Monday, July 16, 2012Tonight's picture was taken in August of 2008. The first week Mattie began chemotherapy. As you look at this picture, you might not understand what you are looking at, because at first glance it just looks like Mattie and I together with a tray of paints. However, the dialogue here was actually more complicated than it may seem. Where were we? We were right outside Mattie's hospital room in the PICU. In fact the first room Mattie received chemotherapy in the hospital, also happens to be the same room Mattie died in. An eerie coincidence in my opinion. On this particular day, Mattie's good buddy Charlotte was coming to the hospital to visit Mattie. Mattie was out of sorts, and yet we wanted this to be a good experience for him and for Charlotte. So Linda, Mattie's child life specialist, mobilized into action and asked Mattie if he wanted to paint in the hospital hallway with Charlotte. Mattie agreed to this since he viewed this as highly different and unique. Literally Linda put big sheets of papers all over the floor and also on the walls. So by the time Charlotte got there, she and Mattie immediately united over a normal activity! That day Mattie and Charlotte painted the sun and a rainbow together. I will show you the post-picture tomorrow night, but this was the pre-picture, and as you maybe able to determine, Mattie did not start this project in the best of moods.
Quote of the day: We bereaved are not alone. We belong to the largest company in all the world --- the company of those who have known suffering. ~ Helen Keller
Today I am suffering with a migraine headache that came out of the blue. So tonight's posting will be short to none existent! I would have had Peter write something but he is working from Baltimore today and will be stuck in traffic for hours. There apparently was a water main break in Baltimore and it is tying up traffic for miles and hours. Thank you for checking in with us and hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.
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