Making the best of it

My son is a trooper. There's just no other word. He's brave beyond his years and has both a brain and heart that most teenagers are still struggling to develop. I think that's par for the course when you have a health condition that causes you to grow up. REALLY FAST. Every month this little man gets stuck with needles and rarely sheds a tear. He has a reputation at the hospital for being the most gracious patient, thanking the people who hurt him over and over again. Yesterday, he was in prime form. I kept notes of some of the things he did and said that make spending hours in the hospital with him every month bearable.

1. As we were checking in, the registrar was sitting at the "Cashier" desk. He said, "Cashier, huh? That means you take people's money, right?" She nodded. "Do you take some of it and go out to eat sometimes?" She and I both explained that she couldn't do that, that it wouldn't be legal or ethical, that it's the hospital's money, not hers. "I do get a little of it, since they pay me to work here," she said. He responded, "Must be a very little since you don't look especially happy to work here." I hid my smirk (he was right).

2. As the infusion therapist was starting his line, our son talked through the pain. "I'm going to be a doctor or nurse OW when I grow up OW I'm going to give OW them IVs and when they act up OW I'll rip the IVs out of them OWWWW and remove the tape really slowly OW so that it pulls their hair and OW makes them hurt OWWWWW just like you do to me every month OW." Then it was in and he was ready to get hooked up and Cale said, "THANK YOU!"

3. He was drinking water, watching TV at about hour 3. He looked over and said, "Who are my cousins?" I starting listing them off and he interrupted, "I drink water every day." HUH?

4. His nurse asked if he got out of school early to come get his treatment. He said, "Yeah, I get out for real at 345." The IV guy said, "So today you got out for pretend?" He said, "Yeah. I'm cool like that."

5. Every time the nurse came in to check vitals, she asked him his name and birth date (I don't know if this is to make sure they are cognitively still doing good or if they have to match it to their file or what). She said, "Cale, can you tell me your name and birthday?" He paused, looked at her and said, "You just said my name. Do I really have to say it again or could you just make a note of it since clearly you know it."

6. Playing his DS, he stopped and looked over and Adam and I, who were reading books. He said, "Daddy, do you like eating cotton balls?" Then he started back into his game. Adam and I just looked at each other and started laughing so hard we nearly fell to the floor!

Not many kids can take a situation like his and make it fun - almost like an adventure. I have so much respect and admiration for him and how amazing he really is.