The Lightning Thief

My son, Harrison, just finished reading The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan. For the past couple of years, from time to time, I have tried to focus him on books and stories that are soon-to-be movies, prior to him seeing the movie. I thought this would help him catch the "reading bug". (I have always loved to read - Harrison, not so much.)

Harrison is a great reader and a really smart kid, but unlike my daughter, who sneaks a flashlight and a book in bed with her every night (her "reading job", she calls it), his I-Touch often takes precedence over a book.

So, last night, I was asleep in my bed at 8:30 or so. Into my dimly lit room gallops my son bursting with the news that he had finished this book. "Sorry to wake you up, Momma," he said, "but I finished The Lightning Thief, and I thought you may want to start reading it tomorrow."

Sleep after chemo is a temperamental thing. I had chemo on Monday, hence my 8:30 bed time. It had been a harder chemo than most, partly due to my own carelessness and partly due to my queasy stomach. I was so nervous for chemo treatment number four. That was the half of it. On Tuesday, I was mostly lethargic and slept on and off all day, though I did get out to walk Cooper. On Wednesday, I was feeling much less so. However, like Tuesday, I called on friends to visit and bring me lunch - in other words, make sure I got out of my pajamas. I had only a short nap yesterday. So, when I pulled myself out of my chair to go to bed last night, my eyelids could not have been heavier.

Shortly thereafter, when Harrison bounced into my room, my first thought was: "that is nice honey, now how am I supposed to get back to sleep?" This is not what I said, of course. He was so excited and proud. The movie comes out in two weeks, and he had already shared with me that he wanted to finish the book in plenty of time so that I would have time to read it before we saw it in the theater. Cute thought - Harrison is my thoughtful child - though, not exactly my kind of book. However, The Lord of the Rings was not either and I loved those books and the movies. I thanked him and sent him to bed.

Still in my chemo fog, I dreaded the task at hand. Falling back asleep. With chemo, sleep is not always easy. It is not always restful; especially once woken out of a deep slumber. I just hoped that I could manage enough sleep so I could have a good Thursday. I admit that this morning, I did not wake up nice, that is for sure. But now that I am up, despite a couple of things that have already gone awry for the day, I think I am alright.

I know my plans for the day will leave me exhausted by night fall. And...maybe that is when I can best curl up with a good book, like The Lightning Thief. Sleep or no sleep, the sound of excitement in Harrison's voice last night when came into my room was one of hope, I think, more than anything. Hope that his mommy was well enough to share something with him that he knows I find important--a good book. So, sleep or no sleep, you better bet, I will do everything in my power to be sure that his hope is answered.