Lungs for Mandy

August 12, 2009 Dear Family and Friends: Hi! I have committed to participating in the LUNG WALK sponsored be the St. Louis Chapter of the Second Wind Lung Transplant Association. I am writing to ask for your help in my fund-raising efforts to support the Second Wind Assistance fund which is a charitable provider of limited financial assistance to lung transplant patients. It is designed to help pay for medical and other related expenses that are of an emergency or non-insured nature. The LUNG WALK provides an opportunity to unite our community while raising funds to help improve the lives of some of the nearly 4,000 children and adults in need of a lung transplant I have been personally affected by transplantation on two occasions and SecondWind has assisted me on several occasions. I will be walking on October 17, 2009, in Historic Forest Park in St. Louis with a group of family and friends. Collectively, we would like to raise more than $25,000 to assist patients with the burden of the mounting costs that accompany transplantation. I would appreciate a donation of anything from you, or whatever your budget allows. Your charitable contribution is 100 percent tax deductible. Please let me know if you will be making a donation, and send your check made payable to the to Second Wind Lung Walk to me at 4317 Jamieson Ave, Apartment A, St Louis, MO 63109. Your donation will be well spent as over 90 cents of every dollar raised by the SecondWind Lung Walk is used to provide assistance to transplant patients. When you make a donation to the LUNG WALK, you are helping to ensure that children and adults with lung diseases live more comfortably while they wait to receive the gift of life. A transplant will help them live longer and more productive lives. WE need your help! 

In addition, if you would like to join on October 17, 2009, we would LOVE to see you. Just visit the site below for your participation form. http://www.secondwindstl.org/AboutUs/Projects/LungWalk/Packets/Captain_Participant_Registration_Form.pdf

  Thank you all for supporting this important cause! Love,Amanda 

Well, I just got word that Grandpa Bob threw his back out. He has ALWAYS had problems with his back, but evidently he was working at the church when it really went out of whack. Additionally, he had to have cataract surgery today on one eye and then another surgury next Tuesday on the other eye. I’m sure we have all heard the saying, “when it rains it pours.” Well that seems to be the case with Gramps. Please send him warm wishes on a speedy recovery —he is probably miserable right now unable to see or walk around. He always wants to be doing something.

LOVE YOU GRAMPS!

Well, the time has come when Steve and Chris have to allowJake and Alex to play football. They’ve been begging as long as I can remember and now they have been chosen the play, on two seperate teams. I can’t remember what Jake ended up as, but Alex is a Bulldog –very fitting for him. I don’t typically mind football much, I mean it’s not my favorite sport or anthing, but I hate the fact the boys are playing TACKLE football. When I saw them on Saturday they had bruises, scrapes and stitches all over them. Alex keeps explaining that it hurts the tackler worse than the tacklee—I don’t buy it. I’m worried sick about them. Why couldn’t they pick a safe sport like ping-pong or something? A funny thing since they started is that they have started to try to eat healthier! Their idea of healthy food doesn’t really make sense, but I guess they’ll figure it out. Alex thinks not eating is healthy eating and turns down everything offered to him. I tried to explain to him that he has to have energy. I hope he gets it soon. Fortuantly, they both are drinking a ton of water instead of soda!!! I’m looking forward to their first game so my mind will be set as ease –hopefully that works. Here is a photo of Jake and Alex preparing for practice, my Dad took a the photo. They look so grown up, well, I guess they are growing up. Especially Alex, he’s getting hair under his arms. OMG!

Today went to my parent’s house early to visit and do laundry. Mom and I decided to go pick up the boys in order to allow them to swim. Surprisingly enough..no fights broke out! I’ve always heard, “boys will be boys”, but I never understood it until recently when Jake and Alex began acting like boys. I guess they are so close in age that they fight bad now except for today, they actually got along! We played in the pool for a long time, mainly keep away. Alex kept getting irritated at me because I evidently have the longest arms he has ever seen..? Anyway, I guess I won that game. We played Rummy, War and Slap-Jack. I didn’t fair too well on War or Slap-Jack, but I kicked butt on Rummy. I learned from the best Grandma Willy!! The boys are really getting good at cards and actually I probably won’t play with them for too much longer because I know they’ll beat me real soon.  All in all we had a blast together playing and having fun. It’s nice to be a kid again especially when so much of my own childhood was spent in hospitals and doctor’s offices.

I took the boys home and picked up Sophia. Sophia had a great last day of summer school — she won a Nintendo DS, one of those handheld games.I’m so happy she won it, but I’m worried that there won’t be a lot of games she can play, but we’ll soon find out. She left her DS behind and came with me to babysit my friend Cindy and Adam’s little girls. Elise, their older daughter and Sophia play as often as they can. Anyway, we went there for about three hours. Sophia had a blast playing with Elise…they played babies, My Little Ponies and dress-up. Soph doesn’t get many chances to play with little girls so it’s always a joy to take her to Cindy and Adam’s.

We left about 9, stopped at Walgreens to get milk and somehow a set of fake nails. Yes, the ones I mentioned earlier. We got home, made pancakes, took Creagle for a walk and finally manicures before we slipped into bed. Once Sophie fell asleep, I snuck out to clean up the messy apartment. Now as the clock strikes 12am I’m wondering if I should hop into bed or not? There are Mike and Ikes in the kitchen and I just don’t think I can sleep knowing they are in the house…unopened..? Hmm?

Tomorrow we have a fun filled day planned. A walk to the bakery for donuts and milk (coffee for me), stop by the park on the way home, Soulard Farmer’s Market, Bird Sanctuary and then to Mom and Dad’s to swim and BBQ. All in all I am enjoying my summer vacation now..this is how life is supposed to be: enjoying the ones you love! I’m so fortunate to have such good friends and family–I truly am a lucky girl!

Good night-hitting the sack, I’ll let you know about the false finger nails. Enjoy your weekend!