Wonders and Worries

When I was first diagnosed, at least five people told me about Wonders and Worries, a nonprofit organization in Austin that provides free professional therapy for children throughout a parent's serious illness.  The fact that this organization exists is one of the reasons I love Austin so much.

Julia recently finished her six individual sessions.  The child specialist immediately won her over with a bag of Skittles and a game of Guess Who.  During the second session, they focused on cancer education and made “blood” in a ziploc bag with marshmallow white blood cells.  The playroom has a toy MRI machine and even a doll with a central port.  Most of the sessions involved an art project, so Julia was happy.  She made a bouquet of feelings related to cancer, a coping skills box, and a hope tree that also included non-cancer related items like having me bring Chick-fil-A to her school for lunch one day.

Claire is too young for therapy but likes playing on their giant beanbag chair while we wait for Julia.

I am aware that Julia is watching me to see how I'm handling all of this.  I'm trying to model resiliency and positivity.  And when I fail spectacularly, I try to do so on a Monday when she's scheduled to see her therapist.

Now that she's completed her six individual sessions, Julia can join a monthly check-in group with other kids her age who have a parent with cancer.  She can attend those sessions for the duration of my treatment.

Julia will tell you that she already knows everything about cancer.  She may be right.  The other day, she reminded me about Benjamin Franklin and his discovery of the placebo effect.  Do all six-year-olds stay up at night reading about scientific discoveries, or just mine?