Millie Flamm

My last day in America I got the chance to visit Millie Flamm! Unlike other previous visits Millie was in the hospital this time. Since I have never visited anyone with cancer before it was really eye- opening how it all works.

First, when I came up to the children's cancer wing I went through a corridor and then got stuck. The door wouldn't open. I looked around and I realized I was stuck on purpose. There were signs everywhere and a sink+ soap + alcohol sanitizer. I needed to scrub down and sterilize myself before going any further.  This is because cancer kids have no immune system and so even a little germ can be quite detrimental. After cleaning my hands and arms I picked up a phone receiver and asked to have the corridor doors unlocked. They opened them and I was then given a mask to cover my face.

It was funny because Amanda and Millie were like "Hey!!!" and I was still in shock from getting locked in a corridor, but before I could bring any gifts to Millie we had to scrub those down as well with sanitizer. 

Even with Olivia being sick and in the hospital all the time, I have never seen this level of germ killing! I can't imagine doing it for 2 years straight....

Millie was fake sleeping when I came in- then she surprised me! When I saw her curled up on Amanda I was like "O- she is so little and cute...." then she yelled surprise and I thought "yea--that's the Millie Flamm I know!"

Since Millie was on day 2 of radiation I was sure she would be throwing up and not want me around. Instead she was like "do you want to see the GIANT tube coming out of my chest?"...but she used a technical term that no 6 year old should have in their vocab- quite yet--it was new so I told her it was nice! (See picture above- two ports coming out instead of just one!)

A while later the hospital dog came by...Millie saw it out of nowhere and jumped/ ran over to the door--didn't know cancer kids could move that fast--but she was at the door in a split second. Unfortunately, it wasn't allowed in Millie's room this time around; so Millie looked at it through her hospital room window. The dog put it's nose up to the window too- I think they did a nose kiss which was obstructed by the glass- Then Millie went back to her bed..

It was great talking to Amanda, it feels like every conversation we have starts from where it finished last. I have been able to see them about once per year since they have moved to Utah from England. Because of her blog I really do feel up to date.

My favorite part about the visit was when a music therapist came to play with Millie--what a cool job! She brought in a drum, keyboard etc... and Millie wrote a song. At first I thought Millie was writing a letter to the Therapist but after they put it to music it was clearly a song- they were talking about the chorus and finding words that rhymed- it was so cute!

Here is a clip of the song- (coming from Amanda)

The words are:

"I like how you look, 

just the way you are, just the way you are.

I like how you are, 

just the way you are, just the way you are."

The chorus.... I can't remember- but it is coming once I get the video clip!

They only got half way done but I was thinking of Millie and how beautiful she looked- it was a perfect song; and the fact that it was written by someone who had no hair- just showed how confident Millie was.

After writing the song, Millie sang the song "climb" by Miley Cyrus with the music therapist. Millie said the song was about her (fighting cancer), I looked over and saw Amanda wipe away a few tears...Amanda is always so strong. She told me once she and Brady agreed to only talk positive around Millie-so that she would also have a good attitude. I wonder if Millie will every look back and realize how strong her parents were being for her; when underneath they were probably terrified.

Here is a link to the song- the words really are amazing when you think of Cancer

Tomorrow Millie gets her bone Marrow transplant. Here is the latest blog update: http://bradyandamanda.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/countdown-to-transplant.html (written 20 minutes ago) which sums up all the technical medical stuff the Flamms will be facing this next upcoming month.

Hang in there Millie we love you!