Christmas at BMT Unit

I hope you read Karen's message from yesterday, it is so great! We went to the Bone Marrow unit's Christmas party today and what a reunion of some of the people we met and became somewhat close to while we were in the unit ourselves. Its one big family! Dr. Vaughan, the big man around campus, was a nervous wreck making sure everyone that was supposed to had a mask on. Terry was one of the lucky ones, he is 200 days out from transplant so he did not have to put one on! The lady that was two doors down from us was there, she is from a little town near Columbus, Georgia. She has had two transplants. She really looked good and was in such good spirits since the last time I saw her which was when we left the hospital, she was still there and could hardly walk. Today she was walking on her own and was so happy to see Terry! We cheered her on as we walked the unit's halls everyday. All the nurses were so happy to hear Terry and John sing! They sang three Christmas songs and then jammed a little after that. They made our picture with Santa and gave us presents. We could not believe it! We should be giving them presents! Terry had his picture taken with all the nurses and two of the doctors, Dr. Vaughan and Dr. Ashraf, he is the one who told us that the leukemia was really a bad one and showed us the chromosome chart with the mutated #6 chromosome. He is really very nice! He also had his picture taken with Dr. Belham, who was only a fellow when we were in there and he is the one Terry called a "smart butt"! He remembered that and admitted he is a smart butt! We had a great time! I am so glad God made them so smart to figure all that out and are saving so many lives! God Bless Them! Hope everyone has a safe and Merry Christmas! Love to you all! Alyce

