SAHM
& More!
Publisher: Lil Howlers Volume No. 1 Issue No. 1 Date June 10, 2004
About
SAHM & More
This newsletter is designed to provide
information in an educational yet humorous manner. It is given with the
understanding that the writers are not handing out legal, accounting,
psychiatric, psychic, or any other mystical services. If such assistance is
required, the services of a competent professional or witch doctor should be sought out.
All content are written and
shared by other SAHM's (or dads as the case may be). There may be mistakes made
of typographical nature within. Please understand that we all need sleep now
and then. This newsletter should be used as a general guide and not as a "one-size-fits-all" system. There is
no such thing.
So
feel free to send in a submission, it can be anything you are interested in.
Future Features
Budgeting on
one income
Cutting corners
Crafting
Earning from home vs. out side the home, ups and downs of both options
Hints & tips from other SAHM's
Dads Advice
Getting organized
Recipes
DIY
Book Reviews
Family Time
Personal Time
Web site reviews and recommendations
WAHM reviews
Notable quotes
The
three L's - Life, Love, and Laughter
Cloth
Diapering
Fundraising News
Lets face it; we all need
help once in a while. Do you know a SAHM who could use a little help? Submit
her story and see who’s willing to lend a helping hand.
This issues Mommy to help
April Dawn and her baby Levi. (www.ThatFatBaby.com
) April Dawn does a lot to help others in need. Now she is in need herself.
Please say a prayer for her and her family…
Levi is just 7 weeks old and had
been diagnosed with an inoperable malignant brain tumor.
Many auctions have been set up
in his benefit. Please check out Donations/Auctions
for Levi ~~That Fat Baby for listings; or search for TFB to find more on
E-bay. More auctions are being listed. Please help if you can.
I am just amazed at all the out
pouring of love and help going to them at this time. Thank you everyone that’s taken the time to help out.
Here is the latest update from
April Dawn:
"7 weeks ago I was
holding my beautiful baby boy in my arms for the
first time while I was being held in my husband's arms. Just
coincidence I woke up and was aware of the exact time and date.
Ok I hope I make sense. So much has gone on and so many things told
to us and then changed. The pediatric neurosurgeon at first said
can't cut it out basically because he's so young and wouldn't survive
surgery. Said that radiation is basically not an option for someone
this little and that chemo usually does more damage than good. Said
that at this point a biopsy wouldn't help anything it would just so
they can learn from this. That untreated he has at the most 2 months
to live. Then he left the room for a bit came back in and said we had
two options. Starters the ONLY chance for survival is complete
removal of the tumor. So plan A. go in and just cut it all out and
basically hope he survives the surgery. The 3 outcomes would be
death, comatose or alive w/ handicaps. Plan B. biopsy to find out
what cancer type it is, start a very low dose chemotherapy and
hopefully slow it down, buy enough time that he can get a few weeks
older and up his chance of surviving surgery. If he survives then
he'll undergo surgery. So 8 am is his biopsy.
I guess it's a miracle that he acts as normal as he does. I mean the
part of his brain that his "gone" is a major part.,..well I guess any
part of the brain is but ykwim.
Thank you for all your support. It means so much to know that my
husband won't have to go back to work anytime soon. I love you all.
You are one of the greatest gifts in my life.
BTW I can read my aol email but for some reason it's not letting me
email out so if I dont' reply that is why. Believe every email is
read and lifts my spirits and helps me. I have been relaying every
bit of it to my dh and the nurses."
And
yet more info comes in….
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well mamas...
i talked to April Dawn...She is an AMAZINGLY strong mama...
Levi went for his biopsy this AM the results of what kind of cancer will be in
tomorrow.
He did not do very well and bleed ALOT..making surgery not an option...he is
just to little to survive it.
depending on what TYPE of cancer it is his prognosis is a few months, and chemo
or radiation would do more harm than good :(
they want him to have a comfortable life, and are going to take him home and
love him up.
They are getting in contact with hospice. They are hoping to go home next week,
and are looking into getting a family portrait done.
she is BLOWN AWAY by everything everyone has done is appreciates it more than
we will ever know.
I want her to be able to enjoy her family without her husband needing to go
back to work..and without $ being an issue PLEASE keep up the efforts.
Remember she has a toddler...Livie..who has no idea as of yet...she is a girly
girl into purses and dresses..ladybugs and anything with spots..lol lets start
sending her stuff to keep her busy...
i cant write anymore...i'm too sad..please pass this info on
~Jenni~
mama to Jack & Grace
-Praying for Baby Levi-
www.JacksMagicBeanstalk.com
Here is the next bit from April
Dawn
---Paste---
I am so overwhelmed
by everything everyone everywhere is doing. You
all are truly....I can't even find the words. I have been taking
quick peeks whenever I can at what ya'll are doing. It's amazing. I'm
in tears. I've seen the tshirts and the bracelets and the tarts... I
knew the internet had special mamas and people out there but never
realized just how many and how generous. Is there ANYway to get at
least one of each special item designed for Levi? I saw the shirts
and started ordering a bunch of them. One for Levi, Livie, dh and I
and then I was starting to add one for my great friend Cindy, my mom
and MIL and Then I thought what the heck am I doing?? I just want
them so much. Ok I can't stop crying.
