|
|
Post by Sleeping Bag Man! on Jun 6, 2024 4:39:12 GMT -8
11 years ago today, my little 7 year old niece was in the midst of a horror no child should ever have to endure - aggressive brain cancer. She had already survived the surgery, a month of radiation, and had embarked on the seemingly endless months of chemo.
I can still hear the meltdowns, screaming, and pleading from other children echoing through the halls of the pediatric wing at Mayo Clinic, like it was yesterday. It haunts me.
With only 6 tickets available, uncles were not able to attend in person, to hear the cheering, applause, and hugging at her graduation ceremony yesterday. That's OK. I cheered inside more than the whole auditorium put together. Then last night the fireflies put on a tiny little fireworks show, just for her - the first time I've ever seen fireflies.
She's exactly the fine person I knew she'd be, if she survived. A good sibling. A good daughter. A caring idealist. An animal lover. An artist. She returns the compassion that was given to her. Dang good driving student, too.
Next time you have a snort, please raise a glass to her. And to the nurses & doctors who saw her through, and to all her teachers. Her graduation is the living representation of the very best humanity is capable of.
|
|
zeke
Trail Wise!
Peekaboo slot 2023
Posts: 9,997 
|
Post by zeke on Jun 6, 2024 4:43:29 GMT -8
F' Cancer. Congrats to your niece for beating it, and for becoming a fine human being after such an ordeal.
|
|
rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,895 
|
Post by rebeccad on Jun 6, 2024 7:03:32 GMT -8
You made me cry, Sleeping Bag Man!. Congratulations to your niece for being a wonderful person, and may we all join in wishing cancer to f off. |
|
|
|
Post by Sleeping Bag Man! on Jun 6, 2024 7:24:50 GMT -8
Crying? I wouldn't know anything about that...  |
|
Travis
Trail Wise!
WYOMING NATIVE
Posts: 2,732
|
Post by Travis on Jun 6, 2024 8:08:35 GMT -8
It's tough to imagine a celebration that compares to the journey that young lady has made. But kudos to her and to the family, friends, and professionals that shared in her journey. Sometimes good things happen.
|
|
jazzmom
Trail Wise!
a.k.a. TigerFan
Posts: 3,139
|
Post by jazzmom on Jun 6, 2024 15:20:17 GMT -8
Oh, SBM, your post just made my day!!
|
|
|
|
Post by Sleeping Bag Man! on Jun 6, 2024 17:04:13 GMT -8
Oh, SBM, your post just made my day!! Just got back from her graduation party. We're not much of a "party hardy" kind of family, but there were a lot of happy people. Some of her grade school teachers showed up, from when she needed the most help with the neurological effects. They were super happy, and it meant a lot to thank them. Cloud nine here at the SBM ranch. |
|
BigLoad
Trail Wise!
Pancakes!
Posts: 13,372
|
Post by BigLoad on Jun 6, 2024 19:32:17 GMT -8
Congratulations to your niece and everyone who helped pave the way!
|
|
|
|
Post by hikerjer on Jun 6, 2024 19:45:29 GMT -8
You all fought the good fight and you prevailed. Congratulations and continued joy and success to all
|
|
Bruce
Trail Ready!
Posts: 10
|
Post by Bruce on Jun 6, 2024 20:03:58 GMT -8
Love to hear success stories like this! Cancer is, well, we all know.
Now I want to "have a snort" :D
|
|
|
|
Post by bluefish on Jun 7, 2024 1:59:38 GMT -8
Yes, I'll admit it, I cried. Made my day, too. My story is being used for a promotional film for cancer research at Dartmouth Hitchcock in NH. Your niece's story is far better and more powerful. When I see afflicted children, I want to scream at the sky, punch walls. This morning after reading this, I have my sense of aesthetics back. Gratitude. It's a beautiful day. I could not be more overjoyed for you, SBM. Fireflies? I've always been a strong believer in auguries from the natural world. Thanks, you and your niece did a good turn just by being.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sleeping Bag Man! on Jun 7, 2024 7:54:02 GMT -8
Fireflies? I've always been a strong believer in auguries from the natural world. Just as I was loading Mom up to leave, the fireflies came out in my brother's front yard. She had never seen them before, and she was amazed and delighted. I haven't seen her get that excited in quite a long time...she's had a rough road lately. A reminder of how the natural world can lift our spirits. |
|
|
|
Post by Sleeping Bag Man! on Jun 7, 2024 7:54:56 GMT -8
My story is being used for a promotional film for cancer research at Dartmouth Hitchcock in NH. Will this be something you can share? |
|
|
|
Post by Sleeping Bag Man! on Jun 7, 2024 8:18:46 GMT -8
Congratulations to your niece and everyone who helped pave the way! This was the first time since the ordeal 10 years ago that many of the pavers were reunited in the same room. There was such power and comfort in the unity. My brother & sister-in-law are both epidemiologists. Both my nieces were born in Nairobi, Kenya, and the family was living in Lusaka, Zambia when the illness hit. Not the best place to be, to contend with an aggressive tumor pressuring one's brain fluid. So they had to immediately get her to Johannesburg, then to the United States, then to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for surgery and a 2 year long nightmare of radiation, chemo, and recovery. My niece had 4 retired grandparents, one uncle who could work remote, and best of all an aunt who is a pediatrician. The aunt contacted a colleague who worked at Mayo, which opened the door we needed most. I spent a month in Zambia seeing my older niece through the end of the school year. Then for the next 2 years, I joined the 4 grandparents in taking 2-week shifts living with the family in Minnesota to help out. Being able to spread out this assistance kept the burden from being too much on any one of us. Made us more effective, too. My sister-in-law quit work, but my brother stayed full-time to preserve their health insurance. So he had to spend significant time at the office in DC, while going through this. Yesterday I met his work colleague who housed him for free during that time...he was elated when she showed up at the party! Her help meant so much to him...I wasn't even aware. So cool to still be meeting "pavers" who were so very important. Anyways...the number of things that had to fall in place to get the right outcome was mind-boggling. We told stories for hours. |
|
|
|
Post by bluefish on Jun 7, 2024 10:02:57 GMT -8
My story is being used for a promotional film for cancer research at Dartmouth Hitchcock in NH. Will this be something you can share? I won't trammel such a beautiful, uplifting thread with details, but I will share in another thread about the charity, a bit on my story, and at some point a poem that's now hanging in the Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth. You really did make my day, SBM, that's not treacly, hyperbolic, BS, it's fact. |
|
