Evan The Warrior

Be Still My Heart

The Sheriff came to town and he knocked on my door. You know that feeling? The one where your heart skips a beat when you see the "black and whites" and the blue lights? The feeling you get no matter how slow or fast you are driving? The pit of your stomach tumble over feeling that makes you look in your rearview mirror, just to see where they are going? The back of your throat low moan or groan when you see the car? The feeling, the one that makes you slow down, no matter your speed? Well, I looked outside my window and there he was!A Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Sergeant. He was stopped in front of my house... getting out...walking up to my door...knocking...and...

S-M-I-L-I-N-G! Be still my heart. It skipped a beat.

Now those law abiding citizens-those of you, all of you, are probably saying right about now... "moi?"...no, not me. I never ever, ever, ever feel that way. What is her problem? What could she have possibly been doing holed up in that house of hers with Evan, behind the beautiful holiday lights, to make her feel this way?

And, you know something... you would be right! There was no feeling of panic, no groan, no slow down of speed. But, my heart DID skip a beat...or two or three. That's because I knew what was coming. That's because I knew Sergeant Slater, representing the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, had planned a visit... with Evan. That's why my heart skipped a beat...because that darn Sheriff's Department well--

They made me cry.

Sergeant Slater was just doing his job.... making me cry and all. It's been a tradition of their service since, oh, about 1850...making Moms of families in our 'hood cry. It's one of the perks, I guess. I think they call it a core value...to make our hearts skip a beat and our eyes well up in tears...to make Moms of sick little boys,...well, to make them cry. Darn those Sheriffs.

Why, you ask?  Why did she cry? Whatever did he want? Well, the short answer is, he wanted nothing from me. He didn't check my license or registration or proof of insurance. He didn't walk the perimeter of my very lit up house. No, he came, as all good leaders do, to perform his duty. He came because he cared. He came to deliver many, many gifts to Evan and to Ryan. He came because he cared and he took it upon himself to let everyone at work know it and they matched him and his caring and they sent loads of gifts to Evan and to Ryan.

  And, when he came over, he brought his family. And they stayed awhile. My sons had a visit from the Sheriff's Department and I cried and we were all very, very glad.

I have this idea. The next time you see one...you know...one of them...in the sort of marked up cars with the lights on top...won't you give them a nod of your head, a wink of your eye, a  right hand to your heart? They deserve it. They really, really do. Let them know you feel protected and that you know all about how they made a Mom cry.

Thank you Los Angeles Sheriff's Department for honorably  performing your duties, with respect for the dignity of all people, integrity to do right and to fight wrong, wisdom to apply common sense and fairness and courage... Thank you one and all. We are honored to be protected by you, remembered and celebrated by you and your kind deeds and we recognize the steady and steadfast work you do each and every day to keep us safe.

Heroes, indeed.

Thank you, Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and the Slater Family.

Thank you for making me cry.

Signed:

A Mom in Santa Clarita

The Legend of the Warrior

Once upon a time, in a land distant and far, far away, one of the most peaceful Warriors ever to grace these lands, made a little boy a promise. It is said that this elder Warrior came in to see the boy, from faraway lands when he heard the news of this young child's War.  It is said that he brought weapons with him to teach and to share with the young child boy. The eldest Warrior came, from distant lands, to see the small, small child. And, when he came and when he saw, he stayed for awhile with the boy.

He sat near the young child and his bed and it is said the old Warrior wept, inside his soul. He sat down beside the hand of this small and ailing child for many, many days and just as many nights. They talked, the Warrior man and the young boy. They spent day after day talking with one another. They spent night after night, beside the pain and the stars, looking to the Heavens. They talked and they prepared one another for War.

One night, as they quietly talked and looked to the stars above, they came to speak of fear. They talked about the battles. They talked about the living. They talked about the dying. They made promises, each to one another on these dark and blustery nights, as they gazed to the Heavens and above. They made promises to one another as they prepared themselves for War.

