Stand Up

Looks like we are placing ANOTHER Warrior Jacob SHIRT ORDER!  WOW! I can’t believe the number of you who have contacted us needing more… just WOW!  So, if you, your team, employees, co-workers, friends want shirts let me know ASAP!  Shirts from the last order shipped last week so be on the lookout!  As for new, news… Jake will be admitted Wednesday for a few days. Part of MIBG therapy that he just finished means that the radiation will take his counts down similar to chemo but a bit differently – as in just as low, but with a longer recovery time. Because of this, he requires a “low dose, stem cell rescue”. Remember back in December when they harvested his stem cells, they hoped to get enough for a couple of treatments?  Well, they will use some of them for this, and a LOT when he finally gets to Bone Marrow Transplant. So we go in Wednesday to sedate him and place his PICC line. They’ll begin the procedure on Thursday and keep him for a couple of days. For those of you interested, ” A PICC line is a long, slender, flexible tube inserted into a peripheral vein, typically in the upper arm, and advanced until the catheter tip terminates in a large vein in the chest near the heart to obtain intravenous access.”  UGH!!  As if he hasn’t had enough procedures and lines placed in his little body lately!  The idea behind giving back his stem cells now, is that his marrow will deplete in about 2 weeks and it takes about 2 weeks for his own stem cells to graft and aid in his bone marrow recovery.  They call this a “rescue” and it should help him rebound faster and with less transfusions.  We already see plenty of those. Medical lesson over!  As awful as this all is, it really is fascinating sometimes. Who comes up with all of this?  Today we were in Clinic and it was full.  We were actually in isolation because Jake has “regulations” about being in the general public because of his radioactivity but I stepped out for a few minutes to get something to drink for him and say hello to a couple of people. As I walked through the infusion room, there were kids and poles everywhere with chemo, blood, platelets, meds, just doing their thing.  As I looked over and saw a mom I’ve never seen before, it made me think how “normal” this is for us now.  I don’t know her story and I didn’t get to talk to her but I’ve been thinking of her a lot today and wondering, praying for her.  While we were at Cook’s, Henry caught a family in the hall and road the elevator with them. They too, had that “deer caught in headlights” look. He just knew and started talking with them. They had just heard those words and everything was spinning for them. He talked to them for a while and learned of how they had gone from ER to immediate hospitalization because of what the Docs had found. I’ve been thinking of them a lot too.  We were them just 11 months ago… stunned, staggering in a cloudy haze of new terminology and unknowns. With Childhood Cancer Awareness Month here, it makes me think of all the new families this month that will hear, “it’s CANCER”.  I just want to take this time to THANK YOU!  IF you are reading this, YOU CARE!  If you are reading this, you are becoming AWARE.  If you are reading this, you have an OPPORTUNITY to make a DIFFERENCE.  Maybe you haven’t done a whole lot yet, maybe you have… either way, I HAVE FAITH, that you will. At some point, a situation will come before you, big or little, and you will be a VOICE for our kids.  My God bless at that very moment!  With that said, here is something small you can do.  Watch this. SHARE THIS!  Please pass it on!  Many of you have already seen this on my FB but we finally got it on Youtube so now you can share it with everyone!  And since it’s on Youtube, it can be e-mailed, FB shared, tweeted, pinned……. Awareness of these kids can bring change, and that will eventually bring a cure! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_XmnJQK01s&w=580]  Last week the East Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce held their meeting (many of them dressed in GOLD) and were able to view Jake’s Stand Up video. At the end they all stood AND THEN, they recorded a get well message for Jake. Take a look!  They are everyday people, who took time to do something special to raise funds and STAND UP for Childhood Cancer Kids.  I can’t even put into words the feelings that came over us watching this.  Talk about something amazing to come home to!  [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnHsLtQ9EwA&w=580] The world is lighting GOLD more this year than ever before.  There is still time… it’s only the 9th… we can still GO GOLD!  Paint your nails, wear a gold ribbon, hang a bow on your mailbox, paint a ribbon on your car window, work window, put something on your FB, your work e-mails, wear your Jake shirt. Be creative and spark conversation… let the world know that KIDS GET CANCER TOO!