in a few years he can give my son lessons. <3

    We're praying for him here at Congregation Beth Israel in North Adams, western Massachusetts.

    And several of my secular / non-Jewish friends who don't particularly pray, per se, have heard his story and marveled and sent their best wishes and all their love.

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  11. Adding your precious little man to my prayers!!!

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  12. hey, Sam. I love that Lo Yisa Goy, too!!!! (see, I answered the name that tune, too).

    :) rek

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