Tuesday, March 29, 2011

I can't believe it's been so long since I updated Hannah's site. Things are going well for Hannah. I am trying to get her next neuropsychology exam scheduled in Boston. Of course, I should have started this process a while ago, but right now, we have her tentatively set for May 9th. The doctor is working with the insurance company to get a one time exception, since this neuropsychologist is out of network for us. I feel it's important to stay with the same doctor that we had initially, and for Hannah's follow up exam.

Hannah was a bit upset in reading my last entry where I really spoke frankly about the struggles she is going through. She doesn't usually read the blog, so when we happened to look at it one day, she wasn't so happy about everything I wrote. So, from now on I'll be careful and more mindful of her feelings.

Last week she came out of school with a very large black trash bag. It was cans for her Cans for Cancer program. they recycle cans at school and she went to her teacher and asked him if she could have them for Cans for Cancer! What a great idea!

I have been procrastinating writing also, not really wanting to write about a big loss we had recently. We lost a very special friend very suddenly. Hannah's friend "the Hat Man from Boston" died last month unexpectedly. He became such a special person to Hannah and to us when Hannah was going through radiation. We first noticed him one day in the waiting room with a Boston Red Sox hat on. The next day, it was another hat, and the day after that yet another. It became a game to Hannah to see him every day. On the days when Hannah wasn't feeling great, he always cheered her up. At that time she couldn't walk and was in a wheelchair. The radiation began to lower her counts and make her feel nauseous. It was worse and worse as the radiation continued. But we always looked forward to meeting the Hat Man. Hannah began to wear Yankee hats each day, especially as her hair began to fall out from the radiation. Close to the end of her radiation treatment, we decided that we would bring a Yankee hat for our Boston Hat Man and try to get him to wear it...a diehard Boston fan. You bet-he showed up the next day in that Yankee hat. He said it was the only time he would ever wear it, only for Hannah.

We remained in contact with Dennis and his wife Judy after we returned to New York. We were so very shocked when we heard that he had died. I told Hannah, and she said "but he just sent me a Valentines Card." He was a such a special person to all that knew him and especially to Hannah and our family. He will be missed dearly and will always hold a very special place in our hearts.


More to come soon, we are now planning for the 2011 Relay for Life, time flies!!

♥Kim