Dunn one of many special moms
Sometimes you look at the world around you and you just have to wonder. Wonder why bad things happen. Wonder at the awe of Mother Nature. Wonder, wonder, wonder.
Today especially is a day for wonder. Wonder how our mothers do what they do and have done. Mother’s Day is time to celebrate that wonder in its many amazing facets.
First you have the wonder of childbirth, which is a miracle unto itself but not exactly much fun at all. While I’ve never been blessed with the experience, I’ve been fortunate enough to reap the rewards of the blessed event, thanks to two fruitful sisters who have given me wonderful nephews and a niece, and, through them, yet another generation of great nieces and great nephews.
Just think of all mothers do: they feed, diaper, soothe cries and ease pains in our infancy. Then they kiss the boo-boos away, chase the monsters from our darkened bedrooms, send us off to school, help with homework and extracurricular endeavors.
For these efforts, they are then blessed (or cursed as the case may be) with dealing with our usually awkward and agonizing adolescence. With luck (and a great deal of patience) both mother and teen, hopefully, survive this rocky age. Then they support us through the travails of young adulthood and the many years beyond.
Mothers are a miracle, a wonder. Pure and simple. To one and all ‘ Happy Mother’s Day!
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One special mother, Dot Dunn, is spending Mother’s Day with her youngest son in Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital as her family continues its steadfast care and love as 4-year-old Andy fights a valiant battle for his life. Andy is responding to massive doses of antibiotics in an effort to get his blood count back up. They hope to be back home this week by Thursday.
Dot calls Andy, who has stage 4 neuroblastoma, her ‘walking prayer.’
‘After the first round of chemo, he should have had a feeding tube and been on pain meds,’ Dot noted yesterday. But not young Andy, who continues the hard fight.
As noted in a letter to the editor which appeared in last Wednesday’s Southern Standard, Dot is planning an early and hopefully massive birthday party for young Andy on Sunday, May 18, at their Mt. Zion Road home (865 Mt. Zion Road, to be exact), from 1-2 p.m.
Although Andy won’t officially be 5 until June 9, he is slated to undergo a risky stem cell transplant around that time and his family wants to celebrate his very special life with family, friends and the wonderful Warren County community which has provided so much support and prayers for them.
Speaking of that support, blood is essential to Andy’s continuing cancer battle, with transfusions literally a lifesaver for him. An earlier blood drive at Westwood Church of Christ netted an amazing 166 pints of blood and Friday’s blood drive at the Civic Center resulted in another 72 productive pints being given for Andy.
According to his mother, Andy has tons of toys and doesn’t need any more.
When asked what he wanted, Andy told his mother he wants a ‘heart-shaped’ swimming pool. Taken aback at the request, Dot said she asked Andy why he would want a heart-shaped pool.
‘Because if I die, I want you to sit out here and know how much I love you,’ Andy replied.
That, of course, answered it for Dot Dunn.
That simple, heartfelt sentiment from a 4-year-old who may well not see 5 is a wonder that still send shivers up the spine and brings tears to the eyes. A child’s love for his mother, one that will transcend time. How simple, how beautiful and what a wonder.
Dot says she has contacted Make-A-Wish Foundation to help Andy realize that dream. Chi Omega at MTSU is also working to make Andy’s heartfelt wish a reality.
So, let’s cash in the piggy banks, dig a little deeper in uneasy times and make a tax-deductible donation to Make-A-Wish Foundation in little Andy Dunn’s name. Keep Andy in your prayers, bring a chair and donation to the Dunns’ next Sunday afternoon, and let’s all experience the wonder.
After all, he doesn’t want a trip to Disneyland or the world’s largest trampoline. He wants to give his mother a symbol of his undying love.
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We all think we have bad days, but truthfully our bad days are usually just aggravating little hiccups in our lives. Think about it. How bad was your most recent ‘bad’ day, really?
Compare it to the day the Justin Hill family had last Tuesday. Turning into his Rock Island home’s driveway, Mr. Hill’s pickup was hit on the passenger side, it rolled and he was airlifted to Erlanger (thankfully, his injuries weren’t critical and he was released after initial treatment). Unfortunately, upon hearing the wreck, his wife ran from the house to help him. Also unfortunately, she forgot to turn off the stove and in the resulting fire, their home suffered extensive damage.
Oh yeah, Mr. Hill also got a ticket for failure to yield for pulling into the path of the vehicle which hit him.
Come to think of it, I really haven’t had any bad days lately!
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Prospective procrastinating poets and songwriters got a reprieve with the entry deadline for the Warren County Bicentennial Song and Poetry Contests extended until Friday, May 23.
Paeans to Warren County’s rich culture and history must be submitted on a CD or cassette tape, with lyric sheet, and entry form, along with $20 entry fee to contest coordinator Thomas B. Vaughn. Mail entries to 212 Morrison Street, McMinnville, Tenn., 37110.
Since Thomas B. isn’t the Simon Cowell of prospective poets and songwriters, we’re sure he’ll also offer constructive critiques of entries.
The top four winners in each category will share in the $200 prize money and will also be invited to perform their works at official bicentennial events. For more information, contact the colonel at 473-5188 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Good luck!
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Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I promise to clean my bedroom just anytime now. You are a constant wonder. All my love!