New Website & New Blog!

Hi all!

We just wanted to share that we launched our new website Meredith's Miracles about a month ago. We hope y'all enjoy it as much as we do! We are thrilled with the new design.

Our blog was moved over there as well. We have tried to move most of our old posts to the new site so that people can still continue to enjoy them!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @MeredithMCCF & Facebook!

Thanks for your continued support,
The Board of Directors at Meredith's Miracles Colon Cancer Foundation

Miracles in the Making: Grant Recipient David Kling

We received this thank you letter with David's Story from him just before the Holidays...
Please send my deepest gratitude and thanks to your family and committee for accepting my story and blessing us with this generous gift.  My family and I are humbled by it and can't thank you all enough for helping us out during this time.  Below is a synopsis of my story thus far.

My story began on Friday, July 11th, 2014 when I received word from my doctor after a colonoscopy that the tumor they had discovered during the procedure had come back positive for colon cancer.  Needless to say my world was rocked!  The colonoscopy was not a routine procedure since I am only 34 years old.  It was scheduled after my primary care physician was unable to determine the cause of other symptoms I was experiencing, so he told me to get the colonoscopy.  

After finding out I had cancer, our next course of action was to seek a doctor and treatment.  We went a got our first opinion from a surgeon in Alexandria, VA and shortly after that we got a second opinion from a team of doctors in Philadelphia at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA).  After choosing to seek treatment at CTCA I started my radiation and chemotherapy within 2 weeks of our initial visit at CTCA (around the end of August).  I would go up to Philadelphia during the week for treatments and come home on the weekends.  I did this for 5 1/2 weeks.  

On September 25, 2014 I finished my treatments and was able to return home for about 8 weeks.  My colon resectioning surgery has been scheduled for Wednesday, November 26th.  We are praying everything goes as smoothly as it should and as the doctors anticipate it will.  After surgery and about a 5 day stay in the hospital I will return home and recover for about 1 month and then continue chemotherapy for approx. 5 months. 

I know this is just the beginning of this journey and it will be a part of my life for ever...but I know one thing is for sure...my heavenly father is in control and I have nothing to worry about or fear.  There is a greater purpose for me going through this and only God knows why.  As long as my story can bring glory to Him and bless someone in the process, I will gladly go through this journey.  As Proverbs 3:5-6 states, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

David Kling

David, know that we are praying for you! Keep great faith!

Miracles in the Making: Grant Recipient Monique Sallette

Vivacious Monique is a 34 year old mother of 3 from Georgia. She has her handful as a single mom with 3 beautiful children aged 17, 15, and 11! 

Monique was originally diagnosed with colon cancer in 2013. She had 12 treatments of chemotherapy that lasted for about 6 months. She had a colostomy bag and had it removed when she was declared cancer free at the end of 2013. 

She had been feeling symptoms again in May of this year and followed up with her surgeon after having a "flare up" in June. She has been diagnosed again with colon cancer but this time stage 4B. We are clinging to hope and sending prayers! 

We were able to catch Monique up to speed on her overdue electrical bills and pay 2 months of rent for her. We are praying for you Monique!

Miracles in the Making: Grant Recipient Arianne McAllister

This sweet precious Mama from the East Coast is our latest and greatest grant recipient.
Arianne is 36 years old and a mom of a four year old boy.

She had been misdiagnosed for over 3 years before she was finally diagnosed with colon cancer in November of 2013. At the time of her diagnosis with a CT scan, they found a tumor in her colon and 9 spots that had already spread to her liver.

Arianne began chemotherapy after she was diagnosed last Fall. She had to stop treatment this Spring in order to take care of some surgeries and necessary procedures. She is scheduled to begin chemo again in late October. 

This incredible woman is attempting to restart her life. She's wanting to start over, especially for her son. MMCCF was able to help her out with one month's rent and down payments for her utilizes for her new apartment.

We are thinking and praying for you forever friend as you encroach upon treatment again!

Miracles in the Making: Grant Recipient Karena Barton

Meet this sweet and spunky East Coaster, Karena!