The Miracle of Hope

This is Karen. This email was sent to me at work today by my brother-in-law, Ron Bradshaw. I cried when reading it and you will see why. It is worth reading to the end. .............................................................................. Okay, I got to be Santa at UAB hospital on the childrens cancer ward a few years back when Kaye was in charge of the clown corp. I vividly recall holding those little kids in my lap and talking with them. I recall wondering if my tears would show up in the B'ham News photo the next day. I understand how this fellow felt. I'm even having a difficult time typing it now. It just helps me to be reminded that the Christmas season is not about stuff, but about the people you love. Pull out the tissue and enjoy the story. Ron........................................................................ SANTA, CAN YOU VISIT MY GRANDDAUGHTER? Three years ago, a little boy and his grandmother came to see Santa at Mayfair Mall in Wisconsin. The child climbed up on his lap, holding a picture of a little girl. "Who is this?" asked Santa, smiling. "Your friend? Your sister?" "Yes, Santa," he replied. "My sister, Sarah, who is very sick," he said sadly. Santa glanced over at the grandmother who was waiting nearby, and saw her dabbing her eyes with a tissue. "She wanted to come with me to see you, oh, so very much, Santa!" the child exclaimed. "She misses you," he added softly. Santa tried to be cheerful and encouraged a smile to the boy's face, asking him what he wanted Santa to bring him for Christmas. When they finished their visit, the Grandmother came over to help the child off his lap, and started to say something to Santa, but halted. "What is it?" Santa asked warmly. "Well, I know it's really too much to ask you, Santa, but ..." the old woman began, shooing her grandson over to one of Santa's elves to collect the little gift which Santa gave all his young visitors. "...The girl in the photograph .. My granddaughter . Well, you see ... She has leukemia and isn't expected to make it even through the holidays," she said through tear-filled eyes. "Is there any way, Santa . Any possible way that you could come see Sarah? That's all she's asked for, for Christmas, is to see Santa." Santa blinked and swallowed hard and told the woman to leave information with his elves as to where Sarah was, and he would see what he could do. Santa thought of little else the rest of that afternoon. He knew what he had to do. "What if it were MY child lying in that hospital bed, dying," he thought with a sinking heart, "this is the least I can do." When Santa finished visiting with all the boys and girls that evening, he retrieved from his helper the name of the hospital where Sarah was staying. He asked the assistant location manager how to get to Children's Hospital. "Why?" Rick asked, with a puzzled look on his face. Santa relayed to him the conversation with Sarah's grandmother earlier that day. "C'mon .... I'll take you there," Rick said softly. Rick drove them to the hospital and came inside with Santa. They found out which room Sarah was in. A pale Rick said he would wait out in the hall. Santa quietly peeked into the room through the half-closed door and saw little Sarah on the bed. The room was full of what appeared to be her family; there was the Grandmother and the girl's brother he had met earlier that day. A woman whom he guessed was Sarah's mother stood by the bed, gently pushing Sarah's thin hair off her forehead. And another woman who he discovered later was Sarah's aunt, sat in a chair near the bed with weary, sad look on her face. They were talking quietly, and Santa could sense the warmth and closeness of the family, and their love and concern for Sarah. Taking a deep breath, and forcing a smile on his face, Santa entered the room, bellowing a hearty, "Ho, ho, ho!" "Santa!" shrieked little Sarah weakly, as she tried to escape her bed to run to him, IV tubes intact. Santa rushed to her side and gave her a warm hug. A child the tender age of his own son -- 9 years old -- gazed up at him with wonder and excitement. Her skin was pale and her short tresses bore telltale bald patches from the effects of chemotherapy. But all he saw when he looked at her was a pair of huge, blue eyes. His heart melted, and he ad to force himself to choke back tears. Though his eyes were riveted upon Sarah's face, he could hear the gasps and quiet sobbing of the women in the room. As he and Sarah began talking, the family crept quietly to the bedside one by one, squeezing Santa's shoulder or his hand gratefully, whispering "thank you" as they gazed sincerely at him with shining eyes. Santa and Sarah talked and talked, and she told him excitedly all the toys she wanted for Christmas, assuring him she'd been a very good girl that year. As their time together dwindled, Santa felt led in his spirit to pray for Sarah, and asked for permission from the girl's mother. She nodded in agreement and the entire family circled around Sarah's bed, holding hands. Santa looked intensely at Sarah and asked her if she believed in angels. "Oh, yes, Santa ... I do!" she exclaimed. "Well, I'm going to ask that angels watch over you," he said. Laying one hand on the child's head, Santa closed his eyes and prayed. He asked that God touch little Sarah, and heal her body from this disease. He asked that angels minister to her, watch and keep her. And when he finished praying, still with eyes closed, he started singing softly, "Silent Night, Holy Night ... all is calm, all is bright." The family joined in, still holding hands, smiling at Sarah, and crying tears of hope, tears of joy for this moment, as Sarah beamed at them all. When the song ended, Santa sat on the side of the bed again and held Sarah's frail, small hands in his own. "Now, Sarah," he said authoritatively, "you have a job to do, and that is to concentrate on getting well. I want you to have fun playing with your friends this summer, and I expect to see you at my house at Mayfair Mall this time next year!" He knew it was risky proclaiming that, to this little girl who had terminal cancer, but he "had" to. He had to give her the greatest gift he could -- not dolls or games or toys -- but the gift of HOPE. "Yes, Santa!" Sarah exclaimed, her eyes bright. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead and left the room. Out in the hall, the minute Santa's eyes met Rick's, a look passed between them and they wept unashamed. Sarah's mother and grandmother slipped out of the room quickly and rushed to Santa's side to thank him. "My only child is the same age as Sarah," he explained quietly. "This is the least I could do." They nodded with understanding and hugged him. One year later, Santa Mark was again back on the set in Milwaukee for his six-week, seasonal job which he so loves to do. Several weeks went by and then one day a child came up to sit on his lap. "Hi, Santa! Remember me?!" "Of course, I do," Santa proclaimed (as he always does), smiling down at her. After all, the secret to being a "good" Santa is to always make each child feel as if they are the "only" child in the world at that moment. "You came to see me in the hospital last year!" Santa's jaw dropped. Tears immediately sprang in his eyes, and he grabbed this little miracle and held her to his chest. "Sarah!" he exclaimed. He scarcely recognized her, for her hair was long and silky and her cheeks were rosy -- much different from the little girl he had visited just a year before. He looked over and saw Sarah's mother and grandmother in the sidelines smiling and waving and wiping their eyes. That was the best Christmas ever for Santa Claus. He had witnessed -- and been blessed to be instrumental in bringing about -- this miracle of hope. This precious little child was healed. Cancer-free. Alive and well. He silently looked up to Heaven and humbly whispered, "Thank you, Father. 'Tis a very, Merry Christmas!" -- Author Unknown

