To those who expressed a wish to help Bulldog's daughter (diagnosed with leukemia)

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Gene and I talked to Bulldog tonight. Chelsea is doing well but has 2-1/2 years of chemo ahead of her; they expect good results. Prognosis is very good. This particular course of treatment is expected to last until mid- to late February. The family is staying at the Wyndham-Garden Hotel, 300 N. Second Street, Memphis, TN 38105. Their name is Gossling.

I had to drag information out of Bulldog! She was overwhelmed that we would like to send cards to Chelsea or help in other ways. She said Chelsea, who is six, particularly likes rainbows on clothing or anything else. She will, of course, need hats since the chemo will cause her to lose her hair. (Bulldog has already bought some hats and sewn fake hair around the edges!) Chelsea likes feminine clothes and has no favorite color--except multi and rainbows. She's also an artsy-craftsy kind of girl and likes to color and glue glitter on things. She loves books, any kind, especially about animals. She might like a tape player with suitable cassettes for when she doesn't feel well enough to read or do crafts. Bulldog is having the VCR brought to Memphis so that she can play videos--but you might want to wait on that till we can get a list of videos Chelsea might like to see (and doesn't already have).

I didn't ask, but I suspect Mom and Dad might like some books to read and videos to watch.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), January 03, 2000

Answers

God bless Chelsea and family,can you e-mail an addy for gifts.

-- Kevin (cantchoose@webtv.net), January 03, 2000.

Git, what did I miss?! Go to baffroom, and come back to middle of story! Got a sick kid who likes Glitz? I got box of Sticker Glitz I bought as extra gift for Grankids who have too much already. Please tell me where.

-- Glitz for (all@sickkids.com), January 03, 2000.

Cards, gifts, etc., may be mailed to the hotel, whose address is above. By the way, Bulldog told us the hotel is in a bad part of town and they have been advised not to go out at night--that's why I thought books might be welcome for the parents.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), January 03, 2000.

Thanks, OG. Nice of you to do this!

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), January 03, 2000.

What Hospital? I drive through Memphis quite often.

-- Kevin (cantcoose@webtv.net), January 03, 2000.


As usual Old Git, your sincerity and kindness towards others is foremost. Many of us will respond in kind. I do hope someone has put them in touch with the nearest Ronald McDonald House. They can provide many needed services and probably find a safer place for them to stay. You may also wish to point Mom & Dad in the direction of the local Cancer Society, as well as the Lukemia Society who can also be of immense assistance. My prayers and thoughts will be with this family. Thank you most kindly for this post. Please keep me updated. Email is real.

-- Big D (ddac82@yahoo.com), January 03, 2000.

Bulldog,

I am very sorry to hear of your daughter's illness. I know the stress and ups and downs you and your family are experiencing. It is exhausting. Please consider doing what I have recently done. My wife is just pulling out of a severe fungus infection that put her in Johns Hopkins Hospitals Medical ICU and caused her 6 major organs (kidneys, liver, pancreas, gall bladder, sub-dural membrane, and bone marrow) to fail. I started e-mailing daily medical updates to a short list of our friends so I would not have to spend so much time every day on the phone repeating the daily medical status. The daily e-mails about my wife now go world-wide and (by word of mouth) has grown to almost 200 e-mail addresses. My wife, I and my family have daily received incredible mental, emotional and prayer support from friends and previously unknown cyber-friends across the Internet.

My wife's Hopkins Doctors firmly believe that my wife is recovering in part because of the power of remote support. You and your daughter will be strenghtned by the e-mails, kindness and prayers of cyber strangers. Try it you have nothing to lose and a lot to gain. I will pray for Chelsea's quick return to health.

Ron Sander, a relieved GI

-- Ron Sander (judy_sander@hotmail.com), January 03, 2000.


I remember being touched as I read the original post on Christmas Day. Bulldog said they were travelling to Johns Hopkins, but he must have meant St. Jude's because JH is in Baltimore MD. My son is a pediatrician and interviewed at, and was offered fellowships in oncology from, both hospitals (he actually chose Texas Childrens..Baylor Univ.). He's told me that children's cancers are the most treatable and are unrelated to life style, as many adult cancers are. The children usually do as they're told by the doc's and have great attitudes. Our prayers are for healing for Chelsea, and strength and financial blessing for her parents. My email is real and I'd love an update from them as someone suggested they do, if possible. It would be easier than trying to find it on the forum.

-- Kenin Marble (kenin17@yahoo.com), January 04, 2000.

Buldog said John Gaston hospital in Memphis.

I had heart surgery there as a child in 1968 and so far so good!

