Perseverance Through Pain

As a parent, I can't think of a lot of things worse than seeing my children in physical pain.  When they were little, it was those first scrapes and bruises that made my heart hurt.  Jeremy's broken femur at just two years of age--and the cries that accompanied it--were like a shot to the heart.  Throughout the six-plus months of this journey, I have watched Paige experience varying degrees of pain in many different forms.  Respiratory distress.  Nausea.  Soreness and stiffness of deconditioned muscles.  The list goes on.  With each new challenge, there is always--always--prayer first.  Asking God to take away the pain and suffering of my girl.  Asking Him to guide the hands and hearts of Paige's doctors and nurses as they treat and care for her.  This week was no different.

In the fourth week of Delayed Intensification, Paige was scheduled for a much-needed break from the intense chemo and steroid therapy she has been receiving.  She had plans to go swimming at her grandma's house, spend time with her best friend, and just be 'free' for a few days.  You know what they say about the best laid plans...well, our plans most certainly went awry.

Last Tuesday, our family took in a charity softball game, courtesy of The Sunshine Kids and The Roger Clemens Foundation.  We had great seats and were so thankful for a family night out.  As we were leaving, Paige complained of stiffness and soreness in her right leg.  We attributed it to the fact that she had been sitting in hard stadium seats for a while, and Boyce promptly gave her a piggyback ride to the car (my favorite part of the evening, by the way).  By the time we made it home, stiffness had turned into pain.  A dose of Tylenol did the trick, and all was well the next morning.

We brought up the hip and leg issues during Thursday's clinic visit.  Paige's doctors assessed her and determined the pain was most likely a result of deconditioning from her recent steroid therapy.  She was pain-free that morning, by the way.  That night was another story altogether and was the beginning of four days of severe pain in Paige's right knee.  Heat packs, cold packs, pain medication, and rest were doing nothing to help.  She could put weight on it but experienced excruciating pain in the process.  Crying.  Sobbing.  Pleading for the pain to go away.  Each cry broke this momma's heart a little more--and as she cried to me, I cried out to God to ease my baby girl's pain and sent out a call to my fellow prayer warriors asking them to lift Paige up as well.  

Two clinic visits, three medications, and several x-rays later, we had our answer.  A healing, non-displaced fracture on the fibula, just over 2 centimeters in length.  A few weeks ago, Paige had a slight slip in the hallway and went down on that knee.  It was so quick and relatively painless that she didn't even tell me until a few days later, yet it resulted in a bone fracture.  Unfortunately, the very medications that are excellent in the treatment of leukemia can wreak havoc on the body.  This was a prime example.  Slower healing, more time on pain meds, and trouble performing simple tasks--yet through the hurt, through the tears, Paige continues to push herself in the same way she has this whole journey.  It's going to take time, but with each painful step, she demonstrates the fight and courage that has become such an inspiration to us all.  God's mighty healing hand is all over this girl.

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.   Jeremiah 17:14