Start with a prayer.

I went to see Kerry Magana today. I brought lunch to her mother and got to spend some time with Kerry. She is very sick and depends on a ventilator to bring oxygen to her lungs. She is fighting and I ask everyone to say a prayer for her. We have a Kansas City Star article coming out this Monday. If you get a chance please pick up a copy and look for the Mary Sanchez column.



It is hard to comprehend how tiring it must be her mother. Sickness can wear you out just because of the sickness but throw in that Claudia has been there at CMH for 2 months straight. Kerry is in Intensive Care so what comfort Claudia had in the Bone Marrow floor disappeared when they moved Kerry. Claudia has to sleep with a mask, gloves, and sterile bib. The sounds and beeps from all the machinery would keep anyone awake but toss in that you have to make sure the oxygen mask stays on Kerry's face. So tough.



Claudia has to be there 24/7 so she hasn't worked. She has to feed herself while she is there. That food costs money and I know it can add up quickly. So sad. I can't believe that no one has offered her some sort of food voucher at the hospital. Another tough element in all of this is that Kerry's 13 yr-old sister is having to survive by herself. This means eating alone if her brother is working. She is 13 yrs-old and needs things like all other kids her age. Her shoes have went bad and I know that there's no money for shoes. This young child is frequently at the hospital with her mother and often wants to eat. Her mom doesn't always have the money to feed both her and her daughter. I couldn't imagine. How much can one person take?



It is so easy to listen to these stories and tune it out. If I had to do this alone I would break. If you only knew how stressful it is to spend weeks or in this case, months in the hospital. Those of us who had partners it was still hard as hell. To fight alone is unimaginable. The heartbreak, the financial burden, the fright!



Someday I hope I can advocate for families like Kerry's. It is my calling. I hope someday that I can make enough money in business to free me up to do these things. If anyone can help this mother in any way please do so. Start with a prayer.