It has been one year since Sheridan was diagnosed with ALL. I remember the details of the day very clearly. It drastically changed our lives in a way that was completely different than anything she had overcome in the past. It was a very different and much more difficult thing to wrap our heads around, but we have. She has been in remission since day 14 and we thank God for that every day. She is still our beautiful daughter and we have made a new normal to include handling this challenge.
While this challenge has been incredibly difficult to handle we have had many comforts along the way. We have met incredible people who have made our lives as easy as they possibly could be, and made it so Sheridan still LOVES to go to the hospital--don't get me wrong, she still gets sick of it when she has to stay :) Her amazing oncologists, Dr. Ann & Karim, her pediatrician Caren, Katherine & Catherine from the Art Room and all of her many incredible nurses and nurse practitioners deserve more credit than they will ever get for what they do. I am sure it is hard for you all to imagine that we could enjoy going down to the hospital, but if you have been there with us you understand. They have this unbelievable way of managing such serious illnesses in a way that is full of life and love.
When I remember this time a year ago Karim, Sheridan's fellow (or boyfriend as some call him) and her nurse Jill stand out in my mind. We met Karim at 2 a.m. after being transported to CNMC from Shady Grove. He greeted us in the E.R. with his huge smile that just makes you feel better, that everything will be ok. Jill was her nurse those first few days. She would come in and sit and talk to Sheridan and to us. She would wait a little while after the docs had been in and then come back by to see what we needed more clarification on or just needed to talk through. She was quiet and yet a strong advocate for us. She wanted to make sure we understood everything. I don't know if the two of them will ever really know what they did for us last year, but they are two of the most extraordinary people I have met.
Sheridan's pediatrician Caren has managed Sheridan's care since the day she was born...she has stayed on top of everything and with this new challenge that did not change. She has made herself available to us in a way that not many people's doctor would and it has been critical at several points along the way. I love getting looks from doctor's that say, "How on Earth are you asking me that question?" because Caren just texted me to ask it :) She is wicked smart and I can trust her to be straight with me and that gives me great peace of mind.
Our greatest comforts come from everyone who loves us and supports us. You all have given us anything and everything we have needed. Sometimes that is just giving us a time and a place to be normal and feel normal and forget about everything else for a while. Sometimes it is the strength to get through the day so that tomorrow can be better :) The list of ways we have needed you all in the past year seems endless. We are so very blessed to have you in our lives.
It was really important to me to look back today. Looking back, the strongest feeling I have is gratitude. We are so very grateful to everyone who is a part of our lives and supports us as we help Sheridan overcome this challenge. There are no words to express how grateful we are to have our truely amazing little girl Sheridan and her sweet and adorable brother Sam. And we are so very grateful to be able to look forward to the future and all that it can bring to Sheridan and Sam.
We love you all!
