Yesterday was a day that we’ve come to dread. Yesterday was blood work day for Isaiah. The whole thing is an awful experience. I mean, it’s never fun to get your blood drawn or await results; but it’s a more complicated affair for us.

As many of you know, Isaiah is on a very delicate balance of seizure medications. On blood work days, we either have to A) wake him up early (very high risk of sending him into a seizure); or, B ) give him his meds up to an hour or two late–after the blood work is done (lower risk of sending him into a seizure). We usually opt for option B, driving him to the lab as quickly as possible after he wakes up in order to delay his meds as little as possible.

On the way to get his blood work done yesterday, Careese was pulled over by a motorcycle cop. Her head dropped for every reason you can imagine. She hoped to accept her fate as quickly as possible and get back on the road to the lab. The officer approached the van, went through the expected routine, and noticed a very nervous passenger, Isaiah. He asked what Isaiah had going on that day. Isaiah struggled to get out the words, so Careese answered on his behalf. “Well, we’re headed to do some blood work.”

“Are you nervous about that?” the officer responded.

Isaiah nervously nodded, “yes.”

The officer encouraged him. “You’ve got this.” “It’s going to be ok.” … that sort of thing.

Then, he paused. “You know what…hang on a second.”

He walked to his motorcycle and back to our van. Then, he presented Isaiah with a shiny “junior officer” badge and sticker. He made quite a big deal about how special the shiny metal badge was.

“They don’t make them like this anymore. See here…the badge I wear is just a sewn-on, fabric one.”

Isaiah held it in his hands and smiled. Then, he released Careese and Isaiah to drive on to the lab.

After finishing up his blood work and returning home, Isaiah strutted into our house, puffed out his badged-up chest, and walked up to his sister for the first of many “Reach for the sky!” moments. Later, he rummaged through our playroom and made himself a holster so as to look more police officer-like. He proudly wore the badge and sticker until leaving the house later that day, only taking them off out of fear of losing them or messing them up somehow.

That APD officer didn’t know our story (latest update here: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/isaiahwood). He didn’t know the severity of Isaiah’s condition. He just saw a nervous kid and a momma in need of some grace. Our son needed that yesterday. We needed that yesterday.

I know there’s a lot of angst about the police these days, but many of them are among the best of humanity. Thank you, Amarillo Police Department, for being a bright spot in an otherwise dark day. Keep up the great work.