There must be something in the air around here because the hair is falling like autumn leaves on a New England road trip! This follicular folly started with the enthusiastic show of support for 12-year-old Mac, who is living at the House while being treated for Ewing’s Sarcoma. During his interview with KOMO-TV, http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Dozens-shave-heads-to-support-cancer-patient-198548921.html, Mac’s mom, Carrie, noted she had shaved her head a couple years ago when a sad spate of death and cancer hit people she cared about.  This time around, Mac was pressuring his mom to keep her hair. Knowing his brother, classmates and “even some girls” were shaving their heads was enough for Mac.

Savana and her mom and grandma

Mac changed his mind after thinking about all the people back home in Wenatchee who would be shaving their heads. Not wanting her to feel left out, he relented and even shaved his mom’s head himself!

Meanwhile, seven-year-old Savana had been feeling blue, losing her hair a second time to brain cancer treatment after just growing it back.  When her mom, Tonya, offered to shave her head a second time as well, Savana said yes. Now she rubs her mom’s scarved head and says, “Thank you Mom – not every mom would shave her head twice.” Tonya knows she’d shave her head as many time as it took if it made Savana feel better.

Perhaps the leprechauns conspired to bring some mischief to the situation, but whatever the catalyst, the Saturday of Saint Patrick’s Day found the lobby of the House turned into a makeshift hair salon.  Grandparents, uncles, nephews, aunts -- everyone involved left their locks on the floor. The clippers came out, the smiles lit up and bald became the new beautiful.

Tonya

Carrie and Tonya

Mac with his aunt

Every parent at the House is stretched to their physical and mental limits. Away from their home, friends, family and routines, they also deal with the constant stress, worry and caretaking of their seriously ill child. This alone might find many people in their pajamas all day, existing on a steady diet of trash TV and pre-packaged food (in between medical appointments of course).

Instead, in their own ways, they hold it together. The dinners served most nights by volunteers are surely a help, as is every single thing volunteers and donors provide to give parents here one less thing to think about.  But nobody else gets up in the middle of the night to wash the sheets yet again after another bout of nausea. Nobody else comforts their child in the same way during a painful treatment. Nobody else spends hours on the phone untangling the web of what insurance will or won’t pay, or worries as much if they’ll even have a home to go to when the time comes.

So it’s especially inspiring to learn of the dreams and abilities of the parents here, and impossible not to wish them the best in everything they do. In her time here at the House, Judah’s mom buckled down and lost 30 pounds by choosing whole foods and watching portion sizes. Hunter’s mom got serious about pursuing her culinary arts degree and started taking the necessary steps to make it happen.  Poppy’s dad is working to complete his online master’s degree in special education.  Jasmine’s mom learned how to drive a car and how to speak English.

These parents and others are such an inspiration, especially in the manner they’ve decided to take care of their families by believing in themselves. Nobody would blame them if they let anxiety and exhaustion get the best of them. But there are children to care for, and schedules to keep and medications to manage. And stretched to their limits, these parents grow. It is our privilege to help them in any way we can.  

Pictured at left are Will and Maggie (dressed up like a witch for Howl-a-ween)

Meet Maggie Rose, a Tibetan Terrier who has been visiting with kids and families at the House for almost six years! Maggie is a dedicated therapy dog who rarely misses a shift and can be found on the couch in the lobby almost every Wednesday afternoon. She is an especially sweet and calm companion and an extraordinarily caring listener. Usually subdued and gracious, she is known to let out a delighted squeal when kids and other friends come within eyeshot.

Maggie’s human companion, Diane, tells us a little more about Maggie.

RMH: Does Maggie like to do any tricks?
Diane: Oh yes. She does High 5, patty cake, rollover, nose kisses, sneezing, upright walking, and she can speak and shake hands.

RMH: Wow! That is a lot of tricks!
Diane: The kids at the House actually helped teach her a lot of those tricks. She is also great at agility.

RMH: Maggie is always so sweet and well behaved. How did you get a dog like her?
Diane: She was a rescue dog from Yakima, if you can believe that. I was told she was a terrier mix but then I had a DNA test done which showed she is a Tibetan Terrier.

RMH: Does she meditate a lot? Is that why she’s so calm?
Diane: Ha! No, but apparently her breed was bred by Buddhist monks in Himalayan Tibet. They were considered to be “luck blessers” and were treasured family members who would never be sold.

RMH: What else can you tell us about Maggie?
Diane: Tibetan Terriers are good herding dogs and also love the snow. They have special little snow-shoe feet.

RMH: Does she have any favorite treats?
Diane: She loves turkey hot dogs.

RMH: What does Maggie like best about coming to the House?
Diane: Oh, she just loves all the kids. And she thinks it’s a special treat to sit on the lap of someone in a wheelchair.  She is a good listener and loves to cuddle.

Thank you Maggie and Diane, for sharing your time and love with everyone here at the House. We are so lucky to have you!

Thanks to employees with GE Healthcare, families at the House will be enjoying a catered dinner of prime rib and chicken on New Year’s Eve, followed by a rousing session of karaoke. If previous years offer any indication, we have a lot of pent up pop divas and rock stars around here! This special dinner is something families look forward to every year around this time, and we’re very grateful to everyone participating.

Reflecting back over 2012, our hearts are full of gratitude for the generosity of our community and for everyone who has touched the lives of families here in a myriad of ways. This event is a wonderful sign-off to the old year and a celebratory welcome to the new. Happy New Year from the House!