Ruben & Us

Ruben offered Modim yesterday because he was so grateful that some of his worse side effects abated.  U'lecha na'eh l'hodot. 
 This is after he had said God was no longer his friend. Theology has disappointed and  Prayer is tricky in the worse moments, much easier to offer when we feel gratitude.  It's been terrible and painful.  And debilitating for him, and us for that matter. During a particular gruelling night, after Chemotherapy this week I missed Rosh Chodesh, and he observed;
"Mummy I think we need a break from each other. It's very hard for you and you need a rest. And so do I ..." He is quite surprising sometimes.

School this week. He was miserable  and lonely for the first two mornings. But my psychological reinforcement from the cafe across the road felt very good for me.! I drank coffee, reconnected with FPS work and felt very liberated. But now he's talked to boys there and left on Wednesday smiling. A very welcome sight.
But very sick again today. It's a roller coaster this.
He has raised £8000 on his Just Giving page for Teenage Cancer Trust. Justgiving.com/Ruben-Qassim/ I have found people's  generosity and support has been extraordinary. He'll be ready soon to post pictures of himself without hair but not yet.

Funny this. They've kept him on the paediatric ward and not in the teenage hub after all. But he's still pleased.and figures his fund raising efforts continue to be worthwhile, even if TCT is not directly caring for Ruben Qassim.
Other two are bearing up. I served Hot Dogs at school fireworks, ( at some personal cost)  so they don't miss out on normal school life, while they drank fanta Orange and spent pounds and pounds on glow sticks.
Dora is so used to eating other people's delicious meals that she ordered what she fancied from Emma on the way back from trapeze. Slightly embarrassing? She scored this week's schnitzel, salmon teryaki, gobbler pie, chicken and masala casserole and Macaroni cheese very highly. As did I. We feel fraudulently at times receiving such kindness.