Radiation Graduation!

It's hard to believe, but Hyrum's last day of radiation was this week! I'll always remember radiation so fondly. His team of doctors and technicians was beyond excellent - they made him happy to be there. This last day, they told us they had planned a party, so we brought the whole family!

We arrived early and wandered the "outdoor recess". As I watched Hyrum giggle and chase his brother around the fountain, the change in him was SO obvious. Those first weeks, we rolled a quiet Hyrum into treatment on a wheelchair. Now, he plays through a whole day without napping. He is friends with Caleb again. He walks without stumbling most of the time, he only vomits once a week, and his vision isn't really bothering him. Radiation really brought him back to life. 

When Hyrum came out of his last treatment, the first thing he saw was a REAL, LIVE SPIDERMAN waiting to congratulate him. Hyrum was beaming - it was like no one else was in the room but him and Spidey. Spiderman (a nurse/technician from another team, I think?) commended him for bravery, then stayed to take pictures. Hyrum's team then gave him a fancy cupcake and their present.

I still cry when I think about that moment. They stood around, watching him intently for a smile. All these weeks, they took turns taking Hyrum to the "toy closet", watching the items he chose. Now, they'd selected an assortment of his favorite items: puzzles, spiderman stickers, coloring books, and a bath bomb. They also followed a suggestion from Michael and gifted him a kid-friendly digital camera. Hyrum is a boy built on memories, and the camera is a perfect expression of how much moments matter to him. He has hardly put it down since Tuesday. 

Even though no one asked them to, and even though it isn't part of their job, they really loved Hyrum. What they did helped heal Hyrum's brain, and the way they did it helped heal our hearts. 

Aside from that very big milestone, we've been busy saying "yes" to as many things as we can each day. Yes, we can paint dinosaurs before we get dressed. Yes, we can swim and go to the science museum. Yes, we can play on the splash pad for 10 more minutes before bed. Yes, I'll sing that song again. Crafting a day and cleaning up the aftermath doesn't leave much time for mental/emotional processing, so I've been a bit behind. Luckily, my mom came to visit for a couple days, and I had time for some journaling.

Here's a quote from yesterday's overdue brain dump: "I've hesitated to admit how SO good this moment is. I know we will hurt again... I know the tumor wins. It's so hard to give in to the beautiful now, knowing how much it burns to lose it." 

I guess... I'm seeing that I have to say yes to the hurt, too. Sometimes I don't. Often, I do. 

Next, it's four weeks of medical "rest". No radiation, almost no medication, and as many memories as possible. In relation to his tumor, this is the best time Hyrum will have. Make a Wish whipped together an amazing trip for us to the Oregon coast - reliving a memory from a family vacation last summer. We'll stay on the beach, explore tide pools, and be together. There's a lot to look forward to!