The things I think of at 4:18am

Dane and Alex were hanging out last night in Alex's Man Cave - I heard them around 2am, again around 3:30, the talking got so loud  that at 4:18am I hauled my tired self out of bed to remind them that others were trying to sleep.  I have to admit though that as I walked back to my room I smiled.  I smiled and then thought about the 2 of them and the things that have happened over the past 14 months.
Over the holidays, while visiting with family, we reflected back to last year and what was happening with Alex; Thanksgiving he was still in the hospital, we got to "check him out" for 3 hours, he was in a wheel chair and had to use a cuff to eat;   Today I can report that he completed his first semester at Dixie State College, he walks, runs and drives.  He's almost 100% self reliant.  His hands/fingers still aren't to full use but he has figured out a way to do almost everything.  He's making new friends and enjoy life.  Its good to see the old Alex returning.  Its still tough as a mom to watch him struggle with things, every morning when I hand him his pills (yes he still has to take a lot of pills for pain, seizures etc..) it breaks my heart to see his hands and scar from his skin graft.  Yet it makes me so proud to know that I can go off to work and that he will get himself ready and off to school on his own.  He's a fighter and I'm so glad!
Even though I'm tired today, I wouldn't trade it.  I'm so grateful to have Alex and Dane still with us, glad they are still friends and enjoy talking about physics (yes it was a horribly intellectual conversation they were having) at 4am.
Kaleen aka Alex's mom