Dear GBC Family,
Here is some recent news. Thank you so much for all you have been doing.
-Dann
Recent News about Skylar
May 13th, 1999
On Thursday afternoon, May 6th, I flew up to Palo Alto. Pam picked me up at the airport there around 6:15 PM and drove me to the hospital to see Skylar.
Skye hadn't eaten much of anything for about a week; he had been loosing weight. As soon as I got there, I got him out of bed and took him in a wagon out to a large hall area. He had a ring-toss game from physical therapy that he wanted to play. We set it up, and I told him that he had to stand up to play it.
I told him that if he got a ring on the post I would do a jig for him. "What's a jig, Papa?" he asked. "You'll see" I replied. When he finally succeeded in getting a ring on the post, I launched myself into an impromptu, enthusiastic dance for Skye's benefit. He laughed with delight! "That's a jig" I said.
Then it was my turn to toss rings. "If I get one on, you have to do a jig for me" I told him. "OK" he replied. True to his word, when I landed a ring on the peg, Skylar danced a little jig for me. And so the evening progressed.
"If you get the small ring on the post" I said, "I'll dance a SUPER jig for you". Before our game was done, I had done many ordinary and two very exhausting SUPER jigs for him. His mother and grandmother insisted that they did not know me. We all returned to his room in good spirits.
A little later, I took him for a walk quite a distance and on several floors of the hospital. We found an abandoned tray of sweet pepper slices and carrot sticks, apparently left from some hospital function. I was delighted when Skye ate several pieces of pepper. Later in his room we had a contest to see who could drink the most Dr. Pepper soda.
Skylar (and all of us) are amazed and delighted with the beautiful 80-square quilt that the dear folks and friends of Grace Bible Church have made for him. He was especially tickled by Coco's squares on the quilt!
Pam and I left for the hotel at about 11 PM, and I was much encouraged at the progress in exercising Skye and getting him to eat and drink some.
The next morning when we returned to the hospital, we were amazed (and I was delighted) to hear that they intended to release him to go home that day. I rushed back to check out of the hotel and run a couple of errands. Back at the hospital, they were checking Skylar's blood sugar at half hour intervals as they weaned him off of the I/V.
While trying to transport myriad stuffed animals and toys to our car, I said to Pam and Suzanne that I should have hired a moving company. Finally, all was well, all was packed, and we were able to leave for the long drive home - just as Bay Area rush-hour traffic was getting going. After a slow start, we made good progress towards home.
We stopped for supper at a Burger King. Skye wanted to play on the playground, so Papa and Skye climbed through the tubes, up and down ladders and slides, two times.
When we finally arrived home (four hours later) Skylar's older brother Chris and Skye's other grandparents were very glad to see him. Skye enjoyed the attention. Then at bedtime Papa sang songs for the boys, as is my custom.
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday were good days - each day I was able to take Skylar for walks. We saw his appetite improve greatly (Mama had the task of logging his food intake to report to the hospital). We got through the difficulties of Mama's first catheter flushes and dressing changes at home.
On Monday afternoon I took Skye and Chris to the beach at Morrow Bay. We went for quite a long walk on the sand. Later we played in a bayside park for a while, and then celebrated with an ice-cream cone (Skylar had eaten all of his hamburger for lunch, and Papa had promised this as a reward - and he ate all of it!)
All told, I am thankful and much encouraged to have Skylar out of the hospital and to see his progress. I have seen many specific answers to specific prayers for Skylar, and for this I will always be grateful to God.
The abdominal swelling seems to be notably less. We have figured out some ways to slip some very beneficial nutritional supplements into Skylar's food and drink without his knowledge. He is at the unfortunate age where he is smart enough to know what he doesn't want to eat and to mistrust anything out of the ordinary in taste - but not smart enough to decide to do or eat unpleasant things that are necessary for recovery.
On Wednesday the 12th, Skye went back to the hospital on a day-trip for one of his weekly chemotherapy sessions. He returned home the same day. I spoke with his mom this evening, and she says he is still doing well (though a bit cranky today) and that he is maintaining his weight.
I am very thankful for all of the love and concern shown to Skylar and to us by all of our dear family, church family, and friends. Thank you all from the very depths of my heart. Those of you who pray, please ask God for help with these particular concerns:
-Dann McCreary
Dann McCreary - creatr@geocities.com - http://creator.cjb.net - http://uptime.cjb.net
"Since you are precious in My sight, Since you are honored and I love you, I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life." - Isaiah 43