I am slowly printing out the emails sent to my aol acct (I am posting
this through yahoo groups) to keep them in a binder to have forever
and ever. In fact dh is out right now buying me a binder and hole
puncher. There are so many people that have emailed me directly and I
want so badly to respond but this computer keeps treating them as pop
up ads when I hit reply and won't let me. Please spread the word that
I can't email from there. If they need to email me and wish for a
response to join this group and email the group so I can respond
through the group. I understand that some want me to call so of
course that should go to my private aol email and then I print that
out. But if they want an email response to post this group.
I don't know what all has been updated out there but I think the
latest for all of you is that today he had to have a blood
transfusion has is red cell count is down to 6.7 and it's suppose to
be 9. I thank the donor so much whoever the person was. I see things
in a whole new light now. Dh said he use to think he could never
parent a down syndrome child (his brother has downs) and now he
says "I'll take it!" He said he use to feel sorry for handicapped
people now he says he is so happy for them and their family. Ok I go
to stop I can't see to type.
You are all so wonderful. And every time Iget to read just one email
I go back in the room smiling because I feel all warm and loved. I
feel my family is loved by the whole world. These emails are my
outlet when I get overwhelmed by visitors and doctors and emotions.
Dh has walked miles on the ward carrying Levi singins SpongeBob
Squarepants. The song is posted in our bathroom and reminding people
to wash their hands so that's why he is singing it. He also
chants "Cancer go away" in a soft whisper nonstop some nights.
Ok I've been in here long enough. I've seen so many sites for Levi
it's amazing.
Thank you a million times over.
permission to crosspost this message is definitely granted. I want
EVERYONE to know I love them.
---End---
This next
bit is a post from one of the AOL chat boards… I wanted to post it here just in
case it gets pulled.. I agree 100% with it
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I am posting this for all those people who think it's
crazy that there has been such an outpouring of support for this family.
I was VERY upset by the negative comments posted on the board yesterday, and
apparently was more bothered by it than I realized because I woke up thinking
about writing this...so I must have been struggling with it in my sleep.
: (
We care because we know it could have happened to any one of us. This is
not a situation where we feel bad but say, "That won't happen
here." The truth is that we are all vulnerable to something like
this. There is nothing April or her husband could have done to predict or
prevent this terrible tragedy. It just happened. And that makes it
very scary for anyone who has children (or, like me, is about to become a
mother). We care because we want to do more than just let her know we are
thinking of her--yes, it's the thought that counts, but I'm sorry, a $100 check
with our best wishes just would not cut it. They need as much time as
possible to spend with their child without worrying about losing their home or
wondering how they will feed their daughter. If an extra hour of my
personal effort raises only $5 for the cause, then I am THRILLED, because
that's another lunch at the hospital cafeteria for April!!! It's a sad
fact that finances continue to be a problem for families who are in crisis
mode...and in my family we know that all too well lately. Just because
someone is in the hospital doesn't mean the bills don't keep coming, and most
companies are only understanding to a point. NONE OF US wants to see
their home phone shut off because they care more about their son than material
possessions. That's what FRIENDS are for! No, I do not know April
personally, but so what??? Anyone who has a heart can see this is a
person in great need and if there is any small thing we can be doing to help
her, WHY SHOULDN'T WE? We care because we refuse to feel totally helpless
in all of this. Yes, it's out of our hands to a large degree, but if there
is even 1% of the outcome of this situation that we can affect, we feel it's
important to try. To show our kids that it's not true we have to sit on
our hands and accept whatever horrible thing happens without DOING SOMETHING TO
HELP. Many believe in the power of prayer, as well, and are more than
willing to spend their valuable time praying for a miracle. What is a day
or even a week out of each of our lives when it might impact so greatly on the
life of someone else?? And for the people who have implied this is all a
hoax...first of all, how sick!! Yes, it's the internet, and yes, there
are some terrible, sick people out there who WOULD fake something like
this. I will admit that years ago I believed someone who said she was
sick and dying of a particular disease, and it was 6 months before I found out
she was lying the whole time (after she supposedly "died")...of
course I was angry about that but NOT at myself, wanna know why?? Because
I was PROUD of myself for being such a caring person!! Anyone who would
find as much detail in this story, as many people who actually KNOW April and
know the situation is real, yet hesitate to help in some small way--or WORSE,
announce that they think it's all made up!!!--has allowed too much skepticism
to harden his/her heart!!!!!! Life is too short to go around constantly
worried about who is trying to screw you over. How about feeling a little
LOVE and COMPASSION for your fellow man, instead?? The rewards are much
greater than in ALWAYS being right, lemme tell ya. And for the people who
don't seem to understand why April and Levi are MORE deserving of help than
others...first of all, NONE of us ever said they were more deserving!!
