eleven months...

Seems entirely surreal that Camryn is one month away from ONE year post-transplant, which in transplant world is a very big deal. To make it to a year without any huge set backs is refreshing, granted we still have a month to go, but Camryn is getting there...

Fittingly today Camryn headed down to UCLA for clinic, I went with her because I had already requested the day off for Camryn's echo...unfortunately Camryn did not have an echo today. We are still dealing with insurance issues, but hopefully things can get figured out soon. We are anxious to see what the status of Camryn's blood clot is. When we arrived at clinic everyone said hello, it is so funny to see Camryn on a first name basis with everyone. We headed over to procedures for labs like always...while we waited Camryn read A Very Hungry Catepillar to me. Wow, what a little reader she is becoming.

After labs we headed back to clinic and waited in our room...while we waited we chatted and played a few games, it was fun to see Camryn's life at UCLA. Camryn's nurse practioner came in and that was a welcome visit, we love B she is the best. We quickly chatted about the insurance issues that we are having and some possible things that might help maintain Camryn's care at UCLA. As we were chatting the door opened up and Dr.A came in and checked everything out. All checked out great, it was determined that Camryn's doing well. She is growing like a weed, quite literally...honestly she just seems to be taller and taller by the day. The GVH rash is now subsided, a little GVH remains in her mouth so we are having to watch that, but her prograf seems to be working well and Dr.A prescribed some "magic mouthwash" to help with any pain the mouth sores might be causing.

All in all the visit with B and Dr.A went super...we were ready to go home just waiting for prescription refills when who should we find...Dr.M. As always Dr.M wanted to know how Camryn was doing, he too commented on how tall she is getting. We chatted for a bit, it's always nice to chat with Dr.M. Camryn and I also saw friends that we had met at the Nickelodeon day...the little girl is six just like Camryn. Although her cancer is different it was nice to see them and encounter another smiling face. I am really thankful that the Lord keeps bringing encounters with other cancer moms and their stories...it's humbling, heart-breaking, bittersweet all rolled into one. Challenged by what brought us together as friends, but thankful to get to know them.

Eleven months have passed since Wyatt gave Camryn his juice and as Wyatt said today..."I want it back." To which Camryn replied, "You can't have it back Wyatt...your juice is what is making me not be sick anymore." Wyatt says, "Okay you can keep it."

Quite a journey...quite a story...

Some days are just filled with normalcy and some days the realities for which live are evident in every breath we take. We are trying to find a balance, trying to find a place where our lives fit and yet knowing that right now this is how it is...we don't really fit anywhere. We are different and yet we are the same...it's a rough balance.

Ever so thankful for the past eleven months and what we have learned for a little girl and a little boy about the resilence of the child-like spirit...the gifts that the Lord gives to protect the little hearts that are so precious to Him. Wishing we were almost 4 years post-transplant, but yet knowing that we are really only a month a way from a year.

And yet so thankful for the bright spots of today...

* A great clinic visit...

* Lunch with two of the best gifts a mom could ask for...

* Driving around Burbank for two hours, but finally getting Camryn's medicines...

* Emailing a doctor at UCLA to see if he might take Camryn as a new patient, crossing my fingers that he would say yes...

* Ten minutes later getting an email back that says he would be glad to see Camryn and refer her to UCLA...

* Listening to my little Dodger cheerleader, chanting "Go Matt Kemp...Go Either...Go Dodgers"...

And the absolute cherry on top?

* Talking with Camryn on the way home from UCLA about how she asked Jesus in her life to give her life to Him. Yep, guess it doesn't get much better than that. And really everything else pales in comparison...

Yes, oh so thankful that these past eleven months are not in vain...that somehow, somewhere the Lord is making something beautiful with all of it. Because there was a beautiful little heart chatting away about her love for Jesus...

That is the beauty of it all...