Wyatt II

Round Two for Wyatt began on Monday, April 18th, 2016. We had received wonderful news the week before that he had responded extremely well to the chemo in Round One and was considered in remission.  Wyatt bravely squared his shoulders and went back to the hospital and began Round Two. His attitude and strength and patience and all-around goodness set the tone for everyone. He really was incredible and a hero.

The blanket under the cat is Wyatt's baby blanket that always had a place of honor in his hospital bed.

One of the many acts of loving service that were given on behalf of Wyatt was from a family in their neighborhood (who Angie hardly knew), that heard about Wyatt and decided to tie orange ribbons (the color for childhood leukemia) around all the trees up and down the streets, for blocks on end. The generosity of people is awesome and humbling. So many meals, so many gifts through the mail or left on the front porch from friends and family, so many visits, phone calls, texts, comments on social media. So many prayers, so many times his name was placed on temple rolls, so many fasts, so much love. Even from the perspective of the grandma, every gesture on behalf of Wyatt felt like someone was tying an orange ribbon around around my soul too.

Wyatt (being goofy) and me 4-26-2016. Every time we went to Children's Hospital we first stopped at the front desk and got a name badge and declared that we didn't have a fever, cold or runny nose. Everyone was very healthy the whole time, other than Dennis caught a slight cold.

Wyatt felt SO MUCH better during Round Two. Good enough to kick a soccer balll..............

........or practice his putting....

..........or hone his gaming and YouTube watching skills!

Here's Wyatt rocking the cool hat Elise bought for him while on a DISNEY CRUISE with her friend's family.

Can you say "Luckyyyyyyy!'

May the 4th be with you.

I would often c-r-i-n-g-e if Wyatt was hooked up and would start kicking the soccer ball. He would patiently tell me "IT'S OKAY GRANDMA!" For someone who raised her children with benign neglect, I am now the annoying Grandma Safety Officer! (And Wyatt was right, it was always okay!).

Wyatt wearing the spider man mask that he had to wear when his counts were low. He's meeting their new kitty Kodiak Shadrack Roundy!!! Kodiak's middle name is named after Wyatt's great-great-great-great-Grandfather Shadrach Roundy who was with Brigham Young when the Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.  Kodiak is a lush, plush, delectable Siberian kitty.

Two sweet faces!

Wyatt looked forward all day if he knew that Ethan, Elise, Jonas (or Kodiak) would be visiting.

Elise and I outside in the back yard on Mother's Day. We also celebrated later that day with Angie THE SUPER MOTHER, at the hospital. We celebrated lots of milestones in the hospital, but that's what happens when you spend half a year at the hospital! Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, a myriad of special days were marked gathered around Wyatt's hospital bed. Each will remain in our memories as a time we marked a milestone in a different way, but it was all okay, because we were together.

Dennis started feeling a cold coming on right before Wyatt was ready to return home after Round Two. Since Wyatt's immune system was still very compromised, we decided to take a quick trip to the Great Lakes area near Duluth and stay away for a few days until Dennis felt better. I'm glad we went because Dennis was sick enough that we would have had to lock him in the basement if we would have stayed home, but he was feeling good enough to drive and get out and about.

Here is Wyatt at home after Round Two in his place of honor. He has watched t.v. lying on this spot in the family room ever since he was a little kid............usually without a shirt on. Whenever I'd vacuum that piece of carpet I'd always imagine Wyatt being home again and taking his usual place.

One night we heard a "thud" and Kodiak had fallen from that upper ledge to the wood floor below! He has eight lives left.

Here is beautiful Elise and her date Teagan Smythe on their way to Mormon Prom. Kodiak was the perfect ice-breaker!

Good -looking couple!

Kodiak also kept Jonas company at his computer station.

Once again, it was the best kind of medicine for Wyatt to be home, being a kid, out in the fresh air - and spring was in the air!

Another event we were able to attend was the spring concert for the choirs at East Ridge High School. Jonas and Elise were both active in the music groups. All my photos of them performing were even blurrier than this one.

I have always loved photos of people walking away. And so, Wyatt also walked away from Round Two and was home for some R & R before heading into Round Three! (and we flew away to North Carolina for Caroline's baptism!).