A T Update Post of a More Positive Nature
This morning started off pretty bad, with the DH2 Chicago contingent receiving an email update confirming that the bad news of T's diagnosis was indeed as bad as the initial biopsy predicted. The tumor is malignant and terminal. T knew that. We knew that. This was just a confirmation. A really shitty confirmation.
But I said this would be a more positive update, so from here on out, the tone gets better.
geminiscorp and I were able to go visit mischievous_t this afternoon. Armed with the best Hufflepuff (and all the other houses!) photo album in the WORLD, we got brave and didn't call from downstairs, just marched right upstairs... to a room door that said "pt is resting." Bah.
We texted Mr T's phone, saying that we were at the nurses' station, leaving a gift for her. He called immediately, saying that he was coming right out. They'd only put the sign up more to keep the nurses away.
Mr T came out and got us, and let us into the room. Good Friend #1 was there, so we got to meet her very briefly. Friend1 and Mr T both left the room, very graciously allowing us private time with mischievous_t.
T looked great. Yes, she looked a little pale and tired, and her hair was in two Pippi Longstocking braids, and seriously, who really looks good in a hospital gown? BUT. She was sitting up in her chair and seemed to be in very good, very realistic spirits.
When we kissed her in greeting, she said, "no tears!" And we held to that. She mentioned the elephant in the room immediately, saying 'terminal brain cancer' out loud right off the bat, and told us how absolutely fucked up this all is.
She told us that she has to have space sometimes, that texting people about what was going on was easier than talking on the phone or in person. That bit of distance sometimes can make it a little bit less real, easier to take. We told her that fangirls know (back me up on this, girls!) that they need to let her choose the option of writing/texting/calling back on her own terms.
geminiscorp and I gave her a photo album we created yesterday during our 2.5 hour lunch, two cards (a funny and a serious one), and lego figures of Hermione and Severus. Gem read the funny card for her, then went through the book for her slowly, reading all the places where there was text. T can read some, and she explained to us that while she can read and send text messages, she has to move the phone back and forth to situate it correctly in her field of vision. She can't read the entire line of text without moving the phone. So she was able to see the photo album and appreciate it, and we (at least I) think she'll take time with it later to examine the photos in more detail.
We showed her there were some cards with greetings from fangirl friends inserted in the back, and I think Gem read a couple of them to her (I was filling out the menu for her at the time), but we also warned her that the greetings could be mist-producing. :)
We got to meet Little T! Good Friend #2 brought T's daughter in after a while, and it was lovely meeting her. She is a beautiful girl, very poised with new people, and seemed to enjoy meeting her mother's friends. Daughter, Friend1 and T's mother (who we didn't get to meet) are going back home today. T, Mr T and Friend2 will most likely wait an additional day in town and leave on Sunday. At the point when we visited, the plan was still to be discharged tomorrow, so they'd stay two nights at a nearby hotel. Oh, yes, and they will take another MRI before she is discharged.
We talked about all the fangirls, and how many good wishes were being sent her way. T expressed concern for her friends - she appreciates the love, but doesn't want us to be upset because of her. <3
We stayed with her about... an hour, I think? While we were there, machshefa called, and they chatted about the possibility of visiting this evening when machshefa's working hours are done. Gem and I are hopeful to visit again tomorrow.
I realized something on a personal note and only add it in case any of you have felt this. After our visit, an enormous relief flooded through me. I realized an illogical fear had started taking hold that T would pull back from her fandom friends to be with RL people. The visit assured me just how illogical that fear was. She loves us all so much, and wants everyone to know that and how much she appreciates our support.
Love to you all,
christev
P.S. Just in case any of you are curious, here are just a couple of pages from the Hufflepuff Spirit-Lifting Photo Album of Awesum! Pics are down and dirty, but I just want to get this post up!
