I haven’t updated for a long time because I have struggled with what to write. I can’t seem to find words powerful enough to express sufficiently how deeply this journey has pushed me. When Cailyn was first diagnosed, I was told that I needed to accept that she had a chronic, life-threatening illness. Frankly, I […]
This is the seventh update I have started and I am very hopeful that I don’t get a writer’s block with this one! I have mentioned it in other entries, and it is just as true now, I am struggling these last many months to find the words that do justice to my feelings regarding […]
As I have mentioned a few times, this year promises to be challenging. Two imposing mountains are in my view. The most intimidating and overwhelming mountain is the growth in Cailyn’s tumour. Being Cailyn’s advocate requires me to use my project management skills. If the desired outcomes of this project weren’t so critical, the […]
I am so very thankful for all of the support we are receiving from our circle of family and friends. I can easily state that this support is a life-line for me. Twelve years in, I am painfully aware of how effectively my resilience has been eroded by the stress I feel managing Cailyn’s health journey. I first noticed my shaky […]
Holy smokes… pun intended… it is hot! Both literally and figuratively! As far as the literal is concerned, we all look forward to the warmer temperatures our summer brings. However, there are definitely times, like the last few days, that us Hovey girls would prefer “spring”-like temperatures! Cailyn would prefer cooler temperatures because she doesn’t cope well with […]
First things first, Cailyn is recuperating nicely. She is able to manage any discomfort she is feeling with ibuprofen. I love how maturely she approaches it… “Mom, it’s uncomfortable, but it’s not unbearable!” Being home from the hospital this week, one of the pressing questions has become when will she return to school. Over the […]
It has been quite the week. Definitely more ups than downs, especially since we finished the week at home. We arrived at my parents place last night. We were both thrilled to be away from the hospital and to be treated to a lovely dinner and a full glass of wine… ok… Cailyn didn’t care […]
Today I went to Cailyn’s school. All the students were gathered to learn about the upcoming Relay for Life being hosted by the school. To garner support for the event, Cailyn was asked to share what it’s like to live with a life-threatening illness. I got to see her before she spoke and, although she […]
I have just had a most interesting experience with Cailyn. As her school is preparing for their “Relay for Life”, one of her friends asked her if she would speak about her journey at an assembly scheduled to get students involved in the fund-raising experience. She agreed, and immediately asked me if I would help […]
I share our healthcare journey with nurses, doctors and residents. My greatest goal for these presentations is to inspire medical professionals to respect the critical role they play in enabling parents / caregivers to become the strong partners with whom they’d like to work. There is no question that we want to be viewed and respected as […]