The Kids of 2008

Jesse

In the beginning of 2008, Jesse was a healthy, active 16 year old boy. He was in honors and AP classes as well as on the Mount Olive Robotics Team. He also spent his time creating and recording music as well as snowboarding. One Friday night, while snowboarding, Jesse fell. This fall apparently aggravated a tumor that had been growing on Jesse’s left kidney. Surgery proved that the cancer covered 80% of his left kidney and had wrapped itself into the kidney vein. After surgery, Jesse spent several days in ICU. Pathology results showed that Jesse had Stage II, Favorable, Wilm’s Tumor. We learned that it is very rare for a person of his age to have this type of cancer. Therefore, it was decided that he would receive a more aggressive treatment. He would immediately begin a 29 week course of chemotherapy using three chemo drugs, as well as 12 weeks of radiation. Now instead of building robots, snowboarding and doing all the things he would normally be doing, Jesse began battling nausea, fatigue, all over body pain and trying to eat enough to keep his weight up. There are times when he sleeps most of the day because he is so exhausted. Jesse has completed the 12 weeks of radiation and continues to have chemotherapy weekly, which will end the middle of August. I know there are days when just the words hospital, radiation or chemo can cause him anxiety and nausea. I also know there are days when he ignores the pain in an effort to get through and have a normal day. Jesse has always been a high-spirited person with a smile on his face. Despite all that he has been through and is going through, he continues to have a positive outlook and inspires and touches many people. He simply amazes me. As a single mom who has been laid off from work, I often find myself inspired by his positive attitude. He has taught me how to appreciate the good days and just how far a positive attitude can take a person. Jesse continues to create awesome music and is keeping up with his honors and AP school work with help from his wonderful teachers at Mount Olive High School. He hopes to be able to return to school next year and, in the future, attend an excellent engineering college where he can study aerospace engineering and be able to work for NASA upon graduation.

Nicole

Three weeks before Nicole was diagnosed, she had blue lips and fingernail beds. I took her to the pediatrician. He didn't give me much of a reason for the blue lips so I made an appointment with a cardiologist. On Nov. 7th, we went to the cardiologist and he immediately sent us to get blood work at the hospital. Once Nicole got the blue lips, she became very, very pale; she tired easily, complaining about walking to the bus stop. I had to carry her backpack. At her visit with the cardio, she had this "rash" like thing on her back. We later found out it is like broken blood vessels under the skin, which is indicative of leukemia. The cardiologist saw this and knew the severity of the situation. The blood test came back positive for blasts in the cells. We admitted Nicole into the hospital by 5 PM on Wed. Nov. 7. The next day they did a bone marrow aspiration to confirm the blood test. It showed 9% of blasts in her marrow. It was conclusive she had Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Nicole is undergoing treatment at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Paterson, New Jersey. We are confident and prayerful she will be in remission after her last treatment and after five years she will be cured. Nicole is a wonderful 10-year-old girl. She enjoys horseback riding, cheerleading, and being with her friends and cousins. Nicole is a great big sister to her seven-year-old sister, Samantha. Nicole is infatuated with Corbin Bleu, Chad from High School Musical. Before her diagnosis her personality was a bit shy, reserved and timid. During her treatments she has become feisty, more outgoing and has attained a strong sense of herself. Although this has been an extremely difficult time for our family, we have received many blessings. Our church community and our neighbors have been fine examples of Christ’s hands, feet and heart here on earth. People have been generous with their time, their gifts, their kindness and their compassion. We have been overwhelmed by the goodness of some many people, a lot of who we do not know. Sometimes it takes a trauma to realize the power of prayer. Time and time again God has had his hand in our ordeal by showing us his provincial care and love for our family. Please pray for our daughter Nicole and our family. May God bless you and keep you in his loving arms. The Ramsden Family.