Jack

                                          *Photo borrowed from the Camp Jack website


This is Jack.  Jack's Mommy is a very dear friend of mine and has been for over ten years.  Jack's Mommy was the most incredible teacher that my two oldest Angel daughters were lucky enough to have, and when they fell in love with her, Mark and I did, too.  From the day that I met Jack's Mommy, Jen, she talked about having children and was finally blessed with two.  Jack and Kate.  When Jack was three, he was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma, an extremely aggressive form of cancer.  He went through chemo, radiation, and two stem-cell transplants which bought him five years, eight and a half months of joyous life.  Those years were not without complications, as Jack lost much of his hearing and ended up needing to wear a hearing-aide, but to have Jack on this earth experiencing life with his little sister, Kate and his two Mommies, made all of the torturous treatments he went through worth it.  Jack was living life as only he could!  With love and joy and wonderment.  Jack is an amazing little man.

So, so sadly, neuroblastoma(a word I could barely pronounce, let alone spell before it reared it's ugly head inside of Jack's body) has returned.  It has returned in a way that may be consuming sweet Jack's body, but not his spirit...No, never his spirit.  Unfortunately, it seems as though his beautiful, battered body may not be able to stand up to the rigorous treatments which would be required in order to take a stab at this horrible beast, once again.  Jack has already been through more in his little life, than most adults will have to experience in a lifetime.  There are still options, but thinking about them is enough to make your head spin around.  Jen and Steph are now struggling with the decisions that they must make.


My hands are shaking as I type this and my broken heart is beating wildly, for there are just no words to describe what I am feeling.  No words at all.

Please add little Jack and his family to your thoughts and prayers.  His website is www.caringbridge.org/visit/campjack/journal.  I know that Jen and Stephanie truly appreciate knowing that their boy is being blanketed with lots and lots of good energy.  Feel free to leave this beautiful family a note letting them know that you are there.  They need all of the support that they can get right now.(Thank you, Ness!)

And as you go through your days, please think about Jack.  And when you do, send him as much healing love as you can muster.  Jack is a little man worth knowing.