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This is our Michael, our Mighty Mikey.
Just 2 months shy of MIchael's 3rd birthday, in September 2008, he was diagnosed with brain cancer. At the time of diagnosis we didn't have a name for his cancer because it was so rare that no pathologist had seen it before. In September 2012, just 2 weeks shy of being exactly 4 years in treatment, we were told that MIchael had Diffuse Oligodendroglial Leptopmeningial Tumors. A cancerous brain tumor that was still extremely rare despite finally having a name for it.
There were many side effects of the brain tumor that caused so many more problems for Michael over the course of his life. He had speech delays, cognitive delays, fine and gross motor delays and eventually extensive feeding issues resulting in a feeding tube. The cancer was SO much to deal with in the first place, but the effects that the cancer was causing resulted in many more appointments and doctor visits than we ever would have imagined.
There was nothing that Michael did that wasn't done with 100% of himself. He played, laughed, sang, danced, yelled, and loved with 100% of himself. He lit up when someone he loved was in the room and he screamed louder than anyone when he had to be somewhere or do something he didn't want to do. The nurses used to laugh, they would hear him yelling that he didn't want tubies or an MRI long before they saw him.
Michael did not love going to the hospital, he did not love exams, blood draws, MRIs, surgeries, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, hospital stays or chemotherapy. We always found ourselves packing bag upon bag filled with comfort items for any appointment Michael had, trying to anticipate what would help keep his anxiety level low and his comfort level high.
Aside from his favorite pillow and blankets, we always had his favorite guys. Michael had 3 major loves in his life. His family, Sesame Street and The Muppets. We would go to each appointment with books, DVDs, an iPad and no less than 4 or 5 'guys' from his favorite shows. They changed often but always included Ernie (his favorite). As we would wait we would, inevitably, have a conversation as if we were his guys. Michael would always be Ernie and he would dictate which guy I would play. We would talk in character about what was going to go on that day. When we were home we would play hospital. The guys would have MRIs, they would get their mediports flushed and they would bend down and touch their toes just like he did that day when he was examined.
After losing Michael we bounced around quite a few foundation ideas. None of them really said 'Michael would LOVE that' to us until one night when I couldn't sleep and thought, 'If there was any way that Michael would want to be here on this Earth after being gone, it would be in puppet form,' just like his favorite Sesame Street and Muppet friends.
His puppets and guys were the best source of comfort for him during his appointments and stays. They calmed him like no one else could. We know he would be thrilled to have a Mighty MIkey puppet and his Mighty Kid friend puppets helping children in hospitals the way his friends and guys helped him when he was here.
This is our Michael, our Mighty Mikey.
Just 2 months shy of MIchael's 3rd birthday, in September 2008, he was diagnosed with brain cancer. At the time of diagnosis we didn't have a name for his cancer because it was so rare that no pathologist had seen it before. In September 2012, just 2 weeks shy of being exactly 4 years in treatment, we were told that MIchael had Diffuse Oligodendroglial Leptopmeningial Tumors. A cancerous brain tumor that was still extremely rare despite finally having a name for it.
There were many side effects of the brain tumor that caused so many more problems for Michael over the course of his life. He had speech delays, cognitive delays, fine and gross motor delays and eventually extensive feeding issues resulting in a feeding tube. The cancer was SO much to deal with in the first place, but the effects that the cancer was causing resulted in many more appointments and doctor visits than we ever would have imagined.
There was nothing that Michael did that wasn't done with 100% of himself. He played, laughed, sang, danced, yelled, and loved with 100% of himself. He lit up when someone he loved was in the room and he screamed louder than anyone when he had to be somewhere or do something he didn't want to do. The nurses used to laugh, they would hear him yelling that he didn't want tubies or an MRI long before they saw him.
Michael did not love going to the hospital, he did not love exams, blood draws, MRIs, surgeries, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, hospital stays or chemotherapy. We always found ourselves packing bag upon bag filled with comfort items for any appointment Michael had, trying to anticipate what would help keep his anxiety level low and his comfort level high.
Aside from his favorite pillow and blankets, we always had his favorite guys. Michael had 3 major loves in his life. His family, Sesame Street and The Muppets. We would go to each appointment with books, DVDs, an iPad and no less than 4 or 5 'guys' from his favorite shows. They changed often but always included Ernie (his favorite). As we would wait we would, inevitably, have a conversation as if we were his guys. Michael would always be Ernie and he would dictate which guy I would play. We would talk in character about what was going to go on that day. When we were home we would play hospital. The guys would have MRIs, they would get their mediports flushed and they would bend down and touch their toes just like he did that day when he was examined.
After losing Michael we bounced around quite a few foundation ideas. None of them really said 'Michael would LOVE that' to us until one night when I couldn't sleep and thought, 'If there was any way that Michael would want to be here on this Earth after being gone, it would be in puppet form,' just like his favorite Sesame Street and Muppet friends.
His puppets and guys were the best source of comfort for him during his appointments and stays. They calmed him like no one else could. We know he would be thrilled to have a Mighty MIkey puppet and his Mighty Kid friend puppets helping children in hospitals the way his friends and guys helped him when he was here.
No donation is too small to make a difference in the quality of life for a child fighting a MIGHTY big battle. Thank you!
