Welcome to Teapot Tuesday
the Sisterhood of the Traveling Teaparty
and Challenge #286
Heroes and Angels
Note: Anyone is welcome to play! You automatically become a Teapotter the first time you play in our challenge. Also, you do not have to write a story. You just have to be inspired by the teapot or by the story about this week's location! Have fun! If this is your first Teapot Tuesday Challenge, please mention that in your commentary so we can be sure to greet you properly, in pure Teapot Tuesday fashion! Your participation in Destination Station is 100% voluntary and not at all required. Just have fun!
This is my story!
Kleenex alert. This week my story isn't silly�try as I might I couldn't make this one fun. There are heroes and angels all around us - we just don't notice them as we get through our own struggles. As you may or may not know I am blessed to be a Respiratory Therapist and work in the Intensive Care Unit of the small hospital in my community. HIPPA regulations keep me from sharing any details of my patients, even looking up their addresses to send condolence cards. I asked Leanne's parents for their address and for permission to tell her story. Both enthusiastically agreed...but they don't know about Teapotters!
When Leanne came into this world she weighed only 2.2 pounds. Her parents John and Lisa loved her and coached her and willed her to stay with them�and she did. Despite multiple hospitalizations, severe infections and surgeries Leanne battled through.
Leanne experienced challenges along the way. She was born with an inability to fight infections and nearly died of pneumonia and meningitis many times and resulted in much of her early life being spent in hospitals. Being awakened from a sound sleep before dawn by technicians to draw blood and take X-Rays left Leanne with recurring nightmares. John and Lisa would hear her sobbing in the middle of the night - even when she was safe at home in her own bed.
Yet with amazing care and the love of her parents, Leanne got through each episode. Her scalp and skull stopped healing fully from many surgeries. The dressings on her wounded head needed to be changed frequently and Lisa became an expert. Leanne grew to be a girly-girl throughout it all, choosing feminine dresses and hats to cover her bandages. She became strong enough to travel to Disney World through the Make-a-Wish Foundation. She met all of the Disney Princesses that she adored. She ate and had pictures with all of her favorite characters in the parks. At night John, Lisa, Leanne and her little brother Johnny returned to the Give Kids the World compound to rest for the next exciting day. The third night there John woke to a sound he hadn't heard at night before. Leanne was laughing in her dreams - her nightmares had gone, never to return. Leanne became the NJ Poster Child for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Johnny grew to be a star baseball pitcher. He was recruited to the US Naval Academy and as a Midshipman pitched for their team. Leanne met the entire team and proudly posed for photos with them - having become their unofficial mascot. When he graduated and was given his commission, Leanne was the one to place Johnny's shoulder boards. By this point she could walk from the bed to the bathroom with help, but needed a wheelchair otherwise. Lisa slept on an air mattress at her side every night in case Leanne woke up.
I met Leanne near the end of her life. She had developed an overwhelming infection and was being treated in our ICU. Leanne usually was treated at a major medical center across the state, but the night she fell ill a storm unnerved her parents and they brought her to the closest hospital. She was very ill but had an undeniable spark in her eyes. She would smile and squeeze tightly when you would hold her hand. John and/or Lisa were at her side 24/7 over Christmas and New Year's as Leanne slept fitfully with innumerable tubes and machines keeping her alive. John brought his laptop and proudly shared a lifetime of pictures and memories. When I marveled at how lucky Leanne was to have him as a dad, John shook his head. With tears in his eyes he emphatically stated "No - I'm lucky to have her as a daughter. I never would have been a good dad if it weren't for her." When it became apparent that time was short Johnny cancelled a long-planned New Years trip with Marine buddies to stay with his sister. On January 2, 2014 at 27 years of age Leanne went back to heaven - John, Lisa and Johnny and her pastor at her side as she left.
If that didn't make you cry this musical inspiration might:
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CHALLENGE TRANSLATION:
Bring sympathy cards and/or cards of support.
EPEC ~ (EXTRA POINTS FOR EXTRA COOKIES!)
Include an angel or some soothing scripture.
DESTINATION STATION:
This week our destination is Milford, NJ. If you would like a destination for your card, how about John and Lisa? After all they have been through I thought a little Teapotter support was in order.
If you want an address and to find out why see
post #290 in the destination station
Here is my
card .
Here is a Quick Link to the
Teapot Tuesday #286 Challenge Gallery .
Be sure to you use
KEYWORD MMTPT286 in your upload and post a comment here so we can all see your card!
Ever want to get a jump on next week's challenge card? SCS has given Sheri (KSNurse) permission to create an email Teapot Tuesday Cheater Group and email the challenge out on the Saturday before the Tuesday of the challenge so you girls can have the weekend to make your card. Send her a pm with your email address if you wanna be a Cheater!
If you are confused about these challenges, see the first sticky post of this thread for more information. There is also a directory of individual challenges. Feel free to grab this I survived Teapot Tuesday Badge for your blog!
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MMTPT286 ~January 21, 2014~ Heroes and Angels
