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Samantha's Marathon for Life 
February 8, 2002 our lives forever changed.
Samantha was diagnosed with T-cell leukemia / lymphoma
Seven years later, she is still fighting the battle of the sever health problems from her 3 year cancer treatment. We won't know for a long time if she has won the war, but she is on her way. Samantha has been so brave. She has shown so much courage and strength. Our lives have been enriched by this disease which invaded so rudely into our lives over seven years ago. We have learned quickly how important a hug, a kiss, the smell of ones skin and the sound of a heart beat truly is. We no longer take for granted the simple pleasures in life. We laugh more, we cry more, and we love more. She has become a beautiful young lady. When she started this journey of having cancer she was only 9 years old. Now, Sammy is 16, and will be a senior in High School. She wants more than anything to be in class with all of her friends, but due to her ongoing health problems, it is something that she just can’t do right now. When she is feeling good, she goes until her body won't let her go anymore. We can never tell her to just take it easy. She always wants to be on the go and hanging out with her friends or family. She understands that life doesn't give you do'overs, so she makes every moment count. She is our hero.
Samantha is one of six children. We have a large family. Her oldest brother Ethan is serving in the Army and is stationed in Iraq for 15 months. Bradley, her second oldest brother, enlisted in the Army and shipped out for basic training for the Army on June 29, 2009. Christian is 17 and will be a senior in High School at Pioneer High School. Sammy's little sister Jessi is going into the 9th grade and will be the BIG freshman in high school. Her little brother Corey is going into the 8th grade. Our household is very full and we couldn't imagine it any other way.
We have lots of family and friends here in Woodland and spread out across this Nation. We couldn't be more thankful for their support and love. We are blessed!
As most of you know, and for those of you who have followed Sammy's journey, you know that Samantha has faced many short and long term effects from her 2 1/2 year cancer treatment. If you are new to her page and her journey, the last couple years have brought many challenges to her health. Through treatment, and from one of the 15 different chemotherapy drugs that she had to have, it brought about a heart condition called Prolonged QT syndrome. Just recently, she was diagnosed with another heart condition called Premature Ventricular Complex. This has proven to be a continuous challenge for her physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. When she asks why survival from her first round of treatment is like this, I honestly have no answers. She is now being treated by the eight different specialists at UC San Francisco. These doctors are her primary doctors of care because her health issues are severe and complex in nature. She has developed a condition called Sweet's Syndrome. They have discovered the Neutrophils in her stem cells are not healthy and not developing correctly. She has inflammation in the vessels of her brain and the CSF pressure is elevated in her brain. In December of 2008, she started having seizures. Of all the things that are going on with her health, this one to date is the most challenging. These seizures will happen at any time of the day or night. The specialists are currently looking at putting the puzzle pieces of everything wrong within her body to determine all the different diagnoses. She tries each day to make it a good day. Some days are better than others. Her main goal this year was to be in school and with her friends. She only went to school two days this last school year. She had a teacher who came to the house 3 times a week to assist her with her studies. Sammie missed her friends and all the things teenagers do in High School. We hope that her senior year will be much different and she will be able to go to school. With all the ongoing changes in her health, we update her journal as we know what is going on. No child at any age should have to go through what Sammie is going through. She handles it with grace and with such bravery. We hope that her life will inspire you to love more, hug more, dance when no one is watching, and live life as if you won't get tomorrow.
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Please take a moment and sign her guestbook. She enjoys seeing who has stopped by to visit her web page.
Please check back to see what is going on in her crazy and fun life.
Blessings to you and your family!
***BOOK RELEASE***
We were so pleased to announce the release of Sammy and her dad's childrens book. The date of the release was August 19, 2004. There was a book signing event at Cook Childrens Hospital with Kidd Kraddick in the Morning for KIDDKIDS. The time of the event was at 1:00pm. All proceeds from the sales of the books went to KIDDSKIDS. Sammy wanted to "pay it forward" and make a difference in another childs life. The book is entitled, "Too Pooped To Pop". Many of the illustrations that are in the book were painted by her dad while she was in the hospital getting chemotherapy. If you would like to know more about KIDDSKIDS, click here. Thank you to all of you who came out to support KIDDSKIDS.
Here are some of the reviews and comments from those who have reveived the book.
What a wonderful job! Great art, great story, great message!
Terry Josephson
Julianna Banana's dad
Winnipeg, Canada
Julianna.
