Unbelievable Pain

My body aches honestly aches, not from some accident but emotion. Today at 4:30pm PST I got a call from the family of this 7 year old boy that they have changed his status to terminal. The cancer has come back stronger and there is really nothing they can do. As such they decided to go all out with Make-A-Wish and create a carnival type event for him as a way to celebrate one last time with friends and family. In ten minutes on the phone they told me this and asked if I could plan it and arrange everything. Not that they needed to ask, they need to be spending their time on things so much more important, spending time with their sons.

Without thinking I jumped right in. The next five hours have been a blur of several dozen phone calls and almost a hundred emails. First I sent an email to all of her former and current group of employees at work (a couple hundred people) asking for ideas and any help they could provide. Then called a couple of contacts I have made and some of my friends. Then called the social worker from Stanford and then the contact for Make-A-Wish.

All I had to do was whisper that we needed help and like air into a vacuum there was a sudden roar that overcame me. For five months everyone has wanted to help but we are limited in what we can do, finally now we have a way to help. In a few hours we have arranged the following:

1. The Fire Department will come with a few fire trucks and other vehicles for the kids

2. A movie company will be sending over actors in full costume with gifts for the kids

3. San Francisco zoo is working on sending their mobile animal vehicle out with a petting zoo

4. We will have a jump-house, basketball hoops, miniature golf for the kids (and some adults)

5. Cold Stone Creamery is probably going to attend with sundae making materials

6. Popcorn maker, snow cone maker and cotton candy machines will all be there

7. We will be using a caterer for food as that will make planning just a little bit easier (donations will be taken after the event for the sake of logistics)

8. A permit has already been filed to the city to close the street

Now as I take a break and take a breath the reality is starting to set in. The nausea overcomes me and I just can’t believe it is happening all over again. How can we come to grips with this? I just want to lose myself in the logistics of making the largest and best party that this city has seen, because then I don’t have to think about the reality.

I do want to take a second and recognize the social worker and the contact for Make-A-Wish, here are two people who day in and day out are responsible for up to a hundred children that are terminally ill and knowing that. How they stay so optimistic over time, I don’t know. But God Bless them. I know I am a complete believer in both organizations right now and forever. If you are looking to help financially out with a charity or just volunteer time, Please look into your local chapter of Make-A-Wish, it is a wonderful cause!

As for me for now, lets make this the best damn celebration of life ever!