Day +40: "I have the best friends...in Heaven AND on Earth."

Today was not an easy day by any chance.  It is Day +40 post- bone marrow biopsy, and Rowan has been in the hospital for 53 days straight.  He had his first fall in the hallway, on his way to the tub room, and he could not pick himself up off the floor on his own.  After that, he went down for another sedated bone marrow biopsy in a wheelchair.  Then, we were alerted that a second organism was growing in his blood.  Next, it took two people, 3 attempts to get a peripheral blood culture drawn.  He was extremely bloated and distended today, so in quite a bit of pain.  And finally, he started having major gut issues with evidence of gi bleeding.  At one point he faltered from his normal chipper, positive self and said "today totally sucked".  I gave him that one...he's been very strong...for very long.

Two specific events turned his day around though. 

The first started with Rowan washing his hands and us noticing a special water droplet (note the heart:).  Rowan said it was a sign...and I chose to believe him.

After he saw the sign (which he always takes time to look for), the lab tech entered the room to draw his blood for the peripheral culture.  He isn't an easy stick...he never has been.  The first person left after two failed attempts.  When the second person arrived, Rowan started getting very teary eyed. 

Then all of the sudden he said, "I'm gonna ask Chrissie to come help me."  he whispered something under his breath, closed his eyes tight, took a deep breath and then opened his eyes again.  Suddenly he started smiling at a point across the room.  I asked him what he was smiling at, and I grabbed my phone.  Something about the angelic look in his eyes, gave me the feeling that I was about to witness something pretty amazing.  Sure enough, Rowan told me, "It's Chrissie."

Just look at this picture.  He is pointing across his hospital room, to the place where he sees his angel friend Chrissie Patterson, who came to help him in his time of need.  Tears streamed down his cheeks, but he was definitely crying happy tears at that point.  I asked him what he said when he prayed for her to come help, and he smiled saying, "I just told her: Chrissie...please please please come help me.  I need you!" 

(By the way...the next poke was a success- of course;) 

The second was a visit from a fellow transplant buddy, who he would call his best hospital friend here in Seattle right now.  She got discharged 2 weeks ago.  She didn't have to be here today.  She's out!  But she had chosen to spend her free time outside of the hospital making him a very special present (a very creative, pretty and fun pillow)...by hand!  And then, she and her Mom took the time to come up here to give it to him in person.  She can't enter his room.  She had to hand it to me from the hallway, and watch him open it in his hospital bed, from the glass sliding door.  It was such a beautiful site though. They couldn't hug or be close to one another, but their precious smiles melted my heart and filled the room as well as the hallway with love.

  

(air hug from across the room and through the glass door:)

Later in the evening, I asked Rowan how it made him feel that both Sam and Chrissie came to visit him in his room today.  He said, "It made me feel very special...and like I have the best friends... in Heaven AND on Earth!"

You do Rowan...you really do!  And I thank God every day for that!