Dear Harbor Families,

When our daughter Emily was three years old (she is now eleven), she was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called juvenile dermatomyositis. Our family has been through our fair share of challenges, but those weeks of diagnosis and early treatment were by far the most frightening and challenging moments Bill and I have ever had. I was 37 weeks pregnant with Jude when she started exhibiting symptoms of muscle weakness, which quickly progressed to challenges with walking, sitting up from lying down, and eventually swallowing. Diagnosis took five weeks and included multiple visits to the hospital, a muscle biopsy, an intestinal scope, and other invasive procedures on her little body - to rule out muscular dystrophy, which would have been a catastrophic diagnosis. It was terrifying.  We were fortunate to have a number of support systems in place, including my parents, our close friends, supportive colleagues, and Emily’s teachers at our former school -  and Emily’s rheumatologist, Dr. Mitchell.

This past weekend, after five years, we reconnected with Dr. Mitchell and his wife Ellen, having them over for dinner. When we opened the door, I found myself overcome with memories and emotions from that challenging time, and tears came to my eyes. Over the course of the evening, we looked at photos of Emily in the hospital when she was receiving high doses of prednisone and had puffy cheeks and other symptoms, the regular physical therapy she had as she began to regain strength, and the volunteer work we have done with Cure JM, the organization that raises funds for research and supports families struggling with the disease.

I relayed some of the stories that I think of often when I think of that time - like when I called Dr. Mitchell hysterically because another doctor had told us unequivocally that her symptoms matched a muscular dystrophy diagnosis although we hadn’t yet received the biopsy results yet. Or the day that Jude was born, when we still didn’t know the results, when Dr. Mitchell came to visit us in our hospital room at Georgetown, took a small piece of paper out of his pocket, and read to us the first four lines of “Hey Jude” (hence the title of this letter). As we shared our stories, Emily’s only memory was his toy box in  his office - which is exactly the way it should be!

I’ve been reflecting on this experience a lot this week, years out from the terrifying moments of dealing with a serious health issue of a child - and it’s reminded me of some of the core beliefs we have at Harbor that are so central to the way our community functions. 

The early childhood and early elementary years are so transformative and pivotal in the life of a child and their parents - and relationships between and among the adults around the young child make an important difference in their development and ability to thrive. What struck me about Sunday evening’s dinner was that although Emily didn’t really remember the doctor who, quite literally, saved her life, and in fact, Dr. Mitchell didn’t have recollection of the many detailed stories I was telling him, the impact of his deeds was powerful enough to create a bond that lasted long after treatment finally concluded. Not only did we have excellent medical care which enabled Emily to be treated early and have the best chance for remission (which she has been in since 2020), we had a professional who took the time to  care for and support all of us emotionally, despite his many other responsibilities (including Dean of Students at Georgetown University Medical School). His support made a huge difference in our lives.

It also reminded me that we (or at least I) don’t often go back in time to reconnect with and thank the people who made a difference for us. Life moves so fast, and taking the time to pause and reflect can be so meaningful.

Thanks for taking the time to read our story. While I still have you, here’s a challenge for all of you. Try to imagine the stories, the people, and the moments that will stay with you, and that you may still reflect on in five years. I hope that some of those are made with the people and experiences at Harbor - where relationships are central to our children’s growth.

Tomorrow and Friday, please enjoy the time to conference with your child’s teacher, continuing to build upon the collaborative relationship that is so essential to our children’s development.  And, in the next few weeks, we’ll celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week at Harbor. That week, we invite you to join us in recognizing those relationships, and in telling the stories that are impacting your family during these important years!

Warmly,

Leah Musico
Head of School