This has been on my mind whether or not to blog about what happened on Saturday after mass. I was going back and forth because I am a private person and also sometime think no one wants to read about my boring little life. (Though it is not boring to me, we are a really busy family) And it involves another family and their little baby boy who is in the fight of his life. He was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of 5 months. And is now starting the process for a bone marrow transplant. Mike tells me to give things that are on my mind the 24 hour rule. Well it has been well over 24 hours and it's still on my mind.
The little baby, his mommy, daddy, and sister are members at our parish. I knew who they were because we would be in the cry room during mass with our kids, but never formally introduced myself. Their daughter is Jamie's age and will be in the same class. So our paths were going to cross eventually. I wished it would have been like that not this. Once their son was diagnosed with Leukemia I started following his page on Facebook. One day I felt the need to reach out to his parents via the Facebook page. They had wrote an update talking about their ongologist. I was pretty sure that is was the same oncologist that Mike and I had when we where kid battling cancer. I wanted his parents to know that their son had the best doctor in the midwest and one of the top 5 in the country. I wanted them to know that Mike and I both had cancer as children and now we are blessed with 4 beautiful happy healthy kids of our own. I told them if they wanted to talk with us to give us a call. That gave them some comfort, as much comfort as you can have when your little baby is battling cancer.
Saturday after mass this couple and their daughter were at mass together for the first time in a long time. See when you have not infection fighting cells you are not able to go anywhere. Grandma was in town and stayed home the their son so they could go to church as a family. They came up to Mike and I and introduced themselves. They are very sweet. We chatted about our experiences a little bit. We talked about Dr. Rosen, we reminded them to look at that wall of photos in Dr. Rosen's office of all the kids who have beat this horrible cancer. They told us Dr. Rosen has went digital, it is no longer a wall but he some type of slide show of all the pics now.
The mom told us with tears in her eyes, she that she was told there would be ups and downs. She was having one of those down times when she was praying to God to help her through this tough time and give her strength. She said we took up gifts that night at mass and she then knew that seeing our family of six was her sign from God everything was going to be ok. Mike and I told them it will be a tough road but they can get there and this can be beaten. We told them about Camp Hope and how many kids we know who beat all types of cancers. This little guy needs your prayers.
One year Mike and I put a team of former camper together cook dinner for the campers and volunteers at Camp Hope. I over heard on teenage camper ask "are they all really former campers"? I'm not only hope but so are many, many other kids who have survived cancer. I am blest that I can give kids with cancer and their parents hope. I would rather not have to be "hope" I wished nobody had to endure cancer. One thing I have wanted to do for many years is to voluteer at Victory in the Valley so other kids and families can see there is a light at the end of the tunnel and they can have a wonderful life after cancer.
Please keep this family in your prayers. The little boy needs a bone marrow transplant and his big sister is his match but he needs his cancer to be remission first. Pray that his cancer will go into remission soon so he can start the Bone Marrow transplant soon.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Monday, June 2, 2014
Camp
Here is my once a year blog entry. It's not because I don't think about it a lot. It's just what I think about writing about would bore everyone. My yearly blog seems to come around time for Camp Hope, well this year is no different.
As I was packing Jessica for Totus Tuus camp yesterday and today I was remembering Camp Hope. I had to psych myself out to not get nervous and worried. She is only going for on overnight, one full day and will be back to Wichita but 1:15pm on the day 3. Piece of cake. I was most nervous because she has to take a daily medicine for her autoimmune disease. I didn't know the procedure. Would the camp consolers hold on to it and give it to her, would she have to remember it herself, and would she remember? This is a crucial time for her to not for get to take this medicine. It's not usually something to be worried about if she forgets a day every month or so but she is going for a growth stimulation test next week. If her thyroid levels are not normal then the test will not come back with the correct results and then there is no chance of the insurance helping us with growth hormone shots. I left her feeling very confident that things were taken care of. I check her medicine it with the person in charge of all the meds.
So how does this all tie into Camp Hope? Well she is going to be gone a total of 2 days. Remember I said I was nervous about her medicine? I thought "how in the world did my parents leave me at the age of 8 for 5 day's and 6 night's with cancer on chemotherapy'? "How does any parent leave there child fighting cancer in the hands of people they have never met before"? Well I can tell you I am so thankful my parents and all the other parents left us at an amazing camp with the most amazing people I have met in my life. If it wasn't for some mother's dream of having a place for kids with cancer to go for a week long summer camp I would not be where I am today. I would not have met Mike and married him. Trust me our paths would not have crossed any other way. I really don't know where I would be. I would not have met some of the most amazing people I have met through camp and even the church that we belong to. Because without Mike we would not be at the church we are at.