-- Johnny (jljtm@bellsouth.com), January 04, 2000.


I contacted bulldog through St. Judes, who referred me to the Wyndham- garden hotel, mentioned in OG's original post. It is my understanding that Chelsea is being treated as an outpatient at St. Judes.

Now that we have made some contact, we will try to keep the list updated. bulldog has been unable to be online, since her computer is at home, and she doesn't know the urls of our hangouts. So if you have added a note of encouragement to her original thread, she didn't get it, since they left for Memphis immediately after posting.

Gene

-- gene (ekbaker@essex1.com), January 04, 2000.



Bulldog, my heart goes out to you. A seriously ill child is devastating. Thank God for modern medicine advances. Your baby is old enough to follow directions and it sounds like she has a good shot.

Thoughts for you as a parent and a mom who has been there. Take care of yourself physically. Do the best you can to eat and get some rest. Those damn vending machines don't offer much that is edible much less enticing (think tomato juice, ginger ale and cheese and crackers. They always seem to stay down.)

You and your spouse need to keep a loving eye on one another. Everyone reacts differently to this type of torture (and it is torture for both of you). Don't make the simple mistake of assuming that you are both experiencing this and handling it in the same way.

This is a time for pulling together and summoning up the strength to make it through each day -- you will have a lot of them to go through. I have never been terribly religous, however I did learn that if you pray for the shiny red bicycle you might not get it, but praying for strength is another matter. I guarantee it come to you. Save your anger at the workings of the universe for another time.

Who I am today is due in large part to my life experience from 1968 to the middle of 1972. As tough as it was, I learned a whole hell of a lot about what I was made of, and feel oddly blessed to have been selected to be my baby's mom.

I like the idea of the modern day prayer chain via e-mail. Chelsea and Ron Sanders wife are in my thoughts with positive wishes.

Thanks, Old Git (again..). I suspect you are one heck of a broad.

-- Nancy (wellsnl@hotmail.com), January 04, 2000.


Please thank Gene--he was the one who took the time to track down Bulldog! Gene also is printing out thread responses and sending them to Bulldog for encouragement--what a neat guy!

Bulldog mentioned that she was so stunned she typed Johns Hopkins instead of St. Jude's in her original post. Chelsea sounds like a very brave child, taking the news and side effects of her treatment very stoically and without complaint. Her two siblings are in good health and her parents are coping much better than I would. It's a strong family unit, accepting adversity with fortitude and good grace, and we're proud they're part of our TB2K family.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), January 04, 2000.


There is a Ronald McDonald House 0.5 miles from the Wyndham-Garden (and 0.3 miles from St. Judes Hospital): 535 Alabama Ave, Memphis, TN (901) 529-4055

Link

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), January 04, 2000.


OG thanks for the update. Might I suggest that since St. Jude's depends on donations to be able to give health care to the children even if they can't afford it, that those so inclined might send a donation in Chelsea's name? You can donate online at this url https://www2.stjude.org/forms/singlegift.htm or check this page if you would prefer to mail something http://www2.stjude.org/support/single.htm .

-- beckie (sunshine_horses@yahoo.com), January 04, 2000.

Johnny.....this is a copy of the text from the orginal post...and that is why I was questioning.

Our little girl, Chelsea, age 6, is very sick. The doctors have just told us she has leukemia. We are leaving today, Christmas, going south to Memphis,TN, to John Hopkins Hospital.

With all the weird stuff that gets posted to side track us, I briefly wondered (though felt very guilty) about the legitimacy of the post. I am happy that it turned out to be legitimate, and hubby and I have been praying for Chelsea. On the other hand, I would have been just as happy to have it be a hoax.....then there would be no reality to deal with.

-- Kenin Marble (kenin17@yahoo.com), January 04, 2000.



Sorry, forgot to mention (but it's a good excuse to get this back to the top), the Gossmans and Chelsea are on a waiting list for the Ronald MacDonald's house. I believe the hotel cost is taken care of but they have to pay for meals, travel and other expenses, etc. (They live ten hours from Memphis.)

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), January 04, 2000.

to the top

-- gene (ekbaker@essex1.com), January 04, 2000.

can we get a verify on the family name? this thread has two versions. having a parent's name would also help, but anyone can send it to my e-mail if they would liek to keep it confidential.

thanx

-- Cowardly Lion (cl0001@hotmail.com), January 05, 2000.


The family name is Gossling--sorry I confused it with the name of an old friend.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), January 05, 2000.

up to the top

-- gene (ekbaker@essex1.com), January 06, 2000.

One more time. . .

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), January 06, 2000.

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