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Brace yourself! Or more specifically, put on the neoprene orthopedic knee immobilizer. This is more fun than one should be allowed to have during Lent. Just fasten a metal rod onto your leg with lots of duct tape and tighten it until the veins in your neck protrude and you’ll get a sense of what it feels like.

In between leg exercises, Elton enjoyed playing cards with the boys. He taught them a new version of “Crazy Eights,” which we also played tonight.

This is among the most exciting photos that we’ve taken thus far. Please notice that Elton is without crutches. Yes, he walked on his own! When I entered the room to see it for myself, I immediately cheered. The boys joined me in celebrating with hearty praise and approbation. The pain of physical therapy is beginning to bear tangible fruit. He’s so good at walking he can do it with his eyes closed.

Simeon was admiring Elton’s new shoes, so much that he put them on and went for a walk (and a talk). He didn’t get very far. 

Finally, Elton enjoyed talking on the phone with his family. Evidently they didn’t get the email stating that his return home was delayed until April 9. Family members are starting to gather and anticipation of his return is mounting. 

We had a relatively calm drive to the city today.  It was Elton’s “final” doctor’s appointment with his surgeon.  Dr. Verma was pleased at Elton’s progress, but wanted to see him with better extension.  So they prescribed a number of “new” exercises (medieval forms of torture).  In the midst of one of them, Elton had a bleed. We infused again and iced, and within 10 minutes Elton said the swelling had stopped.  You can imagine how our hearts beat faster.  Elton remained calm and with his warm smile expressed that all was well.  I asked Elton if he wanted to have another exciting drive to the Emergency room.  What is it about Mondays?

Below are our waiting room pictures with a little window into how we entertain our boys. It starts with Chris giving Elton a hand.

Waiting…

Waiting…

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Waiting…in fact, see for yourself…

Today, Elton awoke to a winter storm.  This is the second time he has enjoyed watching fluffy white flakes descend from above (left). More amazing still was the sunshine and green grass that became visible by the afternoon (right).

Philip came home from Sunday school class last week asking Angela to make the bread that Jesus multiplied for the five thousand.  His Sunday school paper even offered a recipe for it!  So today, since the boys remained home with colds, Philip and Mommy made matzo.  In the picture below Simeon and Luke help to stir. Elton declared that matzo was “very good” (right).

Not only did Elton eat Israeli cuisine, we also enjoyed Ukrainian chocolate which Angela’s parents delivered this afternoon from their recent missions trip.  Coupled with the chicken marsala and ravioli, our style of food may be described as “eclectic” (with an emphasis on Italian).

Simeon below wanted to try Elton’s CPM machine.  He doesn’t quite understand that he is much too small for it.  He does understand however that his leg is supposed to go “right there.”

This evening we watched the movie Jesus of Nazereth at Elton’s request. This was our boys first time through it so Elton edured several interruptions from Luke and Philip asking questions like “Will our bird, Silver, rise from the dead?”

We had another exciting morning at the Castaldo home, but in a good way.  The UPS man came delivering a package at 9:00am from Neil, Elton’s sponsor.  In addition to sending Elton a computer bag, he included some gifts for Luke, Philip, and Simeon. Neil obviously understands boys. The gifts provided all day entertainment, an enormous grace on a rainy day.

Neil also enclosed a copy of his company’s magazine. In the photo below Elton  has turned to the page featuring the numerous children Neil supports through Save One Life.  It is a sponsorship program that directly serves persons with hemophilia in developing countries enabling them to obtain vitamins to prevent anemia, school fees, food, transportation to clinics, painkillers, proper shoes to protect ankles from bleeding internally,and life-saving medicine when possible.

It was a huge step forward for Elton today. He has the drive to walk and thankfully he has maintained muscle control since his bleed on Monday.  Although he wants to walk with only one crutch, he needs to first acquire a greater degree of leg extension. Toward that end he now performs a variety of exercises for “homework.”  This is done with the understanding that when he returns to Zimbabwe (he leaves April 9th)  Elton will have to be his own physical therapist.

Last night we enjoyed Zimbabwean sadza; tonight we had a taste of the Orient. Below is the silver platter on which Elton receives his meals while working out on the CPM.

Tonight Simeon offered Elton a computer in-service. Below each picture is a summary of their conversation. 

“Elton, you are using the wrong URL. You’ll never find the Bob Marley fan club site that way.”

“Google Elton, use Google; we’ll find it that way.”

“Why don’t people listen to me?”

If you’re going to shop for sporting goods, there is only one place to do it: Dick’s. At least this was our conclusion after cruising through the store in a boat. 

This evening we had a lovely dinner at the Jackson’s home, our friends who spent decades in Zimbabwe. Their house is a slice of Africa in the middle of Wheaton. The following wall hanging is one of many beautiful pieces on display.

The meal was authentic in every way, right down to eating with our hands.

In the above photo it’s dawning on me that this will involve a paradigm shift away from utensils.

In keeping with Zimbabwean custom, one of the females carries a water basin and towel to each family member. In this photo Elton is showing me proper hand-cleaning technique.

