Pinky

 

Meeting Pinky!

My Dearest Zoe,

I brought something special for you in my suitcase. We waited a few days until your mom felt it was the right time. Now you have met Pinky! Pinky was your mom's favorite doll that she got when she was 6 years old. Pinky was a reward for her swimming. 

After she came home from the hospital at 19 months old she grew stronger and stronger. We learned how to manage cystic fibrosis and developed new routines. At that time the way to get airway clearance was through a pulmonary therapy where we pounded on her chest sides and back. The treatment as we called it lasted for about 40 minutes and was performed at least twice a day with aerosols and sometimes we did treatments three and four times per day, making our lives very scheduled. She regularly woke up in the night coughing and I would get up to give a treatment and settle her back down well into her being 5 years old. 

One day when playing in a swimming pool she learned to go under water. It was so fun. She repeatedly dove under and it would make her cough, clearing her lungs. That night after her deep diving under she slept all night! Swimming appeared to make such a difference in her lung health. We joined a pool and put her on a swim team but it was still hard for her. It took a lot of effort for your mom as a little girl to swim laps and keep up with the other kids so I told her if she did there was a doll waiting for her. She chose her special doll and named her Pinky.

And now here you are with Pinky! Never in my wildest imagination did I think that I was saving her for you, my beautiful grand daughter.  And, within the next couple of years Anna would excel in swimming breaking and setting pool records. We discovered she was a force of strength, ability and magic! We were so proud of your mom. The summer your Auntie Sara was born your mom won a league championship for her age group. This was a miracle. Very few other people understood how incredible it was for a child who nearly died with CF then recovered and became a super athlete, but we knew!

Reflecting on your mom's life as a child and her love for this doll and the swimming pool and her gregarious fun personality I can remember so many moments of joy and surprise in who she was. Sometimes I would stop and think, "who is this child?" She was remarkable and I know you are too. I do see her in you. You have a kindness and a loving nature that is very Anna. Enjoy Pinky! I am sure Pinky will have a good life with you now in Australia. Remember she was a reward and gift for sticking to it and determination, qualities of your mom that have seen her through so many challenges.

Love,

Bubbles