Today we attended a family function. Nothing big, just a Victoria Day BBQ at my in-laws' house. My mother-in-law, my father-in-law, my brother-in-law & his wife, my sister-in-law & her husband, as well as my three nephews. Add in my wife, J, E, & me, and that makes 8 adults & 5 kids (all boys) with ages of 6, 5, 4, 2, and 2.
My in-laws have a nice big back yard, and it's great during the warm weather seasons because it gives the active boys a place to run around and blow off some steam. The oldest two cousins generally get along well with each-other. Given the fact J is a bit younger, and three makes a crowd, things can get a little volatile once you throw him into the mix. J has toned it down a bit since turning 4, and he's been much better about getting on with his two older cousins as of late.
Once everyone had arrived, I noticed the oldest three boys grouped up. They started to play a running/chasing game. Not even a minute into the game, I saw J and E's 2 year old cousin race after the older boys to join them in their game. This 2 year old cousin is only 4 months older than E. I looked over at E, hopeful that he might see the group having fun, and run after them too. He was more interested in climbing the stairs, or climbing on chairs. He showed no interest in joining his older cousins in their game, and was focused on his own independent play.
My heart sank. I pointed it out to my wife, suggesting that E hasn't learned how to play with other kids. Unlike his slightly older cousin, he hasn't had the opportunity to play with a group of kids in daycare. E and J play together at home, so perhaps I'm reading too much into this. Maybe he was just more interested in climbing at that particular moment. Maybe E was just cranky because this is steroid week, and he didn't want to run with the other kids. Maybe I'm trying to compare different stages of development when I shouldn't be. A 4 month difference seems insignificant to me, but at the tender age of 2, I suppose 4 months contains a considerable amount of cognitive development. At that age, a 4 month gap is 1/6th your entire life.
I feel that I should point out that I'm not feeling jealousy, envy, or resentment about this. What I am feeling is worry, and anxiety. I also feel like my eyes were opened today. I feel like I'm hyper-aware that E has the potential to be behind his peers because of the cancer, or because of late and long term effects of the chemotherapy. Seeing him not join his cousins in play earlier today has only highlighted it in neon yellow marker. The doctors tell us that E was diagnosed at such a young age, he likely won't remember any of the terrible needle pokes, hospital stays, or short term chemo side-effects. While I believe that to be true, I also believe that the experiences he has (or is unable to have because of his leukemia) all subconsciously help to shape his personality and persona. E has things that he is forced to do, such as chemotherapy & needle pokes, as well as the things he's unable to do, such as attending daycare. How will such experiences, or absence of experiences affect his childhood development? At what point do I feel relief that he is at the stage he always should have been? Why did this all have to happen? What will..... Sometimes, it's all too much.
2018-05-21
2018-05-01
55) McHappy Day is tomorrow (May 2nd, 2018)
Tomorrow (May 2nd, 2018) is McHappy Day.
If you've never heard of McHappy Day, it's
My family has been lucky that we didn't need to use Ronald McDonald House during E's leukemia treatment. E was diagnosed with standard risk ALL rather than high risk ALL, meaning we were able to bring him home after the initial 10 days in hospital. Children deemed high risk are kept in hospital for the entire 5 stages of frontline treatment until maintenance begins, which can be from 6 to 9 months in length. Families in this situation can speak to a hospital social worker who would set them up with Ronald McDonald House application. Ronald McDonald House allows families that live more than 55 km from the hospital to live together, while being close to the care they need.
Over the course of E's frontline treatment, we did have several multi-day hospital stays for fever, and illness. The hospital where we did 2 of our 3 separate stays did have a Ronald McDonald Family Room. This room was always staffed by a smiling, friendly volunteer. The room had sleep, and shower facilities available for parents. It also had a TV, books, internet access, coffee, tea, water, ice, food, snacks, a kettle, a microwave, a fridge, a toaster, and probably a couple other items I'm not remembering at this time. All of these things provided free of charge to parents of children staying in pediatrics, and they're generously provided by Ronald McDonald House Charities, and its donors.