I also realized how lucky and blessed Camp Hope is to have all the donors to make this camp free of charge to all of the kids to attend a entire week. I had to pay $150 for Jessica to go just 2 days to this her camp. On the list of things to bring was Sunscreen and Bug repellent. That is when it really hit me how blessed Camp Hope is to have the donors they have. I never had to worry about packing bug repellent or sunscreen that was provided by Camp Hope. I paid $150 for Jessica to go to a church camp and still had to provide my own sunscreen and bug repellent. Oh and yeah they asked everyone to bring a small container of drink mix, 12 bottles of water, and snacks to share. I don't want to sound like a Debby downer but what it the world did my $150 pay for. I know it's not cheap to run one of these camps, so I am sure it is being put to good use. Trust me the food alone is not cheap. Mike and I provided a meal for Camp Hope last year and it was a lot for just one meal. We are lucky enough to be able to do it again this year. This was our way of donating to the camp we love so much.
Our crew of cooks last year were all former campers and cancer survivors. I over heard one of the older campers ask "Are they all really former camper"? At that moment I realized what and inspiration we were to this kids. To see us live and well. Giving them Hope that cancer can be beaten. We will see you all again in a couple of weeks for another delicious meal.
Camp Hope has been through it's challenges this past year. The first one was the American Cancer Society was no longer going to fund Camp Hope. Everyone thought that was the end of Camp Hope. Then Kans for Kids took over. Yay. Then the dining hall at Camp burned down. http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.campsforkids.org%2Fcamps%2Fcamphope.html&h=aAQEVz2YD Many memories where made in that dining hall and the balcony off the dining hall. The Camp committee worked hard and found somewhere to hold camp this year. I hope to return as a volunteer again someday.
To all the campers and volunteers who will he arriving at a new place in just 2 weeks. Make new memories and new adventures. It will be the same amazing people and some new people to watch over and care for this kids battling the fight of their lives. So I have no doubt that is will be just as big of a blast as it always has been.
Camp Hope "We shall prevail"
As I was packing Jessica for Totus Tuus camp yesterday and today I was remembering Camp Hope. I had to psych myself out to not get nervous and worried. She is only going for on overnight, one full day and will be back to Wichita but 1:15pm on the day 3. Piece of cake. I was most nervous because she has to take a daily medicine for her autoimmune disease. I didn't know the procedure. Would the camp consolers hold on to it and give it to her, would she have to remember it herself, and would she remember? This is a crucial time for her to not for get to take this medicine. It's not usually something to be worried about if she forgets a day every month or so but she is going for a growth stimulation test next week. If her thyroid levels are not normal then the test will not come back with the correct results and then there is no chance of the insurance helping us with growth hormone shots. I left her feeling very confident that things were taken care of. I check her medicine it with the person in charge of all the meds.
So how does this all tie into Camp Hope? Well she is going to be gone a total of 2 days. Remember I said I was nervous about her medicine? I thought "how in the world did my parents leave me at the age of 8 for 5 day's and 6 night's with cancer on chemotherapy'? "How does any parent leave there child fighting cancer in the hands of people they have never met before"? Well I can tell you I am so thankful my parents and all the other parents left us at an amazing camp with the most amazing people I have met in my life. If it wasn't for some mother's dream of having a place for kids with cancer to go for a week long summer camp I would not be where I am today. I would not have met Mike and married him. Trust me our paths would not have crossed any other way. I really don't know where I would be. I would not have met some of the most amazing people I have met through camp and even the church that we belong to. Because without Mike we would not be at the church we are at.
I also realized how lucky and blessed Camp Hope is to have all the donors to make this camp free of charge to all of the kids to attend a entire week. I had to pay $150 for Jessica to go just 2 days to this her camp. On the list of things to bring was Sunscreen and Bug repellent. That is when it really hit me how blessed Camp Hope is to have the donors they have. I never had to worry about packing bug repellent or sunscreen that was provided by Camp Hope. I paid $150 for Jessica to go to a church camp and still had to provide my own sunscreen and bug repellent. Oh and yeah they asked everyone to bring a small container of drink mix, 12 bottles of water, and snacks to share. I don't want to sound like a Debby downer but what it the world did my $150 pay for. I know it's not cheap to run one of these camps, so I am sure it is being put to good use. Trust me the food alone is not cheap. Mike and I provided a meal for Camp Hope last year and it was a lot for just one meal. We are lucky enough to be able to do it again this year. This was our way of donating to the camp we love so much.
Our crew of cooks last year were all former campers and cancer survivors. I over heard one of the older campers ask "Are they all really former camper"? At that moment I realized what and inspiration we were to this kids. To see us live and well. Giving them Hope that cancer can be beaten. We will see you all again in a couple of weeks for another delicious meal.
Camp Hope has been through it's challenges this past year. The first one was the American Cancer Society was no longer going to fund Camp Hope. Everyone thought that was the end of Camp Hope. Then Kans for Kids took over. Yay. Then the dining hall at Camp burned down. http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.campsforkids.org%2Fcamps%2Fcamphope.html&h=aAQEVz2YD Many memories where made in that dining hall and the balcony off the dining hall. The Camp committee worked hard and found somewhere to hold camp this year. I hope to return as a volunteer again someday.
To all the campers and volunteers who will he arriving at a new place in just 2 weeks. Make new memories and new adventures. It will be the same amazing people and some new people to watch over and care for this kids battling the fight of their lives. So I have no doubt that is will be just as big of a blast as it always has been.
Camp Hope "We shall prevail"
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