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Welcome to Matthew's Web Page. Matthew was diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) in March, 2000. He relapsed in December, 2001. He had a Bone Marrow Transplant from a Matched Unrelated Donor (MUD) on March 26, 2002 at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Unfortunately he relapsed again on May 31, 2002, 66 days out from his Bone Marrow Transplant. He came home on Hospice and earned his angel wings at home surrounded by his family on July 22, 2002.
The following is a song by Garth Brooks called "The Dance." Julie and I thought about including it in the funeral for Matthew, but were afraid that every time we heard the song, we would have thought about Matthew...Sorry, Julie, now, that is the song that runs through my mind...If I would have missed the pain of Matthew battling Leukemia, I would have missed the good parts of his life...
THE DANCE
Looking back on the memory of
The dance we shared beneath the stars above
For a moment all the world was right
How could I have known you'd ever say goodbye
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance
Holding you I held everything
For a moment wasn't I the king
But if I'd only known how the king would fall
Hey who's to say you know I might have changed it all
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance
Yes my life is better left to chance
I could have missed the pain but I'd of had to miss the dance
Below is the sign of Childhood Cancer Awareness - the Gold Ribbon
****** New Photos - ******
Journal
Saturday, July 21, 2012 3:53 PM CDT It's hard to believe that it's been 10 years since our dear, sweet Matthew lost his fight with leukemia. Not a day goes by that I don't think about him. In some ways it feels like it was forever ago that we were all sitting on the bed around him in his last days of life, but yet it seems like just yesterday. Each year that passes by is hard, but it seems like this year is especially difficult. I guess it's because 10 years seems like such a lifetime ago.
Dirk and I are in charge of the blood drive at our church next Sunday. We had a drive in honor of Matthew in May, 2002 and collected more units of blood than had ever been collected in a blood drive at our church. This year, we would like to surpass that number. Your donation of blood and platelets makes such a difference in the life of a person with cancer - Matthew required 38 units of blood and 39 units of platelets throughout his battle with leukemia. The blood drive is July 29th at Our Savior Lutheran Church on Elm Street in St. Charles, MO from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm - please help us reach our goal. (off my soap box now)
Dirk and I are doing well. I'm still working at St. Louis Cancer Care as an Oncology Nurse and love my job. Lately, though, it seems like we've lost a lot of patients to this horrible disease called cancer. I get really down sometimes, but I have to believe that I can make a difference. I don't share Matthew's battle with all my patients, but if I feel that they can benefit from my experience, I'm comfortable talking about him.
I've become more interested in photography. I've been taking several classes in Photography and also Photoshop. We had a Night Photography class and I learned how to take pictures of fireworks, among other things. I really enjoy seeing the world through the lens of my camera.
Julie and Brad moved to Dallas last year. Norah (our granddaughter) turned 3 in June and is a treasure - I only wish I saw them more often. "Grandma" is such a wonderful name. Dallas is just too far away. Christopher and Cami live in Minnesota. Christopher's finishing up his last year of residency in Radiation Oncology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester - it is just too far away, too!
They will all be home in September for my mom's 90th birthday - I can't wait.
Thanks to you who still stop by from time to time. Even though I don't update very often, I still stop by and read any posts. Last night Dirk and I were looking through Matthew's journal history - it's hard to believe it all happened. Reading all the posts from his friends brings tears to my eyes. That was a terrible time for us all and it brings back to reality all the suffering that Matthew went through... I know that he's healthy and happy now.
We love you dearly, Matthew, and miss you so much !!!
Read Journal History
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