Frogs and Butterflies

Transplant is not for the faint of heart, as the recovery is no walk in the park.

Jenson is still dealing with mucositis. It is caused by the pre-transplant chemo and is the most disgusting thing ever. It not only causes painful mouth sores, but the sores run from the mouth all the way down the throat and through to the GI tract. The sores slough off mucus which Jenson chokes and throws up on at least once a day. The mucus comes out in other ways too, but trust me you don't want to hear about it. Who would have thought at day +29 Jenson would still be dealing with tummy aches and other mucositis symptoms.


There are things that brighten his day and today it was a frog. Since it is leap day, someone donated the most adorable frog balloons you have ever seen. You can't help but smile when you see them. When Jenson got his frog balloon, a huge smile beamed across his face and he said, "I like frogs. I feel happy."

Another little girl with LCH, Kaitlin, had her day brightened by butterflies. Her mom Kim wrote about it during Kaitlin's chemo treatment yesterday:

This first grade class in Macungie PA has really made a difference, what an inspiring group. Mrs. Arnold deserves high praise for taking an idea of adopting a child, and turning it into a life lesson for all of the first graders and for the other teachers to support and teach their students on their journey of hope. We were sent about 50 butterflies on little sticks with the word hope written on each one, made by the children for Kaitlin to hand out. These beautiful butterflies are flying all over the children’s hospital today. I hear the word butterfly behind me right now, a little boy is going back to thank Kaitlin again for his butterfly. They were a HUGE hit, EVERYONE loved them. She handed one to grandparents coming into the hospital to visit their grandchild, what a great thing to give that child. She handed one to every child in the clinic; a teenager who held it the entire time she was in clinic, a 3 month old baby whose mother twirled it in front of the baby while holding him in her arms, a little boy who wanted to give Kaitlin the extra thank you before he left. Is there anything more inspiring? Each one handed off brought tears to my eyes. The nurses and staff were also requesting them to place in their flower pots and pencil holders....everyone can use some hope.

Frogs and butterflies - simple acts of kindness to brighten spirits.

I feel happy too.

Kristin