As stated in the writings of the Baha’i Faith, ” It is…music which assists us to afffect the human spirit” and “helps us to communicate with the soul,” where “music, sung or played, is spiritual food for soul and heart” and serves as a “ladder for the soul,” especially in times of difficulty and pain (Baha’i Quotes). Friday’s port placement went well, as expected. It was Saturday morning that Jadan woke up to pain. The pain wasn’t a surprise, and after a couple of Tylenol, it was bearable. Enough so that Jadan turned to his guitar to play through the pain. Listening to his jam inspired a feeling of relief. It was our ‘normal’ Jadan doing his ‘normal’ thing…even though we knew he was hurting. He continued to feed his soul all weekend. As for the rest of us, we have been preparing for the storm.
How does one prepare for 3 months of chemo? How does one prepare for the unknown? This last question has been one I’ve asked myself over 100 times this last year. In that sense, finding ourselves facing cancer feels familiar. One thing I know is that life goes on. As we prepare ourselves by learning how to care for Jadan during his chemo treatments and the potential side effects, we are focusing on surrounding Jadan with all that strengthens him emotionally, physically, psychologically, and spiritually.
Today was our first Chemo Education session with Jadan’s nurse. We appreciated the opportunity to learn how the port works during treatments, ask questions, and see the location where Jadan will be during next week’s first round. Jadan will have to decide if he wants the port needle to stay in during the week or be inserted into the port each day. Fortunately, he will have some numbing cream to apply before the port needle is used. Jadan’s nurse was patient, informative, and highly supportive. We were grateful for her time and guidance. As mom, I was relieved to have questions answered and to see Jadan feel heard and appreciated.
One more thing on my list was finding Jadan a comfortable chair where he could recover from chemo treatments. Uncle Chuck shared that his chair was his best friend when he was going through his treatments. I’m happy to share that today was the day. We found a cool retro chair that reclines and swivels, allowing him to play his guitar in comfort. The chair is also great for listening to classic vinyl, such as Close Encounters soundtrack and Jerry Garcia’s Garcia. Seeing Jadan feed his soul with his new best friend instills hope and joy.
Thank you for checking in on what’s happening on Jadan’s Cancer Journey. I’ll be posting more soon! We are grateful for your love, prayers, and support!
Soul Gardening: Jadan's Cancer Journey 