Little People,Big Words

As you sit in the waiting rooms at St. Jude, you see little bald-headed children running around every where. You can see the progression of the chemo. When we were here for Wiley's treatment, we would watch them go from up and playing to barely able to move in a matter of days. I happened to Wiley too. It was and still is difficult for me to witness. I remember watching one young lady gradually loose her battle with her cancer and be sent home for her final days to be treated by hospice. She went around telling all the Doctors, Nurses, and the staff in the clinics and houses her last goodbyes. That was the day she was leaving to go home and ultimately die.

This trip I met Evan. Evan has a brain tumor I can't pronounce - but he can. He could even spell it for me. (I must admit if he misspelled it, I would not know.) Evan is 7 going on 8, or 38 to listen to him talk. His battle began when he was 4. He told me about his vacation to Lookout Mountain. He said he had fun even though he could not get his Hickman wet. I do not know his prognosis. But I know he was a bundle of joy and energy. To me, Evan was a little boy with big words and an even bigger heart.

Remember St. Jude and kids and families that are here. For many, the stay maybe just a few days for a checkup. For others, the roller coaster of childhood illness may just be beginning. We meet people who are here for 2 months, 6, months, 12 months, 14 months, and longer. People from Memphis to people from Australia. When they are here they all share a common enemy in a very personal battle.