I want you to know that I read your book with Scarlett more than one time everyday. We love it!
Lana Cowan
Scarlett Cowan's mom
Birmingham, AL.
Scarlett.
This is the funniest and cutest book on leukemia. I haven't seen anything better. They loved it! Steve and Sammy have done a great job in putting joy and humor on this situation.
Audra
Mom to Ariel (11), Keegan (5), Liam (4)
Littleton, CO.
Keegan.
What a terrific job! Sam and Steve did a wonderful job. I am so thankful to have a book at my daughters level to explain to her what is going on alittle better. Thank you.
Keli Deryck
Canal Fulton, CO.
Wow! My kids loved the book and we've all enjoyed reading the great story. Kendrie keeps saying "that girl has cancer? just like me????" and pointing to the cute pictures. Tell Sammy how proud she should be of herself (Dad, too!). They've created something that lots of people will enjoy, and which will be a benefit to many.
Kristie
Kendrie's mom
Georgia
Kendrie.
What a wonderful book!!!!! Thank you so much. Big kudos to Steven and Samantha for doing such a great job!!!!
Patti
Katie's mom
North Wales, Pennsylvania
Katelyn.
Cody said that he liked the part where Samantha cut her hair and laughed-It's the part he'd probably do to himself and wait for me to pass out. Gotta love that shock value! We also loaned the book to our "neighbor" on the unit this last week when Cody was impatient. Marcos is the almost-5 year old who was diagnosed woth Hodgkins 2 weeks ago. I think he'd look like the part of the crowd with Tony, Sam, and Mocha as he was cruising the halls adding some mischief to an otherwise dour place.
Tell Sammy we love the book!!
Brenda
Cody's mom
Los Alamos New Mexico
Cody.
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Help us help Sammy! Here is your chance to make a difference in helping with her on going HIGH costs of medical treatments. Most people believe that because we have private health insurance that it covers everything. I will say that it does cover the tens of thousands of dollars in regards to her complex medical conditions. However, it doesn't cover the hundreds of dollars in co-pays for her appointments, the co-pays for her medecines that she takes every day and it also doesn't cover the gas to and from San Francisco, the lodging while we are there, or the food that we have to purchase. These expenses can be overwhelming.No matter how little or how much, every bit will make a difference. Click on the button below.
Thank you!
Troy, Duffy, Bradley, Christian, Jessica, Corey and our daughter Sammy
So welcome to your life + cancer; where remission is not a cure and survivorship is all that matters. Now get busy living!
Sammie is coming up on a HUGE milestone in this battle that she calls life! On March 14th of 2009, she will officially be off of her cancer treatment for FIVE years and considered a SURVIVOR.
We are going to mark this very special day with a party!
We have discovered that even though there is no more chemotherapy or radiation, it has left behind in its wake many other health issues. For this one day, we are going to do all that we can to put that aside and celebrate Sammie�s LIFE.
So, with all of that being said, Sammie would like for those of you who have traveled this road with her over the last 7 years to send a picture or story about your walk with her during this journey. She wants to put together a commemorative book of the last 7 years.
You can email it to the email link at the bottom of this page. We hope that you will make this very special wish of helping her put this book together. Thanks!
A poem written by Samantha!
Cancer/Army Strong!!!!!
She doesn�t wear a camo uniform
Though everyday she wakes up in a storm
She doesn�t carry a gun or get around in a tank
A strong person, but carries no five star rank
Her chemo is deadly as a bullet to the heart
The needles will cause her to be forever marked
She didn�t sign up for this or choose this path
But never stops smiling and never forgets to laugh
Her body is invaded with death trying to take over
Fighting to stay strong like a game of Red Rover
Instead of combat boots, she wears hospital socks
The pain inside is like getting hit by one million rocks
Doctors devise a plan to save her precious life
While people in war, fight for our rights
She takes many painful hits from all different angles
No matter what, she is still herself and precious as an angel
There is no push-ups or running one hundred miles
But her body works just as hard going through clinical trs
She does not live in barracks, but rarely home
The treacherous but helpful hospital is where she roams
Sergeants are not in charge, instead her doctors are
Not in foreign countries, but travels very far
No official unit, only a group of friends together
She will also have the �good� and �bad� memories forever
Her heart remembers the fallen friends along the way
Though she is sick, she tries everything day by day
She was not sworn in to go active or reserve
This is not something she wanted, nor deserved
Her weak moments exist even though she is strong
It�s not something she wants, and it�s twisted wrong
Even though she can�t change the war, she still fights
In the end, it will be okay and things will be alright
She is a cancer soldier fighting with everything she has got
Cancer Strong, fighting the repercussions of what she has fought
Written by Sammie on March 22, 2009
The Strength of an Egg
Parents of children with cancer, or really any serious condition, are often referred to or viewed as having strength "like a rock." Albeit flattering, it isn't quite true. It is more like the strength of an egg. An egg, you ask? Yes, an egg. If you think about an egg, you will see the point I make.
