Happy Mother's Day!

It's a beautiful day to be a mother. Unfortunately I feel crummy today, that cold from last week, kind of comes and goes, but I think it's official, I've got it. Fortunately, I sound worse than I really feel. I took some benedryl, so I'll probably feel pretty dingy all day, which is fine, I don't have to do much on Mother's day ... that's the beauty of the holiday! I'm trying to stay in our room so I don't have to wear that stinkin mask, but Chelsea's having nothing to do with our room and has been running the halls for the past 3 hours ... yes, I said three hours. She's been waking up at 6am lately!!! I thought chemo was supposed to make you feel crummy? I bet when her counts drop she won't be as active. My mom is coming soon with Logan so I can spend a little bit of time with him today. I talked to him Friday and reminded him he was coming here and it was going to be Mother's Day. Here's where that conversation went:

Logan: "Oh, I can't tell you."

Me: "Okay, I'll talk to you tomorrow." (I knew he was trying to keep a secret so I was trying to get off the phone as quickly as possible)

Logan: "No, I can't tell you, I have a surprise for you."

Me: "Okay, bye, I love you."

Logan: "I can't tell you."

Me: "Okay Logan, just tell mommy bye ... I love you."

Logan: (very rapidly he says) "Bye, I love you, I got you a tile." click

I was seriously trying to help him keep his secret, to no avail. He made a tile a couple of weeks ago with his handprint on it when we went on the field trip. ***sigh*** That little stinker, I guess 5 year olds can't keep a secret!

We have a new neighbor, a new diagnoses late last week. He's almost two, like Chelsea, and they found a tumor. They plan to remove what they can on Monday, and then he'll need chemo to help shrink it, b/c they won't be able to get all of it. I've really grown to like this mother, her family reminds me a lot of the families and children I used to teach, except her family is just her, and her son. She speaks no English, and the boys father is in their home country. This mother and her son were life flighted here from 3 hours away with only the clothes on their back. Literally, ... nothing more. The second night she was here, I caught her eye, and began talking with her. I could see a sigh of relief in her eyes to find someone who could speak her language. When I realized that she truly spoke no English, I asked her if she knew where the cafeteria was and where she could eat. No. She had been there two days, and I don't think she had eaten a thing. Because the boy is sick, he's not eating much anyways. She didn't know she could ask her nurse and the nurses could bring her a snack or drinks. She was so happy when I pulled a nurse aside to give her some food.

Later that night I spoke to a nurse who I know well and she is very good at getting things done. I told her how awful I felt that this mother was here with nothing, and while a translator was provided to help her understand her sons medical condition and his procedures, the basic needs of her and her son were overlooked. Had noone thought to show her were the cafeteria was? Or had noone realized that because she speaks no English it would be difficult for her to call and order her son food? As I expected, this night nurse took charge and showed her around and even found her a pair of scrubs to change into. They have now put a system into place where she circles what she wants to order for her son on a Spanish menu and someone else orders it for her.

I had officially gone into my protective mode, I have worked with many many families that do not speak English, and while my job was always to teach English to the children, I always did more. I've always loved doing more, helping them become assimilated. So as I lay in bed that night, I started worrying. They don't have a change of clothes, and even with an extra pair of clothes, what about clean socks and underwear? So for this Mother's Day, I took some time, and a little bit of money and we are helping our new neighbor, a friend. I called my sister who has all of Logan's old clothes. I knew her son was growing out of many of the clothes, so I asked if she could send them up. They would be the perfect size for this little boy. I recruited my mom and sister and asked them to check through their closets and to bring any clothes that may be too small for them and may fit this petite woman. Then we stopped at Target last night and bought her some socks, basic cotton underwear and those 2 for $8 bras. It wasn't much, but that is what I wanted to do for my Mother's Day. I know Ryan has been here with us and there's no way he could go shopping, and I'm super excited about the "tile" I'm getting from Logan and the craft that Chelsea made me in playgroup last week.

When I brought those few items into her room last night, she began to cry, she gently touched my arm and said thank you, thank you. As the tears ran down her face I could see she was appreciative of this small gesture, and she knew that as a mother, I understood. I've been down the same road with my child, only I was the fortunate one. I have my husband, my family and my friends here, and I speak the language.

My mom is on her way with Logan right now, and she is bringing the clothes that I asked for. This may turn out to be the best Mother's Day yet!