Dear Henry

Dear Henry:

Last week I went to the clinic at Georgetown to give them the jog stroller that we got for you when we were in Minnesota. When you were in the hospital I was looking into getting a big jog stroller to push you around. I found that the Baby Jogger company had strollers for bigger boys and girls called, "special needs" strollers. Even though you liked wheelchairs I think that you would have liked this just as much as a way to get around. I wrote to the stroller company and asked if insurance companies helped pay for the strollers. The unbelievably nice people there wrote me back and said they wanted to give you one of their strollers as a gift. Unfortunately it came to the Ronald McDonald house just as you went into the PICU. I wrote them a thank you note after we returned home without you. I said that you would have loved nothing more than to scoot about in the stroller. I know that for a fact. It was the Humvee of jog strollers.



When I wheeled that thing down the hall of the clinic everyone came out of the office and the examination rooms to see me and say hello. It reminded me of when you would walk in and everyone would stop whatever they were doing so they could say hello. You have something grown ups call "charisma." Everyone wanted to be around you.

Here is what Suzanne wrote me the next day.

Allen- It was funny to see your face in clinic after I was talking about you in our meeting (always good things:>:>) and there you show up! Thank you for the stroller.

It was great to see you all last week. I saw Meghan last weekend and we talked about how much we really missed Henry and what an awesome kid he was.
Hugs to Laurie and your gang (I know you already do!)....See you soon. Suzane

When I was leaving a MedStar helicopter was landing right over my head. Whenever I was in your room and I'd hear the helicopters landing at Hopkins or Georgetown I would say to myself, "Well at least we're not as bad off as those unfortunate people." I didn't think that this time.

I am struggling today to be a good daddy. I have plenty of patience but no energy.



This is you when you were Joe's age. Yesterday I wanted to take Jack sledding at Battery Kemble and today there was talk of a possible snowball fight. We haven't gone out at all to enjoy the snow. Sam Shoyer and David Lane are over playing. I am focusing on keeping Joe from hurting himself. I am glad that we have to get in the car and drive later. Joe will be strapped down. That should be easier.

I miss you.

Daddy