[mou] Left Binoculars at Home.
Michael Hendrickson
smithville4@charter.net
Thu, 4 Mar 2004 16:58:13 -0600
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I didn't go to Minneapolis to go birding, I didn't bring my scope nor my =
binoculars. I had to do something that was hardest thing I could ever =
do. Say good bye to my 16 yr old nephew who is suffering from cancer.
Jake was at Fairview Children' Hospital, a place that made me want to =
pick up every child and hold them. It was the most moving and saddest =
place I ever been to. Seeing children walking around with cancer and =
parents trying so hard to make thier lives happy was so emotional on me.
When I got there I greeted my sister (mother of Jake) and we talked a =
little and she said " Do you want to see Jake now?" I was so scared and =
nervous as I didn't want to see my little Jake. I knew he lost weight =
and I knew he had some serious tumbles in the last week and I was =
nervous. I bit my lip and entered the room. There Jake rested slightly =
up with his favorite stocking cap on and breathing thru a air =
ventilator. Jake was drugged up and my sister wanted him to rest and be =
comfortable. I grabbed Jake's left hand and said " Jake your uncle Mike =
is here, how do you feel?" Jake gives me a thumbs up with his right =
hand. After that the nurse came in and upped the drugs so he can remain =
in a dream like state.
This was the last time Jake communicated and it was with me! This is =
taking a hard toll on me and I have been doing nothing but crying for =
the last 4 days. I been mourning Jake since he was diagnosed with cancer =
2 years ago.
When I left the hospital to do a errand for my sister and for some =
reason I began to think about last topic on MOU lstserve and how we =
squabbled about birds, MOURC, King Rails and Gyrs. I think its so odd in =
one world there are people like those at Fairview fighting for thier =
kids lives and there is this other world of birding and were fighting =
and flaming each other over the status of birds in MN, MOURC and other =
inside politics of birding in Minnesota.
Jake and I were close as I am with my sister. Jake is still alive as I =
type this but I know he's right in a better place. I know in my heart, =
this episode with Jake and cancer has really soften me a lot. Put in a =
perspective that there our diffently more things important than birding. =
Birding is a great hobby to escape to but the little spats and the =
control issues with the hobby is crap!
I miss Jake and I will miss all the times we laughed and all the time we =
spent together. The hardest thing was to walk in his room this morning =
and say goodbye for the last time. My sister and I hugged. Cancer sucks!
Hopefully my head will be on straight for the April 3-4 MOU Trip.=20
I wanted to share my events yesterday and today because I hope to put in =
perspective in regards to our last chat or debate on birding in =
Minnesota. I know there are some thinking this was a odd posting and it =
doesn't belong here but to me it helps with the healing. I know so many =
of you thru MOU Trips and just thru birding, I wanted to share my =
feelings. I hope that is ok with you all.
I am tired and rung out. I feel the Stone Cold Mike is melted down to a =
hobbit Mike.
Thanks for your time
Mike Hendrickson
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</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I didn't go to Minneapolis to go =
birding, I didn't=20
bring my scope nor my binoculars. I had to do something that was hardest =
thing I=20
could ever do. Say good bye to my 16 yr old nephew who is suffering from =
cancer.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Jake was at Fairview Children' =
Hospital, a place=20
that made me want to pick up every child and hold them. It was the =
most=20
moving and saddest place I ever been to. Seeing children walking =
around=20
with cancer and parents trying so hard to make thier lives happy was so=20
emotional on me.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>When I got there I greeted my sister =
(mother of=20
Jake) and we talked a little and she said " Do you want to see Jake =
now?" I was=20
so scared and nervous as I didn't want to see my little Jake. I knew he =
lost=20
weight and I knew he had some serious tumbles in the last week and I was =
nervous. I bit my lip and entered the room. There Jake rested slightly =
up with=20
his favorite stocking cap on and breathing thru a air ventilator. Jake =
was=20
drugged up and my sister wanted him to rest and be comfortable. I =
grabbed Jake's=20
left hand and said " Jake your uncle Mike is here, how do you =
feel?" Jake=20
gives me a thumbs up with his right hand. After that the nurse came in =
and upped=20
the drugs so he can remain in a dream like state.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>This was the last time Jake =
communicated and it was=20
with me! This is taking a hard toll on me and I have been doing nothing =
but=20
crying for the last 4 days. I been mourning Jake since he was diagnosed =
with=20
cancer 2 years ago.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>When I left the hospital to do a errand =
for my=20
sister and for some reason I began to think about last topic on MOU =
lstserve and=20
how we squabbled about birds, MOURC, King Rails and Gyrs. I think its so =
odd in=20
one world there are people like those at Fairview fighting for thier =
kids lives=20
and there is this other world of birding and were fighting and flaming =
each=20
other over the status of birds in MN, MOURC and other inside politics of =
birding=20
in Minnesota.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Jake and I were close as I am with my =
sister. Jake=20
is still alive as I type this but I know he's right in a better =
place. I=20
know in my heart, this episode with Jake and cancer has really soften me =
a lot.=20
Put in a perspective that there our diffently more things important than =
birding. Birding is a great hobby to escape to but the little spats and =
the=20
control issues with the hobby is crap!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I miss Jake and I will miss all the =
times we=20
laughed and all the time we spent together. The hardest thing was =
to walk=20
in his room this morning and say goodbye for the last time. My sister =
and I=20
hugged. Cancer sucks!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hopefully my head will be on =
straight for the=20
April 3-4 MOU Trip. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I wanted to share my events yesterday =
and=20
today because I hope to put in perspective in regards to our =
last chat=20
or debate on birding in Minnesota. I know there are some thinking this =
was=20
a odd posting and it doesn't belong here but to me it helps =
with=20
the healing. I know so many of you thru MOU Trips and just thru =
birding, I=20
wanted to share my feelings. I hope that is ok with you =
all.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I am tired and rung out. I feel =
the Stone Cold=20
Mike is melted down to a hobbit Mike.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thanks for your time</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Mike =
Hendrickson</FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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