Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/supporting-families-experiencing-chronic-illness/5022390/
BOX:Cella is a bright, energetic four-year-old little girl with wise, brown eyes. Her dark brown hair is always piled high upon her head, and bounces about like little bunny ears when she moves. Her mother, Dr. Sarah Laurent, is a college professor, and her father, Dr. Mason Laurent, is a chiropractor. They are both worried about news they recently shared with her. Sarah has been sick off and on for the past year. Cella’s parents �" due to little family with whom to leave Cella �" have had no choice but to take her with them to doctors’ appointments. Sarah and Mason have been doing their best to inform Cella, using age-appropriate language, sharing just enough information to calm her yet answer her questions, and not overwhelm her. Before Sarah had an MRI, Sarah told her that the doctor was going to “Look at Mommy’s brain with this machine to see what color it is.” Sarah had Cella guess what color Sarah’s brain would be. Cella was emphatic that it be pink, “‘Cuz pink is our favorite color, Mommy!” This calmed Cella. Afterwards, the radiologist showed Cella pictures of Sarah’s scan, and Cella was disappointed to see a gray brain on ...