One Year Ago Today: August 23, 2003, I finally broke down and took Kendrie to the doctor. She had been complaining about her arm hurting, and had been limping around for several days, plus had been running a low-grade fever. Since it was a Saturday, we saw whatever practitioner was on duty, not her normal pediatrician. The guy seemed nice enough, but he made me feel silly. “Just a virus, push fluids, tylenol if she continues to complain.” I’m guessing it’s the flu, or maybe even something as mundane as growing pains (although deep down I suspect she got hurt wrestling with her older brother and sister.)
We had such a great day at school on Friday (again, notice I say “we” …. like I’m such an integral part of their day … which I’m not … but I like to think that I am.) I arranged for a Child Life Specialist from our local hospital to come and speak to both Pre-Kindergarten classes about illness, hospitals, doctors, leukemia and Kendrie in particular. Although I had never met this Child Life Specialist before that morning, she was really fabulous at her job and did a great presentation. She talked about cells, ports, chemotherapy, showed the medical-play doll, and then we watched the “Why, Charlie Brown, Why?” video. Then, she really hit it big with the kids when she passed out doctors’ hats, masks and gloves for them all to take home.
Since the presentation ended at recess time, I invited myself back to the playground to hang out with Kendrie’s class during recess. I’m pretty sure around this time Kendrie’s teacher was thinking, “Geez lady, don’t you have anything better to do?” but it was fun. I took lots of photos of the kids, and learned that Kendrie is a swing-hog if given the chance.
Then, that afternoon I was invited back (yes, that’s right, this time I actually had an invitation) to help the kids make their Friendship Salad (little-kid term for ‘big ole bowl of fruit’.) The extra latex gloves passed out by the Child Life Specialist came in handy right about then (just as long as I didn’t have to wear a hair net while I was passing it out) and then I got to stay for the impressive classroom renditions of Musical Chairs, which Kendrie won (the teacher SO had the whole thing rigged since I was standing there watching) and Doggie Doggie Where’s Your Bone, where I learned that Kendrie is either psychic, or cheats.
I also spent four mornings last week volunteering in Kellen’s class, several hours working for the Education Coordinator and sat through a PTO meeting. So for those of you who have left messages in the guestbook about “I must be enjoying my free time now that all three of the kids are in school full time” I just want to tell you that you are obviously on crack.
I hope that everyone’s week is off to a great start!
Love, Kristie
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KENDRIE’S PERSPECTIVE:
WORST THING ABOUT HAVING CANCER TODAY: I still can’t quite get the hang of this new “no snack before bed” rule. If this keeps up, I might have to actually start eating my dinner when it is served to me (gasp!)
BEST PART ABOUT HAVING CANCER TODAY: For the first time, today I went to school with no hat on! It was “red” day and so I had on my red Hershey Kisses t-shirt from Hershey, PA, and the only hat I had that matched it is a baseball cap which my mom said I am not allowed to wear to school so I decided to go without a hat and nobody said anything to me and that made me very happy and I might not ever wear a hat again! Well, at least until tomorrow which is "yellow" day and I have a cute hat that matches my yellow lemonade t-shirt.
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