Tag: video

Sibling Speak, Pt 3 [VIDEO]

And now, this one… Only one year and five days separate their births and they were more like twins than not until cancer changed the story.

He spent his fourth birthday sitting in a hospital, recovered from his own tonsil surgery without a mom at his side (because it happened the week after Chase’s brain surgery), and used to stand by the couch and hold out his hand to the white, screaming mess of his brother, saying “It’s okay. I will hold your hand. I am here for you.” He remembers none of these things, but I do. He doesn’t know why – to this day – the sound of Chase screaming makes his own eyes well up, but I do. His soul and blood are tied to the bald boy, whether he likes it or not.

His heart breaks with the need for justice which makes him resentful sometimes and powerfully protective all the other times. He is guilt and love; rolled into one. Like Karsten and Darcy too…there are days he’s ready to end Chase, but he will gladly slay anybody else who tries. And like his father before him, he holds so much more in that head then ever comes out of his mouth.

And this one… well, when Chase goes all you-and-what-army, he does so knowing this one stands behind him every time. If you listen closely, you will hear him say Chase’s strength and the look on his face is clear – he has no idea that Chase’s strength is because of him.

The life of a cancer sibling is often a silent, supporting role. It has to be, and they do it so well. But here, in his own words, is a little of Aidan (with some off-camera Chase interaction). This is raw, unfiltered, uncut – All heart, all sibling, all laughter, all pain, all in.

Moment by moment. 

Note: The term “Bacon” is something Aidan uses to make Chase laugh when he gets angry. As you can tell from his words, Chase’s low executive functions play a big role in Aid’s relationship with him. Apparently, “Bacon” is a way to help them cope and I find I’m okay with that. 🙂 

Chase’s Story [VIDEO]

Have you ever seen this video of Chase?

If not, I highly recommend it.  And even if so, feel free to watch it again…  We have been so blessed to partner with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation this year and are continually thankful for the platform they give us to share Chase’s story with so many.

-MbM-

[Our deepest gratitude to the incomparable Matthew Lackey for his mad, crazy video skills.  Also, a huge thank you to both Jane Hoppen and Kristen Thies for all they did to put together the finished product and the time spent filming it.]

Chase On His MRI [VIDEO]

The sun is only hinting pink when I feel another presence on the edge of the living room.  This is what he does, my early-rising boy… He wakes before it’s light, tip-toes out to wherever a parent can be found, and stands quietly, thumb in mouth, waiting for someone to see him and call him into the light.

Still rumpled and rosy from sleep, mismatched in his Lightning McQueen bottoms and a shirt that announces “I fight cancer. What’s your superpower?”, he jumps onto the couch and snuggles close.  His talk turns to the subject that has been plaguing him for about a week now: the upcoming MRI.

The questions come as they do every day; several times a day: …When is my MRI? Will there be ‘beeping’? Will I have a needle? Can I eat? Who will go with me? Will you come back to me?…  They come with heartbreaking regularity and the answers are always the same.  In a life that’s anything but predictable, he can at least rely on the same answers to these small questions that are so very big to him.

In a day, he’ll wait in pre-op for almost two hours after having gone nearly half a day without food or drink.  They’ll lull him and then hold a mask over his face while he lays on the threshold of the machine with no parents in sight to say “It’s okay, sweet boy.” And while he sleeps, they’ll put a needle in his arm to keep him hydrated and inject dyes and he’ll be in the machine for nearly two hours – the only blessing: he’ll be mercifully unconscious.

You hear from me on this subject early and often, and in the last part of the last year, it was often-er than not.  My words hardly change…we can’t, we must, we wonder, we shouldn’t, God is good.  Always.

So today, hear Chase.  He’s about 24 hours away from a big MRI and he’s scared.  He also wasn’t sold on the idea of a video until I promised him that he could hold his father’s tape measure.  This is what the early morning and late nights look like…the twisting mouth, the working to remember words, the thinking about mosquito bite scars on top of his skin rather than the potential of cancer growing under it.  He’s part boy, part wise far beyond his years, part broken by his treatment and tumor…and he’s all Chase.

Moment by moment.

*Note: His last words are “I want Mrs. Schneider to pray for me.”  That is the name of a dear friend who -because Bob needs to work tomorrow- will be accompanying us to the hospital so that I don’t have to be alone on MRI day.  Chase knows that while we can’t be with him, Janet and I will be praying for him in the waiting room while he’s in the MRI. 

Get all the latest news and info sent to your inbox.