A Mother's Courage...

Ammon had a comparatively good day. When I walked into his room he was asleep and he looked great! It’s kind of funny to describe him as looking great when he’s still hooked up to the bipap machine, has six or seven medications and fluids coming in through his three IVs, and all the other blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen monitors. But the reality is that he looks great compared to two weeks ago and even just two days ago. The neurological team is changing his seizure medication again and we are hopeful that it helps. His catheter was removed, which is good news, as well as his chest tube (I think we already mentioned that). His suctions are getting better, so it appears that more of the junk in his lungs and throat is finding its way out. It’s all progress, we just need to remain patient and help Ammon continue to endure. Thank you again to everyone for your prayers, service, and kind support. You are all helping Ammon to fulfill one of his many missions here, simply by loving him and being inspired to do good.

Summer mentioned in the previous post concerning Ammon’s hair loss. His hair loss really struck a cord with me on two fronts. First, this cancer is real. The disease that I couldn’t see with my own eyes finally manifests itself through the treatments to battle it. With the loss of hair, everyone understands, everyone comprehends, and it generally goes without saying, “Oh, he has cancer…” The symbol of a bare head is similar to a badge of honor worn by a soldier, and generally the children called to wear this badge wear it with the same strength and the same courage. The cancer is real, I can see it’s mark now, and it was tough to see. But I’ll choose to be Brave like Ammon.

Second, I am amazed by and grateful to be married to a beautiful woman. With confidence and courage that I only hope for, Summer firmly, yet tenderly, pulled the electric razor through beautiful tufts of golden hair, while I simply stood by and watched them fall in piles on Ammon’s pillow. Confidence, courage, and compassion pretty much sum up Summer in every aspect of her life. She was this way in college, she is this way at home, and she is this way in the church and our community. Particularly with Ammon, her confidence, courage, and compassion continue to amaze me and the medical professionals she works with daily. Feeding tubes and surgeries, physical and occupational therapies, medications and heart breaking diagnoses, pretty much anything that intimidates most grown-ups, including me initially, her response has always been, “We got this, we can do this.” On a family camping trip this past summer, without even a second thought, she carried her 40-pound son in her arms over large granite boulders, through a forest trail, and next to a raging river all just so he continues to be included in everything all the other kids are doing, and once back at camp as an afterthought she said, “I guess it probably wasn’t too safe on some of those boulders…” But for an individual with the confidence and courage of Summer, what many would think of as an excuse for not performing an activity with Ammon, including myself, she only thinks of it as an afterthought, after the service and compassion have already been performed. That’s the woman I get to be married to. That’s the woman Ammon has as a Mother.

One other item. A lot of people that didn’t know Ammon before this, have started to learn about him and have been inspired by his experiences. I still can’t express adequately in words the amazing gifts that Ammon received on his birthday and the blessings and support we felt thereby. I wanted to share something fun with you about Ammon, so you can come to understand his special role here even better. We’ve shared this fun video before, but as his Dad it continues to be one of my favorites (you’ll see why). This is about three years old now, and we like to call it “When Daddy Comes Home.” Please click here for the original blog post and enjoy!