Miracle Story

This week has brought a lot of press concerning my miracle and my prayers to Blessed Chaminade and the Catholic Church.

I am grateful for the kind words from people and hope that this story can help others in some way.

I want to share my favorite story, reported by Maggie Crane from KMOV:

http://www.kmov.com/community/blogs/reporters-blog/Vatican-investigates-miracle-in-St-Louis-98591419.html

Today, I am grateful for so much it is overwhelming!

Rachel

Parish Newsletter Piece

I had a small article published in my church's quarterly newsletter-

As some of you know, I had Askin’s tumor (cancer) of the spine-three times over the past 9 years. Prayer has had a monumental part. More importantly, Blessed Chaminade has been an integral part of my healing. Blessed Chaminade’s life and mission have been inspiring to my family and me. The church as a whole and specifically our parish have been amazing in my journey.

The year was 1998 and I was a 15-year-old sophomore in high school. One morning my legs felt numb and my chest was losing feeling too. The doctors found an egg-sized tumor around the upper section of my spinal cord. After emergency surgery, feeling was regained and I suffered no paralysis. I was diagnosed with Askin’s Tumor-a very aggressive, rare and relatively unknown type of sarcoma cancer, found in only 3 to 30 people each year. My oncologist, Dr. Bergamini, became the first miracle in my whole experience. Then came the fact that I did not die that weekend, which was a real possibility. A year of chemotherapy began and 6 weeks of radiation. During this, this parish was the backbone of my family and helped with countless things-meals, visits, prayers, gifts, you name it.

The year of 2000 I was chosen by our church to go to Rome, Italy for the beautification ceremony of Blessed Chaminade, founder of the Marianist community of priests and brothers. He was beautified after a South American woman prayed to him and was miraculously cured of her lung cancer. I prayed to God and Blessed Chaminade for a healthy life. This began my deep connection with Blessed Chaminade. I still remember praying while standing and looking up at the beautifully lit Trevi Fountain.

In December of 2000, cancer cells were discovered again in my bone marrow. For the next 5 months, I was more in than out of the hospital but somehow graduated on time. Healthy cells were taken in May of 2001 to prepare for my stem cell transplant. A stem cell transplant works by successfully killing a person’s entire immune system and bringing the person as close to death as possible. A few days later a syringe puts the previously frozen stem cells into an IV in order to hopefully grow a new healthy immune system. I had some very severe reactions but surpassed all odds and pulled through. Later on, doctors have told me I am one of the sickest kids they have ever seen that did not die! So many prayers were monumental in this miracle.

The following fall came and I started college. The day after Thanksgiving, we learned a new Askin’s Tumor was growing between my heart, lung, pulmonary artery and spine. Medically, there was not much else to do. This was when I asked Dr. Bergamini, “How long do you think I have?” He explained that he did not know, but maybe a week to a few months, at the most, depending on what organ was invaded first. With his strong Catholic faith, he believed in miracles and had even seen some.

I dove into art, traveling, writing and speaking. The following fall, a whole year having passed, I was still alive as can be but was experiencing more pain. To help, I received 3 very low doses of chemotherapy. In December and January, a scan showed little to no activity in the tumor region.

During the entire time, my doctors scoured the globe for options from clinical trials to radical surgeries and new radiations. It seemed the ‘expert’ doctors and researchers were not willing to help or did not feel they could do anything. In any case, I definitely would not be cured in their eyes. No one else had ever survived my cancer after it reoccurred after transplant. Out of everyone, my family and Dr. Bergamini never gave up hope and I pleaded with God and Blessed Chaminade.

By May of 2004, an amazing surgeon, Dr. Blucher, came from the East coast. He wanted to take the tumor out. The surgery removed the entire tumor, which by this time was the size of a small Nerf football. It had grown to capacity and sat snugly against my fragile organs but miraculously had not invaded any of them though! The tumor’s biopsy results showed the tumor had completely died inside me. In medical terms, it is a complete miracle and very unexplainable. I am the only known case to survive a relapse of Askin’s Tumor following a stem cell transplant. ...

