posted on June 23, 2005 12:17:51 PM new
My two year old nephew, Ryan, was admitted to the Cleveland Clinic last night. Since then, he has had three blood transfusions, his platelet count as well as red and white blood cell count have continued to drop. He is now in surgery for a bone marrow test. They think it may be leukemia. Please say a prayer that Ryan will be okay and that if he has to have leukemia that it is ALL which is the most curable form.
This little guy doesn't care if there's a democrat or republican in office. He doesn't care if the cost of gasoline is $2.50 a gallon or a $1.00 a gallon. He doesn't care about the cost of living or interest rates or if Social Security is in trouble or not. He's an innocent and right now he needs everyone's help. My brother asked that I get everyone I can to say a prayer, so I'm coming to all of you.
We are leaving shortly for the Clinic because as a family unit, we're pretty strong. I think we may give the nursing staff a fright when they see the number of us coming there. There's strength in numbers!
posted on June 23, 2005 01:19:40 PM new
Many Blessings from our house Cheryl...Please keep us up to date on whats going on. Poor little guy is prolly so scared right now. Give him hugs and kisses for us
posted on June 23, 2005 04:26:03 PM new
My prayers are with Ryan and the entire family to give you all the strength that you will need during this trying time.
posted on June 23, 2005 05:46:19 PM new
Will keep him in my prayers,please keep us Posted.
**********************************
Two men sit behind bars,one sees mud the other sees stars.
posted on June 23, 2005 06:46:41 PM new
Rich and everyone,
Ryan (Frye) is in the Cleveland Clinic, room M-3306. He will be there for at least the next 10 days. We got there when the doctor was giving my niece Melissa the news. It is Leukemia. They won't know what type until tomorrow. They have Ryan on Morphine because Leukemia is very painful. My niece (Ryan is my great-nephew) is a mess. This is a lot for a 23 year old to handle. Fortunately, the family is banding together. We're creating a schedule where someone will be at the hospital to give her some relief. I don't know if that will work. She wouldn't let go of Ryan the whole time we were there. He's connected to IV's and a heart monitor.
Because his immune system is now compramised, we all have to "disinfect" before we went into the room. It will be this way for the next three days. The doctor explained the whole procedure and Ryan will have a difficult time of it. The treatment is not pleasant.
I really appreciate all your kind thoughts and prayers and I know Melissa does as well. I can tell you this, it was very hard to hold back the tears when I walked into his room. But, for Melissa, I did. It's time to be strong because she's not able to be right now.
The saddest thing of all is that I was just with him two weeks ago and he was running around laughing and playing like he didn't have a care in the world.
posted on June 23, 2005 06:55:13 PM new
I found out tonight that my niece has been taking Ryan to the doctor for months complaining that she thought something was wrong with him. The doctor told her that Ryan was okay and that she, in so many words, was a worrier who was worried about nothing. Good heavens, what was this doctor thinking?
posted on June 23, 2005 07:32:51 PM new
Cheryl - Bless your heart. And Bless Ryan & his parents heart too!
Here's what I want you to do. Everytime you start thinking about Ryan - I want you to repeat the affirmation "It's all good".
An affirmation means: A positive statement affirming or asserting something to help manifest it in the physical world.
I know it doesn't make much sense now, but I actually learned it just a couple of days before 9/11. And that was what kept me going through that. As horrible as it looked, I just kept saying "It's all good".
And that kept me focused on the "good" parts of it. I saw all the people fleeing for the lives and I realized that at that moment, it didn't matter if you were rich, poor, white, black, fat, skinny or what - that we are TRULY all "one".
I only know of one other actual occurrence to share with you. When my daughter started High School - she changed. She went from being sweet and normal to wearing all Black clothes and getting pierced in weird places. Then, about half way through her first year there, I was called to the Principal's office and was told that they had more or less "busted" her and her friends for smoking grass. That they had followed them around for 6 months trying to catch them at it.
I was SO incensed at them - that they had never bothered to inform the parents or to at least say "please keep a close eye on your child" that I told the Principal that it was not acceptable and I was taking my child out of Public School and putting her in Private School. The Principal himself agreed with me and said that if he had a child in school that he would do the same thing.
I thought it was the worst thing that could happen at the time. A year later and my daughter went from being a small fish in a big pond to a big fish in a small pond and her life had completely turned around. She gained self esteem and wholesome friends and I realized that if it had not been for the "horrible" thing that had happened, that she would have never been given that chance to excel.
I know it's not much to offer you at this time but I promise you - IT'S ALL GOOD. I think I needed to remind myself of that and for that I thank you for sharing your hardship with us all.
You are all certainly in my prayers. Please keep positive. I am a cancer survivor myself (recal CA) and at first they gave me one year to live and it's soon to be ten!
God is certainly great and there are many miracles everyday if we would just all look for them.
Remember, if God brings you to it, He'll bring you through it!
posted on June 23, 2005 08:01:54 PM new
Cheryl...I'm sure you are aware of this, but the Cleveland Clinic is one of the top rated medical facilities in the nation. It ranks right alongside Stanford and the Mayo Clinic. He's in good hands, with doctors than can get him through it. Keep up the positive thoughts and we'll keep up the prayer.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
[ edited by sparkz on Jun 23, 2005 08:03 PM ]
posted on June 23, 2005 11:47:57 PM new
Cheryl, you and your family and dear Ryan are in my prayers tonight. I am praying for you all. You are so blessed to have such a big family!
