This essay really hit home for me. My little sister Hannah was diagnosed with leukemia when she was two. I also remember not being able to grasp that my little sister might die. To me leukemia was not so different from the flu. I was sure she would get better.
The big difference was that Mom and Dad were always gone and in exchange my aunt and uncle, who I didn't know very well at the time, took their place as parents and teachers. This was very difficult because our family had never been apart for very long. Now we had various people coming in and out of our house to visit and give comfort. We almost never had both parents home. Dad would come home on most nights and Mom on some. We took turns going with mom to the hospital as well.
Hannah herself never really acted sick when I was there. I remember Mom yelling at us as we charged down the hall, Hannah's IV stand being pulled along between us. We played bingo in the play room and, since it was Hannah's favorite movie, watched Sound of Music over and over again.
I also don't think I grasped what our ward did for us either. My Dad's company went bankrupt in the middle of Hannah's treatment. Leaving us, not only without any income, but without any insurance. I, however, don't recall suffering from this. In fact I think only Aaron, my older brother, felt the emotional effects from this. I just have a few memories of kindness. Like when I went to achievement days and we learned to make lasagnas through...making one. Then afterward I was informed that it was to be me who would take it home. Or the ten families who decided to do us for their "12 day of Christmas"gift giving. (for those of you who don't know. Twelve days of Christmas starts twelve days before Christmas, beginning with a twelve item gift, and then day by day getting smaller till on Christmas eve you give one really good gift.) I remember nights of staying up to try and catch them. They were always to good. The closest we ever got was to see a small figure whip around the corner and climb into an unfamiliar car.
However I differ in the fact that Hannah did not die. Which, for me, only made the essay more powerful. I cannot imagine losing Hannah now.
The big difference was that Mom and Dad were always gone and in exchange my aunt and uncle, who I didn't know very well at the time, took their place as parents and teachers. This was very difficult because our family had never been apart for very long. Now we had various people coming in and out of our house to visit and give comfort. We almost never had both parents home. Dad would come home on most nights and Mom on some. We took turns going with mom to the hospital as well.
Hannah herself never really acted sick when I was there. I remember Mom yelling at us as we charged down the hall, Hannah's IV stand being pulled along between us. We played bingo in the play room and, since it was Hannah's favorite movie, watched Sound of Music over and over again.
I also don't think I grasped what our ward did for us either. My Dad's company went bankrupt in the middle of Hannah's treatment. Leaving us, not only without any income, but without any insurance. I, however, don't recall suffering from this. In fact I think only Aaron, my older brother, felt the emotional effects from this. I just have a few memories of kindness. Like when I went to achievement days and we learned to make lasagnas through...making one. Then afterward I was informed that it was to be me who would take it home. Or the ten families who decided to do us for their "12 day of Christmas"gift giving. (for those of you who don't know. Twelve days of Christmas starts twelve days before Christmas, beginning with a twelve item gift, and then day by day getting smaller till on Christmas eve you give one really good gift.) I remember nights of staying up to try and catch them. They were always to good. The closest we ever got was to see a small figure whip around the corner and climb into an unfamiliar car.
However I differ in the fact that Hannah did not die. Which, for me, only made the essay more powerful. I cannot imagine losing Hannah now.
1 comment:
Wow. What an experience. I wonder if you might write an interesting personal essay about this. It would be interesting to explore the idea of "receiving." As a culture, we value giving to others but sometimes receiving is hard for us. It would be really interesting to ponder this issue in an essay.
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