Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Homecomings

They're home!! Yeah!! It was so good to see their tired but happy faces come through the doors last night at the airport. Daddy was loaded down with all the bags and Miss Hannah was strolling along. I swear she's grown taller in the two weeks since I last saw her. Daddy's hair has definitely grown bigger. One things for sure, besides her losing a lot of weight (scary on a already skinny little 6 year old), she sure looks different. John's been great about sending me pictures along the way so there was no great shock about the change. The change actually is quite subtle in many ways. But as a mother here's how you notice some of the changes when your child goes through facial reconstruction - the way her skin looks has changed, just the way its pulling across her face is different. The slight angles of chin, her jaw, her little ear, all have shifted and changed. And the big one for me last night was, as she laid on the couch last night with her head in my lap as John cleaned the area around her distraction device, how different her face feels as I ran my hand over her face. There are changes that can't be seen but can be felt when you know someone's face "like the back of your hand". I wasn't prepared for this difference or the effect in my heart when I was feeling these changes. I was so surprised that I could feel them. That I just knew that the terrain of the my child's forehead was now completely changed. And I didn't know that my hands would find and feel this change. Once again a surprising side of motherhood that I wasn't expecting. It never ceases to amazes me.

2 comments:

Katie Miller said...

I have seen Hannah at RMDH in New York and I have to say her energy and spirit fill each room she enters. She seems a little shy at first, but I'm sure she's a bundle of joy once comfortable. We have a daughter also going through treatment here in New York and each day is a new beginning. I believe these journals are a wonderful way of expression for us as mothers and a great link to our world for our friends and family. We will keep Hannah in our prayers. Come visit our page if you'd like. God's Peace! Katie Miller caringpages.org/visit/jennamiller

John and Judy said...

Katie, I went to view your page and couldn't find it. Can you re-post it or email us the link to sixdavies@shaw.ca