You can be part of the journey toward a cure.
	| Home | Invitation | Register On-Line | First Timers | Team | Ross' Book | Ross' Tips | Mom's Poem | Comments | Printable Donor Form |

Tina's Poem:

Holding Ross

By Tina Romenesko

One day-a normal family

homework and music lessons

football stats and Sports Center

job stress and daily chores

a kiss before bed.

Family life.

The days flow by, seemingly unnoticed.

Then one day life is turned up side down..

a stomach ache that won't subside

internal heat

weakness and pain.

What is stealing my child's health?

The sirens are for us as through blinding snow we speed to Madison.

The Emergency Room.

He is poked and prodded through the night....

and each time my heart breaks.

Finally an answer is given.

A viral cancer.

Why a child? Why MY child?

The most unfair of all God's tricks.

The weeks crawl by.

He doesn't speak.

He lies naked on the bed, covered only with tubes I understand and still fear.

We read to him constantly

massaging him with the sound of our voices

We are here. You are here.

Be brave. Be strong.

Finally, one day, an angel in nurse's clothing appears.

She sees my need and asks the question,

"Would you like to hold him?"

To hold him again....

I can hardly remember the feeling

and realize I feared I would never know it again.

The child who needs a million hugs a day.

To hold him. Yes. Thank you.

As she lifts my dying child into my arms

the sorrow finally surfaces.

No longer can I deny the twist of fate that brought us on this journey to hell.

I finally accept and weep.

tears of confusion

tears of sorrow

tears of hope....for myself and for my son.

Tears I fear may never stop.

And somewhere within the darkness of the moment, there is faith.

in God? in medicine?

in the mystery?

I send Ross my hope...and it is met by his strength.

We both know he will survive and our courage is restored.

We struggle through the months of chemo.

we laugh

we cry.

we travel to Madison.

The news is good.

He plays his trombone. He plays soccer.

He lives and loves his life.

He is a miracle.

Top of Page