Sad...

Around June of this year Brant and I were at Chick-Fil-A in Tucson and noticed a fundraiser going on. It was for a little girl named Peyton who was battling a horrible brain stem tumor(Glioblastoma to be correct). We only had $5 to give but wanted to help in any way we could. There was a flyer being passed around with her info and father's blog website and since then we have been following her story. Her father had the courage to write at least once a week no matter what was happening. She was going to UMC almost everyday for Chemo and medical treatments that were not even approved yet. The drugs were making her sicker than the actual tumor but her parents did not want to give up without trying every last option. A couple of months ago they finally decided to stop treatment and have a Hospice (end-of-life care) nurse come to the house to make sure she was comfortable and to check her vital signs. As of Tuesdays blog her parents knew it would happen soon. They finally took the opportunity this past week to explain to her little brother, who is four, what death is and what would be happening to Peyton as her journey ended. At 0710 this morning little Peyton Elizabeth passed away. Thankfully she is no longer in pain and she is in the best hands possible...

I never thought I could become so attached to a story...to a family...that I didn't even know. I am sorry if this saddens some, but I am telling her story to spread the word on cancer and what it is doing to these little ones and their families.

Many think I am crazy for wanting to be a NICU nurse and dealing with the death of babies and children but this is exactly why. The nurses that helped Peyton's parents through this, especially the Hospice nurses, will never be forgoten and they were able to make a difference in their lives as well as Peyton's. Although there will be sad times I know there will be many rewards as well!

If Peyton's story intrests you more, you can visit her blog at:
www.caringbridge.org/visit/peytonelizabeth

I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday:-)!

~Heather~