Dear Harvey,
If you're reading this, then you know our girl needs no introduction.
I found out that I was sick when I was 3 months pregnant. Up until then, I had told myself I would tell you about her when the time was right. My choice to keep her from you was not reflective of how I viewed you as a person, and I hope after reading this you will believe me when I say that.
I chose to forego treatment until after she was born, assessing the risks to both of us, but ultimately choosing to wait until she was safely here. By delaying treatment, I knew there was always a risk that the cancer would progress too quickly for treatment to make a difference when I was finally able to start.
Because of this, I knew my time with Rosie would more than likely be limited. It was selfish, to not tell you about her, but I couldn't bear the thought of sharing her with someone when my time as her mother had an expiration date.
The 10 months I had with her were the best months of my life. I would be lying if I said I wasn't envious that you will get to see her grow up, graduate college, get married. I recognize that keeping her from you during the first months of her life wasn't fair to you, but I knew you would have the rest of your lives together, when all I had was the beginning.
We didn't know each other well, but I have no doubt you are going to be a wonderful father. She is so easy to love; she has everyone she meets wrapped around her finger.
Please tell her about me. Please make sure she always knows how much I loved her, and that I will always be with her. Please try to make her understand that the choices I made were all for her. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
I am at peace knowing that she is with her father, with family. I know you are going to give her the future she deserves. It was never going to be with me, I knew that. But I hope the two of you can grow into a family; whatever that may look like in the future.
I hope you find someone that you can build a life with that will love her as much as I do. Someone who she can look up to, confide in, talk about boys with, when she doesn't want to go to her dad. All girls need that.
I'm sure you have so many questions; but I know you will figure it out. She is a wonderful little girl, I could tell you everything about her, but I think the enclosed photos will do a better job of that than I could. I am sorry for keeping her from you, but I hope being able to see for yourself how she's grown into the sweet girl she is now can help make up for lost time.
Thank you, Harvey, for loving our girl. Being her mom was the most rewarding experience of my life.
Love,
Heather