I talked to Angelica this morning about this whole situation and we decided to pick 10 things that Sucked about this and then to find 10 things that were Positives. Life is all about good and bad……Positives and Negatives….you can’t really choose to only have the good things in life (although wouldn’t that be nice) but you do get to choose how you are going to respond in your situation. And, it’s okay to be upset and also you don’t need to feel guilty if you’re feeling happy or okay about things….just take it all one day, one moment at a time.
So, here are Gelica’s 2 “10 Lists”………..
10 Cruddy Things
1. VAD hurts at first
2. Sleeping is uncomfortable because of pain from the VAD
3. Have to get up a million times in the night to go pee
4. Feeling so super sick and tired before I found out about the Leukemia
5. The selection of Hospital food is limited and not always delicious
6. Not looking forward to the Chemotherapy injection into both of my thigh muscles today
7. Have to drag my IV pole everywhere
8. Having to wear a hospital gown for the first 2 days sucked.
9. Don’t get to go too far away during the summer cause I have to be close to the hospital for treatments
10. She couldn’t come up with a sufficiently crappy 10th thing….we’ll think about it and get back to you all……..
10 Positive Things
1. Feeling better now that I’ve started Chemo
2. Get to wear my pyjamas all day
3. People come to visit me (people I wouldn’t normally get to see)
4. The Dr.’s and Nurses are really nice here at Children’s Hospital
5. Getting to watch a ton of new movies
6. Should be able to go home at the end of this week
7. Get to have both Mommy and Daddy with me
8. Having the VAD so I don’t have to get poked a million times
9. Finished school for the year a bit early
10. Knowing just how many people around the world are caring for and praying for me
I like your lists!!!! I think you would be a good person for me to find out what the good movies are, I am so far behind its embarassing.. ok truth is I have such a bad memory I can watch a movie and forget it by the next morning. Daddy will tell you all about that… We like happy Dr’s and Nurses, they definitely make it better, eh, I remember when I was a bit younger then you in hospital on New Years Eve, and the nurses snuck all this yummy food in and we had a midnight feast with another girl that was in hospital too… Yip the nice nurses are a definite good thing… Dragging that IV pole would be very crappy… hope you are still getting those 4 hours of freedom from it… maybe you need to decorate it up make it more exciting…hee….hee… oh and hospital gowns, they seriously need some fashion work on them eh! You’re definitely looking more styley in your own clothes 🙂 By the way, your looking great! Love you
Those are good lists! It’s good to see both the positive and negative aspects of this.:) When I was in hospital I would ask for two gowns and put one on backwards so there wouldn’t be a HUGE view of my backside 😉 Your own clothes are always way better though aren’t they? 🙂
I was glad to see the pictures of you guys outside having dinner! The food can be pretty nasty after a while 🙂 Maybe you could write up a list of your favourite things to do, eat, and whatever? Do you have favourite music? I am sure everyone would love to know that! Then we would know what to bring ya when we come visit!
I was going to come and visit but I have not been feeling well. I am glad you wrote in your other note about people who are not feeling well needing to stay away. My son Joshua has a really low immune system and whenever he gets a bug from someone else, he gets so sick he sometimes needs to be hospitalized. I kind of had to have my own mini hospital in a bag complete with oximetre, g-tubes, ventilators, you name it! I have become our own family doctor! Haha!
But it is good to say that and don’t feel bad, because people have no idea what you will have to go through to get better if you catch a bug! I am a huge stickler for that! Poor Josh has missed about 3/4 of his preschool year because other parents wouldn’t or couldn’t keep their kids home when they were sick.
This too will become a part of your new norm and it won’t seem like a big deal after a while! And people will understand because they want the best for you!
Well take care, and have a great day!
Luv
Niki
Hey Gel, YOur dress is almost finished but I am stuck at the office and I don’t know if I am going to be able to see you for a few days as I have a bit of a sore throat… So I will be healed in Jesus name so I can see you. Love your lists… You know when you look at them the bad could be way worse… so really it is not that bad… and you would have had the shots now so hopefully they were not too bad. I love you so much.
Love and hugs
Nana C
number ten on your positive lists is definately true!!! totally thinking and praying for the entire family!! stay strong, and don’t forget uncle chris as an example of perseverence through the toughest of times.
luvs, kerry x0x0
Love your perspective. It’s true, life is full of blessings, and life is full of trials. If I may, I’d like to add to your list… When my mom had her battle with leukemia, and she lost all her hair, she thought that was pretty cruddy. We tried to convince her to draw a big yellow Happy Face on her bald head and she wouldn’t go for it. She had fun buying different bandana’s and loved wearing them. So, a positive thing is funky bandanas to where on your head, and if you’re really brave, which you must be ’cause of how well you’ve handled this trial, maybe a big yellow Happy Face?? Would be a “positive” thing for a fun loving girl like you too!! It would certainly make other people smile! LOL..
Keep up keeping on, and I hope you get to go to your grad tonight and have a blast, and praying that no sickness bugs get anywhere near you, and you are totally protected!
YOur lists are easy to understand… especially the 10th negative one… haha.