Throughout this whole experience, the doctors have been asking Matthew to rate his pain on a scale of 1-10. When he first got admitted to the hospital it was a 9-10, and then he was at like a 6-8 for the first few days. He was at a 9 on Thursday though, but this weekend he has been ranging between a 0-4.
They're supposed to start his chemo treatment around 4 today. I guess that is going to be the usual time the nurses will give him the treatments.
We've had a lot of visitors today. Some of the young men from the ward brought the sacrament for us and presented a scriptural thought. The spirit was so strong in the room. They said beautiful prayers for him and we could tell that they cared about him so much. Throughout the day we had a few families from the ward stop by, more friends and family. It was awesome because two of the people who visited him from our ward are cancer survivors. They have both beat their cancers and are healthy today, so it was really great to have them here to relate to him and encourage him because they know what he is going through. He perks up for everyone who comes in though and tries really hard to be good company even though we can tell that he wants to sleep.
Today was the day Chad found out about Matthew. My dad got ahold of his mission president on the phone yesterday and told him about our situation. He told President Deere that we wanted him to tell chad about Matthew and he asked him to give Chad a blessing. Today he called dad back and said that he went to see Chad and told him the news. He said that Chad got emotional for a while, sat up, and then said that he knows what he needs to do. Chad said that he needs to pray and go out and be the best missionary he can be. President Deere also said that he loves Chad. He said that Chad works really hard and that everyone he teaches loves him. All of the missionaries get along with him really well too. My parents loved to hear that and they are so proud of him. They were telling me today that they couldn't have asked for better things to hear about their son. When Matthew is home and feeling better, Chad will be able to Skype us and talk to him. I can't wait for that. I think it's going to be awesome, emotional and spiritual. What an emotional roller coaster this whole experience is...
Here is a story my mom found about a guy who survived the same cancer that Matthew has. He had it in the same place that Matthew's is, but he was in his 30's. My mom also read some things online about cancer, and she found that kids fight cancer a lot better than adults do because their cells multiply faster. It's very hope inspiring to read things like this:
http://www.thrivenet.com/stories/stories97/stry9707.shtml
This is the thing that he has to breathe in to check his lungs. He hates it:
My boyfriend, Sakeri, and two of his sisters came in to see Matthew. Their entire family is so amazing. I was camping with them over the weekend that Matthew went to the hospital, and they fasted and prayed with me for him while we were up there.
Serena, Sakeri and Sarah:
Friends from the ward. Everyone in our ward feels like family because they have all been so supportive and huge helps to us. It's so powerful how much everyone cares and how much everyone has been helping us. We have the best ward ever, so thank you all.
Joanna and Lacy Layton
The guy on the left is one of Matthew's priest quorum advisors. He is a Phoenix fire fighter, and tonight he and his partner brought a kid to this hospital, so they dropped in to see Matthew.
Matthew has had friends from school in here almost every day.
Aunt Julie & Uncle Chad
Tons of kids from his high school signed a banner that stretches across about a third of his room. Some of his friends brought it in for him today and Matthew loved it.
so awesome that his pain levels are going down! thats so important in this fight :) keep fighting Matthew!
ReplyDeleteJenelle I'm Trennon's & Bromley's Mom and I just wanted to say THANK YOU for doing such a great job at keeping us all up to date and posted about Matt. Our prayers and thoughts are with all of you at this difficult time and if there is anything we can do to help just ask and we will do our best! Matthew is a great young man and we know with God on his side all will be well.
ReplyDeleteWe love you guys. Many thoughts , prayers and strength sending ur way tonite. Thank you for letting us visit.... What a sweet boy you have and my goodness , how can ya not fight when that many people are prayin' and pullin' for you. Like I told you as I left Matthew..... Smile , even when ya wanna punch someone ....just smile, it makes everything better. :) xo
ReplyDeleteANYTHING u need.... To cry, scream or curse at Susie......I'm ur girl! I got some pent up anger & I'd love to have a partner in crime to b honory with, complain for 15 seconds and then end with jokes and stories that bring happy tears. Ahhhhh..... If it were only that easy, right? I am here for you.....please let me help,,, anything, I mean it! Stay positive and strong ..... An occasional vent here or there is healthy , so I was told on day 14of hosp stay after surgery. I was ready to b long outta there and had an annoying nurse tell me to think of "lollipops and rainbows"....if I could've stood on my own 2 dang feet idve choked her, I swear. Freaking lollipops and rainbows! DUH...... I'm 41nurse chic.....not 8!!!! Ahhh the stories. Keep ur chins up ! and u will have many laughs and sharing on FHE, one day of all these amazing blogs and pics... And "Matthew-isms. And it will b a great great day!!! I just did it last Sunday with my entire family.... And once the fear and stress is GONE.... Every member of ur family will laugh, cry and grow even more amazingly closer than u thought u already were , becuz u will b smacked right in the face as I was at just how much not only my ward family had done for me., but my eternal family had done, that amongst the chemo, pain and surgeries....t all the hours and days and hours and feeding and showering and all tthe little pain in the butt stuff .... Not one complaint, they dropped their worlds for me. I knew I had the best family ever...... But had no clue the lengths of love each and everyone of my family members had for me! Tons and tons of "angels round about me". I know Matthew has those same angels round about him too! Stay Positive, call anytime u wanna chat about nothin' or questions about ur sweet angel in Room 121! Luv to all of u.
ReplyDeleteOur thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. You can do this! Love to you all.
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