Leahann’s son was diagnosed with stage 3 nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkins lymphoma when he was 16yrs old. Like a lot of us, it’s so hard to talk about what this is all like during treatment, so we often find ourselves after our children are done frontline trying to make sense of what just happened. So many of our chats start here, and today’s is no exception.

Leahann and I jump right in to how it felt the day she left the hospital after her son rang the bell, and how confusing it was. You’ll hear Leahann call it an “attack on her senses” and I couldn’t agree more. When you’re in treatment, your senses are operating at a whole other level. Everything is heightened and hyper vigilant, and we get so used to being in that state of adrenaline. As soon as Leahann left the hospital after the bell ringing, it was like her body was slowly shedding and loosening from this heightened state and for the first time since diagnosis, her nervous system was trying to regulate - and that felt strange and abrasive and foreign.

This is such a great chat with an incredible mom who is SO easy to talk to, and feel calm and safe and warm beside. We shared a coffee during this chat, sitting at her table that made me feel so comfortable and seen and not alone. I invite you, wherever you are, whether it’s bedside with your child or sitting in a waiting room, or driving, or maybe you have a chance to be outside for a walk - wherever you are, to let yourself feel like you’re sitting with us and let yourself know that wherever you are in your child’s treatment, we’re right beside you.

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