Countdown T-1
This time last year, Haley was on her day of rest– she had just finished all of her crazy chemo regimen, and she was waiting — marrowless, defenseless against the smallest of viruses, hooked up to more medicine than I’ve taken in my lifetime, vomiting constantly, looking pale and being too weak to flap her arms at Dr. B.– waiting for the next day, when she would be given a second shot at life.
Today, Haley got very sick, 103 temperature, but it is no longer life-threatening. We don’t have to rush her to the hospital and douse her bloodstream for 3 days with round-the-clock antibiotics. We can just give her tylenol, kiss her goodnight, and check on her as a normal parent would a sick kid.
Today is the last day. This is not the last day of Haley’s medical hurdles; to be sure, there is still a long way to go. But it is the last day of sanitizing toys with boiling water and vinegar. It is the last day of keeping the bag of extra medical supplies in case of an emergency. It is the last day that all the HEPA air filters will run (though I think we might keep on around, just for cleaner air).
It is the last day of a terrible year that luckily she will never remember. And most importantly, this is the last day of any doubt that the CAMT, even a trace of it, is lurking inside her somewhere.
Here’s wishing a great Last Day to Haley, and a year from now, to Dave up in New York and to Josh in New Zealand. Here’s hoping this new year goes by as quickly and painlessly and with little to remember.
Haley, Well well well, finally here we are. 365. PHHHHEEEWWWW. So far. From the first few weeks when I came to see you in the hospital to the month before your transplant when i came to your apartment in Georgetown and was so nervous to make you sick that just looking at you made me run to the nearest Purel, to Chol Hamoed Pesach when I was covered from head to toe singing “butt paste” in many different voices, to the NY trips I have taken with you and your mom, to the 1 am medicines, to the allison krause songs and every song from Mrs Lipman’s choir and to every game of PeekaBoo……welcome to the first day of the rest of your life. I cant wait to watch you grow.
Anne
March 14th, 2008 | #
Words really do fail me now. You all did it. She did, Anna did, Renan, you, the extended family, you all did it. This is a tremendous inspiration. Haley won’t remember this year, but the rest of us will never, ever forget the grace, determination, strength, humor, hope and ferocity you all brought to this enterprise.
March 14th, 2008 | #
Dear Haley,
Baruch HaShem!! You made it!!!! I’ve been davening for you all year and I’m so happy that you are full of immunities now (or growing them — this little fever will help you along in that department). We look forward to unsterilzed play in the Rose Park sandbox.
Love to you and your family from
Tamar, Norm and Lindsay
March 14th, 2008 | #
Dearest Gorgeous Giggling Haley,
We are humbled and very thankful to G-d,dear family, near and far,especially, Uncle lenny, Auntie Lori, cousins Sam, Jonah and Alex,whose love and decvotion knew no bounds, and to all the very abundant terrific friends. Haley,we love you so much,and we are so very grateful to have you reach your year milestone. You are an exceptional, happy, sweet, adorable,beautiful and brave little girl. Despite the trials and tribulations that you and your family (especially, your loving devoted mommy, daddy and Anna Boo) had to endure, you showed what goes into being Haley Well; everything that is good, warm and certainly, giggly. Mar5ch 15th is truly the first day of the rest of your life. “BARUCH ATAH HASHEM ELOKEINU MELECH HAOLAM, S’HECHIYANU, V’KIMANU, V’HIGIYANU L’ZANAN HAZEH!. We can’t wait to see you grow up, enjoying a long, healthy and happy life.YOU GO GIRL!
March 14th, 2008 | #
happy last day haley!
and happy first day of everything else.
love, norah
March 14th, 2008 | #
Dear Tans, Ranan, Anna and Haley,
We all spent Shabbat here in Israel counting down and looking at pictures together. So hard to believe that the last time that I saw Haley was at the very beginning in Sloan. Too much time and too much distance. You want to help and be there but you feel so far away. Our kids- Yoni, Amir, Yishai, Michali and Orly all decided to take some extra mitzvah upon themselves in the hopes of bringing about a refuah shlema for Haley. Orly for instance comes home everyday to tell me that she davened in school for Haley Bat Tansy. The mitzvot get a little more sophisticated with the ages but the point is that Haley and Anna have been in all of our thoughts and prayers on a daily basis. And thank G-d we have gotten to this point. The real reason that we are flying to Chicago for Pesach is to be able to spend quality time with all of you and introduce Haley to her cousins. We were so fortunate to have recently been with Ranan and Anna here in Israel and we look forward to the family always being together for eachother’s smachot in the future.
We love you and can’t wait to see you,
Nava, Josh and the kids
March 15th, 2008 | #