Year One

January 8, 2014

Dear Maddy Patty,

It is hard to believe that a year has gone by since you left us here to go dance with the angels.  We have to be honest with you- it hasn't been the easiest year for us down here.  We miss you so much and just want to be able to hold you and hear your voice again.  At times, we are so angry that this happened to you and just don't understand it at all.  Other times, we find comfort in the thought of you in heaven free from all your pain.  Our Faith has been put to the test-  not sure we have passed!

We try to focus on all the memories we have, but sometimes the thought of all the memories we are not going to be able to make with you starts to creep in and makes us sad again.  We have our good days and bad days, but everyday, we feel a part of us is missing.  We have had to learn to go on with life without you here, but that life is forever changed.  We are still trying to figure it all out.

We love you and miss you so much!

Mom, Dad, and Ju-Ju


P.S.-  Thanks for Bo!

P.S.S.-  Give Grandpa Lambert lots of hugs and kisses for us and make sure you keep him out of trouble!

Eight Months

It is hard to believe that Maddy has been gone for eight months. Some days it seems like only yesterday but other days it seems like forever.  To survive, we have just been keeping very busy.  We are getting tired though  and no matter how much we do, there are still those moments of down time when we realize the ache in our hearts and the nauseous feeling in the pit of our stomachs are still there!

A Friend Needs Help

When Maddy relapsed in February of 2011, Russ and I scoured the web for information on treatments.  We came across a list serve for parents of ALL kids who had relapsed.  Through this site, we met the family of a little boy from New Zealand named Pete.  Pete relapsed the same time as Maddy.  We would discuss treatments and the journey our kids were on with Pete’s mom, Bridget.  Pete has continued to fight but has relapsed several more times.  There are no more treatments available for him in New Zealand so his parents are attempting to raise the funds to bring him to the US  for a promising trial at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.  We had talked to the doctors in Philadelphia when Maddy relapsed the second time, but at that time the trial was not accepting patients with relapse in the CNS. Now they are and Pete is hoping to get into it.  Please visit his Facebook page to learn how you can help and you’ll see that even kids in New Zealand wear Maddy shirts!

 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Peter-Pirie-space-ranger/141609889350855

Happy Birthday!

It has been six months since we lost our precious Maddy. We miss her smile, we miss her laugh, we miss her hugs and kisses...  We  find ourselves still wondering how this happened.  It still just doesn't seem real- we are still waiting for her to walk through the door!

Today, Maddy would have turned 10 years old. We had a little party for her here on Earth and we hope she had a HUGE celebration in Heaven!  It has been a tough few days but we are thankful for all of our family and friends for your continued support!

Relay for Life

Saturday will mark the five month anniversary of Maddy's death.  I guess it is fitting that we will be Celebrating, Remembering, and Fighting Back at the Fulton County Relay for Life on Friday and Saturday, June 7 and 8.  Maddy loved Relay for Life.  She had told Mrs. Buehrer and Miss Heckel earlier that she was going to go to every meeting with them this year.  She was also determined to walk the 5K this year!  While Maddy is not able to be with us physically, her spirit is alive in all of us.  The ABC 4 Maddy team is stronger than ever and determined to honor her memory!

We hope to see you all there!!!!

Rob Froman, who read a poem he had written about Maddy at her memorial service, recently did a video for the Children's Miracle Network.  In it, he remembers Maddy!  It is a great reminder of why we need to continue this fight against CANCER!

Here is the link- you may have to cut and paste.

http://youtu.be/vOCnttAUGdg

Three Months

It will be three months tomorrow since Maddy passed away, but it feels like an eternity.  I wish I could say that it was getting easier, but I would not be telling the truth.  While we are able to make it through each day, I still fall asleep every night thinking of Maddy and wondering how this happened and it is the first thought in my head when I wake up each morning.  Today, I went through our office trying to sort through some piles that had been building.  Our office had been Maddy's classroom for the last three years- it broke my heart to go through her basket of school stuff.  I had to just leave her desk for another day.  I don't know if I will ever be ready to go through her bedroom.

On a brighter note, we have been told that there are now 6 potential bone marrow matches from the Bone Marrow Drive.  This gives us a little comfort knowing that others may be saved.

Finally, the ABC 4 Maddy Relay for Life team is selling memorial t-shirts until April 15th.   If interested, you can turn in your orders to Archbold Elementary School or let us know and we will get the order placed for you.

Number 2

Yesterday, we found out that Beverly Anne, a cousin, who "Got Swabbed" at the Bone Marrow Drive done in honor of Maddy was contacted as a potential bone marrow match for a patient with leukemia.  This makes number 2 that we know of so far!