Another day at the hospital. Saw the usual character art — as well as a fun mascot-character-guy down by the cafeteria. He made me smile. And that’s a big deal in a place like that. We spent the day in the same surgery unit as the one from three years ago – and even walked by our personal waiting room from that day. But today was different. Instead of an eight-plus-hour surgery with an uncertain outcome and a week-long hospital stay, this was an outpatient surgery. We were there all day, but we got to come home tonight. We’ve got a long road of chemotherapy ahead of us, but I’ll take what we did today over that day three years ago anytime. But rather than attempt to untangle a string of mixed emotions right now, I think I’m going to say a quick prayer of thanks and go get some sleep in my own bed. Because I can. There are plenty of families that we saw in the waiting rooms today who aren’t sleeping at home tonight. These parents are (sort of) sleeping sitting up in awkward chairs, refusing to leave the bedside in an effort to bring comfort to their kids and themselves. 

Think I’ll be saying a prayer for them, too. Because that’s such a tough thing.