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We’ve had a super weekend, setting aside, if not momentarily forgetting the fear and it is now coming to a close. Garrett is starting to hurt again, probably as a reaction to the infusions from Friday and we’re praying he doesn’t get full-blown serum sickness again. Just the thought of it is disturbing and scares him a lot. He just got done asking me to take his vital signs again. I’m up with him tonight because the discomfort is making it hard for him to sleep. We’ve been trying to change the subject by discussing how much fun we had this weekend.
Yesterday we had a visit from great friends and today we got permission to take Garrett to a roping event for Western Wishes for a few hours. It was a tremendous experience and the winners of the mixed team roping, Jay and Tammy Ellerman gave their winning buckles to Jessi and Garrett and donated their winning money back to the event. That’s the second buckle Garrett got this weekend. Western Wishes also made a special presentation to him of a “Western Wishes Champion” buckle. The loving kindness of these and so many folks continues to amaze and humble me. Kathy even made a new friend at the roping whose son had open heart surgery several years ago. The two women found a lot in common, and through tears of remembrance and happiness, shared a unique bond that only mothers of sick children can know.
Garrett did really well today as the buckle presenter with Jessi as his assistant. They also gave each winner a “Cowboy Up” bracelet. The roping event today concluded a three-day event to raise money to help start a Colorado chapter of Western Wishes. As many of you know, Garrett has been a recipient of Western Wishes dreams in the past and we are so honored to use our story to help the program reach out to other kids. The cowboy family is very special. They often pull together to help each other as they did 100 years ago. I recently asked Garrett which charity he would choose to help support if we were ever able to be in a position to do so. Without a second thought, he said “Western Wishes”. He said there’s a few others like Transplant International and the American Heart Association, but the Western Wishes organization is set up to help sick and injured cowboy kids to just be kids again for a little while at a special cowboy events. In our lives, the blessings of Western Wishes have brought smiles to Garrett and Jessi time and again, and we will always be grateful for them and what they do. They work for God. www.westernwishes.org
Tomorrow brings us back to the hospital and with good news from that, sends me back to work. I hate leaving Kathy and the kids and can already feel myself tightening up. With this new leg of the journey upon us, it sure looks as though we’ll be doing this all summer. I know they’re in good hands up here, but in these uncertain times it makes it so very tough to drive away from them.
We keep trying to stay positive and thanking God every day for our blessings. Sometimes overwhelming thoughts of “why” and “what next” crop up and they make it hard to sleep, but that’s just the enemy trying to take control. We know that it may take many months for Garrett to heal completely and could even require another tour in the hospital if this round didn’t whip all the bad guys. We hope not, but that’s the reality. Garrett has accepted the fact that he will spend his birthday away from home. With this last fight the past few weeks our waiting time starts all over again. I’d like to say that as a family we’re always patient with each other but that would be a lie. But overall, I’m proud of how everyone is handling the ambiguity that is life right now. Occasional weekends like this one go a long way to suppressing the anxiety and unanswered questions.
With guardian angels working overtime I’m hoping Garrett will be blessed with fitless rest tonight. We’ll wake tomorrow having again made the decision to accept the situation, wrap ourselves in the Lord’s mighty armor and take the fight to the enemy. As our little warrior cowboy’d up again today, demonstrating that he truly is a cowboy gentleman, we’ll cowboy up along side of him.
JD
Yesterday we had a visit from great friends and today we got permission to take Garrett to a roping event for Western Wishes for a few hours. It was a tremendous experience and the winners of the mixed team roping, Jay and Tammy Ellerman gave their winning buckles to Jessi and Garrett and donated their winning money back to the event. That’s the second buckle Garrett got this weekend. Western Wishes also made a special presentation to him of a “Western Wishes Champion” buckle. The loving kindness of these and so many folks continues to amaze and humble me. Kathy even made a new friend at the roping whose son had open heart surgery several years ago. The two women found a lot in common, and through tears of remembrance and happiness, shared a unique bond that only mothers of sick children can know.
Garrett did really well today as the buckle presenter with Jessi as his assistant. They also gave each winner a “Cowboy Up” bracelet. The roping event today concluded a three-day event to raise money to help start a Colorado chapter of Western Wishes. As many of you know, Garrett has been a recipient of Western Wishes dreams in the past and we are so honored to use our story to help the program reach out to other kids. The cowboy family is very special. They often pull together to help each other as they did 100 years ago. I recently asked Garrett which charity he would choose to help support if we were ever able to be in a position to do so. Without a second thought, he said “Western Wishes”. He said there’s a few others like Transplant International and the American Heart Association, but the Western Wishes organization is set up to help sick and injured cowboy kids to just be kids again for a little while at a special cowboy events. In our lives, the blessings of Western Wishes have brought smiles to Garrett and Jessi time and again, and we will always be grateful for them and what they do. They work for God. www.westernwishes.org
Tomorrow brings us back to the hospital and with good news from that, sends me back to work. I hate leaving Kathy and the kids and can already feel myself tightening up. With this new leg of the journey upon us, it sure looks as though we’ll be doing this all summer. I know they’re in good hands up here, but in these uncertain times it makes it so very tough to drive away from them.
We keep trying to stay positive and thanking God every day for our blessings. Sometimes overwhelming thoughts of “why” and “what next” crop up and they make it hard to sleep, but that’s just the enemy trying to take control. We know that it may take many months for Garrett to heal completely and could even require another tour in the hospital if this round didn’t whip all the bad guys. We hope not, but that’s the reality. Garrett has accepted the fact that he will spend his birthday away from home. With this last fight the past few weeks our waiting time starts all over again. I’d like to say that as a family we’re always patient with each other but that would be a lie. But overall, I’m proud of how everyone is handling the ambiguity that is life right now. Occasional weekends like this one go a long way to suppressing the anxiety and unanswered questions.
With guardian angels working overtime I’m hoping Garrett will be blessed with fitless rest tonight. We’ll wake tomorrow having again made the decision to accept the situation, wrap ourselves in the Lord’s mighty armor and take the fight to the enemy. As our little warrior cowboy’d up again today, demonstrating that he truly is a cowboy gentleman, we’ll cowboy up along side of him.
JD
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