Some catching up to do...

I'm not really sure how I've gotten so far behind on the blog but it's time to catch up.  I'm so far behind we're going to be talking about Christmas in July if I don't hurry.  Things might end up a little out of order, but stay tuned, they are coming!

An Update on Mr. Tucker

Since I wrote that last post, Mr. Tucker has raised over $67,000 and as I type this, they should be just about to wrap up his double lung transplant!!  Last week Duke picked him up at MCV and flew him down there for evaluation.  He started getting better and was walking at the end of the week.  Early this week he made it on the transplant list and around noon today, he went in for surgery, as a donor had been found.  What an emotional whirlwind it has been.  I might have cried a little bit today thinking about how fast things have happened and how amazing it has been to be able to help in some small way.  My heart goes out to the family of the owner of these new lungs, but I'm sure they couldn't pick someone nicer than Tucker to get them.  It's been unbelievable watching his friends, family and many, many complete strangers come together to support him.    He's turned into a bit of a rockstar, and while I wish he didn't have to be sick to get there, I think he's pretty deserving of the title.  His story has been covered by the local news and radio stations and carried across the world through the internet and people just taking the time to talk about it.  There have been huge fundraisers and donations by complete strangers of just a few dollars.  It's all really adding up!

The kids' school has had several fun fundraisers which have allowed the boys to get involved and to understand how important it is to help people out.  As if we needed another reason to love our school, watching them come together over this has been amazing too.  There are pictures of Tucker every few feet in the building and they have raised thousands of dollars with penny wars and a date night and bracelet sales.  The boys have worn their HelpTuckerBreathe bracelets incessantly since they got them.  Jack asked me one day this week how long he should wear his bracelet.  I told him that was up to him and he said "I think I'll wear it until Mr. Tucker gets back to school."  They don't fully understand the gravity of the situation, but they do understand that someone they love is sick and that we need to do all that we can to help him get better.  

I posted this on the facebook page for Tucker last night but wanted to have it here for posterity as well. Max said something the other night that brought a tear to my eye...

Thanks to all of you that said a prayer or donated to Tucker or someone else who was in need.  It's nice to feel like the world can work together and help each other out.  We love you all and we love Mr. Tucker!  Can't wait to see what a rockstar he'll be when he can actually breathe!!

Help Mr. Tucker Breathe

We are so fortunate to have found such a wonderful "school" for our kids to attend while we work.  We've loved it from the very start and really cannot imagine how different life would be had we ended up anywhere else.  Most of what makes it so amazing involves the wonderful staff.  They are all amazing.  And they love these boys like their own.  They have amazing and unique talents and we love how they are exposed to so many new things there that Kenny and I wouldn't necessarily think to teach them.  One of those amazing staff members needs our help.  Mr. Tucker was one of Max's teachers.  He's a really cool young guy covered in tattoos and piercings - perhaps one of the nicest, most genuine guys you'll ever meet.  He too attended Tuckaway as a child and now is back as a teacher.  I guess he loved it too.  He spends his days chasing toddlers and they all adore him.  I can't tell you how many times Max has begged to see Mr. Tucker.  Tucker played so much basketball with Max and really taught Max to love it.  It was no coincidence that when Tucker got sick a few months back, Max stopped being interested in hoopball.  He started calling Max "Roni"...like Max-a-roni...or Macaroni.  It stuck and I probably call him Roni more often than I call him Max these days.  And check out Tucker's crazy hair...it's a lot like Max's (at least in this picture)! :)

Unfortunately Tucker suffers from Cystic Fibrosis.  It's a horrible disease and shortens lives considerably every day.  As I write this, he's in the hospital fighting for his life, and a new pair of lungs. He's waiting to be accepted into the lung transplant program at Duke but meanwhile needs financial help to ease the burden.  He needs around the clock care for months following the transplant and it's in another state.  This means someone will have to essentially move to Duke to be with him and that person, or people, probably will have a hard time holding down a job while this happens. He seems to have a wonderfully supportive family and his friends have really stepped up to the challenge, but he needs all the help he can get. 

His friends have set up a website to help raise the money he needs for a transplant.  It's working.  He's getting closer and closer but the financial burden of this procedure and recovery are huge.  Our family is also walking with Tucker's team in the Cystic Fibrosis walk in a few weeks.  We're trying to raise funds for that as well, but are most interested in helping with Tucker's more immediate needs.  We love Tucker and we want so badly for him to get the chance to breathe.  To get to experience what we all take for granted every day.

I hate asking for money and help. I really do.  But this is really important to our family.  We want to do all that we can to help him.  I know that the economy is rough, and most of you don't know Tucker and have your own friends and family that you are trying to help.  I completely appreciate that and thank you for doing whatever you can to help anyone that you can.  I do hope that you will at least keep Tucker and his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers over the coming months.  That will help a lot too.

Thanks for taking the time to keep up with us and helping us to help Tucker breathe.

Link for donation site: http://www.gofundme.com/helptuckerbreathe