Today was certainly better than the last few. Although the day started off tough for Jacob, because he was so tired, I definately noticed that he got better and better throughout the day. They did have 4 hours of physical and occupational therapy scheduled for Jacob, but they took it easy on him. Constantly asking him if he was tired or if he felt ok. He ate a little bit more than yesterday, but not as much as I’d like him to eat. This evening he had a sudden craving for popcorn, so I was on a mission. Thankfully I found some. He ate it all, so at least I know that his appetite is coming back.

One thing that Jacob has absolutely hated through this whole thing is needles. MGH kinda ruined it for him when they poked him close to a dozen times trying to get an IV in. He has to start having shots on a regular basis of Neupogen which is supposed to boost his immune system. Unfortunately, I’ll be the one giving them to him, but as long as we’re here at rehab or the hospital, the nurses can be the bad guys. Well, tonight was supposed to be the first night for it and he was so upset that he had to get poked again. The nurse put numbing ceam on it and had the needle in and out before he even knew it. Thank goodness! Maybe I won’t have to be the bad guy after all!
Please continue to pray for Jacob….1)for him to be healed of the cancer. 2)that the side effects would be minimal and 3)that he would continue to get stronger and be able to walk on his own without assistance. With the chemo knocking him down, this may end up being a set back for his recovery.

Thanks again for all your prayers! We’re continuing to trust God and we know that He has Jacob’s best interests in mind. The Lord is good!

Well, today could’ve certainly been better. Jacob was exhausted! That chemo kicked his butt last night. He woke up this morning and had a little breakfast and that was pretty much it for the rest of the day. He did have a few grapes here and there and a little bit of water. I did talk him into eating an apple earlier this evening, but he said his guts just hurt. He didn’t sleep very good last night, so he just layed in bed all day and took it easy. He did take a long, much needed nap this afternoon.

Caleb was able to come for a visit today along with his aunt and cousins. That perked Jacob up a bit. We had a good time. Another highlight of Jacobs day was that they had some volunteers that bring their dogs in to visit with the patients. First, Jacob got to meet Baer, a big black Newfoundland/Chow mix. Then Sasha came in. A cute, little fluffy thing (not sure what she was). She came right in and her owner put her up on the bed beside Jacob and she layed right down. If you know Jacob very well, then you know he LOVES dogs. That was the best part of his day!

Then back to reality. Jacob had to have his last dose of chemo for this week. Back to Mary Free Bed for some more physical therapy tomorrow. Hopefully he regains some strength soon to continue working on his walking. There has been some talk that he may get discharged from Mary Free Bed later next week and then continue with outpatient therapy three times a week for awhile. I’ll keep you all updated on that. Please continue to pray for Jacob as he continues on this journey. Also, please pray for his younger brother Caleb who’s going through a lot too. Thankfully he’s staying with my sisters, but all of a sudden, he was without his Mom, Dad and brother. Very scary and confusing to a 7 year old. And please don’t forget Ken, who has to be in the U.P., 7 hours away from his family. I could probably use your prayers as well. I’m doing pretty well considering, but only by the grace of God. Without Him, I would be a mess!!!

We appreciate all the prayers, messages and donations tthat we’ve been getting. It means the world to us, so thank you!

What a wonderful day! Jacob had a very light schedule for therapy. He was done by 1:30. It was gorgeous here, we couldn’t just sit around and waste the day, so we decided to break out of this joint. Ken’s sister Kim brought over a vehicle for me so I would have some wheels to get back and forth to all the appointments. It was just too tempting! We’ve been stuck in this place way too long, so we hopped in the new van and left for Hastings (the town where both my sisters and their families live). We had a wonderful time! It was 85 degrees and Jacob was loving the fresh air and the freedom. Along with all the cousin time. We were able to stay until 7:00 and it was nice to see and smooch on Caleb. Jacob and I had a hard time leaving though – back to reality.

Well, tomorrow is another big day for Jacob. We have to head back over to Helen DeVos Hospital at 11:00 for Jacob to get some blood work done and then he will have surgery at 1:00 to have his port put in. We will be staying there both Monday and Tuesday night as he will also be starting his chemotherapy. Please keep Jacob in prayer while he goes through another tough process over the next couple days. Thank you for all your prayers!

Today was a little bit different of a day. Some of Jacob’s usual therapists were gone for training of some sort. It’s hard when you’re used to someone being there everyday and then all of a sudden they’re not. I think that kind of threw Jacob off, including myself. He still did good, but wasn’t as enthusiastic as he normally is. Most of his sessions today were all about strengthening his legs. He also did a lot of walking and he got to shoot a Nerf bow. He had a blast with that! Also, more Lego building while standing – always a hit!

Later this afternoon my sister and family (The Endsleys) brought Caleb up to see us. We had a great time visiting and the kids helped decorate Jacobs room. There are stars and planets hanging all over the walls and hanging from the ceiling. It’s a nice touch and makes it feel a little less like we’re living in a hospital. 🙂

It’s hard to believe that we’ve been in Grand Rapids for only 17 days. It feels like so much more than that. But at the same time, I realize that Jacob has come such a long way in such a short amount of time. Even though it’s so tough being here – seeing what Jacob is going through, that my sweet baby Caleb isn’t with his mom or dad, and my wonderful husband is alone 8 hours away – I have peace, total peace knowing that my Heavenly Father is in control. It’s out of my hands and in His. He has a plan…something greater than any of us could ever imagine. And the best part is? We get to be a part of it!

Jacob had another good day again today. This morning’s therapy included working on his balance with the Wii Fit again. He also got to do one of his favorite things – put a Lego set together while standing. He got a 2 hour lunch break and then right back into therapy for 2 1/2 more hours. That included kicking the girls butts in hockey again (I must say, they are getting a tad better), LOTS of walking and strengthening exercises and one tough assignment – putting together another Lego set while balancing on half of a ball. It’s about a foot and a half wide and sits flat on the floor, but the top looks like a bouncy ball. He wasn’t allowed to lean or hold onto anything. I don’t know how he did it for 1/2 hour (with two 2 minute breaks), but he did. He did say his legs were like jello afterward. He’s certainly a champ and determined to get out of here soon. They told him that they’re not letting him leave until he can walk out of here on his own. 🙂 Hopefully that’s sooner than later because we’re both sick of living in a hospital already!

We finished off the day by working hard on a 3-D castle puzzle. It was some much needed down time.