A Jon Post
Like a Son
“Uncle Jon” came the small voice over the phone, “Tomorrow I’m leaving to go home!”
Immediately joy, excitement, fear for his safety, and heart-dropping-sadness all warred for my emotions. Little Tomé, after two years of living alone in the hospital, was going home.
He finished his final chemo treatment early last month, waited a week for a CT scan, another week for an ultrasound, another week for a blood test, and was finally given his discharge last week. He left for home at 2 AM Friday morning.
Earlier this week when he told me he was so close to going home, I went out and bought him a pre-pay cell phone and loaded it with credit.
“Keep this phone with you and if you need anything or just want to talk, you call me and Uncle Jon will be there for you.” I told him.
We’ve spoken about 3 or 4 times every day since he left.
Sitting on the bus, eating dinner, arriving at a town about halfway home, waiting for the next bus… he calls and we talk. He has never owned a phone before so he is comically unaware of phone etiquette but his smile is obvious when he speaks and his laugh infectious. “How is Aunt Layne? How is Anaya? What did you eat for dinner? How is everyone at the hospital? Is your dog there? Where are you? Do you like buses?” and on and on it goes and we laugh together while I hold in the tears long enough to get off the phone and miss this little boy who became like a son to me.
And even though this work brings so much pain, it brings more joy. So we’ll keep doing it.
Please pray that Tomé stays healthy, that his cancer stays in remission and that we see him again.
Thanks.