Mind games continue.

So Pads continued to miss school last week - just too tired - the hollow look, dragging himself around and that's if he made it out of bed. He showed signs of improving on Friday night though. Then yesterday he was very active - playing on a table-football for ages and we went to the international pool in the afternoon. Even today he was pretty normal until falling asleep in the afternoon and then he could do little else for the rest of the day. Regular bouts of neck pain is still a cause of anxiety. We try and reassure him about the high probability that he will not get a bad scan result but he is not convinced. The neck pain is too much like his memories of the last time. Ally is often involved in these kinds of 'no-man's land' scenarios in the lives of Velindre patients but being the mum with all that insight is quite challenging. She's seen scan results turn out bad that were expected to be good, and vice-versa. With 'George' (the PEG tube, not to mention the 'port') due to come out on Thursday, it would be hard for him to face needing another one. The consultant prefers to avoid answering hard questions like that and encourages us to 'enjoy life now' - which is more than fair - none of us know what a day may bring (James 4:14). The specialist nurse says, 'don't go there', but we've been there and come back. Our feet are on the Rock (cf. Psalm 40 and 1 Cor 10:4). Last week's morning sermon was especially helpful with this. We were reminded of Paul's confinement in the Phillipian prison where he and Silas sang praises to God before an earthquake released them. He faced far worse than that too, and yet could say, 'rejoice in the Lord, and again I say rejoice' (Phil 4:4). The ultimate example though is the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who 'for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.' (Heb 12:2)
The scan is tomorrow but we've been warned that the result could be delayed by as much as 10 days - the department responsible is short-staffed.
It was really nice to get the blurb about our holiday caravan, donated by the Christian Lewis Trust. It included family tickets for several of the local attractions - it's so thoughtful of them!