Home again, Home again...jiggety-jig

This post is a few days late, but I was busy loving on my kids and soaking in my non-hospital, country environment.  It's just too good to be home!  I told my mom on the phone the other day that it went faster than I thought, but those last few days were like torture...you could see the end, but you couldn't quite reach it.  I feel a little shellshocked.  This treatment that I'd been seeking, planning and fighting for is complete...now I let my body heal and do what God designed it to do.

I was a little worried I wasn't going to make it home.  Our taxi ride to the airport on Friday was probably the scariest part of this entire process (not really, but you get the idea).  Our taxi driver must have mistaken us for ultimate thrill seekers.  Either that or Craig's forbidden photo op caught up with us and we were wanted fugitives trying to escape Northwestern Hospital, in a TV worthy police chase.  I think I audibly screamed several times, and grabbed Craig's arm more times than I can count.  I felt like telling the driver..."Precious cargo here...I just had a stem cell transplant. I'd like to live to enjoy my new MS free life with my family".  Apparently the Prius is now an option for Nascar.

We made it to the airport intact, but soon realized that as our boarding time approached, our flight would be delayed (for 3 hours). This was "mechanical", so not announced ahead of time. Eventually they got us another plane which may have been a good thing.  I don't know if any of you have flown through Chicago O'hare, but it's one of the world's busiest airports.  Craig and I both agreed that in all our years flying through there, we'd never seen it as busy as it was that Friday!  It was as if the word got out that the token bald lady, with her baby immune system, was at the airport and everyone should please go take a look!  Needless to say, I wore a mask the entire time at the airport and on the flight home.  I got all sorts of looks, but I really couldn't have cared less at that point...I just wanted to go HOME!


It was a sweet (late) reunion, but so precious.  I can't say enough how proud we are of Emma and Luke and how they handled all of this.  They were so excited to see us and even more excited to present to us their research on, "why we should get a guinea pig".  I think we would have agreed to anything, so a guinea pig seemed like we were getting off easy.  I can't be involved in any of the care, keeping or holding of said "pig", but they've demonstrated such responsibility that I know they will do great.  Meet Lula Raymond...she's a sweetheart.

As you can imagine, Father's Day was just a little bit extra special this year.  It had always been my goal to be back for Emma's big, end-of-the-year dance recital on June 19th, but depending on how long it took for me to engraft...Father's day wasn't a given.  Craig is such an amazing dad!  I'm happy that we could be home to celebrate him!

So today I'm thankful for the Father's in my life.  First and foremost, my Heavenly father who has carried me every step of the way during this treatment.  I could write an entire blog detailing all the ways everything that happened to get me to this point was more than just chance, luck or anything I had done on my own.  I'm thankful for Craig.  Emma and Luke are blessed to have such an amazing dad.  His hobby is them...period!  He's always been a "hands on" dad, but even more so after my MS diagnosis and the debilitating fatigue that went with it.  My father-in-law, Dave, who has modeled for both of his sons compassion, love and integrity.  Former-Marine, engineer, handy-man, the list could go on. If you know Chris and Craig, enough said.  Lastly, my own dad.  He's really quite an amazing man...Vietnam vet,  former-Marine (subsequent CLL from exposure to agent orange), mr. fix-it, educator, coach, and quite an equestrian, just to name a few.  We share a love of college sports, anything involving physical exercise, clean organized garages and spaces, and much more that I won't list here.  I never once in my life felt like you were disappointed that you didn't have any boys.  I can remember you (and mom too) at every organized sport/school event I was ever involved in.  You and mom instilled and modeled for me values like integrity, determination, patriotism, respect and the love of family.  I love you with all my heart!  Happy Father's Day!

~Veronica