A Fierce Heart in a Small Warrior

How people describe this warrior is no different than a super hero. Her caring nature is what reels people in. She has drive and passion for helping kids and animals.

Gracie, 16 years old, was diagnosed with a rare genetics disease/blood disease. She has always fought battles she never should have fought at such a young age. Is that what makes her special? Sure...but what makes her even more special is the ability to think of others while she’s fighting. I rarely ever hear her complain about her condition. If she does, it’s because, like anyone else, she’s tired of the constant isolations or appointments. Truth is, usually when she is at the hospital she is more aware of the cancer patients on her floor. She can’t even open her door to go out of her room if she’s in isolation. When people come in, they wear full gear.

What does that mean you ask? Well, here it is. She has very few cells to fight infection. Specifically her absolute neutrophil counts are down almost always which causes her to be neutropenic. The low end of normal is 1500. Gracie’s ranges around 500 or less which makes her neutropenic. If she gets a 101 fever, we rush to the hospital and start antibiotics immediately. They do a complete blood count and we determine if she needs to stay hospitalized or gets to go home to fight it off. We have a bag packed just in case.

With Gracie though, it’s more of an awareness of what other children go through. She is my true hero! If she had barely any blood left and could give it away to another child to save them, she would sincerely give it without questions asked. So find your compassion and help someone less fortunate than yourself. Be loving and genuine! Having a kind heart will get you further in life. Compassion and love prevail over anything. Be open to learning from a younger kind soul. You never know what life lessons you’ll get if you just take the time to listen.

The love for a child is priceless! Gracie is my whole heart and soul. When I feel unworthy, I remember that I created this amazing human being.

At 16 years old, this kid came up to me and gave me a bucket list.

“Mom, I made a bucket list so if I end up getting leukemia, we can do this list!”

She gets checked for leukemia every 3 months. She knows it’s a possibility.

“Honey, we are doing that list now. You are good right now and we are not waiting until you maybe get leukemia to do that list. We are doing it now,” I said with tears in my eyes. I couldn’t believe the conversation we had, but I knew one day she would ask questions and one day she would question her health.

So here we are with a list of wonderful fun things to do! We are living life to the fullest. One day at a time we will get the list checked off. Although, we will constantly be rewriting it, I am grateful for any opportunity we get to make her life full-filled. I love my little heart! She’s an amazing little human being and deserves a life beyond her wildest dreams!

Grateful hearts!! Gratitude pours out of me for I have an opportunity to do something amazing for someone who is so giving of others!

Gracie, you will never know how much you have saved me or made me whole. You had my heart from the first cry that you gave when you were born. I love you with all my heart!