Definitely Not Anti-Climactic

I can honestly say that I was dead wrong. I stated that the actual process of bone marrow transplant was expected to be uneventful and anti-climactic.  Let me stand corrected in saying that there is nothing anti-climactic about watching another person's cells being pushed through your child’s central line. Cells that are intended to train his body not to make leukemic cells anymore. Cells that could be accepted or rejected. Cells that were selflessly harvested from a complete stranger and shipped across the ocean. Cells that will become a part of his body and provide him with brand new DNA. 

Nope. Nothing anti-climactic about that. In fact, I found myself moved to tears frequently throughout the day. I watched my child lie there with the energy to do nothing but receive. He received the gift that was being granted to him. He received the new cells, the new life. 

Tears would flow for a multitude of reasons.

From reports of a sweet 3rd grade student telling their teacher that even the sun wore orange for Camron today. . .

To an encouraging personal message from a Nascar driver (Camron's favorite). . .

To a beautiful picture of Camron's peers, teachers, and youth minister offering up prayers for him at the annual See You at the Pole event. . .

To a complete saturation of social media feeds (I'm sorry!) with people sharing the news of Camron's special day. . .

To school buses showing support . . . 

To a plethora of messages, videos, and pictures we have received of people near and far offering up prayers or wearing orange in support of a boy that some of them have never even met.

It has been an emotionally overwhelming day.

Now we wait. We watch him endure some very tough days. And we wait. 

The goal of this entire process is engraftment. Engraftment is when the cells that he received today become a part of his bone marrow and begin to grow and make new blood cells.  Engraftment is such a beautiful picture of what God does for each of us. 

Paul told the Romans in chapter 11 that those who place their faith in Christ will have the same ability to be joined to the Father as His chosen people. He likens the Gentiles (you and me) to a branch that is divinely grafted into the root of the tree. Engraftment is something that each of us desperately need because we can't be a part of God's family without it. Jesus provided the life-giving blood that made engraftment possible! 

So, we wait. But we wait with hope. We are confident that the God who created Camron will also provide His perfect method of healing for him. The days ahead will be tough. Thank you in advance for the prayers that you will continue to offer up for our boy.