If I Could Fly
Hello from St. Jude’s,
This morning I awoke to a sound that I have not heard in weeks. Catie was up and the sound I heard was the bathroom door closing. SHE WOKE UP ON HER OWN!! I was so thrilled I jumped out of bed. I need to temper my reactions. I waited outside of the closed door – I neither listened or spoke – I simply prayed “Thank you Lord”. How thrilled I was that today she was awake and yet when this journey began just over four months ago we were praying for her to be able to sleep.
When the door opened Catie emerged and reported that she was still tired and going back to bed. My heart sank but not before I heard Kevin’s words of advise coming from me “Before you go back to sleep let’s take your medicine.” Catie complied. It was 8am. The first appointment that she had was 9am with St. Jude’s school program. Catie informed me that she didn’t want to go to their school. She has been working on most of her school work – telling me all that they do in Mrs. Rosti’s class – I she would like to continue doing school this way. I told her that that would be fine – figuring that she just wanted more sleep.
She never feel back asleep. Soon we were discussing breakfast and she said that she wanted oatmeal. I quickly made breakfast and brought her to the table. Once she sat down she began to unbutton her fleece pj top. She told me she was hot. I stopped and looked at her. Then ran and grabbed the thermometer. She was running a fever 100.7. From the beginning anything over 100.4 and you go the the hospital. So I call and ask what I am do to, calmly I am transferred from one department to the next. It was determined that we should come to the hospital for our 9:45 assessment triage appointment and check our schedule – someone would examine Catie.
We dress. I don’t know if we ate and off to the hospital we went. When we arrive at 9:45 I look at Catie and she is fine. No fever. Am I crazy? We go through our day one appointment after the next, all preparing Catie for going in patient on Friday. She is healing very nicely from her Bone Marrow Harvest. She has gained a pound and her blood pressure is good. Things are looking well for Catie. This is another change from yesterday. She has good energy. We even went to the basement of the hospital and walked the 1/4 mile loop for a bit of exercise. Tomorrow our schedule is clear. We have a free day. Catie would like to get her nails done and would like to go paint pottery. I would like to go to Mass. We have all day we should be able to do it all.
While I was answering e-mails this afternoon Catie was doing her school work. She did several pages of Math, Spelling and Reading. She also wrote in her journal. I would like to share Catie’s word with you. (I did ask Catie first.)
10/8/08
If I could fly I would go home to my family and stay with them because I love them! But I can not fly so I can not do that because I don’t think there is shuch thing as a flying person other than supper man how is not really real. But my family are supper heros and my doctors and nurses because they might save my life, even thoe my supper heros can’t fly it doesn’t mean they can’t be supper heros!
Catie O’Brien
If I could fly I would fly to each and everyone of you and hug you and thank you for praying for my darling Catie, and for me and for Kevin and our other fabulous five and for Megan who does it all.
God Bless from St. Jude’s,
Christine and Catie
Kevin, Maggie, Max, Mia, Molly, M.E. and Megan
