COOKIE...Some thoughts after one day at home....6/22/06

Dearest Friends and Family,
While doing dishes this evening (Thursday), I had some thoughts and felt like sharing them with you. Having missed 1/2 of our family for 66 days and having them home for one day, I can't believe how important so many small things have become.

I've spent the last 66 days intimately close to my grandson, Parker. He was five in May. Do you think he'll remember cuddling with me in my bed every night before he went to sleep? Do you think he'll remember the stories we read together every single night? I know that I'll remember how it felt to wake with his face so very close to mine. I loved listening to him breathing and give in to the kiss that those soft, beautiful cheeks were begging me for.

I know that COOKIE will remember spending a very intimate 66 days with her MoM at UCLA. I know that COOKIE will remember the intense and loving care that her mommy and daddy were able to give her. I know COOKIE will remember being nursed back to health with the loving, hands on support that her parents were able to give her.

Auntie Shannon, having no children of her own, went into INTENSE nephew training and bonded with Parker so completely. I watched her grow as a woman and Parker gained all of the love and support he needed during this ordeal.

Grammy and Grandpa (Matt's folks) have been so involved and so supportive and we're very grateful for the bonding that's taken place. It takes a TEAM of devoted, loving grandparents to achieve accomplishments such as we have. We're a very diverse and talented team and this family reaps the benefits of all of it. How cool is that?

Can you imagine being locked in a 10x12 room for 66 days with your spouse under the most adverse, life threatening conditions and come out still loving, still talking, still married? Shelee and Matt get the award for "TOLERANCE of the YEAR, 2006"!

The small things? Teaching a 5 year old to wash hands, constantly......and watching him remember ON HIS OWN! Watching the children you love so dearly sleeping. Being able to reach and almost TOUCH the love in the room. Hearing Parker ask COOKIE if she needs anything. We've ALL grown and learned so much over the last 66 days. I hope and pray that it will stay with us. The feeling, the knowledge, the conviction that we can face, and conquer, anything that life throws at us.

We have been blessed with virtually hundreds of cards, letters and well wishes from people all over the United States that we've never met. We are so very, very grateful for the love and support that we've been given. We have a very long road yet to travel but we'll do it with pride and dignity in the knowledge that we overcame some very difficult obstacles. Thank you, folks, for sticking with us and sharing with us and thinking of us every day.

The new schedule for COOKIE is Home Health comes to the house every Monday and Thursday to draw COOKIE's blood. It's sent to the lab immediately and the results are had by the doctor the next day. COOKIE has a standing appointment with our Dr. Moore (UCLA) every Tuesday at 8:30am. And, depending on the results of Thursday's blood tests, possibly on Friday also. Wednesday's are free days. COOKIE remains on a low bacteria diet. She's taking meds 3 times a day, 32 pills at 10:00, about 10 at 2:00pm and a bunch more at 10:00pm every day. By the end of July, her diet will change somewhat and she may be able to venture out to more places. Outside places are ok right now as long as she is out of the sun and in a wheelchair. Piece o' cake, right COOK?

Tomorrow is her first doctor's visit. Mommy, Daddy and COOKIE will be leaving at 7:00am in order to get to UCLA by 8:30. Stay tuned to see how it goes.

I hope I haven't bored you with my mush but sometimes I just have to put it in writing. Thanks for being such a good captive audience.
Wishing you all well,
Cookie, The Grandma