Bk94812
Bambi


Stephen & Bambi - February 1999

Hi my name is Bambi and I live in the Florida Keys with my husband, Stephen and our 3 kids - Christopher-12, Michael-9, and Shelby-7. Christopher is our oldest and was born 9/15/86 very healthy. Micahel is our second (middle child - watch out!)and he is 9 - he is our little fisherman! That is all he wants to do - good thing we live by the water! Shelby is our last, but we are very glad to have her. She is my buddy - with 2 brothers we have to stick together. She loves gymnastics and is a level 3 gymnast, and goes to meets all around FL. It is something we have been able to do together.

I have been in the banking business for 17 years and like it - but my second job is my kids - the one I really enjoy. My husband is a foreman for a construction company and works way too much! I think this is how he has coped with all of this.

Our lives changed on March 23, 1998. That is the day when we learned that Chris had cancer. About 2 years earlier, Chris complained of chest pains and would run a temp & not be able to move his arm. It would last for about 3 days. This would happend like every few months. I took him to the doctor every time, and they would always say "Well, what were you doing?" Christopher is very athletic, so they would always say he just pulled a muscle. So I trusted the doctors. Well the pains were too often, so off to a new doc - a ton of tests - nothing. Pains came again - off to another new doctor - this one saved my son's life. He ordered an x-ray and an MRI, and said "this boy should not be in this much pain". Thank God for him. We were sent to the hospital after the MRI. It did not look good - there was a tumor on his 2nd rib bone. They did a needle biopsy and that is when we learned he had Ewings Sarcoma - a bone cancer. It was a tough day for us between family and friends calling all day, we live 2 hours away from the hosptial - Baptist in Miami. Finally Chris said "Mom what is wrong with me?" So I told him and he asked how he got it. I could not answer him. he said "Well Mom, I am not afriad - I'll be fine". Wow! Well off to chemo land we went he got 2 months of chemo every 3 weeks, and in June of 98 they removed the 2nd rib bone. Then 8 more months of chemo, and he finished in March of 99. So now we get scans every 4 months and pray they are clean...

We live in a small town and the support we have received overwhelms me at times. They had a fundraiser and I think the whole town was there. All of Chris's friends shaved their heads - even his baseball coach did. Chris played baseball & football when he was getting chemo, and got mad at his doctor when he told him he couldn't play because his counts were too low - he said "Mom I feel fine!!!" I was glad when the season was over - I think his doc was too.


Chris in the hospital with his favorite game.
This was during his last 5 day chemo in hospital.
Boy was he glad!


Chris with his new boat from Children's Wish Foundation


Shelby, Chris & Michael - August 1999 - My Water Kids

We have been very lucky with what he have been through & count our blessings every day. We pray to stay cancer free, so our boy can fulfill his dream to play professional ball some day. I will be that forever grateful, loud mom in the stands "THAT'S MY BOY!!"


Chris - After Chemo - 8/99

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