Radiation is finally FINISHED! The nurses and doctors even gave Jarrod a cute little certificate of completion and balloons. I wanted to take a picture but I didn't want to embarress him and make him feel like a little kid graduating from elementary school or something. He really hasn't had any side effects from the radiation. He's been a tad tired but nothing that hinders his daily life. His skin in that area where the radiation hit is tan but nothing else really. We're so grateful he hasn't experienced anything else. There was a list of possible side effects but he hasn't experienced any of them, thank God. We want to thank the awesome men of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills who gave up a couple hours each week to take Jarrod to get his radiation. We're so grateful for you guys!
Sadly, our home health rehab group is also finished with us too. We developed friendships with his occupational therapist, physical therapist, and social worker. I fought back tears when each one left. They became such a major part of our everyday life for awhile. They helped push and give us the confidence we now have. We will miss them. We ARE happy though that they felt comfortable enough to end therapy with us. They felt Jarrod was at a good enough place where we didn't need them anymore. That in itself is a huge encouragement.
Jarrod is now walking around in public with a straight cane and at home with NOTHING AT ALL. He's been doing so much lately. During his last week of physical therapy with Rehab Without Walls, his physical therapist took him to a few trails around Chino Hills to prepare him for our weekend of camping where there was a trail to get down to the beach from the camp site. We went last weekend and he did amazing. HE packed up the car with our stuff, unloaded, packed it back in the car when we were leaving and unloaded again at home. He's also been doing things to push himself like having me park farther when we go places so he can walk more. The home health therapists also left him with the ability to take care of BOTH of the girls while I'm not there. They really wanted to make sure he achieved that before they ended. He has accomplished it wonderfully. Of course he still puts the girls shirts on backwards or puts Amariah's outfit on Hannah or forgets a dirty diaper on the side of the couch but I think that's just a man thing. He would do that regardless. ;) I even went back to work (hopefully for JUST the summer) as a sub and he takes care of the girls while I am gone. I'm amazed at how far he's come. For awhile he struggled because he couldn't do a lot of things. Jarrod is such a hard worker--a true manly man so to not be able to do things around the house that a man normally does was really difficult for him especially when I had to be the one to do it. I am such a girly girl. I was the one that never did sports or never went in the backyard because it had bugs. Watching me do things because he couldn't was weird, difficult, and funny all at the same time. Now he's doing almost everything. The other day I came home with a car load of groceries. I came in to bring the first load and went back and there he was with the rest of the groceries on both arms. My manly man. How I have waited for this. I'm tearing up as I write this. I was never sure if he would ever return to "normal." I wasn't sure if I would forever have to be the "stronger" one to do all the "man" work. I'm not wired that way and he's not wired to watch me be that. He's not completely back to "normal" but he is learning new ways to do things. I'm so proud of him. He hasn't given into self pity. He hasn't given up. He doesn't allow himself to be stagnant or idle. He is a fighter and to me a winner and my hero.
We successfully ended another chapter and are gearing up for yet another one. Pray God guides us and continues to give us strength and wisdom. There are some decisions coming up that we need to make so we'd appreciate your prayers. Pray for continued healing and recovery. Pray God continues to shape us and our girls through this time in our life and always. Pray He continues to use us and our story to help and encourage people. Pray for continued provision. Thank you!