I continue to do a lot of art, writing, traveling and national inspirational speaking. I try to balance the cancer-related things (like lots of doctors appointments and side effects) with all the non-cancer things like school. I have accepted that cancer will never leave me. It is embedded in me with what it has left behind - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually- for good and for not so good.

Cancer is the absolute best and worst thing that has ever happened to me. Because of it, I am driven to eventually become an art therapist and continue helping others through speaking, writing, art and volunteering. As Albert Einstein once said, “There are 2 ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” I choose the latter and I thank God and Blessed Chaminade for the miracles along the way!

Today, I am grateful for: positive experiences, something new each day, a finished wedding dress!!, friends, family, support, love and God and miracles.

Rachel

Last Touches of Christmas

I was reminded at church today that Christmas lasts longer than just Dec. 25th. It was a nice reminder and later I thought about how Christmas has continued in my life.

Yesterday we celebrated Christmas a couple hours away with my fiance's mom's side of the family. It was great food and relaxing times...we attempted to play the Game of War with playing cards with 9 people and multiple decks. I was in the top 3 when we had to stop because it was time to leave. I hadn't played that in years...fun memories of playing with my dear grandpa and grandmas.

After returning home, we immediately went to a Christmas/holiday party at a friend's dad's house and it was awesome to see old friends and meet a few new people too. It felt so good to reconnect, as a few of the people I have known for about 10 years. It's comfortable-there's no need to explain my past or having it be awkward or if it comes up-ending up talking about it for the rest of the night. They knew me bald-all 3 times-and they know me for me...and 2 of them have lost parents to cancer and 1 of their moms is a cancer survivor. And Gabe was there the whole time and they all get along so well and it was just...lovely. No drama, just fun.

I also will have some more touches of Christmas tonight. As per tradition, my Dad has mapped out the whole city and where the best Christmas light displays are. He watches the news and papers and by word of mouth, finds where these houses/neighborhoods and occasionally commercialized places are. We usually do it on Christmas day but that did not work out this year for various reasons. I am looking forward to tonight...cuddling up in the back seat of the car with a blanket and looking out the window at the lights-a touch of innocence returning as I usually feel like a little girl again...before cancer and all of this. A touch of the Christmas spirit which I haven't felt much of this year. This is what I hope tonight will bring...

Today, I am grateful for: friends, family, life and God.

Love,

Rachel

All Souls Day

Today is All Souls Day.

Above is a picture of my Angel Shelf.

All Souls Day: The commemoration of all the faithful departed is celebrated by the Church on November 2nd, or, if this be a Sunday or a solemnity, on November 3rd.

Today, I want to honor all those people who have passed away- all those I know and do not know. I want to pray for them and think of them today. There are so many special people in my life that are not here anymore and I think of them probably every day. I have a couple shelves in my room to honor them with angels, pictures and other things that are significant to me-my Angel Shelf.



I would love to put their names here but there are too many and I know I'd forget someone special so I will keep them in my heart and let you honor your loved ones too! Today, I am having lunch with one of the moms of one of the sweet little boys who passed away in the last year!!

Today, I am grateful for: life, life after death, family and friends!

Love,
Rachel

All Saints Day

This is a perfect time, on All Saint's Day, to tell you about Blessed Chaminade. Some people close to me are not even aware of this but he is VERY special in my life.

In 2000, I was one of two young adults chosen by my church to go to Rome, Italy. We attended the Catholic beautification ceremony of Father William Joseph Chaminade, founder of the Marianist community (in 1816) of priests and brothers. It was performed by Pope John Paul II and is a step to becoming a saint. He was beautified after a South American woman prayed to him and was miraculously cured of her lung cancer.

Well, before that trip, during that trip and since that trip, my family, friends, church and I have prayed to Blessed Chaminade for healing for me. My medical case so far is unfounded in the realm of science and medicine and baffles any medical expert we have encountered. It is full of small and large miracles and I am so grateful to God, Blessed Chaminade and all the prayers of people around the world!

How awesome to see all my pain and suffering being used for so much good! How fulfilling!

So, Happy All Saints Day-it truly has special meaning for me and my family and friends!!

Today, I am so thankful for: God, Blessed Chaminade, the saints, angels, family, friends and prayers

Love,
Rachel