"This is a picture of me trying on my new wig & styling it for first time. Not bad looking as a red head. Surprising what a curling iron & make up can do. Brought a cancer patient back to life!" -Karena

Karena is a 39 year old Maryland resident diagnosed with rectal cancer. She was originally diagnosed in April 2012 with stage 3 rectal cancer after a long battle with stomach issues. She passed her symptoms off as stomach bug because she was cramping and continually running to the bathroom over the winter. When her symptoms didn't subsided after the season, she was sent home from work to go to the doctor due to blood in her stools in March 2012.  Her doctor thought it could be menstrual issues and prescribed her ibuprofen. Her symptoms continued to worsen... she was given the opportunity to have a colonoscopy but her doctor didn't want to burden her with the bill but told Karena to come back if her symptoms got worse. (Karena originally had avoided the doctor to the financial burdens... but now she is SO proactive about her health and others; she would tell anyone now - "Don't wait! Go to the doctor!") 

Well, they got worse. She told her mom "I am dying!" She went back a few weeks later and was diagnosed on April 25 through a colonoscopy.  She immediately started chemotherapy and radiation. Later, Karena had to have surgery for an ostomy. They ended up having to do TWO ostomies on her. She was so sick this first year, she got down to 95 pounds. 

She had a PET scan and CT scan done this year which revealed 2 spots, one on each lung. These spots at metastasized from her original cancer. For which she had a thoracotomy on June 3rd 2014, where they removed half of her left lung. She has just restarted chemotherapy to try and shrink the other lung tumor and may have to have surgery to remove it. 


Through all of this, Karena has been an incredible mom of 2 boys! Her and her husband work to care for a 12 year old and a 16 year old with Asperger's. The boys have been helpful but also challenging in this time of her life. They are able to have outlets through karate and programming at the YMCA. 

Karena still is trying to work part time but it can be very difficult for her. MMCCF was able to grant Karena and her family, one month of their mortgage, one month of electricity, and a gift card for gas to get her to her multiple appointments and chemotherapy treatments! Karena had said, "The grant will help me continue to live!" 

"Share my story... if one more life gets saved from this horrible disease, it will all be worthwhile! Thanks Meredith's Miracles for all you do! Love, Karena"

Miralces in the Making: Grant Recipient Stacey Aragon

Learn a little bit about Stacey! 

She is a 36 year old living in Michigan.  She was first diagnosed with colon cancer when she was 28 and was re-diagnosed with Stage 3 in May 2013. She also has a history of anemia and health problems related to that. Due to her health issues, she is unable to work.

Here is a sweet letter from Stacey...

"Last Spring, it was confirmed that my colon cancer had returned.  I was rushed to get a blood transfusion, shortly after which I had medi-port placement surgery in my chest.  Within the mere days that followed, I also started chemotherapy at the local cancer center, and continuous pump infusions at home.  I had too many doctors appointments to count.  And, I spent most of my time in-between treatments recovering from chemo and its side-effects.  I was far too weak and in way too much pain to be able to work, and my husband couldn't find a potential employer willing to work around my medical schedule. 


We were already in debt from my original diagnosis.  So, it has become an even greater challenge just getting by day-to-day.  We've had to borrow more money and use more credit, to eat, pay bills, fuel our car, cover insurance, and so on.  But, after an especially rough few months, we weren't sure how we were going to be able to afford groceries or car insurance after the bills were paid.  It was going to take a miracle to pull us through, and then ~ the miraculous happened!  Meredith's Miracles Colon Cancer Foundation called me to let us know that I would be receiving a grant, which would help us pay for one month of rent and utilities plus two months of car insurance...something that, we'll be forever grateful for.  Thank you for granting us a miracle, helping us pull through, and reminding us why it's so important not to give up hope <3
-Stacey A."

Miracles in the Making: Grant Recipient Cassandra Hodgen

Meet our northern friend Cassie Hodgden!

Cassie is a 36 year old wife and mother living in Minnesota.  Her family has relocated from the city to the country to be closer to her mother and in-laws so she can have help with her children. She has 3 children of her own and 4 step-children.  What a strong woman! Cassie's sister was diagnosed with colon cancer and found out that it was genetic. Cassie went through testing for colon cancer since her sister had been diagnosed, which is how she discovered that she herself  had colon cancer. Cassie had no symptoms of her own but was being proactive for her health since her sister had been diagnosed! We love that about Cassie! Many lives can be saved from colon cancer if we encourage our family members to get screened!

