Help, Helping and Helplessness

Being in this situation feels so helpless at times. I am a fixer, a Mother... Kisser of booboos and bringer of mommy magic. Knowing that there is nothing that I can do but sit back and trust, and hope and love and just do the best that I can every moment. I can't fix this! That's a big pill for me to swallow. At the same time, we seem to have the most amazing army of helpers. Dear friends, family and even people we barely know lifting us up with their kindness, generosity and amazing energy. Yet we are often faced with the question... How can we help? It's a loaded question for sure. Our needs are both very basic yet profoundly huge. Food, sanity, a listening ear, periodic care for Camryn, random help here at the hospital or the Ronald McDonald house... A magic wand... A crystal ball. And you have come through big time (except those last two of course). I have lost count of the packages and letters and cards and artwork Nathan has received. Or those of you who have visited, brought us food or cared for our basic needs in one way or another, I don't know what I would have done without you. Seriously, it's overwhelming and humbling that so many have reached out with a genuine desire to help, and gone out of their way to brighten our day or lighten our load. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all! I know words alone are not even close to expressing how I feel and there is no way I can pay it back but I will absolutely pay it forward when this is all over. My heart is very full and that has been the blessing and the lesson through even our darkest moments. 

I am asked daily to provide a few simple ways in which you can help. Usually I brush it off as we are generally managing in the most basic sense, and while I am admittedly not great at this asking for help business, here's my attempt at a general list of helpful things that we would appreciate at any point during this journey:

• If you visit us and you are able, please donate blood. The blood bank is right next to the hospital. Or if you cannot visit us, please find a way to give blood close to home, I'm happy to help link you with a blood bank if you cannot find one. Seeing not only Nathan but so many other children desperately dependent on donor blood for their daily survival is a call to action for me. A big one. It takes minimal time and effort and no risk, yet helps countless critically ill people in their greatest time of need. I have literally lost count of the number of bags of blood products that Nathan has received over the past six weeks (and counting) and I am beyond thankful to each and every person who took the time to give their blood.
• If you are looking to send some food over, we can use all the simple gluten free and nutritious easy foods that you can offer. I think I survived on a very generous friend's delicious kale salad and chicken salad for a good week at one point. Keeping Nathan fed while he is on steroids is no easy task! Just let me know before hand if it's perishable as I don't want to have a huge influx of foods then have no space to store it or have precious food go to waste. Or if you want to send a meal for our freezer, we have a deep freeze in the garage at home and it helps Jay tremendously to have some easy to prepare meals to pull from when he is home, to bring here when we are at the Ronald McDonald House or in preparation for the day when we are all home again.
• If you are thinking of sending us a gift card, here are some of our favorite places that we visit regularly while here: Chipotle, Pizzeria Piccola, Outpost Natural Foods, Five Guys, Trader Joes and of course Amazon and Target continue to get a good chunk of our business as always. Also Nathan has begging me to get some treats from Molly's Gluten Free Bakery so a trip there will be happening very soon. 

I will likely be putting some more specific calls out for help at some point in the future, especially if he does need a bone marrow transplant. Plus I may need a small army to organize a proper welcome back home for this brave little guy when that time comes. 

In the meantime, if you're feeling so compelled, keep sending us your love, prayers, and lending an ear when we need it most. It reminds us that, while life is moving on all around us, Nathan is loved and cared for and thought about. I know that I say this all the time, but he is an extraordinary little boy. Truly. Those of you who know him can see his amazing smile and hear his sweet voice and feel his incredible energy as you read this. Knowing that so many people are missing him and rooting for him to return home quickly is a beautiful thing. This journey is very lonely at times but having all of you to surround us with love and light makes each day brighter. 

Our address at the Ronald McDonald House (we continue to have a room here even when we are at the hospital) if you'd like to send a card, artwork or package to Nathan:

Nathan Kempf

CO Ronald McDonald House

8948 W Watertown Plank Rd

Room 122

Wauwatosa, WI 53226