Brianna and Kitty: Life Is a Bouncy Castle

By Marilyn M Linn

Brianna.

There are two families in the book Brianna, and both families include a ten-year-old girl who will be featured. The Waterfords and the Millers meet in unusual circumstances and become close friends. The two girls, Brianna and Katrina, become especially close. Both girls have an incurable skin disorder. Both are different but similar in treatment, as are the effects on the girls and their families.

The book deals with having a visible difference at school, bullying, challenges growing up, and the unending treatment of their skin problems. Brianna and Katrina (Kitty) call themselves the Skin Twins.

The story covers three years of Brianna’s life, from when she begins school at eight years old; she’s been homeschooled until then. Kitty joins the story later. The book details surgical aspects of skin grafting and hospital stays and the emotional issues for the two girls and their families.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press AU
• Release date: Jan 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9781504316347

Marilyn M Linn

Marilyn Linn has lived in South Australia all her life. She enjoys writing short stories and poetry and has had several publishing achievements, in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and USA. Marilyn has travelled extensively worldwide before retiring from school teaching across all ages.

Book preview

Brianna and Kitty

Life Is a Bouncy Castle

MARILYN M LINN

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Copyright © 2019 Marilyn M Linn.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Balboa Press

A Division of Hay House

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.balboapress.com.au

1 [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-5043-1633-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5043-1634-7 (e)

Balboa Press rev. date: 01/17/2019

Contents

Introduction to Brianna

Chapter 1 Starting School

Diary 1

Chapter 2 Sports’ Day

Diary 2

Chapter 3 A Surprise for Brianna

Diary 3

Chapter 4 Planning a Birthday

Chapter 5 Dream Castles

Chapter 6 Dolly’s Surgery

Diary 4

Diary 5

Chapter 7 The Vet

Chapter 8 Preparations for Surgery

Diary 6

Chapter 9 Surgery Plans -

Diary 7

Chapter 10 Admission Day

Chapter 11 Surgery At Last

Chapter 12 Brianna Meets Katrina

Chapter 13 The Parents’ Meeting

Diary 8

Chapter 14 Plaster Comes Off

Diary 9

Chapter 15 Home Visit

Chapter 16 Home

Diary 10

Chapter 17 Preparing for a Big Day Out

Diary 11

Chapter 18 Back to Hospital

Diary 12

Chapter 19 Home From Hospital

Diary 13

Chapter 20 Holiday for the Miller Parents

My lovely family who gave me inspiration, information and computer help,

I dedicate

this book to you.

Introduction to Brianna

At the age of three years, Brianna was scalded by boiling soup.

She pulled a saucepan from the stove when her mother turned away to answer the phone.

The left side of Brianna’s head, face, shoulder, chest, arm and left foot suffered third-degree burns with second-degree burns on other parts of her young body.

Apart from her scarred visual appearance, Brianna has a speech impediment, which she does not seem to notice, and a slight hearing loss in her left ear.

Brianna is beginning school at age eight after being homeschooled.

The issues of bullying and teasing are a concern to her parents.

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Brianna and Kitty meet in a hospital and a strong friendship develops.

Chapter One

Starting School

B rianna pulled the pillow tight around her head and the blankets over the top. She didn’t want to be seen or heard. She did not want to hear her parents talking.

She overheard them talking about sending her to school. Until recently she had been home-schooled and it suited her.

Her father, Max, thought she needed the company of other children, and her mother, Pam, considered herself inadequately skilled to teach her daughter any longer.

The topic of school had been broached before and Brianna was dismayed at the idea. ‘The children will laugh at me. I know they will. You know what happened when you made me go to Sunday School.’

‘You’re older now. You’re eight and you can stand up to anyone if they give you any trouble,’ her mother said, trying to maintain a steady voice. ‘Besides, the school won’t allow anyone to bully you. It’s against the rules.’

‘Brianna, you have to learn to face the world,’ her father said, ‘You can’t stay home forever. We’ll ask Janey, from across the road, to keep a look out for you, shall we? You play with her and don’t have any trouble, do you?’

School was not going to be the same as Sunday School, he hoped.

He would hate anything like that fiasco to happen again. Bad memories inhabited his dreams about his little child, sobbing.

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A church elder had telephoned Max to come and collect Brianna from Sunday School. She was crying and being uncooperative, he told Max.

When he arrived, he saw his little girl huddled in a corner, head between her knees and skirt tucked tightly around her legs. The young Sunday School teacher quietly guided the other children out of the room and left Max and Brianna with the elder.

‘What happened here?’ Max asked, looking toward the elder, his heart sinking as he approached his crumpled child.