An egg has a polished smooth outer appearance with no cracks or weak spots visible. It seems almost inconceivable that the inside might not be as smooth and solid as the outside. Most children, at some point in their lifetime, are shown the famous egg trick. An egg set at just the right angle can withstand enormous amounts of pressure and cannot be cracked or broken. Yet that same egg, tapped gently at an even slightly different angle will break. The contents, once so neatly concealed inside, will come spilling out, and the no longer perfect shell will be crushed. Then the shell looks so fragile that it seems inconceivable that it ever held any strength.
That is where parents of children with cancer are more like eggs than rocks. A rock is solid all the way through. If you tried to break a rock, it would be almost impossible. If successful, one would find that there was nothing inside but more rock. It takes a lot more than pure hardness to hold the hand of hope. These parents are not solid all the way through. They hurt, they fear, they cry, they hope. It takes a very careful balancing act to keep the shell from being shattered.
Balancing an egg while running a household, going for doctor visits and hospital stays, keeping the family together, and holding on to the constantly unraveling ties of your sanity can be very tricky indeed. Occasionally, the angle will be off and the shell will break, shattering hope and the neatly secured appearances of a truly fragile existence. Unlike Humpty Dumpty, though, parents of kids with cancer will pick themselves up and put themselves back together again.
by Juliet Freitag
Lately I've been winning battles left and right
But even winners can get wounded in the fight
People say that I'm amazing
Strong beyond my years
But they don't see inside of me
I'm hiding all the tears
They don't know that I go running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
'Cause deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child
Unafraid because His armor is the best
But even soldiers need a quiet place to rest
People say that I'm amazing
Never face retreat
But they don't see the enemies
That lay me at His feet
They don't know that I go running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and and cry for just a while
'Cause deep inside this armor
the warrior is a child
Journal
Thursday, July 2, 2009 7:24 PM CDT
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
This week has been very emotional for our entire family as we said good bye to Bradley as he left for basic training for the Army. Lots of family and friends came to the house to see the Army recruiter pull up to the house and pick him up to leave. Thankfully we had an hour ahead of time to all gather in the house and talk about all the things that mattered. Everyone had an opportunity to share how Brad had made a difference in their lives. Some where very funny and others were very serious.
Sammie and Jessi had the hardest time during that evening. Because Brad was the oldest in the house, he took it upon himself to "watch over them". Brad had always been the one to make sure Sammie knew that she would always be okay.
The next day, we were invited to Sacramento to watch Brad take an oath to serve and defend our Country. I was SO proud of this young man who is willing during war time to stand in the gap for our FREEDOM!!!!
Sammie has experienced a freedom that she hasn't had in over 6 months. She has NOT had a seizure in a MONTH!!! We are SO excited and SO thankful that the doctor put her on exactly the right anti seizure medication and it IS working!!!! Day by day in very small ways, Sammie is getting her life back. She is still dealing with major issues with her heart. We don't know if her passing out is related to the heart or the early onset of diabetes. We always say with her..... If it isn't one thing it is another.
She takes her chemo every Wednesday and for the following 72 hours she feels really yucky. This is week is NO exception. Today was REALLY bad. I really wish there was something that we could do to take the nausea and pain away. Just as she starts to feel human again, it's time for another dose. However, it keeps her cells in check and keeps them from growing disfunctionally. I honestly don't know what the lesser of the two evils are. So for now, we still do everday one day at a time.
Please be safe this holiday weekend and again.....
HAPPY 4TH of JULY!!!!
Read Journal History
Hospital Information: UC San Francisco Childrens Hospital
400 Parnasas Avenue
San Francisco CA.
Links: http://www.kiddskids.com Disney World
http://quiltsoflove.com/quilt_2004/samanthaP/samanthaP.html Sammy's Quilt of Love
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/sammiehartsfield Samantha Hartsfield
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