Since being diagnosed with colon cancer, she had her entire colon removed. She ended up having to be hospitalized for 2 weeks due to complications. Cassie has also been diagnosed with Lynch Syndrome, which is a heredity disorder that leads to increased risk of developing many types of cancer.  Cassie has to travel 2 hours to her doctor appointments in the city multiple times per month. She is thankful that she is still able to work as a photographer but she is working to build a new client base out in the country of Minnesota.

What beautiful babies!!!

Another fun fact that MMCCF just adores about Cassie is that she suggested that our grant recipients have a community where they can connect with others just like them! With her encouragement, we just started a new facebook group for specifically OUR MMCCF grant recipients to connect, encourage, and grow with each other! We hope that this may benefit our MMCCF friends! <3 Thank you Cassie!!

Miracles in the Making: Grant Recipient Marcie Wiley

Y'all meet this precious woman, Marcie.

Marcie started to have some troubles with her bowels. Her doctor found that she had several hemorrhoids. While Marcie was in surgery to remove these hemorrhoids, the surgeon found that her condition was much more serious than originally anticipated. She was diagnosed with colon cancer and started treatment immediately.

As Marcie battles her colon cancer diagnosis and undergoes treatment, she is living away from her family, who live in a different state. She is unable to work at this time due to her treatment schedule. Marcie has been through the grind to find organizations who can help her and she found Meredith's Miracles. We were able to help her out with one month of rent and one month of her car payment to help her battle seem just a slight bit easier!

Blessings to you Marcie! Keep on pushing on! 

Miracles in the Making: Grant Recipient Joe Smith

Joe Smith has Stage 4 colon cancer. He was diagnosed this past June while his wife Kristina was 7 months pregnant with their son. This wonderful young family of three currently resides in Missouri.
    

Joe wasn't having any symptoms other than tiredness and heartburn.  He went to the doctor due to the urging of friends because he had "bad color."  Upon discovery of his cancer, Joe's entire colon was removed. They also discovered that his cancer at metastasized to his liver. Joe is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Although his wife continues to work as a teacher and a coach, Joe is unable to work. 

Kristina said they are always the ones giving the help and that it has been extremely humbling to have to accept help from friends and family. Kristina said they are having to swallow their pride. Kristina said they rely on God to get them through each day. She said their faith is everything to them.  Instead of asking "why us?," the Smith family looks at it as "why is it us, that so many people have helped us and reached out to us and been so kind to?"  Their perspective and outlook is inspiring.  


Because Kristina is working, they are right above the cut-off for Missouri to receive any type of help yet are struggling to get by.  We were able to help out the Smith family by paying for the rest of Baby Boy Smith's daycare for this year!  


Here are some sweet words from Kristina in emails between our grant committee:
Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts, we are so appreciative of the miracle that was bestowed upon us. I just cannot begin to thank you enough for what a miracle this truly is. We would never begin to be able to say thank you enough to you, your foundation, or the legacy of Meredith you are spreading in this world. Thank you, to each and everyone of you, who decided we were worthy of this miracle. It is sometimes on the hardest days, that God sends the most beautiful angels to our lives. Thank you for being one of ours!! Thanks, Kristina

Keep on living your faith Smith Family! Thanks for being an incredible inspiration. 

MMCCF Annual Golf Classic 2014

Meredith's Miracles Annual Golf Classic is on May 31, 2014!

The Legendary Run Golf Course in Cincinnati, Ohio will be hosting the event again this year.

Registration begins at 12:00 PM

Shotgun start at 1:00 PM
Dinner following at 6:00 PM

Golf Partner: $125 registration includes:
-18 hole round of golf with cart
-Player gift bag
-Dinner

Dinner Party-only Partner: $35

REGISTER HERE

Sign up for a great time! We are so excited about this year! Let's go golf!

Miracles in the Making: Grant Recipient Heather Roberts

Here's to highlight one of our March grant recipients, sweet Heather Roberts!

Heather had been having issues with her gastrointestinal system for quite some time before she was diagnosed with colon cancer. However, she was sent to a GI surgeon early because her mother had passed away from colon cancer. [Have we mentioned how greatly genetic colon cancer is?] 