The Ronald McDonald Family Room is classified as a respite area, so it allows parents a chance to recharge, only a short walk down the hallway from their sick child. I used this room numerous times a day over the course of our 2 multi-day stays at Scarborough Centenary. Sometimes, I just needed a mental break and I would spend a bit of time in the room sitting. More often, it was to make use of the fridge, kettle, or microwave. Several mornings, I made toast for breakfast, and during the day I'd pop in and out to get water as a relief against the parching dry hospital air. It really is a wonderful service provided by Ronald McDonald House Charities, and I can't thank them enough for providing such a clean, inviting facility. The Ronald McDonald Family Room supplies a few comforts from home that you otherwise take for granted. When you're in a hospital with your sick child, a normally simple task such as making tea, or reheating food can become much more difficult. Luckily, the Ronald McDonald Family Room was there to make things a bit easier.
So tomorrow, May 2nd, 2018, please consider patronizing McDonald's Canada to buy a Big Mac®, a Happy Meal®, or a hot McCafé® beverage so that Ronald McDonald House Charities can continue to help families in need, such as my own.
If, for whatever reason, you have reservations about supporting McDonald's Canada the corporation, donations can always be made directly to the Ronald McDonald House Charities at the following links:
Ronald McDonald House Canada - https://www.rmhccanada.ca/donation
Ronald McDonald House Toronto - https://2060.thankyou4caring.org/donate
Thank you!
If you've never heard of McHappy Day, it's
You can read more about it at the following link: https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca/promotions/mchappyday.html"... an annual day of community giving in support of Ronald McDonald Houses and other local children’s charities. On Wednesday May 2nd for every Big Mac®, Happy Meal® or hot McCafé® beverage purchased, $1 will be donated to RMHC® and children’s charities across Canada."
My family has been lucky that we didn't need to use Ronald McDonald House during E's leukemia treatment. E was diagnosed with standard risk ALL rather than high risk ALL, meaning we were able to bring him home after the initial 10 days in hospital. Children deemed high risk are kept in hospital for the entire 5 stages of frontline treatment until maintenance begins, which can be from 6 to 9 months in length. Families in this situation can speak to a hospital social worker who would set them up with Ronald McDonald House application. Ronald McDonald House allows families that live more than 55 km from the hospital to live together, while being close to the care they need.
Over the course of E's frontline treatment, we did have several multi-day hospital stays for fever, and illness. The hospital where we did 2 of our 3 separate stays did have a Ronald McDonald Family Room. This room was always staffed by a smiling, friendly volunteer. The room had sleep, and shower facilities available for parents. It also had a TV, books, internet access, coffee, tea, water, ice, food, snacks, a kettle, a microwave, a fridge, a toaster, and probably a couple other items I'm not remembering at this time. All of these things provided free of charge to parents of children staying in pediatrics, and they're generously provided by Ronald McDonald House Charities, and its donors.
The Ronald McDonald Family Room is classified as a respite area, so it allows parents a chance to recharge, only a short walk down the hallway from their sick child. I used this room numerous times a day over the course of our 2 multi-day stays at Scarborough Centenary. Sometimes, I just needed a mental break and I would spend a bit of time in the room sitting. More often, it was to make use of the fridge, kettle, or microwave. Several mornings, I made toast for breakfast, and during the day I'd pop in and out to get water as a relief against the parching dry hospital air. It really is a wonderful service provided by Ronald McDonald House Charities, and I can't thank them enough for providing such a clean, inviting facility. The Ronald McDonald Family Room supplies a few comforts from home that you otherwise take for granted. When you're in a hospital with your sick child, a normally simple task such as making tea, or reheating food can become much more difficult. Luckily, the Ronald McDonald Family Room was there to make things a bit easier.
So tomorrow, May 2nd, 2018, please consider patronizing McDonald's Canada to buy a Big Mac®, a Happy Meal®, or a hot McCafé® beverage so that Ronald McDonald House Charities can continue to help families in need, such as my own.
If, for whatever reason, you have reservations about supporting McDonald's Canada the corporation, donations can always be made directly to the Ronald McDonald House Charities at the following links:
Ronald McDonald House Canada - https://www.rmhccanada.ca/donation
Ronald McDonald House Toronto - https://2060.thankyou4caring.org/donate
Thank you!
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