Sam's Sunshine {Day 17}

It may have rained all day outside, but it was gloriously sunny inside. Sam was in an incredible mood from the moment his feet hit the floor until he lay his weary head down for the night. It is clear he is feeling so much better than he did even last Thursday, and how much of a difference a week makes.

Sam continues to thrive on hamburgers and apple slices alone. He had two burgers before 1130am when our good friend KP stopped by for a visit. We had a really good time putting ten laps up on the board, laughing and telling stories. You know Sam is having a great day when laps are more important than leaving his IV pole behind and he walks with it without a single complaint. Sam loved hanging out together and looks forward to the promised overnight with KP, his son, A-Dawg and their actual dog, Bandit. Sam was excited for a pure guys night in with our favorite, most powerful clan. Sam was very particular about asking where the women in KP's life would be to make this a guy's night in actuality. It was very funny to hear him nail down a lawyer for specific details for this future event.

In the middle of KP's visit Bubbe and Zayde arrived for their semi-daily visit. Everyone sat down and caught up. Zayde sat with Sam and asked him how his night was. After KP left to get back to work Zayde and Sam enjoyed themselves doing math while I went for a walk. 

Sam is loving his math assignments and the extra problems Zayde generates on his computer. The two of them spent almost an hour doing problems and while I was out of the room such outstanding gift boxes had arrived. Sam, Bubbe and Zayde waded their way through all the packages and looked through all the amazing items. Sam especially loved the iTunes cards, stickers and Pirate's patches. 

I swear the hilarity never let up all day. Sam was in a good mood from start to stop and just a pleasure to be around. One of the big hits to arrive was a lap counter. Sam thought that was the coolest thing since, well... a hamburger. He carried it with him for the rest of laps that day from ten up to 30. He loved both clicking the counter as well as writing his laps on the board. He loved hearing the clicking sound and resetting it and then recounting when he went too far and had to get to zero and then click back to the number lap he was on. 

We just kept clicking through the rest of his day and he rarely let the counter slip from his happy fingers. Throughout the afternoon I swear Sam ate four more hamburgers just as a personal challenge. I'm pretty sure he ate four from afternoon through bedtime. The nurses have the full count, but the burgers just kept coming one on top of the order. Every time Sam just finished one he would wait a few minutes and then sort of giggle as he'd say "Dad...I'm still hungry. Can I have another hamburger?" Who can say no to this? After months of never eating off the menu, how do I turn down this starv'n marvin's request? You would think I never fed him all day except I have nurses and receipts to back me up that I am ordering his food two minutes after every request. Downstairs they swear I am eating half of these burgers (again I have nurses who come in half way through every burger he's requested). Thank God for witnesses or I would need the witness protection program for parents who eat their kid's food. 

We had our favorite Nurse LA all day poking and prodding Sam with her humor and verbal barbs. Sam teased T and any other nurse he felt needed a verbal tickle as he passed. Sam just filled every moment of this day with his warmth, humor and good cheer. His joy overflowed to everyone who spent time with him or saw him today. He just shone like the brightest sun as if all was right with his world and as if nothing could touch his mood no matter what. We were all blessed by Sam as his mood allowed us to pretend that none of this mattered and it was just another day surrounded by people we loved and who loved us. May all our days be so blessed and may the ease with which Sam cruised through this day be multiplied throughout his lifetime.