Letter from my mom

I want to share a letter with you my mom wrote. The lesson behind it is do not judge and god gives miracles.
Thank you to all my friends who have listened to my worries, asked after our precious Molly and prayed for her. I truly believe that wonderful things happened because a group of kind people directed loving thoughts and prayers to our baby. It helped of course to have excellent doctors!

I will never forget the children at Dornbecker Children's Hospital. Kids who are stricken with cancer have a weary look in their eyes that no little person should have. They have seen to much and felt too much pain. Their mothers and fathers look exhausted and sad. The other children in the family are ignored a lot and snapped at for asking to go to the bathroom. You see the effect of a serious ill child on the whole family.

When Molly spent some time in the hospital after having a kidney removed there was a little girl about 5 years old in the next room. I heard her moaning and crying a lot. She was beyond thin, bald and looked as if she was not long for this world. As the hours went by I felt so angry that she was alone a lot.....where was her mother? Later on I went to the cafeteria to get Cami and I some dinner and I shared the elevator with a tired and harassed looking woman wearing a Home Depot vest. She rushed through the door and went straight to the little girl next door. Through the window I saw her hugging the little girl and singing to her. Later I saw her in the hall talking with a nurse with tears falling down her face. I felt really ashamed. Duhh...her mother had to work! How awful to be in that situation. I'm sure her day at work was horrible, wishing she could be with her child. My son-in-law has a good job with great health benefits. Life is hard enough when your child has been diagnosed with cancer but if you have low resources it is truly a desperate situation. My eyes were opened to the incredible need for help for these families.

Molly is such a loving baby. She already kisses and hugs. I'm so grateful for her healing. My daughter Cami is my hero. Because her husband Steve works out of town most the week, she was alone a lot with Molly. Hours are long and lonely when you are taking your baby to chemo alone. Cami had to change bandages, flush out the Hickman and a variety of "nurse-like" duties. Several times I heard her tell the nurses what they had missed, naming all the pharmaceutical poisons along with their exact amounts. She was vigilant and watchful over Molly. She was brave. I am so proud of her. A first baby is enough to make any woman slightly neurotic...when your first baby is diagnosed with cancer it is a nightmare.

Best wishes and love to all of you.
Cheri