The elder Warrior, he lived, in his home and in his heart, very, very close to Heaven. He was known far and wide in his Village- not just for his battles, but for his age and his hair, which was as snowy and as long as the tallest mountaintop, and just about as close to God.  As the child talked, the Warrior man listened. The Warrior man sat and looked into the long lashed, fully frocked, young and largely wondering eyes of the small and ailing child as he lay in his bed. He saw suffering in the child's body. He heard laughter and he heard pain. He saw peace and the spirit of a Warrior in the beautiful innocent longing eyes of this small, small child, laying in his bed. 

He saw life in the young child's soul. He saw, living just beneath the sheath of this pained child's body, in this little Warrior's soul, the path to great War and to greatness. He sat beside this young Warrior and his soul and he prepared the boy, and himself, for War.

You see, the small and loving young warrior child, well, he worried as he lay in his bed. He  worried and he feared. He worried that those in his village would not look upon him in the selfsame way, once cancer and the battle came to pass. He feared, because he knew that many who battled came home, having lost their locks in War.

The young child, known for his beauty, knew that he might and probably would, meet the selfsame path. He worried. He whispered, in his small child's voice, made softer by the Warrior man, "Do you think I am going to do battle in this way... Do you think I am going to loose my hair too?"

With not a second's hesitation, the elder Warrior man turned his battle weary shoulders, deep in thought was he, and, he looked to the young, young Warrior pondering before him. Peering through crystal clear, tear stained eyes, he looked at the small Warrior child and he nodded and he spoke:

Evan, my child, you are a grand young son.  You are a Warrior. I shall name you, "Evan the Warrior".  Should you loose that which you love, doing battle in this way, then I will come to you. I will find you and I will join you", he said. "We will shear our heads together. We will brave the elements together. We will do battle...together. I love you in this way and those that truly love do battle just this way. I will take away that which I own and that for which I'm known. I will cut away the thing that brings me closest to Heaven.  I will join you here on Earth, as you battle, young Warrior. We will not stop until we reach the pinnacle of the snowy, snow capped mountaintop. This I promise you."

And so, not too long after the talks beside the bed, but far, far away from the old, old Warrior, the young child did go to War and he did do battle and he did loose his locks.  But, not too long after that time, he came to be near the town of his elder Warrior friend and he thought to enter it. It was a time of great celebration, and he was alone.

As he entered the town, he looked all around for the Warrior with his locks. He looked for the man- the old and wise and snowy topped man...the Warrior man who had promised. He fell asleep and still he looked for him, in his dreams.  And, when he awoke, and when he looked, he saw him. There he was! The Warrior man, walking the barren winter landscape, sheared and smiling, coming to greet him and welcome him home. The Warrior man who had kept his promise was walking, with sheered and shorn head towards him.  It would be a time of great celebration, indeed!

   

   

"HHH" Holidays To You!

A Holiday Message From Evan

Hi Guys! How are you? I am good. I am “HHH”. That’s what the kids at the hospital say if they are “H”ealthy, “H”appy and “H”ome. Get it ? Mom says my numbers are so low and I keep getting fevers so that’s why she keeps one foot out the door and one foot in the door. OK, so that’s pretty funny. I think she should just come in or go out.

Guess what? Well, do you give up? Ok. I am walking pretty good… already. I walk funny like I have peg legs and sometimes I get leg pain and I don’t walk too far, but I can get up and walk around my house now and the doctor says my muscles are coming back and getting stronger. It’s pretty cool ‘cause I can sneak up on Mom now and see if she is wrapping presents and scare the “bejeebers“ out of her. Moo ha ha…

I can’t squat. Can you? You should try it. If I get down, I fall on my tooshie and I can’t get back up. Try to do a squat and get back up-- with no hands. That’s what they make me do. It’s kinda hard. I use my cane sometimes and a wheelchair if I have to go a long way. Mom does do wheelies with me in the wheelchair. It’s cool. But, her landings are really bad. (Don’t tell her.) I think she thinks she is Tony Hawk or something.

