Hana Visits Home

Its so strange to say that we are “visiting home” but that is indeed what we did. It makes you think about what “home” really means and for us it is still our place in San Francisco. That’s where we want to be, soon! On Saturday we made the trip, with Hana, to our home in San Francisco.

Hana got out of the car, walked out of the garage and immediately started climbing our front steps. This is all after we picked up Poppy and the two of them were quite excited to see each other. Anyway, Hana walked in the front door of our house liked she owned the place and started walking down our long hallway. You know what she was saying? “Happy! Happy! Happy! Happy!” I couldn’t believe it. I really didn’t think she would remember it, not after eight months and being so young and little when she left. She certainly seemed to remember it.

Hana LOVED being home. She had a great time. She loved being in the backyard checking out all the plants. She loved climbing things and going through all the toys she hasn’t seen in a while. Poppy loved being home with us too. Poppy also loved getting LOTS of treats from Hana. Unfortunately for me it was rather stressful. Hana was putting lots of things in her mouth. The house is quite dirty and dusty and Hana was touching everything and putting her fingers in her mouth. I found the rubber end of a door stopper and several dog treats in her mouth. Instead of getting much done, I was following Hana around wiping her hands.

It was very clear that our house is NOT a place ready for an immune compromised person to spend more than a few hours. At least, not when they are a toddler and can’t comply with keeping their hands clean or at least out of their mouth.

We did have a great time being out in our neighborhood. But it did remind me how much dirtier our streets and sidewalks are compared to Palo Alto. It is definitely going to be another transition we will have to make when we get home. We walked through our neighborhood, got some ice cream and just checked out what’s new. Later we went to the BBQ place where we could sit outside with Poppy. It made me really sad to leave. I can’t wait to be back home! But for now, we wait and we make the best of what is.

Back in Palo Alto things continue to go well. Hana’s blood pressure is still high and I try not to worry too much about it because the doctor’s don’t seem to be too worried. Hana went to her first feeding therapy appointment with one of the speech therapists that she worked with in the hospital. It went really well. Hana has been putting food in her mouth and then holding it in her cheeks. She will do this for more than an hour. Then I have to fish it out. In feeding therapy we worked on getting her to chew smaller amounts and getting her to swallow. At home (oops, I mean the Ronald McDonald House) we have been continuing this rather laborious process but every day she seems to be making progress. Today she ate three baby pickles (she loves pickles), a string cheese stick and various crackers and pickle flavored popcorn (the latter two I mostly had to fish out of her mouth). She also will eat ice cream or frozen yogurt but seems to self limit. I honestly can’t believe she’s eating this much. Today she actually drank enough milk that I could reduce the volume of one of her tube feeds.

Feeding disorders or tube weaning is VERY stressful. Anyone and everyone I know that has had to deal with it will agree. I didn’t stress about it in the hospital, I decided to wait to tackle this after Hana’s transplant. Now I actually have hope!

Speaking of hope, I saw a sneak preview of the very nice letter written to Hana for the awesome check donated to Donate Life America. The word from Gina is that they aren’t used to getting sums of money because of a toddler or even a living recipient. 

Thank you for making this so special! One of these days I hope I have the opportunity to more specifically honor Hana’s donor. Sometimes those things don’t work out. Sometimes they do. I think of the donor family often. The loss they must feel. What it was like to go home and see their child’s things around. It’s been six weeks. How are they doing after six weeks? Would it give them some peace to know Hana is doing so well with their child’s heart? Or maybe it would make them feel even more sad. I would get it either way. I hope they can feel somehow that we honor their child and choice to donate life to Hana. Below I am reposting the lovingkindness meditation for Hana’s heart donor:

May the donor family be wrapped in a blanket of love and tenderness.
May they be held and rocked in their grief.
May their memories and stories be heard as sacred.
May their compassion and generosity be a lesson to us all.
May their child’s life force bless the world with each sunrise.
In time, may they find solace and meaning in their most loving gift.
In time, may their hearts be healed and at peace.

We’ve been getting out and about and Hana is climbing and talking and really making up for lost time. She is definitely closing the gap on her development!

Thank you everyone!