Today was Brooke’s first day back to school! She’s been out for almost 2 years! She is so excited to be back in school and had a great first day!
Brooke completed Kindergarten in Long Beach, but relapsed on the 3rd day of 1st grade in Sep, 2013, and her doctors have kept her out of school since then due to the demands of her treatment and her weakened immunity. She’s been working with home school teachers from the district who have been visiting her an hour a day in the hospital or at home and helping her keep up academically.
Last February we transferred Aidan from the school in Long Beach to a school near his Dad’s house in Anaheim, because of some challenges he was having at his old school. So today Brooke joined him at the new school. She’s coming into 2nd Grade, 6 weeks before the end of the year, at a new school, in a different district. With almost no hair. (Yikes, right!?)
Brooke has been VERY excited about going back to school and having friends she sees every day again. She’s been counting down the days! Yesterday we came in and met the class, and Brooke’s favorite Child Life specialist from CHOC came in to talk to the class about leukemia and chemo and CHOC and why Brooke is nearly bald and always needs sunglasses outside. The class was very sweet and each of them had made welcome cards for Brooke. 5 or 6 of the kids said in their cards that they were hoping Brooke could be their new BFF. When we left after the presentation yesterday, Brooke told me she really liked the class and said “by the end I was feeling so un-shy I was almost ready to talk to them!”
I was in the classroom with her today and will be for a couple days, helping her get used to classroom procedures, etc. And today was terrific! Kids swarmed around her at recess introducing themselves and saying they liked her dress and sunglasses and asking her about her favorite TV shows. One little girl in her glass even brought her flowers to welcome her. It was all a little overwhelming for Brooke and she didn’t talk to the kids much yet – just communicated with smiles and nods. She loved it all though and is happy to be so well received.
This is a huge transition for her and I’ve been a little nervous about it, but Brooke’s been looking forward to it, and knowing her, she will dance through this like she does everything else. She is just so ready to be a “normal” kid again. I’m so proud of this amazing little Pixie!
