"...why do you walk so S-L-O-W?" (Funny things kids say about your AVM life)

General
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(I also go by one of my middle names, Ning, in addition to my "real" first name, Ann.)

My 3 year old nephew asked me this ("Aunty Ning NIng...why do you walk so S-L-O-W?" )last week.

Me: "Oh, honey, it's bc my brain got hurt. That's why I don't walk very well."
My niece piped up: "But Aunty Ning Ning, you DO walk well."

Wasn't that sweet, and the question hysterical? He doesn't remember me before I got sick so I just realized by his question that he's been playing along with this situation while not being able to understand it fully yet.

This quote is up there with:

"Aunty Ning, What's that thing on your neck?" (my stoma, the hole from the trach)

"Did you lose your brain? ("No, sweetie, not the whole thing.")

and, "PIRATE!" (I was wearing an eye patch in Vision Therapy and a very young pediatric patient ran away from his activity to come look ate me and call me a pirate.

RecoveryLand can be a harrowing place, but incidents like these make it hysterically funny, too. Hope this makes you smile today - if you have any to share, please do! I could always use a laugh. :) www.annninglearninghow.com

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http://www.columbianeurosurgery.org/tag/steve-hartler/ Here is an article they did on me for a Burst AVM. The most precious part, in early recovery was from my friends ten year old son. Its amazing how the simplest statement from children will give us laughter,and reflection on whats important. Hope all is well with everyone. I was always reminded one day at a time we can get better together.

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That was a great article, Steve. I love how you insisted on taking a walk in NY while still supposed to be in the hospital, and the kid's observation/statement is great. Thanks :).

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Great article, Steve! Thanks for sharing it. And your blog is terrific, Ann.

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Kids have a cute way of making a difficult situation (for lack of better wording) funny. Thank you for sharing this. :)

Ben

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Some kids who are strangers to me give me a curious look, and their mothers do the old “stop staring at the lady who isn’t elderly using the electric seated cart”; it makes me wonder what they’re thinking…or if I’m just being self-conscious.

On another note, I had to wear an eye patch for awhile in order to see straight. Before wearing an eye patch, I would squint my left eye shut, and my then-4-year old niece would do the same thing. It made me laugh at the situation each time she did it. Also, one of my nephews would climb on my rollator and push it around like a toy. That was a few years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday.

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when i first left the hospital i wore an eye patch as well. my son was born 4 months before my rupture, so he didn't know/remember prior to the accident. Anyway when i wore the eye patch (i had corrective sugary to straighten my eye), i would close my one good eye and play peek-a-boo with him. When saying the phrase i would raise the eye patch and tickle him. He loved this and would look forward to it happening on a regular. Its amazing how a child's innocent mentality can really inspire the best there is in "life" :)