‘One of the children said Brianna looked like a chook. She said Brianna’s mouth was ugly and her face was crooked,’ the elder explained, touching his own face as he spoke. ‘It wasn’t one of our regular Sunday School children. I’m so very sorry. And on little Brianna’s first day, too.’

Max took a deep breath as the elder repeated what had been said. He looked at the clergyman without speaking. He was shocked the priest repeated exactly the words which had upset the child in the first place. He lifted his daughter from the floor in one motion. She was small and easy to carry. She sobbed all the way home.

Pam met Max and Brianna at the car and together they took their distraught five-year-old into the house. Pam’s face reflected her concern as Max carried Brianna inside. The time between sobs slowly decreased and Brianna calmed down. She told them she was never going to Sunday School again.

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Pam and Max accepted some people, children and adults alike, could be tactless, staring and commenting on Brianna’s face, within her hearing, but cringed when they witnessed it.

When Brianna was a chubby three-year-old with fair curly hair, her life and the lives of her parents changed in an instant.

Pam had placed a large pan on the stove and began preparing a huge quantity of soup in preparation for an event the next day. All the family were gathering at Pam’s parent’s home for a big family get - together to celebrate an important 85th birthday. The phone rang and she moved to answer the call. In a flash, Brianna climbed up and tried to stir the soup. It tipped over and spilt on the left side of Brianna’s face, neck, shoulder, left arm and left foot. The chilling shriek brought Pam running back.

The next two years were spent in and out of hospital for multiple surgeries and repairs to Brianna’s body, including skin grafts.

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Home-schooling solved the problem of education for three years but Max and Pam knew their daughter needed to go to school to learn to socialise with others. Their hearts were heavy at the thought of Brianna being teased.

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The new school year began in three weeks and an open day in a few days’ time offered potential new students the opportunity to come in and have a look around. Max and Pam made an appointment to meet with the Principal to discuss Brianna’s placement and her self-consciousness.

‘I’ll pair Brianna up with a buddy, to help her find her way around and to look out for her. I’ll appoint two of my best Year Three students to help. We give all new children a buddy, so she won’t feel any different from the others. Would you like to talk to the teacher, maybe the whole class even, once school has started?’

Max sat wringing his hands unconsciously as he spoke. Pam stared intently at the floor. ‘Perhaps Brianna could talk to the teacher privately first, with us there, then we’ll see. Does the Year Three teacher have any experience with children with um …visible differences?’

‘The teacher is highly experienced and kind,’ the Principal said. ‘The children love her. Her name is Miss Symons. Brianna will be fine, I’m sure.’

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The night before school was due to begin, Brianna cried herself to sleep, dreading the morning. Her new two-tone blue checked school uniform, shiny black shoes and a pink Barbie back-pack were ready waiting for her.

‘Come on, Sweetheart, time to get up and start your new adventure as a big girl. Remember you will have Janey, from across the road, and Tina, to look after you. You liked Tina when you played at her house, in the holidays, didn’t you? She’s coming here with her mum to pick us up, remember?’

At the meeting with the class teacher on the day the family were shown around the school, Tina had been introduced to Brianna. ‘Janey will be at school too. Wave to her, if you see her.’ Pam’s voice was high and stretched as she tried to sound calm and positive. The lump in her throat made it hard to speak and tears were just a blink away.

Tina’s mother, Maria, drove her car into the driveway and tooted the horn. ‘Quick, drink your milk or bring it with you. You can drink it in the car. Let’s go,’ said Pam, as she hustled Brianna out to the car.

‘Mums sit in the front, girls in the back,’ said Maria. ‘Seatbelts on. Off we go.’

Brianna sipped her milk through the drinking straw in her flask as they drove to school. She needed the straw because of her inability to swallow easily.

Tina chatted to Brianna and Maria talked to Pam. The two mothers tried to keep the atmosphere in the car light and happy, telling silly jokes and talking about the weather, trying to keep the short journey as stress-free as possible. Brianna had finished her milk drink by the time they reached school and the mums finalised the after-school details.

‘I’ll pick up the girls at 3:15 and you can come to our house for afternoon tea. I’ll bake some biscuits. What colour icing would you like Brianna? And you Tina? How does that sound girls?’ Pam said.

Both children had shouted ‘Pink icing’.

‘Okay. Pink it will be.’

Pam wasn’t thinking of icing. She was thinking about how she would survive the long day.

As soon as the car was parked in the school parking bay, Tina jumped out, taking Brianna by the arm. Tina placed her school bag on one of her shoulders and Brianna’s bag on the other.

‘Come on. Let’s go and see who else is in our class. You might know some of the other kids. I like your bag. I’d like one the same,’ said Tina, a bouncy dark-haired child with big brown eyes.