She was unable to have a full colonoscopy performed due to an obstruction. She was sent directly to the emergency room and ended up having her entire colon removed as well as her small bowels. Three masses were found on Heather's liver, which she had to have resected. Heather is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment. However, she lost her job and subsequently her insurance THE day after her FIRST chemo treatment. Heather also has two sons that live with her. 

MMCCF was able to pay a couple months of her mortgage and car payments for this amazing women!!

Miracles in the Making: Grant Recipient Aaron Barnette

One of our recent grant recipients Aaron is a 27 year old gentleman that lives in South Carolina with his beautiful wife and two adorable sons.  He used to work in a facility as a shipping and receiving manager.  Aaron currently is on disability due to his medical condition.  

Aaron was living a normal life until last summer when he began having stomach pains. He visited the Emergency Room twice with stomach pains. After the second visit,  doctors misdiagnosed him with Crohn's disease, which can be commonly discovered in your twenties.  During his stay in the hospital, his colon ruptured. Since Aaron had a positive family history for colon cancer, his doctors elected to perform a colonoscopy. Aaron has lost his mother to colon cancer.  They found several polyps in his colon and ended up medically inducing him into a coma.  Aaron now has a temporary ostomy bag and has undergone over 5 rounds of chemotherapy.

We were able to help Aaron and his family by granting one month's rent and car payment to help relieve some financial concerns that can come along with the diagnosis of cancer.
Blessings to this sweet family! Keep on fighting Aaron!

Miracles in the Making: Grant Recipient Charlandria Kidd

 Here is the story of one of our past grant recipients and her battle with cancer. She has utilized her diagnosis and story to start her own campaign, cancer is No Match For My GOD + Me. She is full of strength and power!

My name is Char Kidd, and I am a conqueror of cancer. Originally I was diagnosed with hemorrhoids, and I suffered with excruciating and unbearable pain during 2011. I constantly visited doctors’ offices because the treatments were not working. One year passed and I received the diagnosis of cancer on March 1, 2012 after undergoing a colonoscopy. As one can imagine, receiving the information of having stage III colon cancer at the age of 37 sent me into a state of shock, disbelief, and questioning God as to why this was happening to me. All in all, on March 1 2012 I made the conscious decision to fight for my life. A few weeks later after cancer was confirmed, I came across Meredith’s Miracles website. During my first week of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, I applied to Meredith’s Miracles for assistance. I was granted a miracle! Meredith’s Miracles made it possible for me to get back and forth to treatments for 8 weeks by providing me with a gas card and making my car payment for 3 months. They assisted me with other very important bills as well.  I am truly grateful to God that I was able to connect with this foundation!

October 25, 2013 marked the 1-year anniversary of when cancer was removed from my body. Kingdom Inspired and Divinely Delivered, my campaign, “cancer is No Match For My GOD + Me” was birthed after I took a Private Prayer and turned it into a Public Proclamation to inspire other cancer patients, survivors, and their families that they can and will win their battles against cancer. I really considered these words in my mind. I accepted them to be true in my heart, "cancer is No Match For my GOD + Me."  I adopted these words as my personal slogan while fighting cancer. It was a long and rough journey. Through chemo and radiation treatments, surgery to remove the tumor, and another round of chemo this message was imprinted in my mind. It became a part of the fabric of my being. I believed I was going to BEAT cancer, and I did! I do not look like the things I have been through, and it is by the grace of GOD. Look at me, I have been through a lot, I have some scars, but I'm still here.  I'm the living proof.  I'm well and cancer-free because He kept me. My mission is to Educate, Encourage, and Empower individuals affected by cancer, and I have designed t-shirts and other merchandise with my slogan on them. One of my future aspirations is to change healthcare policy concerning the lack of coverage for cancer patients. Through all of my endeavors I realize with Jesus Christ at the center of my life He causes me to triumph in all things. Visit Char Kidd online at www.charkidd.com to learn more about me and my journey. Connect with me on Twitter @charkidd1 as well.

Again, this was the most trying time of my life and because of the miracle granted to me by Meredith’s Miracles I was better equipped to fight for my life against cancer.

Sincerely,

Char Kidd

Kingdom Inspired. Divinely Delivered. 

Miracles in the Making: Grant Recipient Preston Welch

A Story from one of our recent grant recipients. We were able to help his family with their mortgage for one month... In his latest email to MMCCF wrote, "Thank you so much for all of your help and we really appreciate the assistance from the organization. Medical bills have been really overwhelming lately and knowing the mortgage will be paid next month has really given our family some hope of trying to juggle everything."