I got a big surprise at the Hospital this week. You give up? Well, I have really low numbers soooooooo, I am not going to have to get chemo or any procedures all the way until after Christmas. At first I was going to have to go get chemo last week and then on Christmas Eve, but my doctor said he didn’t want me to feel “punky” on Christmas. Punky? I am not punky. What is punky anyway? Maybe you know. Anyway, I am soooooooo glad I can wait until after Christmas for chemo.

I got to see Santa! He was HUGE, and very, very nice. He was in this room at the bottom of the hospital and the room was just filled to the top of every wall with toys. There are a lot of kids at the Hospital that need to see him. Anyway, I got to pick out a toy from all these toys. Santa even told me he would wear a mask for the picture if I wanted him to. Duh. No one wants to wear a mask, especially not Santa. They gave Mom a beautiful gingerbread house and all she could talk about was the picture of me with Santa. Go figure. And, Mom broke the gingerbread house. She balanced it on the wheelchair and we went down a ramp and it fell. I am going to fix it for her with some icing.

Thanks to everyone for all the cans and bottles and pennies and jokes. I am still laughing at everyone’s jokes. Well, bye for now. Have a good Holiday. I hope you get everything you want and I hope you have a lot of fun. I hope nobody gets sick. I hope everybody tells jokes. I hope everybody laughs.

Evan

Santa Baby

Good News in the News

Childhood Cancer Mortality Falling in US NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - From 1990 to 2004, the death rates in children with cancer in the United States fell from 34.2 percent to 27.3 percent, according to findings released Thursday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The figures also show, however, that while the overall death rate fell during that period, the reductions differed by geographic region, race and ethnicity. Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention assessed the trends in childhood cancer mortality by analyzing data from the National Vital Statistics System. According to the report, the bulk of childhood cancer deaths in 2004 were due to leukemias and brain or other nervous system malignancies; each accounted for roughly 25 percent of the deaths. The annual drop in mortality during the study, however, was much higher for children with leukemia than for brain/nervous system malignancies, at 3.0 percent versus1.0 percent. Of the racial groups studied, the annual change in childhood cancer mortality was highest for American Indian/Alaska Natives, declining by 2.0 percent, and lowest for blacks and Asians/Pacific Islanders, declining by 1.6 percent. In terms of ethnicity, non-Hispanics experienced an annual drop of 1.6 percent, while Hispanics experienced a reduction of just 1.0 percent. Annual reductions in childhood cancer mortality by geographical region ranged from 1.4 percent in the West to 2.1 percent in the Midwest, the researchers note. "The overall trend of declining childhood cancer mortality during 1990-2004 likely reflects better treatment of childhood cancer," the report states. "Possible causes of disparities in childhood cancer death rates need to be studied further. By addressing these factors, geographic and ethnic disparities in childhood cancer death might be reduced, and children with cancer might live longer."

Of Pies and Posts

  I told you I was tired! My goodness. I am going to be disowned by my eldest son! Big Mom boo-boo! The "Dallas" Texans...???   My humble apologies to anyone and everyone affiliated with The Team. The Team is more appropriately known as...drumroll, please... the HOUSTON TEXANS. We regret our error. Yawn...zzzzzz.....zzzzzz.

Does she look tired too? Well, she should. But not because she messed up a Post...but rather because she worked her tail off at the Highlands Recycle For Evan last week. Just one of many Evan The Warrior Women working for a cure and doing it faithfully and tirelessly. Each and every month she volunteers her home for sorting all those cans and bottles and she works UNTIL it's done...every time. And she just loves her picture taken...can't you tell?

By the way, this lovely, hard working, very fit and fun woman is currently training for a big run to benefit CHLA.  The new and improved CHLA...perhaps you have seen the commercials. We watch the Iron Workers every week and definate progress is being made.  I hope while I watch progress being made and I think of all the precious children being cared for at CHLA. Just look at what I see when I look, tirelessly, out Evan's hospital room.

