SEPTEMBER IS CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Labor Day - a day of rest and parties, often symbolized as the end of summer, according to Wikipedia. Uncharacteristically, I did not attend any parties today, am in denial about the end of summer (but Fall, you have a very special place in my heart, also) and am experiencing writers block. Nevertheless, I vowed to pen a blog for each day of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. So, I am going to use this entry as journal, a place for my thoughts to rest while I slumber for a few hours!
This morning seemed full of promise - sun shining, no set plans, and my ever present bowl of Kashi!! My sister and I planned to have laid back day, with a few hours of Cancertacular™ housekeeping for good measure. As we played dueling laptops checking e-mail and Facebook, I felt compelled to send a text. As I picked up the phone, there were 3 texts and a missed call waiting for me. All were from our fab web designer, Matt. The attempts at communication (as I slumbered peacefully with my ringer turned off) were to announce that our website re-design was ready to go live at 12noon! Woo hoo! Amazing news! Wait, it's Labor Day, a day of parties and rest. Okay, Matt, twist my arm, make our website live and then you have permission to take a break!! Jill and I anxiously awaited for the 20 minutes to pass for our new masterpiece to be unveiled!
In the meantime, I sent that text to Janet Donovan. I knew that Emily (pictured above) wasn't feeling well and was likely hospitalized the night before. In response, Janet shared the devastating news that Emily, 4, was nearing the end of her battle with Medulloblastoma. Docs approximate that she has about 4-8 weeks left on earth. My imagination does not stretch far enough to begin to fathom Janet's feelings. Tears were shed, and then Jill and I began to formulate a plan.
In the meantime, the website went live! It does need a few tweaks, but it is amazing! Cancertacular™ is growing, and my confidence is soaring that the new and improved site will be an amazing vehicle to promote Childhood Cancer Awareness. Flashback to Emily, speaking of that monster....Currently aware that Em is in the hospital with a grim prognosis, do we visit her? We should send her balloons. We will send her balloons. We can't send her balloons - it is Labor Day, and while docs are feverishly working on Em and Matt is breathing life into our website, balloon delivery is unavailable.
In the meantime, Jill and I critique our newly enlivened website - a tough task considering the amazing job that Matt did. Did I mention he did it pro-bono?? So, we picked apart his largely unpickable work, and sent our critiques off in a tiny e-mail. In the meantime, we called Uncle John, bowing out of the party at his house, and got back to the most important business of the day, Emily.
It was decided that, since Emily loves all things Disney and Princess (especially Sleeping Beauty), we must find a Disney Store. We found 2 options, Rockaway, NJ, and Whitehall, PA. Opting for Whitehall, PA, we made few stops before leaving the Scranton area around 3PM. Of course, we hit Labor Day traffic! People apparently were neither at parties nor were they working - they were sitting in traffic on I-80! Clarification - people do work onLabor Day, just not balloon delivery people.
We called ahead to the Disney Store, so Brandon, Jill, Joann, and their team of Cast Members awaited us. If only we had a more lighthearted purpose for shopping, it would have been a truly amazing experience! Cast members - who decidely work extra hard on Labor Day, likely to make up for the balloon people - lead us around the store showcasing all things Sleeping Beauty for Princess Emily, and all things Belle, for 5 year old sister Princess Lizzie. After spending a small fortune, and stopping at Wawa for Em's beloved chippies and Mountain Dew, we made our way to Janet Weiss Children's Hospital.
Emily was actually a little frightened by the sheer number of gifts we showered upon her. You see, the Disney Store shopping spree is on the heels of Em's 4th birthday, and that combination of gifts were all bestowed upon her tonight! Before long, each gift was opened and scrutinized, and 20 feet of signatures and well wishes made a boarder around the hospital room! Guess what? Emily had a balloon tied to her bed when we arrived. While balloon delivery people don't work on Labor Day, apparently the hospital gift shop staffers do!
After coloring, drinking Mountain Dew, eating chippies, getting medicine in her tubies, painting, and lots more during our 2 hour visit, we kissed Em goodnight. As I fought back tears, I couldn't help but wonder if that was the final time I would kiss her little bald head. Now, I'm thinking that Emily never got a chance to mourn the passing of summer, or curse the balloon delivery man. This day, for me was more Thanksgiving than Labor Day. I am thankful for the honor to share in the life of Princess Emily Paige Donovan. And, while Wikipedia sets Labor Day aside for parties, none will compare to that of the angels when Emily gains her wings!
Fabulously yours,
Tina
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