Day 22: Doing Remarkable!

Fastest we have left the clinic yet! We arrived 8:30am and left about 12:30pm, alhamdulilah, and not just leaving early but with good news. Yousuf has started making his own blood! No transfusions today! It seems the prayers that are going around the world have been making a difference! Alhamdulilah. Yousuf was so happy to leave and was as if he understood the good news. He was waving bye to the hospital saying, "Bye kids!" He started waving to helicopters and telling us he was ready to get his grub on. I'm hoping that there will be many more appointments in the future like this one, insha'Allah. The only bad news at this visit was preparing us for the upcoming one. He will need to get a spinal tap, bone marrow aspirate, and also the port-a-cath put in. This means no food or drink for Yousuf for a very long time and many many waiting rooms. Khair insha'Allah.

Today I had just enough time to sign Yousuf in and then left immediately to my appointment across the street. Omar will be one years old in a couple days and I was due for my annual check-up. Once a year you have to update your paperwork in the doctors office including insurance, address, and family history. It was strange marking the "yes" box next to cancer for family medical information. My appointment was finished right on time to run back across the street to hear the good news from the doctor herself. Not much elevator problems this time on the way back although I realized something. It's not just "elevator wars" but elevator experiences. Today I was thinking about the concept of visiting the sick and thought I am AMONG the sick. That's a good thing. This experience with Yousuf is creating another inner person within me that appreciates not only health more but life itself. There was a little girl Yousuf's age who got onto the elevator, on my way back, who had a walking stick. Her eyes looked swollen shut and was walking by the guide of the stick and her mother. I smiled realizing that made no difference to the little girl. She was holding a giant pink stuffed bunny. She asked suddenly, "Do you like my bunny?" I just stared straight ahead at the elevator doors thinking how cute the little girl was but not saying anything after hearing her mom reply yes to her. The little girl said, "No, I'm asking the lady in the elevator." I was shocked that she knew I was there and that I was a lady. By that time the elevator doors opened and people flooded inside separating me and the little girl...but she kept asking me, "Do you like my bunny?" in the sweetest happiest voice. I raised my voice as loud as I could saying yes! I do! Too many people dividing us and my floor was next. This blind little girl who was so fascinated by a bunny she could not even see. SubhanAllah.