She used to be daring and reckless with her body and safety. Now she is guarded, careful, and untrusting of her abilities.
She used to refuse to ride in the stroller and would choose to walk long distances. Now she can make it a few blocks, but always ends up in the stroller or with me carrying her.
And the thing I can't quite put my finger on is her personality. In so many ways she is the same, but in so many ways different. She was shy around people she didn't know before, but now she is completely untrusting. She even takes time to warm up to our extended family. She laughs a lot, but there seems to be a sadness always lurking.
As I looked at the pictures and watched the videos I felt a great sense of loss. The little girl who knew nothing of pain, surgery, CT scans, MRIs, hospitals, hospital beds that go up and down, nurses, doctors, techs, bloodwork, tubies, poles, medicine, blood pressure cuffs "little squeeze", daily shots that she calls "itchies", chemo, and sitting still for hours at a time is gone. Pieces of her childhood, her innocence, stolen by cancer. She knows too much. How could it not change her? She seems to have aged, grown up more than she should have to in just two months time.
At our last doctor appointment, I was telling our nurse about how Jael had to sit in a chair for her stem cell harvest for practically an entire day and that she did an amazing job. She never had a melt down or got really nasty. She took it all in stride. The nurse made a comment that she has a 3 year old grandchild that could never sit for that long or even close to that long. I told her that if we had attempted to do that 3 months ago it would have never worked, But she has been broken down to accept these medical treatments. I know that sounds dramatic, but its true.
My little girl has changed and I believe she will never be the same again. I don't think that is a bad thing, because I KNOW that my God says He will make all things good. And in many ways I already see that in her. She is more patient, more compassionate, and more loving than she ever was before.
The first picture was taken at her birthday party on June 28, 2009. The second was from an informal photo shoot taken on September 12, 2009.
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1 comment:
Hi. Thanks for visiting Asher.
I feel the need to comment on this post, as I visit your blog for the first time....
I UNDERSTAND.
I actually have tears....when I go back and look at the time I took Asher to Disneyland, just him and me, after treatment was over....he couldn't go 20 feet without needing a stroller. I hear about kids who would go 12 horus and then crash in a stroller, but Asher couldn't go a few hours, even with the stroller....
Thankfully, the further we got from treatment, the bigger and taller he got (where I could no longer carry him), the stronger he got. Kindergarten was very very tough. I had to bring a wagon to pick him up from the bus stop. By the end of the year, he was running home. This year, 2 1/2 years away from treatment, he runs, faster than other kids.
And, the stronger he got, the more he grew, in his personality, and the more we were able to boost his confidence. School helped that too, since he finally made friends and started to learn.
Is Jael having radiation?
Jael, is beautiful.
Beautiful name, too.
Sometimes I go back just to look at bald pictures of Asher....sometimse it is hard, but I sort of miss the bald head to hold and kiss. There is something I miss about that time....treatment time....there was a lot of bonding in there and a lot of love and growth....I rarely get alone time with Asher now....I miss it and have to make that extra effort....
Ah, anyway....
I am sure you're making the best of these challenging days, and it is hard to even imagine what life will be like beyond it all....but I hope Jael will get that chance to grow beyond cancer, sitting in chairs/hospital rooms, for many years.
I hope she will be completely cured.
Until then, cherish today :)
Hugs!
Keeping you in my thoughts.
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