My name is Preston, I'm 31 and going through chemotherapy right now for colon cancer. I am married and have two young children (ages 2 and 8), as well as a cat and a dog. I appear healthy and young and had never had to worry about my health. For the past year, I had been experiencing symptoms of colon cancer but the symptoms were dismissed by doctors as IBS or hemorrhoids and a high fiber regimen was recommended. A few months ago, my GP referred me for a colonoscopy to see what was going on since my symptoms had never resolved and were becoming increasingly more worrisome. Throughout this process, everyone told me "You're too young, there's no way it's cancer." 

Unfortunately, it turns out that I had a 3" malignant tumor in my transverse colon, which was later diagnosed as mucinous adenocarcinoma. I was scheduled quickly for a CT/PET scan and surgery shortly after. Based on the size and scan results, they were estimating late Stage 3 or Stage 4. My surgery went fine and after being biopsied, my tumor was downgraded to an early Stage 2.  I  have been  receiving chemotherapy and will be receiving it for the next 6-8 months. It has been very difficult to manage the side effects of chemotherapy and remain full time at work in order to keep my insurance. 

The diagnosis of cancer was stressful enough as it was but the financial devastation has made things seem even more bleak.  I work full-time, but my small salary is mostly consumed by health insurance for my family. We have a high deductible insurance plan and then pay 20% after the deductible is met. This has meant that the medical costs have been several thousands of dollars, which we have been unable to afford to pay. We have been trying to juggle mortgage payments, car repair bills, childcare, and healthcare bills but there is not going to be a way to pay them all on our own.  

Preston's story is very similar to many of the stories of our grant recipients. We are grateful that we were able to give Preston and his young family a miracle this Thanksgiving Season! 

Giving Tuesday 2013

Giving Tuesday is Tomorrow: December 3rd!

#GivingTuesday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, is a new movement started in 2012 in order to give back. This is the day when it's your turn to give to others who need a little extra support this holiday season.
We are on a mission to raise $5k in ONE day for Meredith's Miracles Colon Cancer Foundation! Help us reach our goal by telling everyone you know about what we are doing and ask for a small $10 donation. If every Meredith's Miracle supporter donates just $10, we will collectively raise more than $5000! That's $5000 more to help young colon cancer patients and their families with the every day financial burdens of living with colon cancer.

One of our most recent grant recipients upon receiving the news about his grant, "this is the only good news that I've heard in 9 months." 

Give Now & give the gift of a Miracle.


Help us spread the word and copy the purple text & link below to post on your Facebook page to share in this national day of Giving!

I am on a mission to grant miracles to young cancer patients & YOU can help too! On this #GivingTuesday, a national day of giving, your generosity will help make an impact on the lives of young colon cancer patients. http://www.meredithsmiraclesfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=28&Itemid=9


We hope for a day when there is a cure for colon cancer. In the meantime, Meredith Miracles provides help to those with the disease today. Forward this email on to friends and family today to reach our goal of $5K in one day!


Join us & gift a Miracle. Spread the word.

Website. Twitter. Blog. Facebook.

MMCCF Dallas Holiday Auction 2013

Y'all, all I can say is that I'm sure that all of our board members mouths dropped to their knees when we heard how outstandingly generous the Dallas women were to MMCCF this year...

The event was an absolute knock out. We have a lunch (completely donated by friends of MMCCF), have some Christmas punch with a bit of spirits, and spend time with friends bidding against each other for fabulous gifts donated by each of our attendants. This year we had about 50 women in attendance and just had a blast! We had lots of gorgeous jewelry, Christmas decor, home decor, kitchen goodies, and a lot of others! It was seriously a fabulous and spectacular event.

Special shout out to our Auction Committee as they put so much effort into making this event perfect each year... Julie Holbert, Jan Feaster, Sheila Frye, and Aimee Larson. Thank you girls - you are beyond fabulous!

