Jordan's Journey

Framed

She calls me at 2pm. I’m walking across Wilshire Blvd on a quest for iced tea. Her voice is charming, inflected, slightly authoritative.

– Daddy, my computer doesn’t work.
– What’s wrong?
– It won’t let me go on the internet.
– Is your airport connection working?
(muffled tones as she asks her mother the same question)
– Now it works, Dad.
– I love you.
– I love you, too. I can’t talk now. I’m looking at things on Pottery Barn.
– Well, have fun.
– Thank you, my precious Daddy.
– click –

This is what we have so far on her POV of the story. (btw, she nags me every day to write more)

This is a story about a girl who got cancer. Her name was Jordan. One day, she had really bad headaches. Her mommy and daddy took her to the emergency room. She was frightened. But then, she saw her doctor–Dr. Cohen. Dr. Cohen made her happy. But that day, Dr. Cohen was worried about Jordan. She didn’t know why Jordan was having headaches and she thought Jordan should spend some time in the hospital.

At the hospital, Jordan got a special bracelet that listed her name and her birthday. Jordan though it was silly that they put her birthday on a bracelet. After she got the bracelet, they put a strap on her arm and pushed a button. And the strap squeezed her arm like a huge bear that wouldn’t let her go.

“Ow!” She said. “Why is that thing grabbing me so tight.”

The nurse said, “shhh. We’re taking your blood pressure.”

Jordan held still while they took her blood pressure. The headaches throbbed in her head and made her dizzy. Jordan had to close her eyes to forget the bear claw and the pain she was feeling.

After they took her blood pressure … and her temperature … and her weight … and they looked in her mouth, they put her in a wheelchair and gave her a ride to a room with a bed that went up and down, side to side, and all around. Even though the headaches hurt so bad, Jordan thought the bed was fun.

Ow! Jordan neglects to brush her hair. When it gets really bad, Jeanette steps in. The photograph demonstrates the result.

We started her book this weekend. We selected pictures that would tell the story. My head keeps going nuts trying to solve a problem that really doesn’t exist. I keep thinking, how am I going to help Jordan write a book? She doesn’t think that linearly. Then, she walks up and says to me, “this is the story about a girl who got cancer. One day, she had really bad headaches…”

She’s got more storytelling ability than I give her credit for.

Notes and Observations

She wants to write her story. She calls me at work to share the news.

– Dad, I want to write a story about my cancer. Will you help me?

Later, when I am home, she tells me more. She wants to write a story about what’s happened to her. She wants to start at the beginning, when the headaches arrived. She tells me this with impeccable clarity. There is none of the crazy logic she sometimes employs. Her eyes pierce me. She means this.

I have an idea–an idea for what this site could be. I think it could be a place where kids like Jordan share their stories. Writers, photographers and other supporters could help them do it. We could help them tell their stories and coach them to highlight the moments and memories that keep them going. I don’t know how this would work, but I am inspired by Jordan’s desire to write. I have thought about it constantly since she dropped it on me so plainly, so honestly.

Jordan considers her next adventure

She leaps from the hospital bed and scrambles for the play room. Jeanette follows her down the hall with several bags of belongings slung over her shoulders. The bi-weekly chemotherapy ritual is underway.

Jordan allowed the nurses to access her port without too much fuss this time. She pleaded for a few minutes, refusing to let the team near her, but then Jeanette intervened and reminded Jordan that she had already wiped off the anesthetic cream. The longer she waited, the less numb her skin would be when the nurse poked her. Jordan acquiesced and within a few minutes she was connected to the drugs. It went smoother than the last visit, when four nurses were required to hold her down. (more…)

Thank you to everyone for the great encouragement and interest in Jordan’s test results. She is doing very well. The radiologist report showed that there is no change in the scans. She is in stable health. This is good news.