Oh the people you meet: part 3

Staying at RMH (Ronald McDonald House), and getting treatment at Childrens Hospital means I come across a lot of families with amazing, strong, and incredibly inspiring kids. I want to share some of the families we got to know really well, and hope they inspire you as much as they inspire me.

This is Super Caleb Gozjolko and his parents Jason and Kristi.

Caleb here is my one lung buddy. That's right, 3 years old and down one lung thanks to Pleuropulmonary Blastoma, an extremely rare and aggressive lung cancer. After months of intense chemotherapy and the surgery to have the cancer (which he called "Timmy the Tumor"), and lung, removed, things are really looking up for Caleb. 

To watch this amazing kid run around RMH just a few days after his surgery made my jaw drop. I remember a few days after my surgery I had the hardest time walking the few steps to the bathroom. Super Caleb runs and plays and just blends in with all the other kids in the house, but he did get tired a little bit faster than everyone else. That is more than ok though, I mean, he's running around the house with one lung!

Facing some of the same problems as Caleb, I understand the exhaustion that comes along with chemotherapy treatments, as well as the feeling sick. Some days you could just see the exhaustion and sadness in his face, so tv/movie days were in order, but you can see that radiant smile of his even when he's tired from playing. He's made a complete turn around and is so happy. Super Caleb inspires me to smile, fight, and play, but also remember that its ok to take a break. As he said himself: "Can we just pause, I need to take a break." 

I can't stop myself from smiling every time our families cross paths at RMH. We became a comfort to each other and I am so proud to call them our friends. We share this closeness that's hard to come across in every day life. To think that this incredible young kid and I face similar situations in our lives is mind blowing. 

But to look at him now, doing so much better, makes it easier for me to smile. I am in awe of what this kid is capable of, and completely blown away by his attitude. He inspires me to keep my head up, and looking at him now, I know there will be better days ahead for me. I look to him when I have a bad day.

If Super Caleb can do it, why can't I?

To read about Kristi's experience at the Ronald McDonald house check out this link!
http://www.industrymailout.com/Industry/LandingPage.aspx?id=1304388&lm=55277365&q=618545109&qz=95e1d9aec1629d21875eb9cb1e8f008b