I want to share one of the coolest things that happened with our Holiday Auction this year. As Julie and Aimee were setting up for the auction the day before, Julie received a phone call from a women named Fredetta. Julie answers her phone to Fredetta's voice saying "Is this Meredith's Miracles Colon Cancer Foundation?" Julie replies "yes!" Julie and Fredetta proceed to converse for about 30 minutes including details about how Fredetta was diagnosed just shy of a year ago with stage 4 colon cancer and how she is in need of financial assistance. You ready for the amazing part? Fredetta lives 10 minutes away from where the auction was and she decided that she would come tell her story for the first time at the auction in front of a crowd of women she had never met. The best part is that she did! Fredetta was absolutely amazing. She was real. She was honest. There was not a dry eye in the room. Fredetta had just told her family, two weeks prior, that she was ready to start sharing her story... she sure started it off with a bang!

We were so blessed by Fredetta coming to share her story because it allowed the women at the Auction to put a real face and a real true story of our colon cancer patients. Fredetta got these women into the giving spirit by just telling about how it is living with a colon cancer diagnosis, going to treatments, and the financial burdens of it all. [We will share Fredetta's story with y'all soon!]

These Texas women GAVE y'all. They gave! 

They donated $17,080 this year.

My word. Hence, why our entire board was floored. We will be able to help SO many young colon cancer patients with their incredible generosity. Just as the donations are coming in... the grant applications are flowing in by the bunches. I mean bunches. We are working on over a dozen applications at the moment. We are seeing large needs as we wrap up this year and believe that they will continue to grow.

Thank you all for your support, thoughts, and prayers.

Lindsay Frye

MMCCF Board Member

Auction Committee Member

PS. Don't forget about Giving Tuesday (December 3rd, the Tuesday following Thanksgiving). Please consider participating with us in Giving Tuesday and donate to help our young colon cancer patients. Any amount of gift will help the financial burdens of our grant recipients. We thank you in advance!

Donate to MMCCF

[Click above to donate]

Miracles in the Making: Grant Recipient Parmesh Mudaliar

Another of our fantastic grant recipients is willing to share their story... Read, learn, and cherish the the story of Parmesh Mudaliar as told by his wife, Kelly Mudaliar in a letter she sent to us on November 17, 2013.

It began January 4^th, 2011, when I took Parmesh to the emergency room at our local hospital.  He was suffering from severe lower back pain that had not been able to be resolved by the clinic he was going to.  After the initial CT was done in the ER we were told that he was either fighting one heck of an infection or that he had some type of lymphoma and he was immediately admitted to the hospital.  Days later, at the age of 35, Parmesh was diagnosed with Stage IV Colon Cancer.  Having always been a healthy individual and with no cancer history in his family this came as quite a shock to us, as you can imagine. 

We spent the next several days in a fog of tests and tests and more tests, trying to determine how far it had spread and what our options were.  At the time our children were ages two and four and being away from them was beginning to take its toll on us.  After many tests and consults with various Dr’s, we were blessed to be connected with Dr. James O. Park, a liver tumor specialist at the University of Washington, who performed the initial surgery in May of 2011.  He partnered with a wonderful oncologist named Dr. Sam Whiting, at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, who literally threw everything but the kitchen sink at Parmesh in terms of chemotherapy.  He had a Fulfoxiri regimen for six rounds of chemo prior to the surgery.  Results of the surgery were promising although it had been a difficult one and there was no way to get all of the cancer out of his body. 

We have been extremely fortunate to spend the next two years after the surgery continuing chemotherapy every other week and living our “new normal” life.  Although Parmesh hasn’t worked since his diagnosis, on his off chemo weeks he was able to take the kids to school and pick them up, do grocery shopping and cook dinner (he is a fantastic cook!) while I was working full time.  That is, up until May of this year.  In April we received the glorious news from our new oncologist that Parmesh was being allowed a two month chemo break.  In May, about a month into the break, our nightmare began all over again when it was discovered (after going to the ER for severe abdominal pain) that the primary tumor in his colon had come back and come back full force.  After nearly two months in the hospital and no luck with radiation shrinking the tumor and thus, the blockage, he had another surgery to give him a colostomy.  This was the only chance we had at diverting away from the tumor that was growing in his colon. 

After his recovery, we went back to chemotherapy, only a different regimen this time as he was much weaker than he was two months before.  Unfortunately, this regimen wasn’t able to keep the cancer from growing and we are now in the hospital again with another tumor causing a partial bowel obstruction and our only option is to have a tube inserted through the abdomen to his stomach which we will use to release gases and liquids that build up due to the blockage.  This we will be able to do from home where we will keep him comfortable and he can spend time with our entire family.  At this point we are not sure if he will be able to continue chemotherapy or not.  It’s a waiting game. 

