 Camp
Summersault - 2002
It was Trent's
first year at Camp
Summersault, Trevor's family has been attending since 1995. You can't imagine my
surprise on that first morning when Diana Craighead grabbed my arm and hugged me
when she heard that Trent
had a brain stem glioma. Trevor was diagnosed at 2 1/2 and was now 12!!!
Trent
was diagnosed incredibly during "Brain Tumor Awareness Week" on May 9th. He will
be 5 on September 14th and endured radiation for 6 1/2 weeks at Miller
Children's Hospital from May 20th through July 9th. And now he was going to camp
less than a month later!!! Diana and I stood out in the parking lot and talked
for two hours that first day!!!! She said in all the years they had been
attending Camp
Summersault, we were the first family she had met with roughly the same
diagnosis.
Trevor's tumor was atypical (outside the brain stem), Trent's tumor
is typical (within the brain stem) but we still felt like we had so many things
in common. She was told by her brain surgeon to take Trevor home and "love him"
after surgery but they have been incredibly blessed because Trevor's yearly
MRI's have shown only "traces" and he has done fabulously well!!!! Trent
had his MRI today, August 13th, and his tumor has shrunk from approximately 5
cm. to 1 X 1.5 cm.!!!! We feel incredibly blessed---it has been a long three
months!!!!
Camp
Summersault was an incredible experience for both our boys. Big Brother Chandler
loved meeting new friends and all the activities. Trent had fun with the
counselors and the freedom of feeling great just playing every day!!!! The
counselors and ladies in charge were extraordinary and put me at ease right away
that they had a great week planned ahead. Every day the boys came home full of
stories of what happened that day and a neat craft that they had made. They had
fun helping to cook lunch and loved when the Firemen came with the truck the
evening of the campfire.
Me, as Mom, loved the week too!!!! The other Mothers were all welcoming to a new
face and even invited me to their annual lunch. It was interesting to talk with
them about their experiences as no one really can understand what we have been
through unless they have been through it themselves. The best part of the week
was seeing all the happy faces of the children and knowing they had a great time
also!!!! We hope to be invited to attend next summer--it was a great
experience!!
Cheri
Olson
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