Elton is spooning out some sadza, the staple cornmeal dish of Zimbabwe. It’s similar to the Italian polenta, or at least that’s what I told my boys (below). The dishes that accompanied it were scrumptious.

For the remainder of the day Elton enjoyed spending time on his new laptop.

Today was a day that Elton will never forget. In fact, neither will we. After a visit with our Hemophilia Treatment Clinic, several members of “Team Elton” met at Maggiano’s Restaurant to meet over dinner. In addition to our family and the medical staff from RUSH, others flew in just for the occasion, including Laurie Kelley and Neal, Elton’s sponsor. Following are a few of the many photos that were taken.

John gives Elton a vaccination. 

Laurie Kelley of LA Kelley Communications with Elton. Laurie is a dear friend whom Angela and I met when we lived in Massachusetts during my seminary days shortly after Luke was diagnosed with hemophilia. I refer to Laurie as the Apostle Paul of the hemophilia world. She’s too humble to take credit, but in truth it was her tireless effort that made Elton’s trip possible.

Elton beside his sponsor, Neal. I can write for several pages about Neal’s amazing generosity and how much I admire him, but he wouldn’t want me to do that. This is one of many photos of Elton unpacking gifts which Neal just purchased for him at the Woodfield Mall. 

Elton with the Castaldo famiglia.

Elton with his most prized gift, a new laptop.

Laurie and Chris debating about who was actually a better Saint: Patrick or Francis of Assisi. She won, but only after quoting a limerick in Gaelic about Patrick’s clover emerging from a glass of green ale.

Elton with his beloved physical therapist, Nancy. 

Philip. Only God knows what was going through his mind. I imagine that after having already finished three courses of food (antipasto, pasta, and the entree), and feeling quite full, he is psyching himself up for the dessert—“I can do this; I MUST do this!”

Thank God, today was much better than yesterday. The swollenness of Elton’s knee has gradually decreased along with his pain. We started the morning with some wonderful photos of Elton’s family, which a friend sent via email. Angela and I viewed them beside Elton with his signature smile illuminating the room. It is remarkable to see the extent to which Elton resembles his Mom. Angela praised the strength of such a Mother who would entrust her son to complete strangers. Although we certainly don’t feel like strangers any longer; after all we have been through in these four weeks we are family.

Elton rested with ice on his knee all day.  By this evening he had perked up and was acting like his normal self. We enjoyed Lou Malnati’s Pizza, sent to us by a friend.  I told Elton that if he thinks this is good, wait till he tries Angelina’s homemade pizza.

Then, just to promote further reflection during this Lenten season, my boys’ pet cockatiel, Silver, suddenly died. This was their first animal. They received it as a gift for Christmas. I arrived home just minutes after our bird breathed his last in Angela’s hands.  Luke was already crying at the prospect of his bird being ill. Now it was up to me to break the news. When I entered their bedroom, Philip and Simeon were happily playing. Philip, my five year old, didn’t know quite how to react. Luke, age seven,  was absolutely crushed. 

I must admit, it became rather humorous, in a morbid sort of way, when Simeon attempted to console his older brother. Luke had been under his bed sobbing when Simeon crawled beside him to say, "It’s okay Lukie, the birdie won’t fall from his perch anymore, he’s dead…."

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The above photos are from Silver’s funeral service, which we performed in the backyard (in the pouring rain). Our text was Luke 12:6, where it says, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.” After a brief eulogy, Silver was lowered into his final resting place (right), the congregation held their umbrellas (left) and the Reverend Father concluded in prayer (center).

I received a call from Angela at 11:00am. “Elton is in severe pain and in need of help,” she announced. I immediately left the office. When I stepped through the door and saw Elton’s face, the seriousness of his condition became obvious, even palpable. Thankfully, Nancy our physical therapist was present to watch our kids while Elton, Angela and I jumped into the minivan en route to RUSH Hospital in Chicago.

We’d eventually learn that Elton had a bleed in his right knee—the knee of his recent operation. The truth is that bleeding in one’s joint is enough to make a grown man cry under normal circumstances; add to it tenderness from surgery and it becomes painful beyond description.

It’s probably true that Angela’s fingernails will  remain dug into our dashboard permanently. It’s because of me. I’m empathetic to a fault. Listening to Elton’s pain-induced groans and eventual cries in the backseat made me increasingly push down upon the gas. I figured that people drive 90mph on the autobahn every day and live to talk about it. In truth, the problem isn’t so much the high speed as it is my attitude. When I’m feeling acute fear I become what my wife calls “Brooklyn Chris.” Suffice it to say that this persona is not quite as gentle and patient as Pastor Chris. If by chance you were cut off today in Chicago by a speeding burgundy minivan, please accept my apology.

Elton is home resting now. The ER gave us some new, stronger meds that promise to cut his pain. We really hope so for Elton’s sake; if not, we will be driving back to RUSH again tonight. Please pray.

Elton has enjoyed a restful day. His appetite is increasing along with his computer skills. Today he learned how to upload Bob Marley onto his iPod. With that and Angelina’s marinara sauce, what more could you want?