A True Inspiration

Haley’s light shone brightly this weekend as she was asked to speak at the opening of the 9-5 Musical at Hale Theater representing Make-A-Wish-Foundation as one of their “Wish Kids.”  She had most of the audience in laughter and then tears as she spoke of meeting another wish child at the Give Kids the World Village who had undergone two kidney transplants.  I see Haley has being a true inspiration to so many people as she blossoms into adulthood.  Haley turned 18 this month and as a parent, it is so hard to see your child grow up and plan lives of their own away from home.  I would hold on to her forever if I could.

Haley started school a few weeks ago.  It was the first day back to school since being diagnosed on July 1, 2011.  She was greeted by many friends who had not seen her in over a year.  She has plunged into school and is ecstatic to be living a normal life again.  She is getting many compliments on her very darling short hairdo and is currently senior manager of the High School Varsity Volleyball Team and having a blast filming the games and traveling with the team.

 She has recently started working a part-time job at the Little Critters Learning Center working with small children.  I was concerned about her being around so many small children but Dr. Spraker has given us the “ok”.  One little boy in her class asked her if she was 10 . . .haha.  Kids are so funny :).   

More to come so stay tuned . . . 

 

Haley's Story

Make-a-Wish Party

It’s A Party!

Come help us celebrate

Haley’s Cancer Free Party!

Hosted by: Make-A-Wish Foundation

Date: Saturday, July 21, 2012

Time: 2:30 p.m.

Place: The Wishing Place

Address: 771 East Winchester, Murray, UT

Serving: Harry Potter cake, pizza, drinks

Come and join us for this celebration and see the beautiful video Rob put together capturing Haley’s triumph over Leukemia and journey this past year. (Bring a box of tissues : ) ).

Disneyworld Bound

Sunday, July 1, 2012 marks Haley’s one-year mark from the date she was diagnosed with A.L.L.  It was this day one year ago that we were shocked and stunned to find out that 91% of the cells in Haley’s blood were cancerous ~ Today, one year later, after a long and treacherous battle against chemotherapy side affects, fevers, mouth sours, hair loss, 30 lb. weight loss and everything else you can imagine, Haley is Cancer Free~yay!~.  She will resume on monthly maintenance treatments for another year and then the world is hers for the taking.  How perfect it is that today, to help us celebrate, Make-a-Wish-Foundation showed up at our doorstep with a huge bouquet of balloons, cookies, a Harry Potter T-shirt and a Proclamation stating that Haley’s wish to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was Granted!  We leave for Disneyworld on July 9, 2012 . . . wow . . . Haley and her little brother and sisters are so exciting they can’t stand it.  We have never been to Florida so this will be a trip we will never forget.

I would like to dedicate a paragraph in this blog to Haley’s Doctor, Holly Spraker.  What an incredible person she is.  Every time I see this cute lady I just want to hug her.  She has been our hope, our inspiration and our friend for these last 12 months.  I personally would have never survived emotionally without her.  She is so cute and bubbly and has that calming sparkle in her eyes that makes you feel like everything is going to be okay.  We are so unbelievably thankful to have her as Haley’s Oncologist. Thank you for everything you have done for us!

 

 

Make-A-Wish-Foundation will be hosting a huge party for Haley when we get back from Orlando and we would like to invite all of you that have followed “Haley’s Story” to join us for this celebration.  More details to come on this event so stay tuned . .

Cancer Poker Run

Underneath that rough and tumble exterior of tattoos and leather are the most kind-hearted and compassionate group of people you will ever meet.  Hershel of the Harley Davidson Motor Club and Budweiser sponsored a Cancer Poker Run for Haley on Saturday, May 19, 2012.  All of the bikers started out at Copperton King Bar in Magna, Utah and traveled all over Utah and Salt Lake Counties.  There to see them off was Jessica, Grandpa Steve, Grandma LuAnn and me . . .Mom :). Wow, what a sight that was to witness and be a part of. My deepest thanks goes out to all those that helped and participated in that event!

This morning as I woke up, I felt so overcome with emotion that I quite literally fell to my knees and wept.  It was long overdue.  I prayed that someday I would have the opportunity to pay forward all of the kindness and blessings that have showered my family this last year.  With all of my imperfections, I didn’t feel worthy enough to have received all of them.  But then I remembered that I have been privileged enough to not only be in the presence of an angel, but to have raised her and called her my own.  The thought of her graduating and going off to college next year and leaving our home, is almost unbearable.  Haley is registered and will start school again for her Senior Year at Copper Hills High School in August of this year!  I can’t believe she will be 18 soon ;(~!

