A long update from NYC
Being back here, in active treatment again and staying at The Ronald McDonald House of NYC has stirred up a lot of emotions. Emotions of humbleness and gratitude, but also some sorrow. It still doesn't seem real at times. We were hoping by now we would be in the position to be actively giving back and not on the receiving side. And yet here we are, staying at the RMH. Brian and the kids are back home where our amazing village has arranged a meal train to help us with dinners. Friends and family reaching out to help with Taylor and Parker, to mow our lawn, or do a grocery run. Countless people have sent thoughtful gifts. Schuey and Neal once again are staying with us to help some with the children while they are on September track out and Brian goes to work. I can’t keep up with the thank you replies like I had hoped. And there is more...
Our own sweet school of Olive Chapel Elementary has a club that Taylor is actually a part of for her second year in a row, Kids Corp. Kids Corp is a service organization and they have begun a fundraiser for Duke Children’s in honor of Charlotte. Do you remember the red wagon that Charlotte would ride in because she became so sick when we started treatment back in March of 2016? Kids Corp is raising funds to donate red wagons filled with toys and various items for kids who are being hospitalized. The school is selling Charlottestrong bracelets and collecting other donations that Duke’s Child Life has listed as a need. How amazing is this? We love the idea that any of this nightmare brings people together for the better. Seeing the good that can come from this is not hard. It is all around us.
In addition, another organization has partnered with Duke recently and reached out directly to our family to help support us as we begin this trial here in NYC. Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas reached out and set up a meeting with me a couple weeks ago. They are offering to help with all of Charlotte’s travels to and from New York, for as long as Charlotte requires this, among other things. No requirements necessary. Although there are many amazing organizations out there that can help support families going through this, often and rightfully so, income and other various factors are a consideration. However Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas support families regardless and their support will take a tremendous load off of our minds. We have been speechless about this really. And one day....we can’t wait to give back 100x fold for all the generosity bestowed upon us. It’s what we’ve always wanted to do. Give back and also help support other families. With Charlotte’s cancer having returned, and being back in treatment again, Brian and I realize waiting for the “perfect time” seems ridiculous. We have breath in our lungs and a fire in our hearts now. And so we look forward to bringing all of you in our village along with us as we work on some big things...stay tuned🥰
For now, like the adventurous gals that we are, Charlotte and I are making New York City our home away from home! The RMH here is like a Taj Mahal of RMH’s. They really love and support the families here and make the children feel like the special super hero’s that they are. Although still tender from her bone marrow biopsies on Friday, yesterday Charlotte and I were able to enjoy the RMH of NYC’s annual September block party to support Pediatric Cancer Awareness. It was so much fun and I’ll include some pictures below of the fun! Today, we explored Central Park, one of my favorite places, which is just a short 1 mile walk from the RMH. We are embracing this adventure that we didn’t want to have because if I don’t spin it into something special and fun, I will feel the weight of what it means to be here. We know Charlotte isn’t sick with cancer. We know her recent scans were clear of any evidence of Neuroblastoma. But we also know her cancer is trying to return and we can’t let it. There is so much we don’t know too. We don’t know what this new therapy will be like for Charlotte, apparently it is very harsh on the kids. We don’t know what additional side effects Charlotte might have to battle, nor what long term side effects the additional chemo, radiation, and immunotherapy will have on her. We don’t know what is left lingering inside of her, nor what is driving her cancer. We know she is incredible. We know our other children are handling things pretty well again, although this has hit them really hard in various ways and taken an emotional toll on them. We don’t know how this will continue to effect them, and our family life. We know we have an amazing village and a God who loves us more then we can imagine. We know we are blessed amid it all.
Being back here is humbling and eye opening and heartbreaking. There are kids going through many different aspects of their fight and they are all around us. Some seemingly winning, some not. It is so hard. Hard to face. And it bring ups every emotion you can imagine.
Finally, Lincoln passed away several days ago, peacefully in his home with his family. His journey was one of the most difficult ones we have witnessed but his parents faith through it all has been something remarkable to witness. They have taught me so much, and Lincoln will forever be carried on by all of those around him he made better. He was truly special, and I hardly knew him. Lincoln and his family has been a direct reflection of God’s love and strength. Can we continue to pray for peace and healing for this family, especially Lincoln’s little brother who just lost his brother and very best friend. May God continue to bring them through this fire and bring about a peace that only He can provide. This sweet family put up a Christmas tree in September damn it. They wanted one last Christmas together...one last time to celebrate Jesus amid it all. And before Lincoln slipped into a merciful coma, he was singing like he likes to do and stopped to make a remark to his momma. He said “I can’t wait to meet MY God.” The innocent faith of a child who did not know he was dying of course, but was able to communicate how personal God is to him. I think this was by the grace of God because those words really helped bring his parents some peace. Children sure have a way of doing things like that for us don’t they. If we start to lose our way, they can help shine the light back on the path to wherever it is leading.
