e@cyclosporin: Day 6-9: Power of Memory

Against my will of updating this blog daily, days are packed with many tasks and activities days are slipping by quickly before I could get on this blog.  As you can imagine, this means nothing major has happened so that is a good thing; but it also means accumulation of fatigue has somewhat caught up with us at the same time to keep up with everything.  We are doing fine, but just wanted to give you an idea.

Ensay's found a smooth routine for taking the medication, measuring the blood pressure, flushing the PICC Line, keeping hydrated, and resting as much as he can.  A lot of these are assisted by his head nurse (mom!) with the greatest care.  Ensay is still making three trips to the hospital per week to do the CBC, transfusion, or to see his doctor but on the whole he's had no serious reactions and sleeps without much interruptions.  Appreciate your laser-focused prayers to alleviate him from the nightmares.

So far, it is still premature to seek a clear indication from the blood counts, but using the Olympics analogy, we realize this is a marathon and not a 100m dash so we are trying very hard not to react to each every readings various reports.  This is definitely an aggressive training for us to keep our eyes on Him who is in full control of the situation.  Sad to report that our son is doing a much better job at this than his parents.  (Wait, that's really not sad but happy, isn't it?!  But you know what I mean.)

As for the hemorrhage in his eye, the doctor confirmed it to be diminishing in size, which is a great progress, and it is not in a critical location behind retina to be too concerned.  However, there is a chance that it may leave a permanent blurry spot.  So, I am going PRAY for that hemorrhage to dissipate cleanly and completely.

Good news and a Reflection:  Ensay went to school for the whole day on last Thursday.  We were not sure if he would sustain the whole day but he did fine even though we could see him a bit tired that evening.  I am most grateful for his positive attitude in making the best out of the situations he is in.  That morning when Young Joo dropped him off at school, her eyes swelled up with tears because she was so proud to see him taking the proactive steps forward even after such a set back.  I keep linking back to his younger days and when she told me that, I remembered the first day we dropped him off at the pre-school and watching him bravely walk into the classroom all by himself.  Some of you may relate to that mushy feeling inside as you gaze into such a scene.  Then I realized those precious moments of witnessing his growing into a new phase is what keeps making these memory flashbacks to take place.  It is as if these special moments add another thread into the fabric of family.  Without such memories, heart-to-heart ties may not be strong.  Without such a memory for me, when my wife told me about Thursday morning when she saw Ensay go into school after missing it for more than a week, I am sure I would have been proud of him but would have lacked the depth of my love for him accumulated over the years.  I just saw a new angle to the power of memory and how I need to continue adding more threads to my family's fabric by intentionally facilitating moments noteworthy to store into my memory bank.

From this week's daily reading on Matthew 26:64 --
"You have said so," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." -- was really a quote from the Old Testament's Daniel 7:13 -- "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.  These two period span more than 500 years and to see Daniel's prophecy come true after so many years is a strength to know that our God spans the time space we live in.  His promises will never fail just like this sun in the picture that rises every morning without failure.  This picture is from when our family went to a near by pond to have Easter sunrise worship.  Many things were unknown with Ensay's situation then, so we lifted him up for the power of His resurrection signified by this sunrise to shine on him with a touch of healing in his blood system.

WOW Report -- This is not new, but we're continuously WOWed by the community of friends bringing (quite delicious, I might add) food for us to eat from far places as well.  We're very much touched by all of your loving hearts (and hands).  Email messages of letting us know your are covering us with your prayers are very much strengthening us also.  WOW.