Love, apparently, has everything to do with it. If I knew less about medicine, I would credit love with Katie's ongoing recovery. As it is, I'm pretty sure that love has supported the pharmacy's efforts in her body. We have been fortunate in our brief history as a family. We have always known great love. There is something about stress and sorrow, however, that inspires people to express their love in creative and perfectly practical ways. Phone calls, cards and letters remind us that we have the support of our community and that our family is really quite large. Casseroles nourish and sustain us. (I have never been much of a cook; I'll be hopeless by summer!) Gift cards make frequent trips to Burlington far less stressful; they help with the grocery bills when Katie wants two can of chicken noodle soup, three slices of pizza, carrots with dip and a glass of milk for dinner. There is nothing our extended family cannot do to provide for its children. There are challenging moments (!), but I try to count my blessings. This experience could be so much worse.
I wonder how I would survive this experience without all the help we have received. What would I do if I were a single parent and couldn't trade children with my husband some days? What would we do without health insurance? What if I couldn't afford prescriptions or the little treats that keep Katie positive? How would we care for Josh and make life normal for him without the army of people encouraging and entertaining him?
I am finally beginning to talk with other parents whose children have or have had leukemia. It is so good to talk with someone who shares or has shared this weird journey. We have been reading another family's blog about their daughter's experience with ALL--I check it at least twice a day, desperate for news of Maddie's health--and it is sort of soothing to share a vocabulary with another family. I sat Katie down today and showed her pictures of Maddie's port and her tubies. I'm not sure Katie gets it yet, but she was very excited to discover that Maddie has Dora pajamas. (Oh, well-it's a start!) I'm beginning to look forward to Thursday clinic days. I want Katie to see that she is not the only little kid with leukemia. I want her to know that other kids get sick, too, and that they get well. They lose their hair (Katie's is rapidly disappearing). They cry when they visit the doctor. They get medicines through their tubies. They watch movies. They hug their moms. They eat chicken nuggets. They are regular kids who just happen to share an unpleasant experience that will challenge them but not beat them. We have taken to saying a mantra: "I love you. You love me. It's okay." If love were all it took...It sustains us, at the very least, and for that we are grateful.
2 comments:
I tell you what, your kids are very lucky to have you both as parents! You both are doing a great job! Give yourselfs a pat on the back. Love does have something to do with her recovery i am sure along with the rest. Sometimes it is really nice to know how many people are out there willing to give a little, remember what comes around goes around,there are good people in this world still and its so nice to see. Family and Friends are great!!
I have a daycare here and 3 yrs ago when Ricky's and my Uncle Charlie found out he had lung cancer well 3 days later i found out also that the lady i sit for, single mom of 2 small kids had ovarian cancer! Well let me tell you, that was something have 2 people so close to you having cancer. So i new i had to help i could not sit back and feel good about myself and watch what this lady was going through, she did 19 rounds of chemo and 3 major surgery's. It took her 2 1/2 yrs for all to be done and now she is cancer free, During all this I put on a dinner/dance for her and her family and i did it with the help of my husband and 2 kids and we raised over $9000.00 for her, we were able to pay catch her up on her bills, she had no health insurance at the time, and 1 yr later money was still coming into her account! That made me feel good that i could help, and the look on her face was worth it all. So today she is Cancer Free and has a fulltime job with health insurance and making good money! But her Dr. said that i saved her life,she was able to worry about getting better not worrying about her bills, so that made me feel good! Just wanted to share this with you. With the help of family and friends and LOVE it all works out. God Bless you all, by the sounds the students are very lucky to have you and Ricky for teachers too!
bnveGood morning(though not so good for Katie today): Hope all goes smoothly in Burlington today--at least you are at the point that some parts of the treatment are behind you.
And LOVE has everything to do with it!!Without the love and support of my family and friends, I know I couldn't be where I am today. And you are finding that out!Thinking of you ofter,Suzanne(from Sheffield).
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