Hi everyone! Just popping in for a quick hello before I head to bed. My back is still hurting so I'm going to turn in early tonight!
I wanted to stop by to ask everyone for some thoughts and prayers for my friend's daughter, Emily - actually for their whole family as well. You regulars may remember that I have posted about Emily before. She is only 16 and she was diagnosed with luekemia 6 years ago. She has been in remission and they really thought she was on the road to recovery when suddenly it's back - and it really doesn't sound too good. This young girl has been through so much in her life - and her family has been through so much. Her mom, Tricia, and I went to high school together but were never close. She was one of the really popular ones and I wasn't. But even though she was popular she was always nice to me. Then, the night that my mom passed away (which was about ten years after we graduated from high school) Tricia happened to be at the hospital to visit a close friend who was also in ICU. DH had already left the hospital for the evening and Tricia sat with me that night and she was so caring. She left about an hour before my mom passed away but she called me shortly after she left to make sure I was okay alone and she offered to come back and stay with me as long as I needed her. I told her I appreciated what she had done, sitting with me as long as she had, but I really needed to be alone. She called me the next morning to see if I needed anything. And she came to my mom's funeral. And we've stayed in touch ever since.
Anyway, here's a link if any of you have time to read what Emily and her family are going through.
http://www.caringbridge.org/fl/emilylester/
We all take our healthy kids so much for granted. I know I do. This family has been torn apart by this dreadful disease but they're still hanging in there. Tricia goes weeks without seeing her other kids so that she can stay with Emily. And Emily goes weeks without seeing her dad and her brother and sisters and her friends. I just can't even imagine it. I know how hard it was for me last year when I was in the hospital away from home.
Emily has a wish list of things that she would like to make her hospital life (AGAIN) more comfortable. She is in St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis. If any of you are in a position to send a card or anything on her wish list I know she'd appreciate it!
Thanks for any thoughts and prayers you could send her way.
And sorry for my very LONG post.
P.S. - Don't forget to kiss your kids tonight and let them know how special they are!