Monday, September 22, 2008

A True Warrior







Every once in a while, we recieve somene in our lives that makes a lasting impression. And, every once in a while, we're blessed to call that person family. Such is the case with my niece, Robynn.

Robynn is my brother's child, just six months older than my youngest child. They're both 8 years old. For five years Robynn and her parents lived close to me on our family's farm. For five years, I got to see Robynn every day and watch her grow. With my daughter in school, and the boys into everything, Robynn became my girl. There were plenty of evenings when I sat with my son in one arm and Robynn in the other, rocking them to sleep.

Summer 2007, Robynn wanted to join the Little League Cheerleading squad and a trip to the doctor for her sport's physical ended up in a battle for her life. You see, Robynn has Leukemia, Acute Myelomonocyctic Leukemia. She has been an awesome cancer warrior throughout her ordeal. She has made some great friends while in the hospital, and even lost some to this awful disease, but she has managed to keep her spirits up and her fighting will alive. She has endured long seperations from her brothers and dad while hospitalized, she missed Christmas at home because she was hooked to a ventilator, and she only got to attend 2 months of second grade.

InFebruary this year, Robynn was announced Cancer Free and had her central line removed. We were so happy for her, she had finally made it into remission! March was a tough month as she learned of the deaths of several of the friends she had made through her experience. Relasping was her greatest fear, she had anxiety attacks over the thought of it.

April she got to go back to school and, even better, her hair started to grow back in. She wasn't happy that it was full of curls, but I thought it was adorable (I quickly learned not to say this to Robynn, though, for she couldn't be convinced).

The summer passed in a whirlwind of activities for Robynn and her family-they got to go to DisneyWorld through Make A Wish foundation, she got to attend her first week long camp, and she finally got to go swimming again! (My brother's family is very into camping and swimming in the summer months, weirdos)


But in August, we learned that Robynn had relasped. The month of August and most of September was a whirlwind, also. But this time it was a hard round of chemo and preparations for a bone marrow transplant. The transplant is this friday, September 26, and Robynn has asked that everyone wear a butterfly in her honor on that day.

I am passing her request along, with one of my own. I would ask that anyone that prays, I don't care if you call him God, Allah, or the great Alien in the sky, please remember Robynn and her baby brother, Braden, in your prayers. Robynn has fought a fight worthy of the nobelest knight, and poor little Braden is only 3 and doesn't understand what is asked of him, he only knows he's going to help his sister get better.

So, please, remember my niece and nephew in your thoughts friday, and if you feel like it wear a butterfly and tell everyone it's for Robynn McGlothlin, one of the greatest warriors that has ever lived.

I Love You, Miss Robynn B!

All scrapbooking pages made with products from Digital Scrapbook Place