Radio programme

Yesterday at 5pm, a programme was broadcast by BBC Radio Wales featuring our recent ordeal.
We were asked to contribute towards a human interest programme by the North Wales media company Chwarel. They gave us a mic and asked is to record into it whenever we felt able to, so it was a very non- invasive method. We are grateful to Sioned and others at Chwarel for their sensitive handling of all the footage.
I don't think it is available outside the UK so you can access it from this link: Mike's copy of 'A Miracle for Paddi'

On record

Have done some more thinking about the radio programme we're planning. We've also been talking to the team about it. In some cases it can become a bit of a pandora's box. We're reminded that some people make a living by publishing news stories. Apparently some less worthy journos are known to scan obituaries for mention of children's cancer charities and the next thing they're knocking the door of the home looking for an angle. Our man from Chwarel is a gem though and the whole process is designed to be as unobtrusive as can be. Even Pads has said he's looking forward to seeing Ian again. One hopeful outcome of the recording would be to help others find a way through the terrors of cancer. Some parents of cancer kids decide to hide the illness from their children, even the one with the illness. Perhaps this is some kind of bid to protect their innocence... Although it is tough for anyone to live with such a disease in the family, it's only a reflection of what happens in this fallen world. Some parents go to great lengths to replace deceased pets while the potentially bereaved child is out of the house, but we've never taken that approach.
Apart from the way we've coped, another angle of general interest is the length of Pads' illness. This is an emergent trend with enhanced therapy.
Pads mates generously gave him some i-Tunes vouchers, since he now has an Apple device. Last night he finally got around to choosing something, that was proving tricky because he's no fan of the current music scene. The only item he'd landed on was some John Williams movie music that we already have. He'd looked at films to purchase, but we were both surprised at how little choice there was. Anyway, since he likes film music, it seemed like a good idea to go around the store picking up individual tracks and so he spent a while on that project.
The Christian Lewis Trust play therapist returned on Wednesday. Pads was keen to see her and, as usual, they had a 42 deck game of Skip-Bo. 42 cards each makes the game last about an hour. She came within one card of her first ever win when Pads snatched victory at the last!
Pads had planned a hot-tub for Thursday and he was well enough to take advantage. Friday was clinic day.  This time he wasnt given an option as it is important for the consultant to check him over before a new cycle of chemo starts. On the way back, mum pushing the wheelchair, he met the gastrostomy nurse and a fellow cancer sufferer. This lad is now blind from the illness, yet very perky. Pads was highly amused at the way he was 'explored' through touch and questioning. It is another reminder of how common suffering is and how many are in similar, if not worse, sitations.
I've just taken paracetamol and codiene 'Padi style' - throw them all in together and take a swig! At 1.30 am my eardrum burst, the pressure from an infection finally grew too great. Thankfully it's ten years since this happened last. We were on our way up to Achiltibuie to visit McFarlanes, stopping off overnight at Jean's. That was just one aspect of just one of our eventful trips North. I've got more pain relief on board this time but when the nurse on the phone asked me what my pain score was, I found it hard to be precise, not wanting to over-state it when Pads has endured so much so patiently.

Point made

Pads spent almost the entire weekend in bed, which is probably where the parents should have been with their colds, but, for them, the 'show must go on'. The medical team said a cold would hit him harder and so it has although there are definite signs of improvement now. He descended for the tutor yesterday and is talking about the possibility of a hot tub later in the week. Today we got him down to meet Ian from Chwarel who are keen to do a piece for radio about us. We don't know what form that will take yet but we have the mic and some formative ideas. Pads coped well with this although some of it was awkward for him. He's implying the others are off doing useful things all day while he gets to crack machinarium puzzles:

Whatever you think of computer games, that is a masterpiece. I said that the most important learning happens in primary and he'd proved more than capable on every front there. He said he missed the last year of primary, so I upped the ante. Every second he's alive he's doing a worthwhile thing, just lying there. After he's gone we'll be left with the aftermath and the memory, now we have the reality, that, on a moment-by-moment basis inspires us and causes us to inspire others, by God's grace. Apart from that, he's got deep insight, and more's the point, spiritual insight.
If anyone in the USA is listening.... (yesterday I wrote this on Chick-fil-A's FB wall but no response yet... - relatives in the US are in pursuit - thanks Renie and Joe!)

For the last 2 years Pads has smirked and giggled at a Chick-fil-A calendar (and we with him). To many people's surprise, he made it to 2012 and now there's a big empty space on his wall... Please can you tell me how can I get hold of one of these?

Finally, I've started a new twitter account for thoughts from family worship. I have used this blog for that in the past but tweeting is a lot more efficient. It's called 1st1st because it's vital to put fellowship with God first in a day, a decision, a life. The latest 'sweet verse' I have the kids learning is 'Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you' (Matthew 6:33). Sweet verses gain sweets in the mouth and sweetness in the heart which lasts a lot longer ;-)
I dreaded the responsibility of leading family worship and still have my qualms, but the Lord undertakes to bring something vital from the Bible by God's Spirit every time we approach it prayerfully. Even the most familiar passages repeatedly reward us with surprising discoveries of the things of God, if not God Himself.