Yes, there are lots of children sick with cancer, but this is a mother and
child many of us know personally, at least in passing. April posted on
the midwifery/homebirth board with me when she was pregnant with her son.
She posts here and from what I have heard is an amazingly generous woman who
has made sure plenty of needy mamas have been able to cloth diaper their
babies. To me that kind of person is an angel. She didn't HAVE to
help those people, but she did it out of the kindness of her heart. How
terrible it would be for her to have to find out now that the door doesn't
swing both ways!! I'm sure she was not expecting all this, but she
deserves it and more!! Someone asked why we don't donate our time/money
to other causes. Well, that's just INSANE!! Most of us do, whether
it be through donations or church projects or volunteering our time.
That's like saying, "My father had a heart attack but why should I go
visit HIM and not any of the thousands of other people who just had heart
attacks??" Please. We reach out to help those we are closest
to and who have touched our hearts the most. It is a testament to April's
own kindness and love that so many people are now showing kindness and love
towards her and her family. Anyone who is jealous of that, I can only
assume to be so selfish and disliked that they fear they would not be supported
in a similar fashion should the same fate befall them...and that is sad.
We care because we are human beings who have hearts...so I think all you trolls
should ask yourselves what has happened in your lives to make you so bitter,
and then do what you can to rectify the situation. Please hurry before
it's too late to save yourself from the kind of hate you are spreading!!!
As for us, we will continue to support April, Levi, Jason, and Livie for as
long as it takes to see them through this horrible tragedy, and we will
continue to shake our heads at people so small they cannot grasp the concept of
love.
~Kristina~
Baby #1 due 10/19
We're Going on VACATION!!!
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We are waiting on Dr. McCallister of St. Jude's to get back from
talking to pathology. Cross your fingers and say prayers mamas!
Other places that his tests are being sent to is Duke in NC, Harvard
in Boston, a doc in Orange, CA and St. Jude's in Memphis. If these
docs say nothing can be done we'll see what these other docs say and
if 2 or 3 say they CAN do something w/out causing him alot of pain
and quality of life if he survives treatment then we'll go from
there. However if nobody can do anything then we'll just stay here. I
*think* we have to stay in the hospital for our insurance to cover
everything. Which after his blood transfusion a day or two ago I
think dh and I would rather be here. That gave us a real scare. So
now my precious (Lord of the rings!!) is apart of 3 people
physically. Daddy, Mommy and his blood donor. :)
He has soo many angels in this world looking after him too! Ok I best
go.
Amy
& Ed
Keith Anthony
www.MommyMaeI.com
Making
Strides Against Breast Cancer
help me reach my goal of
$200!
.........20.........40.........60.........80.........100........120........140.........160.........180.........200
-Praying for Baby
Levi-
SOME WONDERFUL NEWS!!!!
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There is a doctor in
Boston (Harvard) that has a protocal for Levi's
specific cancer needs. He will be discharged from the hospital
tomorrow and will be flying to Boston and sees the doctor Tuesday
morning. He WILL BE HAVING surgery on Tuesday.
Now that they have a specific cancer and name, they have been able
to contact people all over the world. There is a dr. in CA who has
done 2 surgeries on babies Levi's age. One lived 10mths the other
recently celebrated his 5th birthday. The dr. in Boston has even
better odds.
They now need 2 tickets out of Peoria to Boston sometime this
weekend. Does anyone have any contacts so that these tickets can be
donated. I do not believe airlines take donated frequent flying
miles, but if they do, that would be great.
Keep up the prayers everyone. The doctors say that given the placing
and size of the tumor Levi should be in a vegetative-like state.
Instead he is a thriving, bright-eyed, nursing baby.
Livie will be staying with her grandmother for the time they are in
Boston. Please keep her in your prayers as well.
Sadie
Mom
to Nate, Brina, Abbi, Ceci, and our Caboose...
Nicholas Wilmot, born 3/14/2004
my5kiddos.jpg
.~.~.~.
-Praying
for Baby Levi-
Donations/Auctions
for Levi ~~ That Fat Baby
Advertising-click the pictures to visit the web page.
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That’s me! Send in your ads today. |
Gemma
Bellus-Jewelry |
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Tupper
Ware with Megan |
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Groovy Things-cool things for babies |
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Coming
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Cloth
Diaper shop |
Single
Page Memories, Scrapbooking |
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OK so I am no HTML wiz.. and I cant figure out why my FTP loader isnt connecting
the pictures here. *sigh* anyone willing to help me figure it out? LOL..
Apparently its not HTML its XML??? Uhm?? Huh?