Please keep us updated as we will be thinking of you and your family.
posted on June 24, 2005 12:11:10 AM new
Hi Cheryl, hope everything works out for you and your family.
One thing I always remember in stressful times is a biblical quote that goes something like this: Call ye not things as are they are, but as you would see them be.
Basically that means to think positive. But it goes a little further in that it means even though you might have a hard time believing it,..in your mind, and spirit, - refuse to accept this illness and to call for Ryan's good health and recovery.
posted on June 24, 2005 03:20:16 AM new
Last night I composed a long letter for my niece filled with things I couldn't tell her in a crowded hospital room. One of those things is that she has to be strong because Ryan will draw his strength from her. She needs to leave the room to shed her tears because depression weakens the body and the spirit.
There are two people I talk to when I'm distressed or in need of help. One is my deceased brother, David and the other is my guardian angel. I ask my guardian angel to get messages to God and I know that she does. I also know that my brother has intervened in serious health issues I've had. My brother was there (Melissa's father) and since he's such a devout Mormon, I didn't think it was proper to discuss these things with Melissa. My brother thinks I'm nuts for some of the things I believe.
I'm also calling my spiritual advisor this afternoon to see if she'll do a "cleansing" of the room at the hospital once Ryan is through the next critical three days. I know a lot of people don't believe in metaphysical stuff, but I think it does a lot to lift the spirits. In fact, she has worked with terminal and not terminal seriously ill people with wonderful results. The power of the mind is such a remarkable thing. Since Ryan cannot use his powers yet, he has to use Melissa's.
The Cleveland Clinic is an awesome place. The size of it alone is daunting. It is its own little city. Cleveland may not have much, but we do have two world class hospitals in the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospital. Rainbow Babies and the Ireland Cancer Center are both part of University Hospital. People from all over the world come to the U.S. just to go to those hospitals.
posted on June 24, 2005 03:27:49 AM new
Good morning Cheryl (and all) ...
Cheryl, we're still praying here for little Ryan ... I just Paypalled you a little money I would like you to use for your niece and Ryan however you like ... maybe a bright shiny mylar balloon for his room or a little chimin music box or something?, and some meals or snacks for your niece and other relatives that are feeling the need to stay at the hospital morning till nite. you may even need a little money to pay for parking?
When my son was 6, he was in the hospital for 6 weeks, then there for months off and on for physical therapy, and gosh I know the expenses sure add up, in addition to being pulled away from your normal income-producing daily life. ... lousy catch-22.
Let me know if there's anything more I can do ...
God's richest blessings to the family,
Marcia/Ohio
posted on June 24, 2005 03:59:36 AM new
Thanks, Marcia! Melissa will be thrilled. I cried in private last night when I got home. I have to, afterall, be the strong aunt here. Now, you have me crying again. But this time, it's a good cry.
Everyone
If you want to send words of encouragement, they can be sent to my brother, Bob, who is Ryan's grandfather. His email address is: [email protected]. He can print them out and give them to Melissa.
posted on June 24, 2005 05:52:22 AM new
Cheryl ... Stay strong. I don't know if you remember, but about a year ago I posted a picture of my father along with his story.
Dad was burned over 65% of his body (40% were 3rd degree). Dad wasn't expected to live. Not only did he live, he was steaming wallpaper off the wall yesterday and took his granddaughter to play glow in the dark golf last night.
Miracles do happen. My dad is proof of it. Lots of prayers and someone constantly being at the hospital and encouraging him were the mainstays to get us through that tough time.
posted on June 24, 2005 05:31:44 PM new
Since Cheryl gave us his email address, I emailed to Ryan's grandpa (Cheryl's brother) this morning, and he replied with the most poignant thoughts:
Hello, my name is Bob Reiff and I am baby Ryan's grandfather. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for the thoughtful gift you have given. This is a very trying moment in our lives. We all as parents fear these kind of things, praying it never happens to our children and when it happens to your child's child, the pain felt knowing the pain your child is going through is indescribable. I am grateful for all the Lord has done for me and my family and want to offer that same gratitude to you for your offer of prayer which is one of the most sacred gifts of all. May the Lord continue to bless you in all that you do.
Love, the Reiff family
-------------
and this evening Cheryl wrote:
As some of you already know, my 1-1/2 year old great-nephew Ryan has been
stricken with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Please forward this web page (below) to
as many people as you can. We are asking for donations to assist my niece
with medical bills, household bills and personal needs for her, Ryan and her
two other children during this time that she will be out of work.
posted on June 24, 2005 06:34:15 PM new
Cheryl ... I went to the website and made a donation. As I told another poster to this board, I would much rather donate to someone that I am acquainted with than to give to another charity. It really upsets me to see little ones suffer. Big people, aka adults, can handle it, but the little ones are innocent and shouldn't have to handle it (whatever "it" may happen to be).
I usually donate to the local police force, but I will crochet teddy bears for them this year to give to the little ones.
My heart truly grieves to know that Ryan is so sick. I count my blessings every day that my own little one isn't seriously afflicted and her illnesses can be treated with medications.
My thoughts and prayers are constantly with you and your family right now. I try to list and think "gosh, what is that poor little boy enduring now?" Know that every time I think that, I am saying a little prayer for him.
