Austin is 7 years old and has been cancer free for over three years.
This was the first time he could read the Scrabble tiles outside the waiting room doors, connecting words like head, neck, legs, and toe to Pediatric Radiology (what, no kidney?).
And there he sat, reading a book all by himself.
His feet still don’t touch the floor, so that may be the next milestone he hits in that all-too-familiar space. And someday, he’ll drive himself down to the hospital and maneuver into a parking spot as a tall, strapping teenager. I’ll accompany him, probably against his will, and he’ll no longer climb into my lap in between procedures, but will be much more concerned with where to access the hospital Wi-Fi.
And while all of that makes me feel sad, his growing up sure beats any alternative.
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Read more from Krissy Gallagher:
Enough Big Moments
Lighting the Darkness
Very Super Extra Relieved
Giving Gifts