A Celebration for The Family

We have celebrated all week our GREAT news! We went to dinner Friday night with close friends and talked about the times we've had and times we are going to have, especially fishing between Terry and Mike! Saturday was exhausting after Kristina and I shopped all day(8 hours)with more family! Sunday was a great day with a church service that touched all of us, we had just been talking about our blessings from God and Jerry made it so special. I heard we missed the announcement he made about Terry, we hate we missed it, but Butch said it was very touching and we thank all of our church family for staying with us through this whole thing and the prayers they have sent up for all of us! So many churches have prayed for us and we love you all and thank you for your love and support we have had through our journey with cancer. We all went and ate at Logan's Steakhouse after church and when I say all of us, that is what I mean! Karen, Rick, Tracy, Daniel, Grant, Seth, Sherry, Pete, Logan, Madison, Micheal and us, it made 16 of us! We then went to the nursing home afterwards for a Christmas party and it was great! Complete with carolers! Karen fixed Ruth so pretty as she can do so well and she seemed fine other than they had given her more meds for pain and she was very sleepy. Tara and Morgan joined us there and Ruth was so excited about seeing her great-grandchildren. She seemed to know them more today than on Thanksgiving. Rick is doing so well he has worked two days last week and sounds like he is planning on working this week, but only half days. He sent me an email about little Chloe that just was so sad, sweet and can only imagine how Chris and Danielle will get through this Christmas. Bless them both and the whole family! We all are very grateful you have hung in here with us for so long, almost a year! God is watching over all of us! Hug your loved ones as much as you can, you never know what tomorrow may bring! Love to all! Alyce

God's Gift to Us All

We have had the best day ever! We met with the doctor and she told us that he is clear and there are NO signs of leukemia and he is 100% his sister. That means he is developing her immune system. I thank God for her every day! They let us come off the immune suppression meds 75 mg more, so he is only taking 150 mg on odd days. He is in total remission and does not have to have another bone marrow test until May! He is SOOOOOO happy! We just thank our God that he has given us more time with Terry! Especially Kristina and John! Thank you all for all your prayers! God truly has listened! I talked with Karen this afternoon and she said Granny called her by her name and told her Terry had not been to see her in 2 months. Of course, that is not true! We are going this Sunday to a Christmas party they are having for them at the nursing home. From what Karen said, she sounded that she was doing good that day except they had given her heavy meds for pain. Rick is doing better and better every day. He was "released" from the doctor yesterday and he went to work for a half day today. Men just won't listen! I know he wants out of the house but don't push it Rick! I am so thankful they found all that disease in his arteries before something REALLY BAD happened! Thank you all for hanging in there with us! We love you all and hopefully soon we can have a celebration and Terry can sing to us all! God Bless You! Alyce

Waiting Is the Hardest Part

I am so sorry I have been neglecting his blog! Now that we are trying to work some finding time is hard, but I will make time! Karen did so much better! Well, we did not get the test done on the day it was supposed to be, but had it done the next day so that means everything will be one day later. We are going this Wednesday to get all the results from the tests they did on him last week. He is really worried I can tell, but I told him its all in God's hands and we have to believe that! We went to his company's Christmas party last Saturday and I did not know how great his employees really are until his sickness. We have so much support from everyone at SCS. Thank you to you all!!! He got a new truck and is so proud to be able to drive it and work with his salesmen every day. John got a new truck too, with a payment of course! We just are SO glad he is here with us! I talked with Karen tonight and Granny is not doing so well. It just breaks my heart to know she will not ever be the same as we all knew her! Terry heard me talking to her and it really upset him! He feels so helpless and everyone that has known him before knows he was NEVER helpless! Rick is doing so good, they went to the doctor and he got a good report and hopefully when they see the surgeon tomorrow he will release him to drive and go to work part-time! I know he is glad all the hard part is over and he will soon be back to "normal" but better now that he has better circulation through his heart. I will let you all know how the tests come out on Thursday! Love to you all! Alyce

Things Are Looking Great!

We went to the BMT Unit on Wednesday and got a good report. They let him come on down on the dosage of the immune suppression meds, so hopefully he will feel even better next week. This medicine can make you feel bad and he said since he has been coming off of it he does feel better every time he is able to decrease it. He will have a bone marrow test this Tuesday to make sure the leukemia is still in remission and I know it is, he will not have to have another one until around May 26th, his 1 year from transplant date and 2nd birthday! Just say a little prayer for us on Monday! We are thankful AGAIN for something else, John totaled his truck this afternoon, but he is OK and did not involve another vehicle. He will be buying himself a truck so next time you see him give him a hug, we are just so thankful he was not hurt and by looking at his truck he is VERY lucky to be here with us!!! God is watching over us, I know it!! Rick continues to recover at home and is doing good but I know the 4 walls are closing in on him. Hopefully soon he will be able to get out and take his grandchildren to see Santa Claus! Thank you all for hanging in here with us! I will let you know the results of the test when we get them. The waiting is the hardest part! Love to all! Alyce