Pediatric Cancer Foundation

Stomp Out Cancer Video

How?

How can you look into her eyes and not be changed???
This is Nikole Hawkins AKA hero; super girl. She has faced more in the last 18 months than most of us ever will. She is real and kids DO get cancer. Some even die....please help spread awareness!!!!

My first born.

It's hard to believe that 11 years ago today I was preparing to give birth to my first child. It was probably the scariest time of my life and most exciting. I was living in Florida when I found out I was pregnant. I was alone and didn't know what to do, all I knew was that I wanted this baby. I moved in with my grandparents in Indiana, so he was born there. My grandparents were awesome and saw that we got everything we needed.

When Austin was born (without any drugs & 16 days late) I learned what love was. I remember looking at him and thinking that there was no way he was mine, he was too perfect and beautiful. I think when I met Matt that he feel in love with Austin first! The first time I ever talked to Matt on the phone was on Austin's first birthday, and we had our first date two days later. The rest is history! We were married 5 months later and Austin adopted Daddy a couple years later.

I hope you enjoy your birthday week Austin!!

HAPPY 11th BIRTHDAY AUSTIN!!!

Lessons learned.

Things I learned this weekend at the fundraiser/yard sale.
(in no particular order)

*My husband is amazing!
*My family and friends care about things I believe in.
*My sister-in-law has a heart of gold.
*She can also work her tail off selling and cleaning up.
*When asked most people are more than happy to make a donation.
*Some people are just mean!
*It's bond to rain at least once if you live in Florida.
*Every little bit helps.
*Never give up.
*I got meet some neighbors and most were great.
*My next door neighbor Brenda loves yard sales!! (she brought over tables, plastic to cover everything, and help set up Friday for hours)
*Next fundraiser will not be a yard sale!!

Last night I was home alone and I was feeling a little disappointed with the money raised. I was wondering if we sold all the good stuff at too low of prices. I was kicking myself for not asking for donations the first day. I was pretty much second guessing everything. I really wanted to be able to hand the Solomon's & the Hawkins' families a thousand dollars each, but I didn't even get close.
Then I started thinking about all the people that donated items for the sale and others giving their time and energy. My family has always been supportive of the kids I follow but they had never actually met any of them. When Nikki showed up yesterday that all changed. They all feel in love with Nikki, and I think they really get it now.
I stopped feeling sorry for myself and started being thankful for all that was accomplished. Many people learned that kids do get cancer and they need our help. I met Dylan Crane's family and now were working together on a change drive at Luke's school. We passed out many books and cd's from the Solomon's. Last night Matt went to play a friendly game of poker with family. They donated $30 to the fundraiser and two ladies just showed at my front door with $20 to donate. When it started raining yesterday we put a free sign on a old dresser and she asked if she could pick it up today. Matt helped her move and cover it. She just picked it up and wanted to donate. I also got a call from Luke's teacher and she has a cash donation also!! How awesome is that!!
The best thing I learned was that I am doing what I was made for; this is my purpose in life!!

Blame it on the rain...

Nikki

loading up stuff
Matt with Jared & William
Jared's new pet


Day 2 was a wet one!


Waking up this morning was not fun, thank God for coffee. If it weren't were for my wonderful husband; the sale would have never got set up. He is amazing! I also had Nikki here to help along with Penny and her two little brothers. I think William took home some dirt from the front yard.


I really thought that the sale would have brought in more $ but I am very pleased with what we made. Hopefully awareness was raised. Other than one rude man (edit) everything was great.


I know that my family that was here was touched. They all pitched in to help with everything. They fell in love with Nikki and her AMAZING mom Penny, and super brothers!! We love the Solomon's and the Hawkins' so much. They have both made me a better person.

Yard Sale Day 1

Recent pictures

We love Dale Jr. And his Elvis car!!

Savannah meeting Cinderella @ Liem & Adelaine's fundraiser.

The wave!

Time to go....

Best friends.

Have a great day!!

Great news!!

Luke's visit with the Neurosurgeon went very well. She believes that this cyst was with him since birth and is not causing the headaches. It's not that unusual and shouldn't cause any problems. She said that a yearly MRI just to see if it grows, and to follow-up with a Neurologist. She gave him a script for a headache medicine to take daily. So it looks like Luke might be having migraines or just allergy headaches??
I am so relieved that he's ok. I was so nervous this morning that I almost got sick. I kept thinking that it wasn't going to be a big deal then five minutes later I was thinking it was cancer or something really bad. This past week has just been crazy and I'm glad to get some good news.
My surgery will be October 1st, first thing in the morning. I'm stocking up on scrapbook supplies to keep me busy during my recovery. I've also been recording tons of stuff on our DVR.
It will be nice to have Matt home for a couple weeks, he's the best. He's going to be doing everything.

My Princess

This is my fairy princess; isn't she a doll? We went to a fundraiser this afternoon and Savannah got to dress up and meet real princess'.

Luke

I got a call from Luke's doctor's office this afternoon. It seems that his sinuses are ok, but he has what is believed to be a cyst on the back of his brain. Dr. Brown is sending him to a Neurosurgeon at All Children's next Monday to rule out anything else. Hopefully it will be a mistake or something that we can just watch. I'm very eager to get some more answers. I'll post as soon as I know anything.

