Funny and Feisty

Katie Grace and I have returned from our adventures in Burlington. We spent two days in the infusion bay, and Katie trooped along through the challenges with her customary spunk and sass. We had a good time, oddly enough, and there were some very funny moments. Dr. Bradeen was surprised to find that Katie had turned the hospital bed into a slide, for instance, and Katie used a sponge and some acrylic paints to decorate her own crown. We also discovered a new restaurant that any Carb Queen would truly love--Nothing but Noodles--and Katie gobbled her way through enough starch to feed an army. We stayed with my parents, so we had opportunities to meet new dogs, to play on the swings and to watch television. ("Good night, Sproutlets!") After a very early start (Katie was raring to go shortly after five o'clock this morning) and a mid-morning snack of pickles and hotdogs, we returned to Fletcher Allen for day two. Katie is clever enough to have picked up on the routine, and she knew the return visit meant two painful intramuscular injections, so her spirits were suppressed temporarily, but she rallied and went about playing kitchen. She was happy to see all the nurses and to chat with Monica and with Heidi, but she lit up completely when Dr. Homans entered. "Grandpa Homans! You're here!" she shrieked while sprinting across the room. "I love you," she continued. When Dr. Homans returned her affectionate greeting, Katie just dissolved into smiles. "He loves me, Mom! He really loves me!" What a character. She is totally smitten.

Our day continued with a visit to Toys R Us (always good) for a new Dora dvd. Joshua had already placed his order--he wanted a new Transformer, and we were able to find just exactly what he wanted--but Katie helped me select a few items for Auntie Heather's new baby, and that was fun. Then we talked Auntie Heather and Eric into playing hooky with us. We stole Eric out of school for a bit and ran to McDonalds for more french fries. Katie was talking about the robin's nest under Auntie Heather's deck when she fell asleep. Construction in Johnson cut her nap short, but Katie continued to chirp along happily. We caught the last ten minutes of the St. Paul's softball game, and Katie was very happy to see both her brother and his (her?) buddies. "I want to play," she said, "next year." I don't think she realizes that the "kids" on this team are all at least ten years old.

This brings me to one of Katie's distinguishing characteristics. In the early days of her diagnosis, everything changed. I knew, deep in my darkest heart, that Katie would survive. I couldn't picture a "normal" life for her, though. It was hard to imagine her playing soccer or taking the bus to school. Katie still loves to tell me about the school buses we pass, though, and she passed a soccer ball back and forth with Olivia Tuesday afternoon. She knows that something about her situation isn't typical, but her expectations of herself haven't changed a bit. She will play soccer in Glover this summer. She is learning to ride a scooter. She loves art projects and music and dancing. She is a very normal kid with a surprisingly normal life.

Joshua was very glad to have her home this afternoon. They bickered happily in the tub, fighting about whose bubbles were whose. Life is good.