Chocolate Blood

By Brent (http://www.brentriggsblog.com/ )

If I had to pick one adjective to describe the everyday life of our family it would be "humor". The title to our family blog "…where laughter lives" is not just some cute moniker, it really does define the atmosphere in our home.

My wife is the closest thing in our family to NOT being a jokester or a prankster, but don't let her quiet demeanor fool you. She has quite a sense of humor as well. One thing that is funny about our family, and sometimes embarrassing, is that we have a long list of words and phrases that make up our own special vocabulary.

Here's just a few of our many family phrases that have popped up recently as we spend a lot of time at the hospital. We have a long list and this is just a drop in the Chuck’it Buck’it:

Chuck’it Buck’it:
You know those pink plastic boxes that they give you in the hospital to throw up in? Even at three years old, poor little Abby has gotten to be an expert at vomiting in the most proper and neat manner. If you ask her where the "Chuck’it Buck’its" are, she will confidently inform you that there's one in each car, one in her bedroom and one in the living room.

Poop-A Lot:
A lot of the chemotherapy and medication that Abby has to take causes her to be constipated. So we frequently have to mix a medication with whatever she is drinking to remedy that side effect. Because her stomach is so sensitive, she often is only able to drink chocolate PediaSure, the vitamin fortified infant and toddler drink. So we mix a powdered laxative medicine into it for relief of constipation and PediaSure is magically transformed into "Poop-A Lot".

Chocolate Blood:
The first time Abby saw her own blood in an IV, it was really dark in color. For whatever reason, it looked like chocolate being pumped through the tube so now every time Abby gets blood, it's referred to as getting the "chocolate blood". Her two-year-old brother can't figure it out when Abby wants to give him some chocolate blood because he can never seem to find the candy she's talking about.

Tickle Poke:
Abby has been stuck with needles countless times in the last four months. There are two kinds of needle sticks that she understands: ow-wee pokes and tickle pokes. Ow-wee pokes are needle sticks that go into fresh skin that has not been numbed. Tickle pokes are when a special cream has been put on the skin to numb her so it doesn't hurt. Abby often administers "tickle pokes" to the ribs of her brother and sister.

Buttcrack Alert:
No buttcrack that is showing is safe in our house. It's not that we go around displaying them on purpose, but with seven kids and all the activity, it is bound to happen to anyone at any time... so you better hope our two-year-old is not around. Any accessible buttcrack that is visible is fair game for the "buttcrack alert" which involves the little fella running up behind you and inserting his pointer finger into the area of violation and declaring "BUTTCRACK!" for all to hear.

Porcupines:
This would be when daddy hasn't shaved that day and goes to kiss one of the kids on the cheek and scratches them with his "porcupines".

Two Eyes:
There are certain medications and sedation that cause Abby to be groggy and have a hard time focusing her eyes. During those times you're likely to get informed that you have "two eyes". The first couple of times she said, "daddy you have two eyes", I just thought she was being cute and couldn't figure out why she was saying it. I'm kind of dull but my wife filled me in on the obvious: when Abby is groggy she sees double. Thus, everyone has two eyes, two noses and two mouths.

Fuh Fuh Room:
Well that's the family room of course, but I'm sure you already had that one figured out.

Pig Meat:
And that would be Sami and Abby's favorite ham luncheon meat.

That's just a partial list. Over the years, we have forgotten more than we can remember. The Bible says that laughter is good medicine and during this particularly difficult time in the life of our family we can personally testify to the truth of that.

Now if you'll pardon me, I have to go take care of my porcupines in the same room where the porcelain chuckit buckit resides (you thought I'd end it with a Poop-A-Lot comment, but my wife would kill me).