RE: Update and Great News!

[Guest guest]

Congradulations !!!

That is great. So glad to hear that some good news will be forthcoming to him

and to all of you.

Helen

[Guest guest]

Hi to everyone. I have some great news about 's schooling, but first I

wanted to give a quick update on our house. had his infusion last

Monday and had some minor complications, but he's doing well. He's been

fighting off a virus for about a week now and on Monday woke up with a sore

throat. The immunologist ordered a quick strep and a culture. Both came in

negative but the throat culture did come back as having an " extreme

overabundance of typical pharanasal flora " . Which I was told meant he's got

a good run of post-nasal drip. The good--if you can really call it this--is

that his temperature was actually slightly elevated for him. His normal is

around 97.5 and it was running in the 99.'s on Monday. hasn't had a

fever since coming off his chemo almost 5 years ago and he has never had a

fever without a blood infection or pneumonia. Anyway, he's over his " cold "

but has passed it on to his big brother and little sister.

Ok, now for the good news-- has received a college scholarship

already!!!!! We received the official word of it today in the mail. It's a

state sponsored program for Florida Pre-Paid tuition--he will receive

tuition for 2 years of community college or trade/vocations training and 2

years of state university. Only 3 kids in the third grade at his school

were rewarded this special program--which is a pilot program sponsored by

private corporations. Anyway, this is such great news for us--and him. Who

would have thought that an 8 year old would already have a scholarship to

college.

Ok, that's it. We are keeping this a secret from him until Christmas

morning and putting the letter in his Christmas stocking for him to find.

Thanks for letting me boast about my kid!

--mom to , 8, dysgammaglobulinemia, leukemia-in remission, etc.;

, 10; ,3.

[Guest guest]

,

What wonderful news about his scholarship!! That is so cool!!

I hope that the infusions help and he's feeling better!

Grace 8/14/97 (IgA def, selective T-cell deficiency,pneumococcal antibody

deficiency, mild asthma, allergies)

Caelan 8/26/99 (IgA def, selective T-cell deficiency, pneumococcal antibody

deficiency, asthma, eosinophilic esophagitis, severe food allergies)

[Guest guest]

,

As you can see, I am (as always, it would seem!) behind in mail. But I

just got this message about 's scholarship, and while I cannot say

I'm surprised (because I'm rarely surprised at the fabulous things

children -- especially the 'pumpkins' of this group -- can do when

supported and nurtured along the way), I AM " tickled pink " by this

news!! The " not surprised " part is because Jake has earned every penny

of that tuition, over and over and over, in his 8 years of life. He's

been a warrior in every battle, and he's a great role model, even for

" big kids " like me, in the way he lives his life every day -- you

describe how upbeat he is, how he never seems to complain about feeling

poorly, and how he just keep trying to overcome or work around the

obstacles that his illnesses have continued to place, without being

self-pitying or whiny along the way. There are an awful lot of adults

with PIDs (who have *never* faced even 1% of the problems has

faced, though you'd never know it, from how they talk) who could use a

bit of that attitude... could you please bottle that and start shipping

next month? *grin*

Kidding aside, is a remarkable child, who has gotten as far as he

has by the love and dedication of his family. Congratulations to you

*all*. I'm just picturing his face as he reads the message in his

stocking... What a great moment it will be for the whole family, to

rejoice in his success.

I hope that you have a lovely holiday season (and that everyone starts

feeling better) and happy, healthy new year. Congratulation hugs to

(after he finds out, obviously!),

Happy holidays!

Alan Svejkovsky wrote:

> I have some great news about 's schooling,

> <snip>

> Ok, now for the good news-- has received a college scholarship

> already!!!!!

>