Thank you for your continued prayers for Lincoln’s family, for our own Charlotte and our family, as well as for all families and children we are surrounded by. I am afraid to let them in sometimes, afraid to make relationships with these kids and families around me, but I kind of think that is the point. God wants us to love and help each other. However we are able and in whatever ways both big and small. I mean look at the love around us right now. Surly we can share it and help it grow❤️🌈
Link:
OCE fundraiser for Duke Children’s (https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8iaWxzbWun)
Our own sweet school of Olive Chapel Elementary has a club that Taylor is actually a part of for her second year in a row, Kids Corp. Kids Corp is a service organization and they have begun a fundraiser for Duke Children’s in honor of Charlotte. Do you remember the red wagon that Charlotte would ride in because she became so sick when we started treatment back in March of 2016? Kids Corp is raising funds to donate red wagons filled with toys and various items for kids who are being hospitalized. The school is selling Charlottestrong bracelets and collecting other donations that Duke’s Child Life has listed as a need. How amazing is this? We love the idea that any of this nightmare brings people together for the better. Seeing the good that can come from this is not hard. It is all around us.
In addition, another organization has partnered with Duke recently and reached out directly to our family to help support us as we begin this trial here in NYC. Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas reached out and set up a meeting with me a couple weeks ago. They are offering to help with all of Charlotte’s travels to and from New York, for as long as Charlotte requires this, among other things. No requirements necessary. Although there are many amazing organizations out there that can help support families going through this, often and rightfully so, income and other various factors are a consideration. However Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas support families regardless and their support will take a tremendous load off of our minds. We have been speechless about this really. And one day....we can’t wait to give back 100x fold for all the generosity bestowed upon us. It’s what we’ve always wanted to do. Give back and also help support other families. With Charlotte’s cancer having returned, and being back in treatment again, Brian and I realize waiting for the “perfect time” seems ridiculous. We have breath in our lungs and a fire in our hearts now. And so we look forward to bringing all of you in our village along with us as we work on some big things...stay tuned🥰
For now, like the adventurous gals that we are, Charlotte and I are making New York City our home away from home! The RMH here is like a Taj Mahal of RMH’s. They really love and support the families here and make the children feel like the special super hero’s that they are. Although still tender from her bone marrow biopsies on Friday, yesterday Charlotte and I were able to enjoy the RMH of NYC’s annual September block party to support Pediatric Cancer Awareness. It was so much fun and I’ll include some pictures below of the fun! Today, we explored Central Park, one of my favorite places, which is just a short 1 mile walk from the RMH. We are embracing this adventure that we didn’t want to have because if I don’t spin it into something special and fun, I will feel the weight of what it means to be here. We know Charlotte isn’t sick with cancer. We know her recent scans were clear of any evidence of Neuroblastoma. But we also know her cancer is trying to return and we can’t let it. There is so much we don’t know too. We don’t know what this new therapy will be like for Charlotte, apparently it is very harsh on the kids. We don’t know what additional side effects Charlotte might have to battle, nor what long term side effects the additional chemo, radiation, and immunotherapy will have on her. We don’t know what is left lingering inside of her, nor what is driving her cancer. We know she is incredible. We know our other children are handling things pretty well again, although this has hit them really hard in various ways and taken an emotional toll on them. We don’t know how this will continue to effect them, and our family life. We know we have an amazing village and a God who loves us more then we can imagine. We know we are blessed amid it all.
Being back here is humbling and eye opening and heartbreaking. There are kids going through many different aspects of their fight and they are all around us. Some seemingly winning, some not. It is so hard. Hard to face. And it bring ups every emotion you can imagine.
Finally, Lincoln passed away several days ago, peacefully in his home with his family. His journey was one of the most difficult ones we have witnessed but his parents faith through it all has been something remarkable to witness. They have taught me so much, and Lincoln will forever be carried on by all of those around him he made better. He was truly special, and I hardly knew him. Lincoln and his family has been a direct reflection of God’s love and strength. Can we continue to pray for peace and healing for this family, especially Lincoln’s little brother who just lost his brother and very best friend. May God continue to bring them through this fire and bring about a peace that only He can provide. This sweet family put up a Christmas tree in September damn it. They wanted one last Christmas together...one last time to celebrate Jesus amid it all. And before Lincoln slipped into a merciful coma, he was singing like he likes to do and stopped to make a remark to his momma. He said “I can’t wait to meet MY God.” The innocent faith of a child who did not know he was dying of course, but was able to communicate how personal God is to him. I think this was by the grace of God because those words really helped bring his parents some peace. Children sure have a way of doing things like that for us don’t they. If we start to lose our way, they can help shine the light back on the path to wherever it is leading.
Thank you for your continued prayers for Lincoln’s family, for our own Charlotte and our family, as well as for all families and children we are surrounded by. I am afraid to let them in sometimes, afraid to make relationships with these kids and families around me, but I kind of think that is the point. God wants us to love and help each other. However we are able and in whatever ways both big and small. I mean look at the love around us right now. Surly we can share it and help it grow❤️🌈
OCE fundraiser for Duke Children’s (https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8iaWxzbWun)
RMH Block party for Pediatric Cancer Awareness month of September
have you ever seen a rainbow bagel?
our goof had a blast at the block party
today in Central Park we had no where to go and all day to get there and so Charlotte spent some time collecting acorns
Hokies in Central Park....I kind of thought it was game day Saturday when we woke up. Guess I still need to catch up on some sleep haha
water play in Central Park
Listening to jazz muscians play and having a frozen treat. We really do love NY
Central Park has remote controlled sail boats and we talked about waiting to do this for when her brother and sister come visit next weekend!
great playgrounds around
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