Tag: Global Genes Project

Paying it Forward

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Meghan‘s school motto  is “Pay it forward,” and it is one of my most favorite things she has learned in her 4 plus years there.

The students are taught that it is important to give to others, with no expectation of return.  And they develop the knowledge that when others do for them, favors can not always be directly repaid.  It is actually a good philosophy of life.  Do for others for the sake of doing good.  If everyone follows that, chances are when you need a helping hand, someone will be there to stretch it out for you.

So this morning we joined some of my colleagues from school at the “Autism Speaks” walk.  We are facing a major hurricane tomorrow.  Schools have already been closed.  The MTA has shut down bus service, yet the turn out at the BEACH for this walk, was absolutely amazing.  I was full of pride as I stood with my colleagues in support of one of our own.  The proud Mom of a handsome autistic son, and an absolutely beautiful daughter, is a woman of true class.  She is a teacher at my school who I am grateful to have as a friend.

Her team raised close to $2,000  in support of Autism research, and the love in the air this morning was overwhelming.

Everywhere I looked there were fighters.  Young autistic children, and their support networks – strong and mighty.  Prepared to do whatever they can for their children.

Even though our battle and journey differs from theirs, I felt I was among kindred spirits.  Scores of families that keep fighting, keep battling, to ensure their loved one has whatever they need.  In so many ways we wear the same…

We will fight, by whatever means necessary for our children.  That makes us all the same where it matters.  The battles are different – but the war is essentially the same.  And we will not be stopped until it is won.

Paying it Forward…

This is the same family, that created Meghan’s denim ribbon necklace.  This is the same Mom, who – even though she has a million things on her mind each day, took my daughter’s need for an identity to heart.  Wearing her own, beautiful diamond puzzle piece each day,  she took Meghan’s concerns home to her husband the jeweler – and he made Meghan’s needs his priority.

Her own necklace is far more beautiful, but the point is she “gets it.”

And it wasn’t long before Meghan had this beautiful piece around her neck, representing rare genetic disorders, like our Cowden’s Syndrome.  There was nothing of its kind in the world, but not to be deterred – this Dad, who also “gets it,”  didn’t stop until it was made.  My girl has her identity  now.

A denim cause ribbon, crafted after the Global Genes Project‘s slogan, “Hope it’s in our Genes!”

Hopefully one day soon, The Global Genes Project will be able to sell these to anyone who wants them.  I know talks are taking place right now, and it is so exciting.

So this morning, it was easy to make our way down to the beach, to support Autism Speaks, and a great family.  It is easy to remember it is not all about us.  That others suffer deeply, and daily.

We are home.  Showered an in our PJs.  We are prepared as we can be… waiting for the storm.  But we will persevere.  It will be OK.  The greatest storms of life aren’t the ones that threaten our things, they are the ones that threaten those we love.  Pay it forward.  You will be awed by the return.

It’s not all about us

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And this is how the day started.  With thoughts of Friday.  Never a good way to start the week.  I am not one to try to wish my life away, but is it so wrong if I prefer days with my family over anything else in the world?

But, we got it together and got out of the house on time. 

Waiting for Meghan to get on the bus, a car doing about 65 speeds down our street.  As I refrain from the words I want to yell, I quickly say a prayer to myself – that his stupidity and selfishness doesn’t bring harm to anyone else.  I am always appalled – and I don’t care how late you are – by the callous disregard for human life it takes to speed past a school bus.  UGH!

Pretty much that sums up how the day continued.  There is a sense of urgency in everyone it seems – except about what really matters.

Now I don’t claim to have it all together all the time.  And I don’t claim to be free of frustration.  Nor do I deny that the ,”Why Me?” bug does bite us all here sometimes.

But, I am still amazed by people who are so narrow-minded that they can’t see the world from someone else’s point of view.  I am still deeply troubled by people who won’t take a minute to try to put themself in someone else’s shoes.  And I am horrified by those so self – absorbed that they speed past school buses, and generally have little regard for human life.

Maybe that’s it.  Maybe I feel like too many people don’t realize how precious life is.

I don’t mean it as a morbid thought – but it really is true.  I look at my grandparents, still married  – 67 years later at 92 and 93, and they always kiss each other goodbye when they go out.  I would hope they will be with us forever, but reality is what reality is, and they take a moment to express their love – often.  So many people could learn life lessons from my grandparents.  They are role models to be emulated in so many ways.

Ist Holy Communion 2011, with GiGi and Pop

It shouldn’t take a rare disease.  Cowden’s Syndrome or any other are not prerequisites for compassion.  You shouldn’t need to have cancer, or multiple surgeries, or scary benign tumors, or to live in fear of any of the above, before you realize the value of life.

We are in a waiting period here.  No major new doctor news.  The headaches Meghan was suffering with have subsided, but I still need to get a neurology consult together for her.  The joint pain is returning, slowly, one spot at a time.  It is manageable still, but the requests for supplemental pain medicine are starting to take place at least 3 times a week.  Hoping that the 100mg of Celebrex will be enough to keep her comfortable, maybe until they find the reason for her pain.  We go to the eye doctor in 2 weeks.  The cardiologist is the beginning of December.  He will hopefully tell us that the one too many prescriptions required to keep my little love functional are not harming her heart.  Then – on the 27th of December – its on to the endocrinologist to check those thyroid nodules.  That same week we will sneak in an MRI of my spleen (which, I am still KEEPING btw..)  But, for now we are in a holding pattern and it is a good place to be.

