NOTE FROM THE MACS STAFF

Melody's story has NOT been updated yet since she passed away on March 3rd, 2005. We will update the end of her story as soon as we receive more information from her family.

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Melody's Story
written by mom Debra

Melody was born two weeks after her due date on Saturday, May 10th, 1997 at Sharp Mary Birch. She had beautiful porcelain skin and fuzzy strawberry blonde hair. She was a very calm baby and slept through the night

She met all of her milestones either on time or early. Melody walked at 10½ months. She potty trained right around her second birthday, once she figured out she couldn’t stand facing the toilet and pee like her brother Devin. She was a very happy baby. Melody has always absolutely loved being a girl (or "geel" as she used to say it). The clothes, shoes, dress-up, jewelry, make-up, nail polish and everything pretty.

When Melody started preschool in 1999, she had a hard time at first but soon grew to love it. It is a Christian preschool. She loved all of her teachers. She learned so much! In August 2002, Melody started Kindergarten. She loved it. She already knew her teacher, Mrs. Cascarini, through her cousin Allison who had been in Mrs. Cascarini’s class the year before. We thought she may be afraid on her first day but after awhile of us following her around and taking pictures, she told us to go. Melody was a big girl and didn’t want her old mom and dad hanging around and embarrassing her!

When Melody started first grade, she transferred to a brand new school just around the corner from home. The school had just opened and all the students and teachers were very excited, including Melody. Everything was great for her until she got sick.

The urgent care doctor told me it was just a cold, a virus. I took his word for it. That weekend we stayed at Campland On the Bay in San Diego and went to Sea World. She was not well, but I thought she was just not feeling good still from the cold. Sunday night some of her symptoms we thought were caused by the cold, seemed worse, but she didn’t seem to have the cold anymore. I took her to a different doctor on Monday. We had to wait until about 7pm when this doctor’s office started taking in walk-in appointments. Melody’s blood pressure was very high.

After the doctor examined her and listened to my concerns she asked if Mel had a head injury. I told her about the crash she had with the dog. The doctor thought Mel may have a cranial bleed, caused by the crash with the dog. The plan was to get the insurance company to approve an MRI and have that done later in the week. We called Daddy (hysterical) and he came to get us. He called the doctor’s office and asked if they thought her brain may be bleeding, shouldn’t we go to an ER? He talked to a different doctor than the one we had seen earlier. This doctor said he would like to examine Melody himself and asked us to come back in the morning. When we went back, this doctor was very concerned and said that if he hadn’t known about the run in with the dog, he would think tumor. He sent us to Children’s Hospital with a list of his findings.

When we got to Children’s, we didn’t have to wait very long. They took Melody to an observation unit with three beds in it. She was given an IV, examined and sent off for a cat scan. A Child-Life specialist told us that the doctor and a social worker needed to speak with us in a conference room. She stayed with Melody. We were scared to death thinking they were going to tell us she needed brain surgery for a cranial bleed. It was worse. The doctor told us that there was a mass on Melody’s brainstem. I can’t explain how we felt. There are no words to really describe it. It’s a feeling so awful you can’t imagine what it’s like unless you’re in the situation.

Melody was admitted to the hospital. We were in shock; I don’t think we thought the word cancer until we saw the sign that said we were in the Oncology unit. We would have to wait until morning to talk to the Pediatric Oncologists. The next morning we were again taken to a conference room and told that Melody has a Brainstem Glioma, surgery is not an option due to the location of the tumor, the tumor had become part the brainstem and that she has a 10% chance of long term survival. That was March 23rd, 2004. From that day forward, forever, our lives will never, ever be the same.

Email we received from Melody's family after she passed away:

Dear MACS,

One year ago we were handed a fate that no family should ever have to hear; Melody has cancer. Unless you have heard those words from your Doctor and thought through the reality of exactly what that means, you can never comprehend how we felt. And sadly true to the diagnosis, just under one year later or hero Melody has earned her wings and flown to heaven to shine as bright as the stars.

Our princess Melody wanted for nothing. She had her family who loved her very much and the overwhelming support of the more than generous people from “Make A Child Smile”. There was not a day that went by that she wasn’t showered with a cards, presents or a guestbook entry. Not only did Melody feel the outpour of love and support, her ENTIRE family did as well; Mom and Dad, Brother and even grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Seeing the words and feeling their message meant the world to us. And the intent will continue to lift us up because every letter, card, note and gift were saved to call upon when we need a fond memory.

The help you have all give is deeply and honestly appreciated. There are no real words to describe how grateful we are for everything. We can tell you that in our darkness your compassionate shower of support at “Make A child Smile” have helped in ways you can not even imagine. May God Bless you and hold you in his arms forever. There is a special place in Heaven awaiting each of you.

Melody’s Family Forever