Day +331: A visit from "my friend"

Grandma and Grandpa left on Tuesday, and the kids were very sad to see them go. She may have been shy at first, but after spending the whole weekend together, Mina Brigitta was giving great big bear hugs to both Grandma and Grandpa on Tuesday. It's nice that we're going to see them again so soon. Then our niece Kendra arrived on Thursday. Kendra is a sophomore in high school in Athol, Idaho, and she spent her spring break with us last year, mostly helping out in the hospital as Mina Brigitta was inpatient during her maintenance round of chemotherapy. She enjoyed herself so much, she decided to come down for spring break again this year. Except this year we can actually go out and do some fun activities! The activities have so far tended to have a kiddie focus -- today we went to "Fairyland" in Oakland for a puppet show -- but Kendra doesn't seem to mind. She's great with the kids, and Mina Brigitta won't leave her alone. She doesn't call her Kendra, she calls her "my friend". As in "We have to go pick up Momma and my friend!" Kendra arrived at a good time for us, because the kids' music class and cooking classes ended and I'm having to work a lot last week and this coming week.

Mina continues to do very well. She has lots and lots of energy these days, which is really fun to see. Her skin tone is looking better and better. I can still notice a definite difference between her skin tone and Isaac's, but she now has a nice pink hue to her cheeks and she looks really healthy. And maybe it's just me, or maybe it's the aspiring she's been taking, but I think her face doesn't look quite as puffy as it has. We haven't managed to connect with Dr. Loh yet about possible treatment, which is just fine. Keri will probably see her Tuesday; Mina has a strange looking bump on her neck that we want someone to look at. Hopefully it's nothing, but she's at high risk for skin cancer due to the radiation therapy, so we don't want to take any chances.

Mina Brigitta is in the age where she wants us to tell her stories. This is a bit challenging for us, since we don't have a lot of experience making up stories. Guess we'll have to learn fast. The other night she asked me to tell her a story, so I told her the one that is most often on my mind, about the little girl named Mina Brigitta who got very sick and had to go to the hospital but then she got better and came home and lived happily ever after. I figured that would have some resonance since she still talks about going to the pole house and loves to read "Curious George Goes to the Hospital". Well, she listened politely, but then when I finished she said "Tell me a story about a bunny!" Nothing like a 2 year-old to help you keep your perspective on what things are important in life!