Thursday, April 7, 2016

How can I help?

We feel so blessed to have so many people in our lives that want to help our family through this process. Family, friends and even strangers have all asked us, "What can I do to help?".

Without knowing what the future holds, this is our best guess at how you can help our family.



Spiritually

Pray. Whenever our family pops into your thoughts, please say a quick prayer. If you have more time to say a prayer, please pray for one of the following: 
Pray for wisdom and clarity for all involved and that we continue to know what to do every step of the way. 
Pray for complete and permanent healing of Ellie's body. 
Pray for Eva and Nora as they adjust to all of these changes. 
Pray for strength for Mike and myself in all of these areas.
Pray that we handle everything the best way possible, so that glory is brought to our Heavenly Father. 

Mentally
Share your knowledge with us! Especially if you have been through a similar situation. Let us know questions we should be asking, people we should be talking to and ideas we should be exploring. From the easy ("Hey, maybe you should make sure someone is getting your mail."), to the complicated ("Have you heard of the chemo super drug that's currently being developed in Switzerland?"), to the seemingly ridiculous ("I've heard that sleeping upside down will put cancer into remission quicker.") Please do not hesitate to share what you know with us.
You can email us at jmyork@gmail.com

Emotionally
Laugh with us, cry with us, talk with us. Our emotions will probably be all over the map during this process. At least for the next few months. We will most certainly need distractions and this is where you come in. We need to laugh. We already have...a lot. And it's been great! So, if you have anymore Bunmi Laditan videos, or the like, please send them our way.
Our emotions may not always mirror yours, and that's ok. We may laugh when you want to cry, and vice versa. I think it's all a part of this process. Much grace is allowed here. We just want to be with you and hear from you.

Physically
This is an area where I know that we will need a lot of help. We just are not exactly sure everything this encompasses. As we think of things, I will update here. Until then, here are answers to some questions we have received.
Can I bring you food?
Yes! If you are inclined, you can sign up here to bring our family a meal. If you happen to go to Aldi, I can give you a list of some things we might need. (Bonus, we are only 5 minutes away!)
Can I donate blood/bone marrow?
Yes! But, unfortunately not for Ellie. For a variety of reasons, the two biggest being timing and genetics, it is unlikely that Ellie would benefit from any direct blood/marrow donations. However, when we were first admitted to the hospital, Ellie needed blood and she needed platelets. Those were donated by someone, and we were so grateful for the donation. Please donate to help out someone else's child.
Can I watch Eva and/or Nora for the afternoon?
This is the one with the tricky answer. We would love to have help with the girls, but at the same time we want their lives to remain as normal and routine as possible. There will certainly be time for special play dates in the future, but we are trying to limit them in the short term.
Exception: If you want to come over for an hour or two in the evening so that Mike and I can get time away together.....well, welcome my friend!

Financially
We are not sure how to navigate this area. And quite honestly, this feels awkward. But, we have already had people ask, and other people tell us that we need to be willing to accept all types of help. So.... It's pretty clear that our insurance will not cover all of Ellie's treatments. Additionally, we don't know what unexpected costs will pop up over the next few years as Ellie continues treatment both at the hospital and at home. If you are inclined to donate, you may do so via our Pay Pal account. Update: Ellie's awesome Uncle Casey started a GoFundMe page. Feel free to donate to either account. If you do choose to give, we promise that every cent will be used to help Ellie while she undergoes treatment. Since we have no idea at this point what our costs will be, we promise to donate any unused monies to a charity that helps families in situations similar to ours.

4 comments:

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    1. This is another great article on diet as well. http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/EN/RESOURCECENTRES/LEUKEMIA/LIVINGWITHLEUKEMIA/Pages/Good-Nutrition-Leukemia-Treatment.aspx

      We can bring beet juice if you think she'll drink it.
      -Andrea

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  2. Might be worth looking at if she will eat beets.....http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/beets-as-a-leukemia-natural-treatment/#axzz45C0n3Jot

    Stephen

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