Caleb G. - Quilt Finished in 2005

Born: July 17, 1999

Illness: Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, club Foot, Severe Speech

Thank you from Caleb's Family!

Written April 19, 2005

This quilt is gorgeous!  I love it and Caleb loves it as well.  He's looking forward to sleeping with it tonight.  I thought the blocks would be sewn not cross stiched its the most awsomest thing I have seen.

Thank you soooooo much and thank everyone who did the blocks as well.

Thank you.

Shannon and Caleb

Caleb G.'s Story

written by mom Shannon

Caleb is a spunky outgoing little boy who was dealt a bad hand in life since birth.  When Caleb was born he was born with a club foot on his right foot.  In the first year of my son's life he spent so much time in and out of the hospital for castings, braces, and surgery. Caleb knew from birth that he was special.

When the nurses brought him out to see the family, and they were all there, Caleb smiled and melted every member of the family's hearts. To this day all Caleb has to do is bat his big brown eyes and mushhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

After the stuff with his foot mellowed out and Caleb was a little over 3 we realized something else about Caleb. He wasn't really talking. I mean he'd say a few words but me and my husband just didn't want to face it. So we decided to take him to a local school that deals with speech and learning delays and had him tested and we found out that Caleb was learning delayed by 2 years and speech delayed my 2½ years. So we enrolled him into the school. In 6 months time Caleb excelled with his learning abilities which jumped and his speech is clearing up.

Then on April 12th, 2004 Caleb was hit again! This time with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia!!!! Of all the things in this world my son was cursed yet again.

When the doctors told me, I just couldn't believe it, there was no way. But you look at him and he was just laying there in the bed, all doctors and nurses buzzing around him and all I could do is stare at my son. Looking so small laying there in that bed! And as of April 13th our newest battle began. To save his life.

Caleb spent almost 40 days at Loma Linda Children's Hospital. And everyday I was right there. I spent nearly every night there so Caleb wouldn't feel he was alone. In total I came home maybe 6 days a few hours here and there and a couple overnight trips, where I made the mistake in teaching Caleb how to call home, (try 14 times in one day) And the overnight trips home was only so I can get the house cleaned up so he could come home.

On May 18th we brought him home finally. In 5½ months of being in the hospital Caleb grew up A LOT. You see it in his eyes and the way that he carries himself. He's our little man.

From May 18th till now has been a lot of back and forth for chemo treatments, blood work, and bone marrow withdraws. But recently Caleb needed to have another blood transfusion, his 6th one. His hemoglobin had dropped to 6.4 when its supposed to stay over 11.5.

Caleb has his good days then he has his bad days and the bed only seems to get him after chemo treatments but he still goes and goes and goes no matter how bad he feels, he just needs to keep going. And it hurts me and my husband to have to say no.

See our apartment complex is going through some construction so during the day I have to keep Caleb in the house. I have to keep him cooped up in the house all day long. He can't go outside because of all the dirt and debris flying around. We wait until the crew goes home then he has to put his mask on so he can go outside and play but that mask stays on. And when we take him anywhere in public he has to wear the mask as well you never know who has what. He can't go swimming because of the chemicals and other people in the pool. He can't play in the dirt can't pick flowers, can't play with bugs, everything a typical kid likes to do. When he goes outside for any amount of time he has to be slathered in sunscreen.

It's so hard to sit here and deal with it on a day to day basis and sit here and tell him no you can't do this no you can't do that...why??? He asks because the doctors say you can't, how the heck to you make them understand??

Written by Caleb's mom Shannon