I am the Mother of a Bonifide 17 year old as of April 12, 2014

Yes her age in the US is 21.  If she was in Korea it would 22 and if she were in Saudi, who knows (they have a truly complicated calendar.)


We all know she is an old soul.  She never was a child. I remember a time when she was about 9 months old and lying on the bed, looking at me and talking. She was just jabbering in completely sensible statements with lots of meaning and inflection.  I was not able to understand but it was at that moment I realized she was never ever going to "not talk".  She is an old old wise soul.  She carries cancer around with great grace.  She doesn't flaunt it, she doesn't explain it, she uses it to her greatest advantage.  Not in a bad way. She is able to take the lessons learned and apply them to her life.  She is very serious about school and picking her friends.  She knows she has to say no to lots and lots of things.  She has watched death swirling around her and knows lose as no one should at that age. 




She has lost 4 full years of her life.  Two years during Cancer Part I and then two during Cancer Part II.  She did not have the energy to keep growing emotionally.  She had to keep focused on getting well.


Driving was a big example.  


She took Driver's Ed at 16, pretty normal.  I could never get her to drive after that.  She just would not venture out.  I remember taking off the moment I was able to drive and never stopped.   I even bought her a car in anticipation of her driving.  Okay it was a tank but it would protect her when she ran into those things that jump out all over the place when kids learn to drive.  


Well she just didn't do it.  No driving. No real movement.  My mom finally told me to "leave her alone!!!"  She told me ME would drive when she was ready.  She always had her own schedule and was going to stick with it.  Mom was correct in that regard.


ME decided it was time. With the help of John Carden and several hours of driving and cones for parking practice.  I guess she does great without her mom in the car.   It is all good. 


She scheduled the written test and passed. She scheduled the driving test and passed. She went to the licensing bureau and they took a wonderful picture.


One more step in the road to normal. Hopefully the transplant will give her the years to catch up. Boys are next.  Her dad can worry about that!....