Two years ago on this day our Olive received her bone marrow transplant, a life saving gift. Two years ago Olive woke up in her hospital bed and I was on the pull out couch. At this point we were all used to the beeps, buzzes and constant flow of nurses and staff throughout the day and night. Olive completed her seven days of chemotherapy, they gave her a day off before she had her transplant. Her hair was starting to fall out, I was finding it on her pillow. The hospital room was stuffed to the brim with candy, stuffies, pictures of her friends, and posters that her classmates had made for her. Two years ago. I can hardly believe it.

 

Today we are going to celebrate all that Olive has been through and all that she has overcome. We are going to go to her favorite restaurant, Limestone Pizza, and we're going to buy stuffies at the Toy Store. We're not going to talk about it too much, because we don't really have to. It lives with us, we carry it with us. Sometimes it's really loud, but right now the voice of cancer and cGvHD is quiet, a soft whisper.

 

Happy 2nd re-birthday our dear, wonderful, amazing, Olive! You are loved oh so much.