In the almost 3 long years and counting, we have battled:  hospital rooms, medications, doctors, nurses, emergency rooms, infusions, surgeries, insurance, imaging machines, hair loss, nausea, mental and physical exhaustion, unimaginable pain, group therapy, individual therapy, kid counseling, good news, bad news, medical terminology and lingo, and mounting medical bills.  The list goes on.  This battle is daunting and scary.

All the while on the battle field, scattered in between, we have regular, “normal” every day family life.  Losing job, changing job, kids starting school, daycare, commuting, getting a puppy dog that outgrew us so we had to give him up, family events, birthdays, trying to stay connected with friends, maintain sanity, eat, drink, sleep, go to the bathroom, clean house, rearrange house to accommodate all the changes, deal with family deaths/births and everything in between, pay bills, modified vacations, preventative doctors and dentist appointments, get a new cat, broken down car, new used car, participate in Colon Cancer walks, stay healthy, get fit, celebrate the usual Hallmark holidays like Father’s Day as normal as can be, get up and go to work even though I’m sick, remain calm when your kids are acting up, volunteer at the kids school to show them we care and want to be supportive of their school activities, parent teacher conferences, and trying to give enough attention to everyone in the family. 

Juggling the battle and regular, everyday life is so overwhelming but I would not do anything different.  We have two beautiful children, Sami and Seta who are now 7 and 5 years old, respectively.  I have a cranky husband – with good reason! – who is the love of my life and made me more happy then I could have ever dreamed of being.  I have a supportive family:  Mom, sister, and Parmesh’s fantastic family.  I have friends that refuse to let me go this road alone, who step up with more things than I even realize or think I need.  I have an employer that is very understanding and supportive.  

This fight has made us a stronger family and we will stand together against this disease and its indiscriminate nature.  Thank you to all who help us fight the battle and help keep the wheels turning on everyday life!  Without you we would be devastated.  Without you we would not be able to continue this fight.  Included in that group is Meredith’s Miracles, who has helped us tremendously by paying our utility bills for a few months so that we can have heat and get our garbage picked up.  It sounds small but it means everything to us. 

This journey is the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced in my life.  Nobody prepared me for this and I don’t think that anyone could ever be fully ready anyway.  We are not infallible!  We must live, love and be happy for everything we have – even the bad, even opposition, even what you think you can never handle – because it’s what teaches us and makes us who we are today.

I read this somewhere once:  “You never know how STRONG you can be until being STRONG is the only choice you have”.  This is the truest statement I have ever read.  Life is not a given.  At any moment, it can be taken or altered for good.  Appreciate, enjoy, cherish, revel in and remember every moment.  As minute as it may seem it is important and has meaning. 

But most of all, love….always love.
Kelly

2nd Annual Holiday Auction: Dallas, Texas

Hi Y'all!

Can you believe it's getting to be about that time of year again? The Autumn air is blowing in, the leaves are starting to touch the ground, and all the holiday preparation must begin!

Meredith's Miracles 2nd Annual Holiday Auction is coming up in TWO short weeks in Dallas, Texas. Last year's auction was an unbelievable and astonishing success so we can't wait for year two. We just know the gifts are going to be bigger and better as everything should be in Texas. The holiday spirit is going to flow around the treats and drinks to be shared...

We wanted to share a preview of an incredible opportunity that y'all have to bid on a 5 day vacation to a beautiful home in Granby, Colorado. Check your calendars and this gorgeous mountain escape out...

Stay 5 days at this beautiful Colorado home located in Graby, Colorado just minutes away from Granby Ranch Ski Resort, 20 minutes from Winter Park, 20 minutes from Grand Lake (entrance into the Rocky Mountain National Park). 

This home accommodates 8 adults with 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths.

Valued at $3,500 during peak winter season & $2,600 off season for a 5 day stay.

For more questions regarding event or home, contact us via twitter, facebook, or email.

Meredith's Miracles Colon Cancer Foundation 2nd Annual Holiday Auction

Tuesday, November 12th at 11:00 AM

For location details, contact us via twitter, facebook, or email.