Princess Christi

Fortunate to have made tremendous friends along this journey, we’ve been richly blessed! Due to yesterday’s bad news, I was having a terribly difficult time sleeping late last night. Running the odds and statistics through my mind, I just couldn’t rest. Therefore, I called one of my dear NB Angel friends and talked with her until the wee hours of the morning. (Thanks, Sharon!) Finally, I decided not to focus on “the odds” because our daughter isn’t a race horse – she’s a Princess!

The morning’s chemo (topotecan) was again very well tolerated by "the Princess" and during her physician’s exam my mom informed me that Christi was laughing and giggling so much that her doctor said to a nurse, “Did we give her laughing gas instead of chemotherapy?” (Nothing makes me more joyous nor more in awe of the amazing and powerful work those working with pediatrics do! They certainly must overcome various obstacles-ya know, like examing a child while he/she rides on an IV pole down the hall.) She played with Tara and mom said lovingly that things got a bit out of hand with a sweet volunteer (a med student) while I was making the run back to Ronald and to the grocery store. (Leave it to Grandma Nonee to forgo discipline!)

"The Pricness" went to “school” for an hour this afternoon. Most likely, much to her surprise, the volunteer she and Tara earlier locked in a playroom was also the teacher’s assistant!! (Oops! Thank God he was a great sport and actually was encouraging the girls to be naughty tricksters!) Her teacher (who also worked with her back in the fall of 2003) told me Christi was very gracious and charming- perhaps she didn’t get wind of the earlier “incident”. In "school" she worked on her Siamese Cat report for Mrs. Smith. She told me all of the other kids in her class already did theirs, but she wants to do one too when she gets back to school and she’d like Buckeye to be her visual aid.



The Grant girls had the day off from school today. So very humbled was I to receive Debbie’s call this morning stating that the girls would like to come and play with Chrsiti because they know how hard it is to be lonely. Unbelievable! With amazement, I accepted their offer with gratitude and for hours this afternoon the girls played and enjoyed crafts and snacks Mrs. Grant brought. What fine young ladies they are!!

Thankful that mom was able to stay with "the Princess", I throughly enjoyed spending an hour at the Barnes and Noble bookstore at UPenn today. I never even entured to the children’s section, but devoured their large “Education” section getting lost in my own interests. A sweet Barnes and Noble gift card was used to purchase the new “Chicken Little” DVD which we will be enjoying together in just a little bit. (Thank you!!)



This picture didn’t turn out so well, but "the Princess’s" window now has some “zip” to it. With the gorgeous “hands” made from all of the kids at Repbulic Elementary posted to the top of her window, window paint (We hope that’s what it was, hmmmmmm?) was used to write “HANDS UP FOR CHOP!” Yes, we are grateful to be treating here and tell the Princess at least once a week, “Only the very best of hopsitals and doctors for you!”

"The Princess" is feeling tremendous! Tomorrow, we shall ask for a “get out of jail pass” to go visit the archeology museum across the street she previously noted on the campus of U Penn. This morning I asked her how her neck was and she said, “Much better.” When Pat Brophy asked me today if I noticed her cracking it back today I told her only a handful of times- a dramatic improvement. Pat said, “I hope we never talk about it again.” I hope she’s right.

Shayne and Shayla will be hitting the road driving to Philadelphia Friday night! Yes, we shall all four be together for the weekend!! It appears "the Princess" is ready to watch “Chicken Little” now. Thanks for checking in with us at the Taj Mahal, gotta go!