About a year ago, a friend of mine gave me a book, I’ve Been Thinking, written by another woman of strength, Maria Shriver. My girlfriend told me it reminded her of my own writing and she thought I would like it. I absolutely loved it, but as I read a few chapters, I got nervous.
How does one begin to tell the story of the time their child was diagnosed with cancer? People usually call leukemia – leukemia. They say it like it is a disease unto itself, but it is cancer. It is a cancer of the blood.
You know what lifts me up on a dreary day? Time with my girlfriends. People have said over and over that if you have a few really good friends in your life, you are blessed. Well, I am here to tell you that I am beyond blessed!
Joey is admitted back into the hospital to start the next phase. This particular phase is an extremely high dose of methotrexate. It was given slowly into the spine over 30 minutes, and then given in the vein over the course of many hours. The side effects would be horrific mouth sores and vomiting.
After 2 hours in the ambulance, we arrive at the Medical University of South Carolina Children’s Hospital. I honestly don’t remember much about that arrival, except the greeting by the nurses on the floor. They were expecting us.
Last November, my Down Syndrome mom group and I, took our kids to see the movie Wonder. The moms were in one row and our kids were in the row in front of us. The sounds of sniffles were consistent and I knew where they were coming from. I didn’t want to look because everyone needs their privacy, but I knew because I was part of that sniffle party.
Time … where does it go? I have been saying that more and more lately to myself and my friends on Facebook. It isn’t life that is moving fast – it is us, and we need to slow down so we can REALLY just enjoy the moments.
On my about this site page, I mention my friend Teri. She was the first person who suggested that I write a blog and planted the seed that would change my life. Teri and my Joey both have something in common; they have been kicked in the stomach by the blood cancer, Leukemia.