with a list

of diagnoses

that came with a list

of stipulations

that came with a list

of medications

that came with a list

of how to give them

for this stipulation or that one

of the

list of diagnoses.

with a knack

for Legos

and a passion

for online gaming

and a pushiness

that drove us crazy

and a sense

of what was going on

and a way

of complaining, but not

and a love

for your family

especially one.

with lists

for your lists

and people

the entire hospital directory, in fact

and interventions

and medications for our interventions

and stipulations

and policies

and notes

You came and went

and we came and went

and you grew

and we marveled

and we grew

and each time

over the years

the dance had

slightly new moves

but we still knew

your dance.

and we did not

recognize

this list.

We had not

danced

this dance

with you.

and it’s just

that we didn’t have the list

we didn’t know this dance

but you had already

turned

to go