In the early weeks of Emmy’s treatment, Mike and Aja put together an Amazon wish list. They needed things to keep a toddler entertained through long hospital stays and treatment days: movies, books, anything a 16-month-old with opinions could be distracted by.
People sent things. Kindle readers arrived in the mail. Halloween costumes for a tiny giraffe. DVDs. Books. Toys. Objects chosen by strangers who had thought, specifically, about what a sick child might need and want.
“Finding Dory remained on repeat throughout the day,” Mike reported from a hospital room in June 2017. “Things could be worse though, it could be Frozen in which case each of you should all be gravely concerned for my mental well being.”
The donated items weren’t just practical. They were proof that people were paying attention, thinking concretely about Emmy’s days, and choosing to make them a little lighter.