One evening while I was in the hospital, I was talking and playing with the Child Life Specialist ( a person whose job is to help children and their families cope with the challenges of hospitalization, illness, and disability). She asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I looked at her with this sassy expression and said “Duh, a princess.” Given that I was only three, this was a reasonable response. Everyone broke out laughing, but I was serious about becoming a princess.
When I woke up the next day, to my surprise, one of my amazing nurses painted a giant portrait of Cinderella on my hospital room door and wrote “Princess Amanda”. For the rest of my stay in the hospital, everyone called me Princess Amanda. I honestly don't remember this because it was 14 years ago, but my family still talks about it, so it must have had a big impact and meant a lot.
When I got out of the hospital I was granted a wish through Make a Wish Foundation. After spending my fourth birthday in the hospital, I wished to go to Disney and meet the princesses for my fifth birthday. This adventure was pure magic! I got to have a special lunch with the princesses, have dinner in Cinderella's castle, and I even got to go to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and get a makeover to look like Belle from Beauty and the Beast.
I kid you not, I still want to be a princess when I grow up (or at least famous)