The Hospital is looking wonderful this Holiday Season, despite all the construction. Volunteers have decorated every nook and cranny. The children and parents appreciate their efforts. It is absolutely festive, if such can be said of a Hospital, and definately restorative to those of us there.

I am behind in updating Mom's Musings from the Carepage onto this blog. Two or three posts behind.

I deserve a pie in my face... Wait... Who IS this man? I will tell you! He's one of the many, many, many Scouts and their Leaders...their very special and kind and compassionate leaders who follow Evan's progress and support him and encourage him and hold him as one of thier own. This kind Leader took a pie in the face...no, not for me...but, for Evan! Of course he did. That's what Scouts do...whatever it takes to help and heal one of their own. I think, no wait, I know, why they call it LOYALITY. Awesome and loyal, every one of our Scouts and their Leaders.

About those Posts...I usually include them here. I apologize for the delay/oversight. If you are unsure to what I refer, let me explain. Each and every week or so, I post a Carepage Update on Evan's medical progress. You can read the latest posts at www.carepage.com . Register once and then visit his page: evanthewarrior.

 

You will learn that Evan struggles with a cane and a wheelchair and is at the halfway point in the game of his career at present. He has turned eight and one half years old and he is shiny and bald and..oh so beautiful under the lights of the TNT stars. You will learn that I deserve a pie in my face for uprooting the Dallas football team.

Yes, Santa Clarita...There is A Santa Claus!

They call themselves TNT. And they blew in here like an explosive, and they lit up the night and the season and the face of Evan...for a long time to come. Yes, Santa Clarita, there is a Santa Claus and many, many elves and they work out hard and they work out long and they work out fiercely to find a cure... for blood cancer. They give of their time and talents and their indomnitable spirits. They run, and they bike and they swim and they love... for the cure and for Evan and for all those like him.

But, every so often, the hard working Team In Training for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, well, they sit around and they take a break.  And still they think and still they work for the cure. They conjure up a magical idea and they make that happen too!

They took a break yesterday and the many weeks before and they dreamed up an idea to brighten the night and the world and the heart of Evan as he "races" with them, alongside of them, for the cure.

And TNT, well, they know other elves with fighting spirits. They know electricians and they know businessmen and women who donate time and money and decorations...lots and lots of decorations... to those who need it, want it or dream it. They showed up at Evan's house yesterday with carloads of decorations and one very talented Electrical company.

Evan is their Honored Teammate. He drives a hard bargain. He asks for light, but not just any lights. Nooooooo, Evan wants lights the stars can see. He is told, "Evan, if you can see the stars, they can see you." And yes, Santa Clarita, the stars shone brightly last night. They had much to see. 

They have a special bond, the Team and Evan. The Team has been battling right alongside Evan sice the beginning.   Together, they form a strong, positive, stance against the ravages that cancer and it's cure take. They fight  for the cure with love, laughter, loads and loads of strength and lots and lots of hard work and perserverance. The TNT and the Leukemia and Lymohoma Society remind us that many work long and hard, like Evan, to fight for the Cure. Please visit the Team's Website www.eastsidetnt.com and cheer them on. You will be astounded at their stories and their spirit.

Thanks for the joy and the love and fighting spirit, guys! We love you!

Evan the Warrior and Family

"Wow! Evan exclaims as he looks at the Holiday decorations. You can see lights form every room in the house. The TNT made sure of that. There are lights where Evan reads, lights he can see when he eats, lights where he falls asleep. There are angels and trains and elves and Santas... lights to shine on his home and brighten his world; lights to lighten his load and brighten his day.

Thank you, once again and forever, to the Team In Training of the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. You are amazing atheletes...in the truest sense of the word.

Enjoy the show and thanks, form the bottom of our hearts to the top of our lit rooftop... for making dreams come true!