Brianna stood still, her head lowered. ‘I don’t want to go. I know I won’t like it.’

The two mothers stayed in the car. They had anticipated there might be a problem and hoped the two girls would work it out.

Tears trickled shamelessly down Pam’s face. She desperately wanted to take Brianna home. Maria noticed and squeezed Pam’s hand. ‘They’ll be fine. Try not to worry.’

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Tina gently took Brianna by the shoulders. ‘Come on. I’ll look after you. Just hold my hand.’

Slowly, Tina coaxed Brianna to follow her. When they got to the corner of the building, the girls turned and waved to their mothers. Pam saw Tina place Brianna’s pink Barbie-bag on Brianna’s shoulder and felt an easing of the anxiety stuck in her heart.

Pam gave a deep sob as she waved back. Maria did not drive off immediately. She suggested to Pam they wait a few minutes, just to be sure Brianna did not run back. After about five minutes they went home for the much needed morning tea.

‘Pam, I can only guess how hard this morning is for you. The girls are in the same class, so they’ll be all right,’ said Maria gently. ‘Mmm. This is a lovely cuppa. I needed this.’

At three o’clock, fifteen minutes before the end of the school day, Pam was at school, ready to take the girls home. She walked into the school yard and waited as near the classroom as she could without being seen by Brianna.

When the siren went, Pam almost ran across the remaining play area. The first two children out the door were Brianna and Tina. The sun shone on the girls’ hair and the contrast was noticeable between Brianna’s sparse fair fairy-floss hair and Tina’s rich chocolate-brown hair. Pam gulped. ‘I will never get used to these things,’ she muttered to herself.

‘Mum. Mum, Can Lizbef come home with us? She’s cool. She pushed Richard over at lunchtime because he was mean to me. She told him not to be a bully. The teacher said Lizbef mustn’t push people over but Lizbef didn’t care. And Janey was there. She wants to come over and play. And Steven likes me. He gave me half his lolly snake at lunchtime. We all went into the library.’

Pam looked from Brianna to Elizabeth’s mother and back, raising her eyebrows, pre-empting the question. She waited for Brianna to stop talking before she asked Elizabeth’s mother if Elizabeth could come home with them. Three girls chatted and giggled all the way home.

‘We’re all going to our home. Maria will meet us there,’ said Pam.

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‘That’s a plan, Mrs Waterford,’ said Tina.

‘Fine with me, too.’ Elizabeth’s little laugh set the other girls off into giggles. They weren’t giggling at anything in particular, just laughing.

After biscuits with pink icing and a glass of strawberry flavoured milk, the girls played in Brianna’s room. Pam heard the giggling and laughter. She felt happier. She forced herself to keep out of the way while the little girls played. She heard laughing, then silence, then more giggles. Pam desperately wanted to sneak up and have a look at what was going on. Brianna had to learn about independence and Pam realised she had to learn to loosen the braided ties of heartache. She knew she was overprotective.

The girls twittered and hugged when they prepared to go home. Everyone was happy.

The house was surprisingly quiet when the two girls left with their mothers.

Over dinner, Brianna bubbled happily as she told her father about her day at school and about Elizabeth and the library. ‘I’ve got four new friends in ONE day; maybe school will be okay.’

Later, Pam told Max her version of Brianna’s first day at school, her own tears and Brianna’s initial reluctance. Tears again threatened as Max hugged Pam but they agreed it was a great beginning and they hoped the positive things would continue for their precious daughter. Both parents felt a never-ending guilt about the scalding soup. The pain their daughter had suffered affected them both.

When Maria came for her next morning, Brianna was ready. She gave her mother a hug at the front door. ‘You don’t need to come today, Mum. I’m fine. Just pick us up at home time please.’

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Diary 1

Dear Diary,

I don’t really know what to write in a diary. Mum says I can write about anything I want to, even secret thoughts.

Today I will tell you about starting at school.

All the kids in my class are Year 3s. I don’t know all their names yet.

Most of them don’t talk to me so I don’t talk to them.

I’ve noticed some of them looking at me sideways, finking I can’t see them, but I can. First they look and next they whisper to the person nearest to them, usually behind a hand. I feel like shouting at them. If they want to ask me a question, I would answer them. But I might just tell them to mind their own business.

My friends so far are Janey, Tina and Elizabeth. Mum made me practice saying ‘Elizabeth’ because I was calling her ‘Lizbef’. I like playing with them. I don’t like Richard. He’s a bully.

I’m going to have some speech ferapy because I can’t say th. I fink my f sounds okay. But it is messing up some of my writing and