Stronger...

Here's a video made by a cancer patient from the hematology/oncology unit of Seattle Children's Hospital.    I didn't know what to make of it at first, but the more I watched it, the more it made me smile.....and laugh....and cry. 

(thanks to Ryan K. for sending it my way)

I smiled at the song's message (taken slightly out of context) of growing stronger in our trials.  I laughed watching the fun the patients were able to find in their misery.  I giggled as I watched the familiar scene of a mother pushing an IV pole while frantically trying to keep up with her child as he raced around the halls on a bike.   And I was touched watching the nurses strive to bring a little joy to their  patients. 

And I smiled at the hope that shone in all of their faces....

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UPDATE: 

• Ellie came home bubbling about how her class was going on a field trip to the Apple Store at the mall, because they were learning about seeds.   I laughed as I  tried to envision a class full of first graders in the Apple Store fully expecting to taste test different varieties of apples and instead getting a lesson on modern technology.  

• Spence is as nauseous as he's ever been .  :(

• He also has a random cough, which seems to aggravate his nauseousness. 

• For the first time ever, we played the "cancer card" and in the process talked ourselves out of a parking ticket.  We looked out our front window one day while Spencer was home and saw a police officer giving us a ticket for having expired plates.  We ran out and explained that it was a car that wasn't being driven and that we were in process of getting them updated anyway.  He explained that it didn't matter, because it was parked on a public street, so the ticket would stand.  I got emotional and mentioned that we were distracted with a sick child right now and that's why we had let it expire.  He still didn't budge and we gave up.  Then five minutes later he knocked on our door, apologized, and voided the ticket.  During this exchange, Spencer walked by the door.  As soon as the officer caught a glimpse of Spencer's bald head, he got all choked up and could barely talk.  We got our plates updated the next day. 

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"Adversity has the effect of revealing hidden reserves of strength that, in times of contentment and prosperity, would have otherwise lain dormant."
                                                                                                                                   ~ Horace