Thursday, June 25, 2009

Hello From 4 West

Pablo was admitted to CHLA 30 minutes ago. We are on 4 West, our home away from home. It's been a few months since we last stepped foot up here, so it was a bit of an odd homecoming when we bum-rushed our friends who run the joint.

Of course they knew we were coming cos our other friends in the ER called and told them.

If my mind serves me (and I'm not so sure it does), today is our first double-back in the entire 13 month run. We went home from the ER, as I mentioned in the previous post. 15 minutes after our return, P and I went downstairs to get ready for bed. He put on his blue camouflage dinosaur jammies (they are ill fitting since he's growing so fast), and we cruised into his bathroom to brush his teeth. As he was rinsing, he began to cough heartily, and persistently. A blood clot came out. He started to cry, and continued to spit up more blood. Thankfully, the second round was basic blood + mucous. Jo Ann rushed down, and picked him up and took him to bed. He said he felt fine, and she wanted to get him to sleep.

Thing is, his coughing would not slow down. And he started to call out pain in his chest and in the back of his right lung. Jo Ann told me to call the CHLA on-call oncologist, and minutes later, she was on with him. He instructed us to come back immediately.

Grady and Patricia helped gather our hospital essentials as Jo Ann and I changed out of our pajamas and got dressed again. The car flew through the streets. Pablo was crying and moaning the whole way here. The pain in his body did not let up. As we pulled into the ER entrance on Vermont Avenue, I heard Pablo's voice from the back seat. 'I've never felt this way Mommy,' he said.

Moments later we were inside the ER, back in the same room, with the same nurse and the same doc.

Minutes after he and Jo Ann laid downl, Pablo said his tummy hurt. I grabbed a kidney-shaped bin, and Jo Ann turned Pablo's body toward me as I thrust the bin under his chin. A massive wave of stuff came up - some on my hands and legs and a lot on the floor. At least half of it was blood. The ER doc walked in just as this was going down.

Inside I freaked the f*** out. I looked at Jo Ann. Her eyes locked into mine. Her look was telling me to hold on, to hold strong, to breathe. We've gotten good at this non-verbal communication. She continued to hold Pablo in her lap, and continued to comfort him and soothe him.

That scenario was our one-way ticket to the floor, as they say around here.

And the floor is where we'll be until we can figure our way out of this maze. It's another maze and we will find a way out. There is no way we won't. Pablo is a wonderful and wondrous guide through any curves that life has to offer. Look where he's taken us so far. The dude knows what's up.

Tonight, both Jo Ann and I are sleeping here. There's no way for one of us to be at home, away from Pablo.

That's all I've got. Will update tomorrow when there's info.

31 comments:

Jerry said...

Hang tough, lots of love and prayers coming your way.. Watch out right lung, you gonna be blasted just like the left was..cancer go away!


Dad to a 4yr old Wilms "warrior"

Mashley Love said...

we're thinking of you here in hawaii

Anonymous said...

Just saw this before I was about to go to sleep....will be thinking good, healing thoughts for Pablo.....

Tiwanna said...

Stay strong. Wonderful thoughts and blessings are heading Pablo's way to aid in his fight.

Melissa in Nevada City said...

Sending healing energy to you all.

Keep Living Strong!

Melissa

Anonymous said...

Thinking of you. Lots of love to Pablo.

Emma xxx

Nancy said...

Your post broke my heart. I have prayed for Pablo and for your family.

chad said...

thinking of you guys and hoping Pablo starts feeling better soon.

Anonymous said...

Lots of prayers coming from our family. Positive thoughts only.

Debbie

Unknown said...

love and prayers for pablo

xx lynn

Anonymous said...

Much love to Pablo. Continued prayers headed in his direction.

John Piersol said...

Sending you tons of love and warm thoughts. The tenseness of this fight is only offset by the joy you now probably see much more clearly in the everyday "normal" of life. Wishing you and the doctors a quick understanding of exactly what's happening in Pablo's body and how to fix it, and a quick return to the normalcies of home- brushing teeth, jammies, jumping around. Nothing special, and yet the most special thing of all- normal 6-year old life. Wishing you a quick return to playtime, laughing, pinata smashing...the good stuff.
All my love, Laura

Heather said...

You guys were the last thing I checked in on last night and much like you,as I mentioned,were thrilled you hadn't bought that one way ticket ... this morning,this.Praying for quick resolutions and that Mr.P can get back to the joyous happenings of life around Silver Lake.Praying for you all and especially for Pablo, that rest comes to that mighty,fighting body of his and that,rest comes to yours and Jo Ann's anxious,worried hearts.Wish that damn magic wand of mine was working ....

Kerry Zeka said...

I am "flinging faith" your way and will continue... Hang in there! "This, too, shall pass!"

Jules said...

Ditto Kerry Zeka 110%!!

Dawn: said...

Sending all my love and prayers to you this morning.

Anonymous said...

I shared the good news about the tumor shrinkage with my family at dinner Tuesday night. We will continue to pray for you and hope that zapping it with another round of chemo will do the trick.

Hang in there....
Jenefer

Unknown said...

Thinking of you all in Portland. Stay strong, Sweet P!

Maryann said...

You don't know us, but we've been following your blog and praying for Pablo for quite awhile. Was so happy to share with my family the good news Tuesday and so very sad to see the struggles you are all facing today. We are sending lots of prayers and healing thoughts your way!!!! Stay strong Pablo - you're going to win little man!!

Anonymous said...

Sending urging prayers and positive thoughts for Pablo...

Molly and Laney Böttcher

Unknown said...

we will fight with you Pablo, in spirit and with as much love as we can possibly send your way. You are a strong and beautiful soul!! xo kavanaugh family

Anonymous said...

Pablo is a beautiful kid, stay strong buddy. Much love to the whole family and best healing energies.

PC

Anonymous said...

Minneapolis has gathered its strength and sent it to the coast. Keep fighting, P. You have the power of an army at your side.

Jen said...

Sending all my love and good, positive thoughts. Stay strong, all of you.

Unknown said...

"Fear not."
Stay focused family, you're there together. We are all with you.
Love and unceasing prayer,
Pam W.
Chesterfield,MO

Anonymous said...

Love. So much love. Elisabeth

Anonymous said...

Yanked the all powerful Liberating Prayer from my recently purchased Buddhist handbook and we are all ferociously reciting.
Sending you all love love love and then some from Toronto...

xxxxxxx
sharon oreck bill pope and savannah

Unknown said...

hang tight my little mexican friend

Anonymous said...

You're all in my prayers & positive thoughts every day, all day

Maura said...

All our love and prayers for Pablo and your family. Stay strong, surrounded by the light.

Love,
Maura - Rose mom

Sophia said...

I'm very sorry. I'm keeping your youngest son in my prayers.