Day Twenty-five

"Don't tell God how big your mountain is...tell the mountain how big your God is!"....on a card from Merielk. We have received some really wonderful cards!

 Ryan is doing well today.  Thank you, Lord!  Mirjan picked up the additional medications today.  We'll start one in the next several days and the other within the week.  Ryan has always been pretty good at taking medicines, and he'll have to take one of these three times a week for a year.  Ryan's medicine box is growing bigger each week it seems. 

Well, Ryan has quickly learned that if he says his stomach hurts, we won't make him eat.  That didn't work a month ago, but now it does because the advice that we have received is not to force him to eat. We'll talk to the dietitian again for more advice as things change.   I looked at the tips on cancer.org and included them here (for our future reference):

Ways to Help Your Child Take in More Protein and Calories

These tips may help your child eat better. Although eating as well as possible is important for children with cancer, don't make food a battleground. And always talk to the health care team if you are worried that your child isn't eating or drinking enough. They can help you with this before it becomes a serious problem.

• Serve your child small meals and snacks rather than large ones. Good snacks are things like peanut butter and crackers, cheese sticks, puddings, fruit roll-ups, and cereal and milk

• Let your child eat whenever she feels hungry and be sure to include high-calorie, high-protein foods. Don't worry about the amount of fat. High-fat items such as hamburgers, fries, pizzas, and ice cream give her calories, protein, and other key nutrients.

• Have your child eat her biggest meal when she feels hungriest. For example, if she is hungriest in the morning, make breakfast her biggest meal.

• Use the My Pyramid Food Guidance System as a guide for good nutrition. You can learn more about this at www.mypyramid.com.

• Try to get your child to drink most of her fluids between meals instead of with meals. Drinking fluid with meals can make her feel too full.

• Use colorful cups, mugs, and straws to encourage your child to drink fluids throughout the day.

• Use cookie cutters to cut shapes from sandwiches, gelatin, meats, and cheeses.

• Make faces out of fruits and vegetables. (Many children's cookbooks have examples.)

• Serve food in unusual containers or on cartoon character plates.

• Have picnics. (You can even use the backyard, the living room, or even the attic.)

• Let your child help prepare the food.

• Invite your child’s friends to share meals.

• Plan ahead for meals missed because of things like doctors’ appointments and treatment appointments. Take along juice packs, plastic bags with snacks, and non-perishable foods, such as fruit cups, puddings, and cheese and crackers.

• Talk to your child's teachers about letting her eat or drink in the classroom.

• Encourage your child to be physically active. Activity may increase appetite.

• Encourage your child to eat more when he or she feels well.

Call the doctor or nurse if your child has treatment-related problems, such as constipation, diarrhea, or vomiting.

I'm kind of glad that Ryan can't read this or he would be preparing his own pizza with fruit roll-ups and eating in the attic.  Actually, there is some good advice that we will pay attention to.  We have already started stocking up on things that he enjoys.  He likes to snack on fruit, yogurt, cheese sticks and has never turned down ice cream in the evening. 

Mirjan cooked another amazing dinner.  For the first couple of years, I was introduced to her type of food. I never realized that a plantain could be an appetizer, the main dish, a side dish, and a dessert...and taste really good however she prepared them.   Now she is cooking all types of food, and I honestly can say that every meal is really good. 

Ryan is now up to 13 states.  He was real excited tonight that he remembered all of the ones that we have been learning.  Davianna came in and they started to have a silly conversation that I just had to sit back and watch play out.  Sometimes they are each other's throats and sometimes they act like best friends.  This was a best friends moment and all three of us ended up laughing really loud.  I was waiting for someone (uh, Mirjan) to come in and tell us to be quiet, but that didn't happen. Ryan went to bed (for the first time), and then Davianna embarassed me in "I Spy."  I think she picks a page, practices, and then is ready when we look at it together. 

Mirjan's sisters are coming down this week, and everyone is excited to see them.  It will be good for Mirjan to spend some time with them.  I'm not sure if they will bring a suitcase full of plantains like her mother does, but I wouldn't be surprised.  Maybe they can help can give Ryan a mohawk this weekend.  He has asked for one for two years now.  Hmmm, we'll see what the fashion boss says. 

Today was another good day.

Father, thank you for a good day with the family that ended with a lot of laughter. Thank you for another healthy day that you provided Ryan.  I ask that you let the new medicines be effective and minimize the side affects of the chemo.  I understand that over the next several weeks that physical changes are common, and I just ask that you keep his body healthy and continue to heal him.  In Jesus' name, I pray.  Amen.