We are one month away from our one year diagnosis day anniversary. While I’m not quite sure what card or gift this occasion calls for, I do have some thoughts on this approaching date.

Cade hanging out on the farm

1. It went by faster than I thought it would.

I can’t hardly believe we are almost one year in.  I remember thinking that time had stopped when we were in the process of getting this diagnosis confirmed.  And at that time, everything we did was hurry up and wait.  Hurry for the blood test, wait for the results.  Get results of blood test and try to get into a specialist.  Wait some more.  While I can look back and see some really amazing things that came out of the waiting, it seemed like time would not move for us.

2.  My faith is growing stronger everyday.

I’m not going to lie.  Some days I feel like I am just going through the motions.  But not once have we doubted that God is good.  Then at church this last weekend, the scripture and message that spoke to me was God is love.  So while all this time, even when I have been going through the motions, I have been repeating God is good, I have now decided to add God is love to that.

3.  People will absolutely amaze you every day.

I don’t know that we will be able to ever adequately express our thanks and gratitude for the way our community and many others outside our community have embraced us.  While I have always believed in the good in people, we have seen this magnified to such a great level that is beyond all comprehension.

4.  Cade is so much stronger than I could have ever imagined.

I can still feel an ache in my heart when I think back to him asking if once his test results came back if they would fix it and he would be able to run like the other kids.  I remember God giving me the strength and grace to be able to handle that question and the many others that would follow in the months since.  I have also witnessed Cade take every new thing we learn and adapt and overcome.  Even his wheelchair is seen as something cool to him.  We told him how much more we could do with him since we now have it and he has never looked back.

5.  It’s okay to not be okay with this sometimes.

There are days where I hate DMD with every fiber in my body.  I want to scream.  I want to cry.  But most of all I want to take it away from Cade.  At first, I tried really hard to not show any bad emotions about DMD to the boys.  But the emotions still came and they would get to a point that there was no hiding them.  And I told the boys that I was having a bad day.  But then something really great would happen next and I could move on past the bad day.  And it was just fine to have those bad days.

There are probably a ton of other things that I have learned but my mind has gone blank now so these must be the ones I need to stress.  We are blessed with the ability to be able to spread awareness of DMD.  With awareness comes research and acceptance.  And the biggest thing I want for Cade is acceptance.  And he has some pretty amazing friends.

Blessings.  Lynnette