Update

I have to start this blog off with a warning that this may be long and all over the place. I have so much to say but I can never seem to get it all out, but I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem, or at least I hope I'm not. So I'll do my best to make this somewhat entertaining. And by the way thanks for reading.
I'll start off with my big plans for next month. If everything works out the way we have planned, I'll be having surgery on October 1st to put my bladder back to where it belongs. I've had issues for years and I'm ready to take steps to correct it. It is major surgery with a 2-3 day hospital stay and 4-6 weeks to recover. I would rather suffer for a couple months than the rest of my life. My wonderful husband will be taking care of me and the kids.
Luke was finally able to get his MRI on Tuesday morning but no results yet. He has a hearing test tomorrow morning before school. I hope that we see an improvement this visit. He goes every three months to keep a close eye on it. Then next week he goes back to his allergy doctor. It will be nice to get all these appointments out of the way. He's still having headaches but they don't seem as bad, either that or he's just used to them now. I'm hopeful that we will get some answers soon.
The yard sale is in less than two weeks away and I'm getting pretty excited. I've had some great donations to sell with more promised. I still have so much to do but I also have great help. The garage next door is filling up!!
I'm happy to tell you that Luke's school will be helping to raise funds for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Luke's teacher was able to have my flyer included in the school newsletter and I had a parent contact me. Mrs. Crane knew first hand about pediatric cancer because her son battled Ewing's sarcoma and died in 2005, 9 months after diagnosis. Dylan attended Luke's school, Perkins' Elementary here in St.Pete. It was her idea to approach the staff about putting containers in each classroom. We hope to call it "Pennies from Heaven" and every penny will go to fund a cure. I'm so excited to be doing this!! I pray that we are able to raise big money!!
I was telling Matt last night that I was glad that I finally started doing something to help. I used to sit around and wish that I had the nerve to do something. I love being able to help people that I care about. If I can make one persons life better than I have succeeded.
Here is a link to Dylan's website, he was an amazing young man.
http://www.dylancrane.com/links.htm

Childhood Cancer Awareness

This is powerful.

I hate cancer

Another day and another reason to hate cancer. I found out today that my dad's colon cancer has returned. Thankfully his leukemia is still in remission. We aren't close and never have been, but he's still my dad. I do love him and I have forgiven him for not being a part of my life. I only started contact with him a few years ago. We live in different states and he hates talking on the phone so we don't talk much. I usually get my updates from his mom, my Nana.
And if this doesn't already suck, there is more bad news. My step brother has bone cancer in one of his ankles and he will lose that leg from the knee down. I haven't met Eric but he is my brother and a young father. His family had to up and move out of state for treatment.
But wait I have more news!! My grandma had a growth removed from her lip last week and you guessed it, it was cancer. The good news is that they think they got it all. She just lost her left breast to cancer last fall, but so far no signs of that returning.
As upsetting as all this news is it's nothing compared to a child having cancer. I just don't understand why we as humans aren't doing more to find a cure. Celebrities are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars and in some cases millions of dollars for a wedding. It's sad because most don't stay married. At the same time our children are dying because there are no more treatment options. I just can't imagine.
There are five dad's that are getting ready to ride their bikes 3, 700 miles to raise awareness and funds to be able to start a new treatment for neuroblasoma. The doctors told these parents that there is a promising new treatment, but must they would need a a huge amount of money to get going. Let's see, a million dollar wedding or a possible new treatment option??
We can ALL doing something to see that a cure is found. Knowledge is power, so tell someone .

September is.....

Today marks the first day of September 2007. I'm sure thoughts of Labor Day, school starting and the cooler days of fall come to mind. We celebrate Austin's birthday on the 26th and my grandpa died in September 10 years ago. But when I think of September now I think about it being National Childhood cancer Awareness Month. Most are unaware of this unless they are involved in the cancer world. Knowledge is power so please tell someone!!

I know that most people don't like to think about a child having cancer because it's sad. I watched my late father in law battle lung cancer for almost a year. He was diagnosed the day my daughter was born. I remember being at the hospital in labor when dad popped his head in the room and asked to speak to Matt. We know that he was going to the doctor because he had been sick. Dad didn't want me to know that he had cancer that day but I knew something was terrible wrong when I saw Matt's eyes when he came back in the room.

It was a rough year so far for dad because he had just buried his sister in January, and now he was sick. He made up his mind that he would do anything to be able to spend more time with his family. The tumor was inoperable at that point so he endured chemo and radiation to shrink it. Watching him suffer was more than we could handle sometimes. Carl was such a man's man's and he was never sick. In the end it was the treatment that killed him. As hard as it was to watch dad battle cancer, how much harder to watch a child battle. Dad was always very supportive of Katia and prayed for her all the time. After he died I saw that her website was on his favorites, he really cared about her. I know that dad would be very proud of me for what I'm doing with my life.

I know that when awareness is raised that we will see that cancer is cured. We need to make this a priority and put pressure on drug companies to fund trials and give our children most treatment options. No parent should ever have to be told that their child has no more options. Sadly this happens every day.

So please do something to help!! Here are some ideas.

*Tell someone!!

*Donate Blood or blood products.

*Join the NMDP (National Marrow Donor Program)

*Donate your newborns cord-blood

*Support families that are struggling (emotional & financial)

*Support research

*Pray!!!