Missed yesterday.. Whew..

We had friends come up from Hot Springs, AR so we spent the evening and early morning sitting outside on another friend's back porch, enjoying a delicious, light breeze.  We also got to talking with one of our younger friends.  She and her fiancee are going through such a rough time right now.  They had moved from Kansas City to Hot Springs with her mom and step dad a few months ago.  Right before they could start looking for work, Kayla's fiancee, Tyrone started having terrible stomach pains.

After being checked out, he was given the terminal diagnosis of stage four cancer.  His cancer had already spread to his liver and pancreas.  The doctors gave him months to live.  They moved back to KC to be with his friends and siblings.  His parents are already gone, as well as two of his siblings from cancer as well.  Tyrone recently underwent a treatment and came out of it with jaundice.  He is currently in the hospital being treated because his liver and pancreas were both in the process of shutting down, but were caught early enough for treatment to help that.

However, the doctors have dramatically dropped his survival time down to eight or nine weeks.  If that isn't terrible enough, neither Tyrone or Kayla were working, so neither one has any type of benefits.  His medical bills are covered, however, his funeral and burial costs are not.  This is something that has been causing him much undue stress, since he is still trying to fight to live as long as he can.  They are still trying to aggresively treat him, so that it might prolong the end.  He is not ready to give up and let go.

Here in the next few weeks, I will be working with Kayla, her mom Karen and as many of my friends to help raise funds to cover a proper burial for him.  He isn't asking for much, he would like to have a viewing for his friends and family and then cremation.  He wishes to be interred beside his mom in Columbia, MO.  We are going to hold some silent auctions, a possible hotrod cruise to some of our local wineries and possibly a local bingo charity night at one of the bars in North Kansas City.

We stayed up until almost 3:30am brainstorming ideas and talking about what we could do to help.  Tyrone and Kayla are both still so young to be going through this kind of tragedy.  He is 40 and she is still in her early 20's.  She is sticking with him through thick and thin, choosing to stand beside him and fight for his life right along with him.  He has tried to push her away to protect her, but she's not having any of that.  She's in it for the ride.  We want to make the rest of their time together what it should be.  Time together, not worrying about the costs when he is gone.

I have already contacted some of my local wineries, and had already gotten a hearty, "We are in, and will discuss fundraising ideas this weekend" answer in the early morning hours from one of our great wineries.  I have also heard from Debbie at DebbieDoo's Blogging and Blabbing who will allow me to post items that we will be making or putting together for our silent auction and we have also gotten support from one of my wine / margarita mob members to hopefully get the charity Bingo game on.  Thank you for all of our supporters, it is truly and gratefully appreciated.  It means a lot to their family and friends, as well as to Kayla and Tyrone.  Thank you again, and a big thank you to those who will be donating items for our silent auction as well.  Much peace, love and comfort to all involved.