Today Oliver had some friends over to play! I enjoyed hearing their laughter fill my home and was immediately brought to tears thinking about the future. I thought of how I'd miss those sweet little boys in my home. I thought of how hard it is going to be to see them experience the milestones that Oliver won't get to experience here, like high school, prom, graduation. I try hard to not think about the future, but those thoughts always seem to creep in. I need to just enjoy the moment. I haven't given up, but I am aware of what is the most likely outcome of this disease and I don't know... maybe I'm starting the grieving process early... who knows. Please pray for me to have peace and strength. Pray for Oliver to be comfortable and blessed. Pray for our entire family to be able to get through the tough times when these thoughts rush through our heads. I'm GRATEFUL for your thoughts and prayers every day. I really am.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The LOVE of Children...
I am amazed at how brave our children can be... how kind and selfless they can be.
A friend told me that her little boy, who is friends with Oliver, asked her if he was going to die. He then told her that it will be okay if he does. That Heavenly Father will take care of him.
AMAZING...
We got a phone call from someone telling us that her grandson just loved Oliver and that Oliver was a 'dear friend' of his. The year before, this child had been bullied at school and Oliver had befriended him. I teared up at the dinner table when Ed told me. I don't know when I've ever been more proud of him.
AMAZING...
This same little boy that Ollie befriended, went from business to business and to neighbors asking for pennies to help out his friend with cancer. He alone... raised almost one hundred dollars. He was jumping up and down, so excited when Ed went over there to pick it up!
AMAZING...
Several children jointed Oliver and shaved their heads. They had so much love for Oliver that they put aside their own vanity to support him. The next day some had been teased at school because of it. I can't believe how much love and kindness these children have. It makes me proud to know them and to know the parents who raised them up to be so loving. It makes me hopeful for the future.
AMAZING...
One little girl came up to me and gave me five pennies, all she had saved in her possession and she told me they were for Ollie.
AMAZING...
A friend on facebook who I've NEVER met told me that her children were praying for Oliver during dinner. Again... these children have never met us. MANY people have told me stories of how our family is in their prayers and their CHILDREN have specifically prayed for Oliver.
AMAZING... absolutely AMAZING...
We can learn so much from our kids if we just pay attention. It's no wonder that Christ told us to be like the little children...
"Fill'er Up for Ollie" Fundraiser
Friday, January 29, 2010 - 11 am to 6 pm - ALL local Hy-Vee gas stations
Today was a big day! Oliver and Ed traveled down to Iowa City for his treatment and I stayed behind to help out with the fundraiser. Amy, my good friend, and I ventured into the cold along with several volunteer gas pumpers and window washers to raise money for all of Ollie's expenses. There was family, life-long friends, church family, friends of friends, co-workers of friends and family... People I had never met were volunteering in the cold to help us out! We stopped by Logan Avenue for about 20 minutes to see how things were going. We then stopped by College Square in Cedar Falls and helped for several hours. I can't tell you how nice the employees at the Hy-Vee gas station were!!! One of the employees was my neighbor in my elementary school days. She ran out of the store and gave me a big hug! They provided hand warmers and hot chocolate for all of our volunteers! It was awesome to see the little ways that people were helping out and how generous and kind people were! We then headed over to Crossroads in Waterloo and I met the manager there and she gave me a big hug and we talked for a while. She was great and hilarious, too! ( I did 'tweak' my friend, Meg, as well as my little man, Oliver!!!!) They also provided food and hot cocoa as well as hand warmers to keep us all warm and toasty! I think it was like 8 degrees today! VERY COLD!!! Seriously... my butt and thighs were FROZEN!!! After a few hours there, we went back to Logan Avenue and finished out the day there!
This day was truly amazing, not only for me, but for a lot of the volunteers that were helping out. It restored my faith in people... in the overall goodness and kindness of perfect strangers. It was utterly A-M-A-Z-I-N-G and faith building.
Tara Thomas, a local TV news anchor, announced the event on Thursday as well as Friday morning. The local newspaper also had a small write up about the fundraiser as well. My friends had passed out countless fliers about Oliver and the fill'er up to many friends and businesses around the Cedar Valley. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!
I can't express how grateful I am to EVERYONE who played a part in how successful this was. Not only did it far exceed what anyone expected it to, but it really taught me a lot about people and again... restored my faith in them. You see and hear far too many stories of people only watching out for themselves the root of people's actions being selfishness. I was amazed... OVERWHELMED at so many different things I saw and heard today. I invite people to leave comments here about feelings they had, stories to share about your experience today. I talked to a good friend of mine who was brought to tears MANY times throughout the day because of the kindness of others. People didn't HAVE TO stop by today. They didn't HAVE TO donate. They didn't HAVE TO offer up hugs and kind words. They didn't HAVE TO offer food to the volunteers working in the cold. They wanted to and they did. It's one thing to WANT TO help out someone and it's another to actually DO IT. This has strengthened my testimony of service. It has strengthened my testimony of love and kindness. When we are serving others, we are in the service of God himself. We are serving His children. It's easier to serve them when we have a Christlike love for them. It has made me realize what I was lacking in my life and has made me want to be better -- to serve others more fully and to be aware of where the need is. I am so grateful for events in my life that are helping me to be more like Christ. I was told that there are many miracles happening because of this crisis in our family and this is one miracle... to look at my life and change what needs to be changed. I have so many different emotions swirling around inside my head right now. Sorry if things don't make sense. I feel like I just need to get it out even if it's in a jumbled mess! I'm brought to tears just remembering what happened on Friday. I just don't know how to thank everyone. I am amazed.......................
Not So Good News...
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 - MRI
Oliver had an MRI this morning to see if his tumor had shrunk at all and... it hasn't. What a blow. Not quite the news we were hoping to hear after almost 4 weeks of radiation. The doctor said that it hasn't grown so I guess we have to count our blessings where they come. It still doesn't take away the pit in my stomach after hearing the news. I almost just EXPECTED it to shrink. The thought of it NOT shrinking didn't even cross my mind. Definitely not the best news to hear. They will be doubling the dose of radiation for the final two weeks of treatment. His last one will be on February 11th.
He's also been having some motion sickness problems as well. About a week ago we were driving around town and he had to close his eyes the whole way. Ed had given him dramamine and he said that it just knocked him out. He's been unusually tired as well from the radiation. He's been off the anti-nausea meds with the hope that the steroid he's on will help. He went from 3 a day to one a day so we hope that we can get by without using so much of the steroid. One of the side effects of the steroid is a puffy face and an insatiable appetite. We are starting to see his face filling out a bit. His dimples are just ADORABLE... even more so with a fuller face! It's hard to find the 'good' things about this whole situation. Every day is different. Some days I feel really strong, like I can talk about it without crying and some days I just bawl at the smallest little reminder of what he is facing.
Ed and Oliver went to school to pick up Eden and Ed told me that it was like Oliver was a little celebrity! He said that kids were just engulfing him in the hallway! One of his best friends, Tyler, saw him in the hallway and yelled, "Ollie, Ollie!" and ran up and was the first one to give him a hug! It's been so sweet to see the cards and pictures his classmates are sending to him. I love reading each and every one! Kids are truly amazing! He met up with his teacher, Mr. Galloway and talked about school stuff as well as other things that are going on. His teacher also shaved his head in support of Oliver! He even recorded the crazy event! What a cool teacher!
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