Grateful...

I am posting this because I have been meaning to for some time and today feels right. Since I'm hoping and praying for this virus to pass, I thought I'd share something really happy and exciting from a couple of weeks ago- the last dose of Cyclosporine...hopefully the last dose ever.

I can't even tell you how much I HOPE and PRAY that we really, truly are at the end of the Aplastic journey. The fact that there is a very real chance that we will never have to deal with any of this again is such an overwhelmingly happy but surreal feeling. We are so thankful to God that our little boy has gone from this

To this...

We know, however, that just as we are happy and rejoicing in our blessings and good fortune, the fight continues for so many other children that this ugly disease (and many other ugly and uglier diseases) have claimed. Sadly, I can say that I have attended more funeral services for children than for grown-ups and that seems so horribly and sickeninly wrong. Since Brandon's diagnosis I have watched Leukemia take the life of two children at clinic. I've watched Neuroblastoma claim the lives of three children...Nick and Maddie at clinic and sweet Tuesday from my wonderful twins' group. I've seen Aplastic Anemia take still two more children from thier parents. One from clinic and one child we met through bone marrow drives in St. Louis.

As Albert and I reflect on how fortunate we've been, we are convicted with the fact that we can not just take our blessings and run, so to speak. We must continue fighting until not just our son is well, but until EVERYONE'S child is well. Until no more Mothers and Fathers have to say goodbye to their children.

The Whitt family (Tuesday) is planning on driving an RV across the country this fall to raise money to find a cure for Neuroblastoma. I am comitted to helping them in any way possible. Neuroblastoma is a horribly underfunded disease and not enough is known to help save lives. The Whitt family plans to visit as many cities as possilble to raise funds. Here is my idea. Here in St. Louis at Busch stadium, groups of at least 8 (I think 8 is the number) are able to work a concession stand at a game. In return for this, the stadium allows the group to keep 10% of what they sell. Albert worked Bush Stadium as a second job last year and said that people often made several hundered to a thousand dollars for thier charity by doing this. So, anyone living in the STL area who would like to join us...we aren't sure yet which game we'll be working but this is our goal. Every penny of what we earn will be given to Tuesday's foundation to fight neuroblastoma. I'm not sure if other major leauge baseball stadiums offer the same deal, but if they do, it's a great way to raise money for just a few hours hard work!

Additionally, Albert and I will be getting back into contact with the National Bone Marrow registry this summer in order to participate in and host more bone marrow drives in an effort to get more people added to the registry. Because frankly, I'm tired of people dying because they didn't have the match that they needed to get a transplant where at least they'd have a chance. For anyone interested in getting added to the national registry please call 1 -800 -marrow 2 to find out where you can go to be added.