Monday, August 18, 2014

Monday, August 18, 2014

This photo was taken on September 1 of 2009. Only seven days before Mattie died. You most likely can tell that Mattie looks like he was in a lot of pain. He was attached to his black pain pump and though absolutely miserable, Jenny (his art therapist) tried to distract him the best she could by bringing in this battery powered dinosaur. Which did engage Mattie for a little while. By this point in time Mattie had already endured the impossible and was in tremendous pain. Recently I compiled two Power Point slides together that I now display at conference presentations. The first slide shows the psychosocial consequences of childhood cancer. On this slide I show visuals with photos of Mattie that clearly illustrate pain, anxiety, depression, isolation, and fear. On the second slide, I illustrate the difference that psychosocial support services can make in a child's life. This slide shows Mattie happier, doing more child like activities, even though in the hospital and undergoing treatment. The point of the second slide is that despite undergoing treatment, with support and addressing psychosocial issues, aspects of the "real" child can emerge. These slides are quite power displays for our attendees and have a way of conveying messages quickly!


Quote of the day: Certain things catch your eye, but pursue only those that capture the heart. ~ Ancient Indian Proverb

As is typical for this time of year, I travel to Los Angeles in August to visit my parents. So tomorrow I will be writing the blog from the West Coast. 

You maybe asking yourself what have I photographed here? Well this is our White Ginger Butterfly Lily! We purchased this plant at the Elizabethan Gardens in the Outer Banks in June. When we bought the plant it was small. It has been growing all summer. It is now about five feet tall and with a flower that is really starting to bloom. There was NO flower at all when we bought it but we were promised that it would produce a flower and that when it opens up the fragrance would be glorious. I clearly am going to miss this unveiling, but I am so happy I got to see the flower unfurl. Peter promises to keep me posted on its changes, since I have helped to cultivate the plant all summer long! Now this is what the flower looked like on Sunday!

But this is what the flower looked like this morning.... on Monday!!!! Pretty incredible, no? This is ONE DAY's worth of growth!!!! To me this is one remarkable plant and the fact that it is a perennial is wonderful, we shall see if it will actually make it through the winter. If we have a winter like 2014, and it makes it, then I would say this is one hardy bulb!

It has been a pleasure not writing a chapter or having to proof it today! I have been doing this for the past three months. It has become part of my daily routine like brushing my teeth! So it has been a bit strange and foreign not to have to turn to this today but it is a break which is now long overdue.