Help for Katie
Donation protected
Look at the picture of Katie. She looks like a perfectly normal 9 year old girl patiently (or not) waiting for her 10th birthday.
I’m not really very good at this stuff and don’t really know where to start but here goes. I have never really been one to ask for help. I like to take the attitude of “if it is to be it is up to me”….but I have a situation that is beyond me. As most of you know I have 8 children and 6 grandchildren. My daughter Amanda has a daughter named Katie. At 6 months of age Katie was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis (a condition that causes tumors to grow in her body). Katie is now 8 years of age and has struggled for years with the inherent side effects of the condition. A few years back Katie lost sight in one of her eyes due to a tumor destroying her optic nerve. At that time her only concern was that she would have to wear glasses and others would make fun of her. Shortly after there was a spot in her brain that was discovered. Turns out she has a tumor that has wrapped itself around her brain stem. So far it is benign but the doctors warn that once puberty hits odds are 50/50 that it will become cancerous. To add insult to injury, the doctors at sick kids have found swelling in her good eye. After many visits to the hospital and MRI’s they have decided to install a port in her chest through which she will be given chemo therapy…again. The first time she was on it was for 83 weeks…now they are looking at 2 years. When all is said and done she may lose the sight in her good eye.
I am a parent as well as many of you. My desire is to fix it. I cant….and that drives me crazy. There are so many things I have seen that she may never get to see. I sat with a good friend of mine today and talked about this with her. She suggested to go onto a radio station for a Make a Wish kind of thing. Why do I feel like I am imposing if I do? What about Go Fund Me? I want to do something to help her at least see some of the things that kids should. Maybe Disneyland ? I don’t know. Any help…ideas or input would be appreciated. Kind of makes my personal problems pale in significance.
If any of you want to do a Go Fund Me I wont stop you. I don’t know what the right thing to do is. Once the chemo starts the trips to Sick Kids and other hospitals will escalate and work will suffer. My daughter currently works 5 days a week but knows it may end once all of this starts….again. Please feel free to share this with as many people as you wish to. If I had the resources then I wouldn’t ask anyone for anything but this is so far beyond me.
That was the email I sent out to a fedw friends a while back. I had many ask me to set up a Go Fund me account....so here it is. Easter Sunday we sat with a bunch of us and played Catch Phrase with Katie. Katie has faith which I am sure helps her through he days. Amanda posted the following excerpt on Facebook a few days back..." Oh goodness! In order to survive you have to take those few solitary minutes to just lose yourself in the overwhelming sadness. Pick yourself up...take a deep breath and do what you have to do to make sure your child sees how brave you are so they know how brave to BE! My saddest moment was Katie telling me "its OK mom, I've done chemo before. I can go in alone so you dont have to see me and be sad. GOD is always with me". It breaks my heart more than anyone knows. Its not just watching Katie and wondering what the future holds but also I watch my child go through the pain and anguish of watching her daughter deal with things most of us will never have to.
I know from previous experience with Katie that Amanda will lose work taking Katie to the hospital for the inevitable infections and fevers. If I had the means I would help her focus on the important stuff (Katie) rather than the urgent (funds to live on). I also know that the trips over the years have run down their vehicle to the point it is at 400,000 km and on its last legs. Katie needs to be at the hospital weekly and renting a vehicle everytime is a financial strain.
Emotionally I am spent, I also try to be strong for Amanda but this is my worst nightmare. If I could take this sickness away and give it to me I would. this is a child that needs to be a child enjoying life.
Here goes...I am asking for your financial help to provide some financial relief. Please share this with everyone you know that has kids.
Thankyou for taking the time to read this
I’m not really very good at this stuff and don’t really know where to start but here goes. I have never really been one to ask for help. I like to take the attitude of “if it is to be it is up to me”….but I have a situation that is beyond me. As most of you know I have 8 children and 6 grandchildren. My daughter Amanda has a daughter named Katie. At 6 months of age Katie was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis (a condition that causes tumors to grow in her body). Katie is now 8 years of age and has struggled for years with the inherent side effects of the condition. A few years back Katie lost sight in one of her eyes due to a tumor destroying her optic nerve. At that time her only concern was that she would have to wear glasses and others would make fun of her. Shortly after there was a spot in her brain that was discovered. Turns out she has a tumor that has wrapped itself around her brain stem. So far it is benign but the doctors warn that once puberty hits odds are 50/50 that it will become cancerous. To add insult to injury, the doctors at sick kids have found swelling in her good eye. After many visits to the hospital and MRI’s they have decided to install a port in her chest through which she will be given chemo therapy…again. The first time she was on it was for 83 weeks…now they are looking at 2 years. When all is said and done she may lose the sight in her good eye.
I am a parent as well as many of you. My desire is to fix it. I cant….and that drives me crazy. There are so many things I have seen that she may never get to see. I sat with a good friend of mine today and talked about this with her. She suggested to go onto a radio station for a Make a Wish kind of thing. Why do I feel like I am imposing if I do? What about Go Fund Me? I want to do something to help her at least see some of the things that kids should. Maybe Disneyland ? I don’t know. Any help…ideas or input would be appreciated. Kind of makes my personal problems pale in significance.
If any of you want to do a Go Fund Me I wont stop you. I don’t know what the right thing to do is. Once the chemo starts the trips to Sick Kids and other hospitals will escalate and work will suffer. My daughter currently works 5 days a week but knows it may end once all of this starts….again. Please feel free to share this with as many people as you wish to. If I had the resources then I wouldn’t ask anyone for anything but this is so far beyond me.
That was the email I sent out to a fedw friends a while back. I had many ask me to set up a Go Fund me account....so here it is. Easter Sunday we sat with a bunch of us and played Catch Phrase with Katie. Katie has faith which I am sure helps her through he days. Amanda posted the following excerpt on Facebook a few days back..." Oh goodness! In order to survive you have to take those few solitary minutes to just lose yourself in the overwhelming sadness. Pick yourself up...take a deep breath and do what you have to do to make sure your child sees how brave you are so they know how brave to BE! My saddest moment was Katie telling me "its OK mom, I've done chemo before. I can go in alone so you dont have to see me and be sad. GOD is always with me". It breaks my heart more than anyone knows. Its not just watching Katie and wondering what the future holds but also I watch my child go through the pain and anguish of watching her daughter deal with things most of us will never have to.
I know from previous experience with Katie that Amanda will lose work taking Katie to the hospital for the inevitable infections and fevers. If I had the means I would help her focus on the important stuff (Katie) rather than the urgent (funds to live on). I also know that the trips over the years have run down their vehicle to the point it is at 400,000 km and on its last legs. Katie needs to be at the hospital weekly and renting a vehicle everytime is a financial strain.
Emotionally I am spent, I also try to be strong for Amanda but this is my worst nightmare. If I could take this sickness away and give it to me I would. this is a child that needs to be a child enjoying life.
Here goes...I am asking for your financial help to provide some financial relief. Please share this with everyone you know that has kids.
Thankyou for taking the time to read this
Organizer and beneficiary
Joe Doxtater
Organizer
Amanda Doxtater
Beneficiary
