Day +244

Update on Timothy’s health:
Last week, we met with a pulmonologist at CHLA.  As expected, we talked a lot about Timothy’s lung history.  The doctor was very thorough and patient.  So the plan is Timothy will start on the inhaler which has a tiny bit of steroids in hopes that when he is weaned off the oral steroids, his lungs will be sustained.  If this doesn’t work, they might do a lung biopsy.  I am hoping we won’t have to do this.  It’s a very invasive procedure.  Timothy’s chest x-ray from last week looks good and hopefully it will stay this way.

We also had a clinic visit today.  We decreased the steroids a little bit.  Checked his bloodwork. Got the first part of the flu shot.  And we haven’t received a phone call re: the lab results, so we can assume that all his counts are good. 

We are extremely thankful.  Timothy has been happy.  He has been enjoying visitors, since he doesn’t get to really go out.  If you are wondering… we are okay with adult visitors who are not sick.  But not in big groups.  Also if you’d like to visit, please get the flu shot.  We were all directed to get the flu shot this year for Timothy’s sake.  And it has to be the shot and not the nasal spray (nasal mist has live flu virus).  Thank you all for your love and prayers for our Timothy!

Here are some pictures of the kids.  Daniel finally took out his camera and decided to take some pictures :).  Enjoy!

A Day in the Life of the Songs

Created by a talented videographer, Daniel Song.

Going Home

I have a very overactive imagination.  My husband says I watch too much TV.  But it’s actually very seasonal.  For a long time, I had band myself from watching TV and movies, because I didn’t like the effects it had on me.  But what I have watched from the past have left vivid images in my mind, both pleasant and not so pleasant. 

Often times, my thoughts wander aimlessly as I ponder upon the future.  Sometimes, my active imaginations take over and my mind starts to panic thinking about the worst, especially regarding my kids and husband.  I don’t want to spell out any of these, because they would sound crazy, I am sure.  Also, I am terrified of uttering them out loud because I feel like I would somehow ‘jinx’ myself.  I know, this is very contrary to my principled beliefs I hold on to.  But when I get into one of these moods, I really anguish about the worst in this life.  We only need to watch the news to see the rampant evil, corruption and tragedies of life. 

Recently, my thoughts have been preoccupied with pain and death.  Death is all around us.  We see it in the recent devastation in Japan.  We see it in our personal lives.  I see it in my personal circle of friends.  It is heart-breakingly  sad.  In the midst of my grief, I realized something important.  The reality of heaven became real.  In light of this realization, all my irrational fears dissipated.  Even if the worst happens to my kids, this world is not the end.  There’s heaven to look forward to.  This hope released my anxieties and paranoia.  And I realized how urgent it is for me to share this hope with my children everyday so they may grow up knowing this truth.  It gave me a renewed sense of conviction and purpose.  I am at peace and I wish this peace for my kids.  This world is not our home.  As my former pastor put it, my suffering friend is ‘going home’.