Year from Hell continued...

As bad as the leukemia diagnosis has been, we have had so many wonderful people reach out to us in so many ways.  The support from family, friends and complete strangers has been overwhelming at times.  We are so grateful for every experience!!  I'll try to capture some of our experiences.

First the neighborhood put together a food chain, someone brought us dinner every single night for 30 days!! Might not seem like a big deal, but it was huge!!  Cam, Jessica and I could focus on Gatlin, whatever that meant...sometimes it was watching him sleep, others times is was holding him because he was so sick and confused.  At four he did not understand what was happening, all he knew was he felt bad and his whole world had been ripped apart. He now had to take medicine daily and some of the meds were horrendous and it was an ordeal making him take them.  Mama and daddy were tasked with this unpleasant task!!  It was horrible!!

Jessica's best friend Keli put together a fundraiser, first a GoFundMe page, then a t-shirt and bracelet sell.  And later football pots.  She is one of the most selfless people I've ever known.  She sold close to 200 shirts and 600 bracelets, the shirts had written on the back "Not all super hero wear capes, sometimes they fight leukemia". The bracelets have Gatlin Massey and "Fighting like a super hero" on them, also had the Batman icon.  Gatlin become know as our Super Hero, because two days before his diagnosis Cam took a picture of Gatlin and Savannah in Super Hero costumes,  Gatlin was Batman and Savannah was Wonder Woman.  This picture become the face of #teamgatlin, also something Keli did, she created the #teamgaltin FB page.  So we were all sporting our orange TeamGatlin t-shirts and bracelets (I never take my bracelet off).  Orange is the color for the leukemia ribbon.  So shirts and bracelets are all orange...I will forever have a orange on!!

Each visit to the hospital was an adventure, TCH is amazing and has activities, celebrities and events almost every week.  We met the driver of the Whiplash Monster Truck, went to the Monster Truck even and Gatlin loved seeing his new "best friend".  We met several Astros players and Orbit.  Had a space day complete with a real astronaut suit and "built an astronaut" station.  All so very touching.

Also, with these events we met other families with children fighting.  One in particular was the Ericha Williams, her daughter Addyson has the exact opposite problem as Gatlin.  Her body does not produce white blood cell, she has no ANC no way to fight infection, it's call Aplastic Anemia.  She has had three bone marrow transplants and is still going through treatments. But doing much better.  Turns out the Williams family live in Magnolia too and Ericha and Jessica know some of the same people...such a small world.

The Winter of 2019 was the longest, wettest darkest winter I can ever remember.  The kids and I did crafts, went to the library, went to the "treehouse" (my garage apartment), watch endless Power Rangers, Oscar's Oasis, Lava mixed with Princess Poppy and Barbie shows!! But, the Summer of 2019 will forever be my best summer. Ever!!  I was off the entire summer and spent it in Magnolia.  Even under the circumstances of leukemia we had a great summer. We swam almost every day.  I got to take the kids to swim lessons every day for two weeks, they had a blast!!  After swim lessons we'd usually go eat lunch in Magnolia, then go home for a nap.  Get up have a snack and swim again.
It was also the summer of my 60th birthday, Cam, Jessica and the other two girls along with my sister threw me the best birthday pool party. Ever.  Even my brother and his family came!!  It was a beautiful day full of love, celebration and gratefulness!!

Well, I will close for now and pick up again later...still lots more to come!!

Keeping it real

#teamgatlin