Sometimes what we need is just a simple day with nothing to do but lounge, hang out, eat, and watch iCarly! That is what we did today but not without Nina first screaming bloody murder.
After Todd took Teddy to school, Eileen and I got ready and told Nina it was time to go see Cindy. Well...the girl went ballistic!! As I tried to buckle her into the car seat, she literally slapped me in the face 3 times. Eileen just looked away, half horrified, half trying not to break into hysterics. I couldn't get mad at her...it did suck! What was more, Dr. Weisenberger (her radiation doctor) had once told her to not let anyone control her emotions, that they were hers and she should own them. His words had really resonated with me and I reminded myself of them frequently...especially when she trantrummed bloody murder.
Once Nina was buckled, we drove off. Before we had actually reached the freeway, Nina had stopped screaming and crying. She was still shooting me the stink eye thru the rear-view mirror but I'd take that over shrieks any day :) Poor baby!!! Unfortunately, as soon as well pulled up to the Cancer Center she started screaming again. Eileen had to steady the stroller so I could get her in. She actually tried to jump out of the stroller, fortunately for me the weight gain had slowed her down substantially so she didn't actually get very far. All the way down the sidewalk she screamed. All of Mission Street heard her screams....frankly probably most of Santa Barbara did! When we rolled into the lobby my friend Larisa was waiting for us. As Nina screamed Larisa just gave me the sweetest look, her heart poured for us. Larisa and I smiled at each other and she took over for Eileen. It is such a blessing to have the love of great friends!!!
We walked into our treatment room where Cindy joined us. Nina was still screaming. Cindy and I went about our business, catching up, periodically testing the waters with Miss Nina to see if she was de-escalating. After about another 2 minutes she stopped...the ferocity just subsided. I looked at Larisa, whose eyes were welling up. She just shook her head and told me what a marvel Nina was...that her sheer strength was something amazing to behold! We both wanted to just hug her but knew she wasn't quite ready! Larisa was totally right....Nina willed herself to be brave! Nina's strength with all of this left everyone in awe! The rest of treatment was perfect. From how well she did the rest of the time, no one could have ever imagined that minutes earlier had been Linda Blair from the Exorcist.
Eileen quickly dropped of Dave back at the airport (his flight yesterday had been canceled because of weather) and then joined us back at the cancer center. The actual treatment went without a hitch! Thank God! After that, the day was impeccably calm...just hanging out! I have never really been able to just "hang out" without doing something. Nina is teaching me how cool it is to just "hang out"! It is growing on me :)
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| Funny Girl! |
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