So on Saturday we went to a Giant Eagle grocery store as a family (courageous).  In the checkout line Trey exclaimed (not yelled but exclaimed) “I want candy!”  There was a woman (similar to the one pictured here) in line ahead of us who shot Trey, and then all of us, the quite purposeful laser death stare.  It was so ridiculous in general and over the top given the situation (who has ever heard of a 5 year old saying that they wanted candy in a grocery store checkout line?) that I was knocked off of my guard.  When I realized she wasn’t kidding and that a friendly smile wasn’t following the scowl I of course pretended to lunge at her after she turned around.  I then turned to Joe and whispered, “She’s a nice lady…yeeeeeeesssshhhh (Buggs Bunny reference).”

I wanted to drop the “C” card right in her face.  I wanted to shame her in the worst of ways.  Yet, I relented and withheld my wrath.  Very quickly I remembered my own words that we all have stories.  We are all facing something.  When I got to the cashier I did slip a bit and say to her (after the woman had checked out and carefully examined every item on her receipt…twice, and left), “not the nicest woman I’ve been around.”  The cashier replied, “She can stare all she wants, I’ll stare right back.  She had the nerve to say to me, ‘I don’t know why I had to be in line with THAT kid.'”  Mind you, after the death stare Rachel took all four kids out to the van.

I went on to say that we don’t know what’s going on in a person’s life.  Who knows why this lady was so angry and bitter?  She very well may have just come from the hospital and lost someone near and dear to her.  She could have just found out that her 5 year old grandson was diagnosed with cancer and here was this “healthy” 5 year old pining for candy.  Admittedly, I did also say, “She could have eaten all of her loved ones and now regrets it.”  However, I doubt that she would regret it.  We just don’t know why people are the way they are but I do know that we all have stories.

That being the case, here’s an update on our story.  Rachel and Trey were supposed to be on their way at this point to go to Philadelphia to see what treatment options were available at their children’s hospital.  HOWEVER, given the weather making travel much more treacherous and keeping in mind that we are living a life of no regrets we decided to move the appointment back two weeks.  If Rachel and Trey skidded off a cliff while driving to an appointment that we were pretty sure was going to be fruitless, I would probably have regrets.  So, I spoke with a Physicians Assistant to clarify what they were offering in general and our desire to not ravage his body nor relocate.  If they were more optimistic about matching our desires then Rachel and Trey would have headed out yesterday ahead of the storm.  Instead, Rachel came down with a pretty nasty head cold, further solidifying our decision to hold off.

I then emailed our Oncologist to keep him in the loop.  He said that there may be a trial treatment available for Trey here in Pittsburgh that could be available as early as this week.  I do know this.  Your prayers have been as important to Trey’s condition, if not more so, than any medicine or treatment he has received.  Thank you so much.  So…we shall see.

In conclusion something else hit me in that checkout line.  Besides the anger of moment, the desire to personally and publicly humiliate this woman, I thought of something and someone else.  All of you.  It occurred to me, “How many hundreds if not thousands of people would give a ton just to walk through a store with our Young Warrior?”  I then, again briefly, felt badly for this cantankerous combination of cruel and overly sensitive…child of God that had stared at us.  This poor lady was about to be crushed in the world of online social media.  It’s ok though, I doubt she would know…or care.  However, I do know and greatly care that so many of you know and care for us…thank you.