Make a Wish update . . . sooo . . . if any of you know Haley, you know that she is a die hard Harry Potter fan with movie posters covering her ceiling . . . it will be no shocker to find out that her wish was to go with her little brother and sisters and see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida! . . ~~Stay tuned~~ . . . 

A Different Kind of Induction

"Keep your heart open to dreams, For as long as there's a dream there is hope, and as long as there is hope, there is joy in living!”

Haley has been officially inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Make a Wish Foundation.  About two weeks ago, Haley received a beautifully wrapped box in the mail with a antique skeleton key inside and a little princess tiara . . . so cute.  Inside was a note from the Make a Wish Foundation inviting her to join their staff at the Murray location so they could meet her.  What a beautiful building.  I am told each room inside is designed by children.  We were greeted by a staff of people appointed to making Haley's Wish come true. I can only imagine the look on these small children's faces as they enter this building . . . it is truly magical.  Accompanying Haley to the Wish Center was Mom, Dad, Kayla, Tyler, Aysia Jerzi, Jessica, Darianne and Grandma LuAnn.    Haley was to write down her wish on the wishing card and place it into the time capsule in the Wishing Room.  The Wish Room is a beautiful blue glass room with a giant waterfall in the background and a large time capsule in the center of the room.  Only the wish kid's can unlock the door to this room with their skeleton key.  We all wrote down our wishes for Haley and read them before she placed her wish card into the time capsule. I cried when I heard Haley's younger siblings read their wishes for her to get better and live a long and happy life with her prince charming :) small children are so sweet!  How blessed I feel to have been apart of such a wonderful organization that gives hope and comfort to families going through very difficult times.  What an amazing experience. . . . Stay tuned to see if Haley's wish comes true . . . .

Maintenance

“Like any race that’s worth the running, it helps to have miles of support, thanks to all of those who stand cheering on the sidelines!” The Fray

Friday, March 30, 2012, marks Day 1 of “Maintenance.”  Haley has crossed the goal line of the hardest and most uphill battle of the marathon she has been running for the past 10 months.  Two weeks ago, Haley and I were sitting in the waiting room at Primary’s Children Hospital, Oncology Clinic for a routine weekly checkup when Dr. Holly Spraker burst through the door and told us she had some really good news for us. . . . okay . . . since Haley has been categorized as “rapidly responding to treatment” and they have never seen cancer cells in her spinal fluid, she gets to skip the next two-month course of treatment and will move right into Maintenance . . . YAY/cry/cry!!!  The hope of reaching this point in treatment has been the light at the end of the tunnel that we have been holding fast to these past 10 months.  Dad Dawayne and Grandma Glenda cried . . . and Haley and I celebrated with strawberry crepes at Village Inn . . . hehe J.  Darianne (Haley’s sidekick) accompanied us to this appointment to share in this good news and we all met Grandma LuAnn for lunch at the University Cafeteria. 

This may sound unusual to say, but these last few months have been the hardest but yet, in so many ways, the greatest months of my entire life.  I have seen the compassion and kindness of perfect strangers . . . the miracles of modern medicine . . . the dedication and heartfelt staff of the nurses and doctors at Primary Children’s Medical Center . . . the generosity of companies and small businesses. . . and the unbelievable unity of friends, family and neighbors that have sacrificed and helped our family in sooo many ways.  I feel sooo unbelievably blessed and overcome with gratitude and love for all of these people.  Haley’s home health nurse, Cheryl . . . told me just the other how much she has come to love Haley and Community Nursing even spotlighted Haley in the Art Show.  I have seen two sisters, who have never gotten along, become best friends.  Makayla was invited to see a movie with a friend just the other day and without a second thought, told her friend “Haley has been dying to see that movie, there is no way I can see it without her.”

Last week I received a phone call from The Make a Wish Foundation.  Haley has been selected to participate in this program and I am still in shock and awww . .  over some of things this Foundation does for kids like Haley . . . WOW!!!  More to come on that event!!! Sooo stay tuned . . . .