Here's the title page of photo album, with a couple of sample pages. Severus may or may not be showing off another new spell he created... along with his Great. Big. Wand. We put in lots photos of T's trip to Chicago, the sightseeing, the group pics of the fangirls gathered, the Hufflepuff Party Bus, etc. Gem has the best sticker books! And that "bravest man" sticker is one of the ones drinkingcocoa made and stuck on tissue packs for us to take to the movie. :D
But I said this would be a more positive update, so from here on out, the tone gets better.
geminiscorp and I were able to go visit mischievous_t this afternoon. Armed with the best Hufflepuff (and all the other houses!) photo album in the WORLD, we got brave and didn't call from downstairs, just marched right upstairs... to a room door that said "pt is resting." Bah.
We texted Mr T's phone, saying that we were at the nurses' station, leaving a gift for her. He called immediately, saying that he was coming right out. They'd only put the sign up more to keep the nurses away.
Mr T came out and got us, and let us into the room. Good Friend #1 was there, so we got to meet her very briefly. Friend1 and Mr T both left the room, very graciously allowing us private time with mischievous_t.
T looked great. Yes, she looked a little pale and tired, and her hair was in two Pippi Longstocking braids, and seriously, who really looks good in a hospital gown? BUT. She was sitting up in her chair and seemed to be in very good, very realistic spirits.
When we kissed her in greeting, she said, "no tears!" And we held to that. She mentioned the elephant in the room immediately, saying 'terminal brain cancer' out loud right off the bat, and told us how absolutely fucked up this all is.
She told us that she has to have space sometimes, that texting people about what was going on was easier than talking on the phone or in person. That bit of distance sometimes can make it a little bit less real, easier to take. We told her that fangirls know (back me up on this, girls!) that they need to let her choose the option of writing/texting/calling back on her own terms.
geminiscorp and I gave her a photo album we created yesterday during our 2.5 hour lunch, two cards (a funny and a serious one), and lego figures of Hermione and Severus. Gem read the funny card for her, then went through the book for her slowly, reading all the places where there was text. T can read some, and she explained to us that while she can read and send text messages, she has to move the phone back and forth to situate it correctly in her field of vision. She can't read the entire line of text without moving the phone. So she was able to see the photo album and appreciate it, and we (at least I) think she'll take time with it later to examine the photos in more detail.
We showed her there were some cards with greetings from fangirl friends inserted in the back, and I think Gem read a couple of them to her (I was filling out the menu for her at the time), but we also warned her that the greetings could be mist-producing. :)
We got to meet Little T! Good Friend #2 brought T's daughter in after a while, and it was lovely meeting her. She is a beautiful girl, very poised with new people, and seemed to enjoy meeting her mother's friends. Daughter, Friend1 and T's mother (who we didn't get to meet) are going back home today. T, Mr T and Friend2 will most likely wait an additional day in town and leave on Sunday. At the point when we visited, the plan was still to be discharged tomorrow, so they'd stay two nights at a nearby hotel. Oh, yes, and they will take another MRI before she is discharged.
We talked about all the fangirls, and how many good wishes were being sent her way. T expressed concern for her friends - she appreciates the love, but doesn't want us to be upset because of her. <3
We stayed with her about... an hour, I think? While we were there, machshefa called, and they chatted about the possibility of visiting this evening when machshefa's working hours are done. Gem and I are hopeful to visit again tomorrow.
I realized something on a personal note and only add it in case any of you have felt this. After our visit, an enormous relief flooded through me. I realized an illogical fear had started taking hold that T would pull back from her fandom friends to be with RL people. The visit assured me just how illogical that fear was. She loves us all so much, and wants everyone to know that and how much she appreciates our support.
Love to you all,
christev
P.S. Just in case any of you are curious, here are just a couple of pages from the Hufflepuff Spirit-Lifting Photo Album of Awesum! Pics are down and dirty, but I just want to get this post up!
Here's the title page of photo album, with a couple of sample pages. Severus may or may not be showing off another new spell he created... along with his Great. Big. Wand. We put in lots photos of T's trip to Chicago, the sightseeing, the group pics of the fangirls gathered, the Hufflepuff Party Bus, etc. Gem has the best sticker books! And that "bravest man" sticker is one of the ones drinkingcocoa made and stuck on tissue packs for us to take to the movie. :D