Of course, being in a holding pattern gives my girl time to think.  While we wait word on the necklace from the Global Genes Project,

she is already planning our next fund-raising adventure.  I am currently on the hunt for denim ribbon so she can outfiit her school in denim ribbons for “Rare Disease Day,” February 28th.  And, with a few whispers in her ear from a special third grade teacher, she has begun to ask if we can “pull off a 5k run” for the Global Genes Project.

So, I put a few feelers out.  We will keep you posted.

I will be practicing looking at the world through the bright eyes of my child.  She sees a lull in doctors as an opportunity to spend time helping others.  There has to be a bunch of lessons there.

Take a minute to breathe.  Time passes so quickly.  Hug a loved one.  Look at the world through someone else’s eyes.

I have always known these things on some level – but Cowden’s Syndrome has brought them to the forefront of who I am.

One of a kind…

Published on by beatingcowdens9 Comments

It probably started in the spring.  Meghan’s class had been working on a fundraiser for Alex’s Lemonade Stand. (alexslemonade.org)  The entire third grade was raising money for childhood cancer, and she took her fundraising work very seriously.

Meghan decided to make a bookmark, with a picture of my cousin Meghan – Angel Meghan as we speak of her – who died from Leukemia in 1991.  She wanted to make her connection to the fundraising personal.  As we prepared baskets of bookmarks to leave with people we knew, Meghan decided we should sell ribbons too.

So, I asked her what color?  She wasn’t sure what I meant, but I really didn’t know if there was a color ribbon for childhood cancer.  So, she took out her iPad and a quick search found us gold.  The gold ribbon was the color for childhood cancer.

 So we headed to Michael’s and bought up as much gold ribbon as we could find. We bought lots of safety pins.  We set to work cutting and pinning.

We dropped baskets off with my Uncle Chris and cousin Katie (“Angel Meghan’s” Dad and sister.)  They were eager to help, and passed baskets off to friends of theirs.  Before we knew it we were making more ribbons, and more bookmarks.

Meghan was so absolutely thrilled to raise over $500 for the project.  It was such a huge success and we were so proud.

That project raised her awareness of her ability to do for others, and helped her confidence so much.  It also made her aware, acutely aware, of cause ribbons.  She would identify the ones she knew, like the pink ribbon for breast cancer, and she would look up ones she didn’t know.  She learned about the puzzle piece for autism, and even yellow ribbons being used when soldiers are away from home.  I think that is the project that truly got her using a search engine too.  (Thanks Mrs. Azzarello!)

It seemed only natural, that months later, having watched me receive pink ribbons after my breast cancer surgery, and after countless surgeries and appointments of her own, that she would ask what “our” ribbon was.  Not sure of course exactly what she meant, I had her clarify.  “What is the ribbon for genetic diseases?”

So back to the search engines we went.  We tried a few other places. but eventually decided that this was the one.

It made sense.  The Global Genes Project had a logo that reflected her cause.  This was the ribbon for Rare Diseases – genetic disorders like our Cowden’s Syndrome.  It Made sense, their saying, “Hope – It’s in our genes” was catchy enough, and it left you thinking about the connection between genes, and jeans – the denim ribbon.

The next question should have had a simple answer – but it didn’t.  She said, “Can I have one?”

Once she clarified that she needed something, something to represent her, and all she has gone through, I understood.  She needed a symbol, something to wear that would make it easier to talk to people, that would help her feel proud, and strong, like it all mattered.

Sure, I thought.  We will get you something.

Well I looked, and I looked, and I looked.  There was nothing.  Beyond the sticker I had gotten as a thank you when I sent a contribution to The Global Genes Project, I could find NOTHING for her to own or wear, no jewelry or clothes with this “denim” ribbon.

Well sometimes the best ideas are born out of lunchtime conversation.  So, as I sat with some teacher friends the next day, I recanted Meghan’s desire to have her own cause ribbon.  One friend, the pure hearted Mom of an autistic son, who was wearing a beautiful diamond puzzle piece around her neck, “got it” on so many levels.  And, her husband happens to be a jeweler.

She said, “give me what you have, let’s see what we can do.”

Well I think we all thought it would be easier than it was.  But after weeks of searching her husband determined that there was nothing, anywhere like what we were looking for.  If we wanted it, we could have it, but they would have to make the mold.

Fortunate to have good and generous people in our lives, we paid only for the cost of the creation of the piece.  My friends husband generously donated his time, because he too “gets it.”  Their goal was only to make my girl happy.  And for that I am so grateful.

After anxious months of waiting, the piece arrived last Friday.  She treats it like a rare gem.

It is RARE, a one of a kind beauty – just like my girl.  But, never staying focused on herself for too long, she thought – wouldn’t it be nice if we could do a fundraiser, and sell these so that we could raise money for The Global Genes Project?

Well, last Friday we sent them an Email with several pictures.  It is a crazy time of year, but we are anxious to hear from them, and hoping that Meghan’s idea, can benefit many others.  It would be fitting.  That’s just the kind of kid she is.

For now though, the necklace is “one of a kind,” just like her!