September 10, 2021

 We returned to our home in Girona almost two weeks ago. Eston and I went a day early and spent the day washing every couch cushion, pillow, blanket, surface, wall, etc. We set up the air purifiers and went to the market for fresh food and restocked the house and had everything ready for her return.

It was emotional when Aurelia came home as she left on June 23 for a pediatrician appointment and didn’t return. She was thrilled to be in her room with her books and art supplies, sleep in her own bed…and just be.

It’s been a busy two weeks. Aurelia still has appointments in Barcelona 2-3x a week right now, so we have had early mornings (it’s about 1 hour and 20 mins to the hospital in Barcelona). We are on a chemo hold right now, so we come down to the hospital every few days for her blood analysis and hope her numbers are high enough to continue chemotherapy. For the past week she has not been high enough, so we have to wait. I am at the hospital with her now and she just had her blood test, so hopefully we are good to go today!

She usually has her blood tests early in the morning and then we wander around the hospital area until the results come in and we find out if she is having treatment or not. The hospital grounds are lovely and now that Aurelia is walking again we can take our snacks somewhere and sit in the shade and enjoy.

We had a meeting yesterday with Aurelia’s teacher and school director. She will not be able to attend in person this school year due to her immune system and treatment, so we are trying to come up with a plan so she doesn’t fall behind. School starts on Monday and Aurelia and I have arranged an area of the house to be our “classroom” so she can have space to study and read.

Aurelia is feeling very strong. We don’t know why she has not experienced the side effects of chemotherapy, but we are grateful she feels so good. She is riding her bike on the trainer and walking a bit on the treadmill for exercise and she has  physio therapy as well. If she wakes up early in the morning I take her for a little walk down La Rambla before people are out and about and we stop at the bakery for bread. The people at the bakery have known Aurelia since she was born, so when they saw her it was very emotional. I’m grateful for the support of our amazing community.

That is pretty much it. Our days are pretty quiet because she can’t be out and about much or have visitors. We go out to exercise but that’s about it. We’ve been enjoying afternoons by our pool and Aurelia loves to read her cookbooks and plan meals. Eston will start school on Monday so that will change our routine a bit.


Aurelia at the hospital del dia waiting for treatment:



At the hospital playground between treatments. She can be out there when it is cloudy and empty of other kids. 
Aurelia has received some really lovely gifts. Our friend Goretti went to the Olympics and brought this back for Aurelia:
Aurelia’s new classroom in our loft area. She is all set for homeschool on Monday!
When we arrive at the hospital we put her health card into a machine and it gives us tickets for her appointments for that day:
Pumpkin bread and hibiscus tea by the pool:
Writing secret hidden messages and then using the iron to read them:
With her new UTMB hat! Thank you, Cristina and family! 


Comments

  1. A teacher friend from Colorado!September 10, 2021 at 11:26 AM

    Thank you for sharing Aurelia's story. What a brave little girl and family. I think of you a lot.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Samantha BurginSeptember 11, 2021 at 3:42 PM

    So happy she is still strong!

    ReplyDelete

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