Good morning, friends. Currently, we are hunkering down in the Twin Cities waiting for a massive snowfall. It is supposed to snow, then rain, then snow again. Ravi and I are predicting a big mess.
In the last few months I have been working on a new endeavor, turning this blog into a book! I have hired a wonderful editor, Abbey, who is helping me make sense of seven years of memories. I just got the latest batch of work back from her and it was a bittersweet journey down memory lane. So much has happened in the last four years. Covid, George Floyd, riots, presidential elections. Though I mostly write about Ravi, I also write about current events and how he responds to them. I remember how sad he was when schools were shut down due to Covid. I remember how thrilled he was with his unique “drive by” graduation from high school. As I worked my way through these memories, the diaries grew closer and closer to December 2022, when Ravi was diagnosed with cancer. These entries seemed so hopeful. Our little family had no idea what was going to happen on December 9, 2022. If this blog were a movie, there would be ominous music playing in the background. There would be some sort of foreshadowing that would let the reader, or the viewer know that something bad was about to happen. But there was no music. This is not a movie; this is just a blog. A blog I hope to turn into a book.
I had no idea going back and rereading the entries leading up to December 2022 would be so hard. I am waiting for the next batch of edited entries from Abbey. I assume that these ones will be even harder to read as we plunge into the depths of Ravi’s illness. I want to thank my readers for sticking with us in the good times and in the hard times. We feel your strength and your love for Ravi. We feel your prayers and good vibes. We deeply appreciate you.
On a brighter note, Ravi is the ambassador for St. Baldrick’s this month. St Baldrick’s is at the front of the fight against childhood cancer. If you check out my Facebook page there is a cute picture of Ravi (with hair) and a nice write up about him. Did you know that the American Cancer Society uses less than 3% of their funds to fight childhood cancers? Less research is done on pediatric cancers because they are rare. Media is dominated by stories about breast cancer and prostate cancer. This is all well and good, but I wish media would shine a brighter light on the children I see multiple times a week at Journey Clinic. The children who are fighting such big battles in their little bodies. The bald children, the sick children, the children with ports and g tubes that keep them alive. Research needs to help these children. 3% of the budget is not nearly enough. Ravi and his fellow pediatric patients deserve more.
This is not one of my more upbeat blogs. It has been a strange trip down memory lane as I edit 7 years of memories. If I were to assign music to this period of our lives, I am not certain what type of music I would choose. There has been too much ominous music of late. I am hoping for something happier and more upbeat. Ravi has his 5th cycle of chemo. There are 8 cycles. Somewhere in there will also be surgery and radiation. Right now, we are just focusing on getting through the chemo and hopefully ending that chapter of his illness. We are looking forward to granting Ravi his wish, to go see the ocean. we are looking forward to spring, Easter, resurrection. We are looking forward to warm days where Ravi can go for walks and ride his adaptive bike.
The wind is picking up and the snow if moving in. Spring is not here yet. If I had a soundtrack for today, the music would be contemplative. Not happy, not sad, just contemplative, as we wait for spring and new life. Thank you for joining us on our journey. Be good people and we will be in touch. Peace.
Harriet's Hedgehogs and Autism Advocacy 