While Bodie has been settling into a little bit of stability, health wise, and focusing on growing (pretty sure he just passed me up, but we’re not talking about that right now), I took a much needed weekend away for a cardiac networking conference and to see my girl!!!
The semi-annual Single Ventricle Outcomes NEtwork (SV-ONE) Learning Session was in Indianapolis this past weekend. (SV-ONE is a learning health network dedicated to transforming outcomes for individuals living with single ventricle heart disease (what Bodie was born with) across the lifespan. Through my work with Sisters by Heart, I have been involved with SV-ONE for some time now. It is an incredible organization and it’s always such a privilege to work alongside such dedicated practitioners, adult survivors and caregivers to make true change in the way individuals with single ventricle hearts live and thrive!)
Since I was so close to Sierra, I had her come up and join me for the conference (being pre-nursing, I thought she’d find it interesting), and then I went down and spent a few days in Bloomington with her.
What a joy it was to see her in her element!
I got to meet her friends, fill their (tiny) dorm fridge with groceries, fill their bellies with real food (apparently dorm food is getting old) and just give them some mama love.
I loved every second of seeing my girl! She has already grown so much and is absolutely flourishing at Indiana University. I could not be more proud of her. We suspected she would do well, but she has just blown me away! She is loving college life, focusing on her studies and really making Bloomington her home. And she has done it all while adjusting to a myriad of health issues, including an official diagnosis of both Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Sydrome (HEDS) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), both of which have had some pretty nasty flare-ups since arriving in Bloomington. I am amazed that she’s able to concentrate on her studies while dealing with her symptoms!
When I first saw her, ALL that she wanted was Cheesecake Factory. Despite my argument that it was the LAST thing I needed at 9pm at night, I relented, Because…well…my girl wanted it!
In Bloomington, I took Sierra and her roommate to an IU Hockey game and it was SO FUN! (and just a little bit violent – ha!)
She walked me through campus, showing me the routes she takes to her classes. I was a business major, so didn’t spend much time over on the side of campus where her classes are. So I got to see parts of campus I hadn’t seen before (as a former tour guide, that says a lot)!
How gorgeous is this???
This is my absolute favorite time of year in Bloomington!
This girl is definitely her father’s child. All about the BBQ.
We discovered this place when we dropped her off for school and she begged to go back.
She introduced me to pretty much the best donuts I’ve ever had. AHMAZING!!!
A run to the grocery store with her roommate and another bestie. (Have I mentioned how fantastic her friends are??? She has sought out and found the best set of friends – they are all kind, driven, respectful girls who are GOING PLACES, let me tell you!)
I loved learning about the backgrounds of her friends, what they were studying, their families, etc. One of my favorite things was listening to Sierra describe her grandma (my mom) to her friends. She said “Did you guys read the Fancy Nancy books as a kid? Well, she’s like Fancy Nancy if Fancy Nancy were a grandma!!!!” Honestly, it’s the best description I’ve ever heard of my mom! She nailed it! If you know my mom, you’ll totally get it.
It was such a privilege to get a peak into her life, and it is not lost on me how lucky I am that she wants to bring me into her life at college!
I’m waiting at the airport now for the trek back home cross country. I’m not gonna lie – it was hard to leave my girl again. SO HARD. But it was so worth it to get to see her and how well she’s doing!
I grabbed as many hugs and kisses as she would allow, to fill my tank until I get to see her again – at Thanksgiving!!! (I may or may not be counting down the days!) Praying for a smooth rest of the semester for my girl!
