2008-08-20

Well I thought I was talking to myself until I got a email from Barbie.  Thanks for the encouragement Barbie. 

This is what happen with the matching companies, I did a google.  Matching Gifts Companies in Southern California.  It pulled up other charities and lo and behold there was a long list with the link to the company.  I copied it and put in excel and highlighted in red the companies in my city.  The list has 301 companies and so far I have logged in 16 in the data base.  I have a letter completed to send to companies, so all I need to do is call and get a contact name with an email and we may get a foot in the door.

My friends have asked me why I have went hog wild over this and I am sure you may be wondering. So here's my story -

Two years ago My favorite Aunt (she is 10 years older than me) was diagnosis with Colon Cancer - She lives in Indiana- I felt comfortable calling her everyday and giving her support and prayer over the phone.  She made it through - Praise the Lord she is a survivor - So I celebrate Her.

December 15th, 2007 I got a call, my brother was diagnosis with cancer of the tongue (What he has never smoked a day in his life).  August he bit his tongue and it would not heal - Sept they did a partial removal of his tongue - and he was still not getting better.  December he was diagnosis.  I was told that he would need a feed tube put in because he was having difficulty swallowing.  I went to Indiana the last week in Dec to be there for the procedure on Jan 2nd.  (He still had not had any other treatment).  When I saw how much weight he had lost and how much pain he was in and on top of that since I was the one at the hospital for the procedure, they taught me how to do the feedings.  I decided to come back to Ca and get some things straight so I could go back.  I returned to be his caregiver - the ACS put us up in an extended stay near the cancer center where he began radiation and then chemo.  I didn't want to know, but I had to ask - he was in stage 4.  I am so grateful that I got to be there with my brother and take care of him, he did go be with the Lord on Feb 26th.  So I Remember him.  I still shed tears and would love to hug him one more time.  And please do not let me hear Alicia Keys song that talks about Love me like it was the last time, Hug me like you will never see me again.  Now I tell all brothers and sisters to Love each other like it was the last time.  My Brother was 44 and I miss him dearly.  Got to go now - full of tears - but its ok - he was my brother.