Kenny was 4 years old when the doctor told us in June of 1985 that he had a large mass at the base of his brain. I immediately thought, "Cancer, he is going to die. This has to be a mistake." I was a single mother. Kenny was the result of a rape and I was very anxious to be a mother. I though long and hard before bringing him into this world especially sense I did not know his father. On Octobe 4 1981, this wonderful little bundle of joy blessed my life in oh so many ways. He led a pretty normal childhood. Normal boy stuff. When the doctor checked him bad headaches and found the tumor my whole world was turned upside down. The next few months to follow required two brain surgeries and extensive radiation therapy. He went into remission in October of 85. The doctors said that if it didn't come back within 5 years it probably would not. The next 5 years were alot of check ups and tests to make sure that it wasn't coming back. On his 9th birthday, we celebrated. It was almost 5 years and it still had not returned. In June during baseball, we noticed a limp that he was begining to have in his left side. His check up showed that the cancer was back and all down his spine. This was it. It was all over. The next two years were filled with anxiety, fear, doubts and illness. Lots of chemo and drugs. Kenny was for sure that this was the end for him. He loved God and shared God with everyone. He knew he would be with him soon. Kenny and a faith that must of us as christians strive to have in a lifetime. He touched so many lives. His teachers, classmates, people at our church and the community. One gentelman was saved due to Kenny's wittness. Two weeks before he died, he went into the hospital for the last time. He knew he would not go back home. Watching him go through that last two weeks was the most awful thing to watch. I felt so helpless. I could do nothing to save my son from this awful death. For 8.5 years, our lives were wrapped around doctors and hospitals. Kenny used to tell me that dying was like a caterpillar and a butterfly. A caterpillar makes its cacoon and goes to sleep and when he wakes up he has a new body. He is a new creation. Well, Kenny went into a coma on Saturday, July 16 and woke up in Heaven with a new body on July 17, 1994. He left me some beautiful memories and treasures that can never be taken away. I know that when Jesus comes again, I will be with my son once more.
Kathy Thistlethwaite
You can send email to Kathy at: [email protected]
mail welcome
anniversary date 7-17-94
date of post 3-15-97
