Challenges and Triumphs

It’s hard to believe the 10th Anniversary Hair Massacure is almost over. Now some of you are thinking to yourselves “Brandi is crazy! I was at the Mall, it was almost 2 weeks ago – it IS over”. While it may be true that I am a bit crazy, it’s also true that there are still lots of things going on with HM. If you consider all the mini-events throughout the year, you’ll understand what I mean:

Planning Committee meetings, Santa at Ronald McDonald House, Pink Campaign kickoff, media interviews, school presentations, more group meetings, Captain meetings, volunteer orientation and training, pre-drop, post-drop, Red Deer Massacure, etc. etc. etc… oh, and NEW - the family ski night at Rabbit Hill on March 4. I think you can see how we’ve started to refer to this as “the event that never ends” (to the tune of “this is the song that never ends”)…

This year has brought its share of challenges and triumphs. I’d like to share a few of them with you, because there was a lot going on behind the scenes. (This feels a bit like a December 31st radio “Year in Review” program – lol)

Challenge: Hair Massacure has grown to a point where it needs more support, and some highly-motivated help.
Triumph: Hire Jaime Caza as the Project Manager. Jaime has more energy than I could have imagined, and if anyone can keep up with Hair Massacure, she’s the one.

Challenge: The online registration and donation site is difficult to work with. How can we make it better, and fast?
Triumph: Find a new provider, and switch over Christmas holidays. Check! While this transition was not without its bumps and glitches, overall this has been an amazing transition. The team at Registration Logic is so great to work with and I think that once the dust settles the “wish list” for next year will address the outstanding issues. It’s going to be great!

Challenge: Our website is pretty great, but it’s content heavy and a bit outdated.
Triumph: First, spend the summer combing through every single page to see what we can eliminate, combine, or tweak. Then, meet Purelogic Solutions and hear these words: “We can design a whole new site for you and have it ready before the event, as part of an overall social media strategy”. Wow. We love it. Thanks Carmelle and company :)

Challenge: Maintain the momentum of two years at a million dollars each.
Triumph: Smash through it! Raise over $600,000 online alone, then break the million-dollar mark before the February 3 headshave was even finished. That was an amazing moment. Since the donations are still coming in, it’s really hard to wait to see where the total will end up – but we know it’s going to be well ahead of 2011. That’s a nice feather in an anniversary cap.

Challenge: Pull off an organized, clean event without showing everyone all the challenges behind the scenes.
Triumph: Oooops… I guess I just blew it… sorry…

Well anyway, those are some of my thoughts as this event comes to a close. What an amazing group of people (HM and the three charities, plus all the volunteers) that bring this million-dollar plus fundraiser together. While everyone brought something very valuable to the table, there are a few who stood out above the crowd for me this year. You know who you are… and you are very special people. Thank you.

Tammy's Updates.

I haven't written a blog for quite sometime. I miss it, but quite frankly there is no more space in Tammy brain for words at the end of the day, nor time to write it. EVERY day there is a blog in my head.

Lets see... from Jan 10 -

Pink Kick off on Breakfast TV went very well - 50 pinkees! Packed the house - over 20 AAA Hockey players in jerseys, Totem managers, teachers / students, our infamous Paul L to name a few. Bridget Ryan hosted her 8th pinking! Prior to the segment, unloaded more than coffee and cream in front of the hockey players unpacking my car (cream spilled everywhere...), tricked Pat (our school rep / registration Goddess) into kissing a mannequin head, bantered with Romy our photographer, and left "pinked" (thanks Megs and Mel).

FRED's pinking at the shop (Krazy Klipz) went well. Mandy and I did not turn him purple like last year. He is looking "normal" to us now when he's pink and he's touring LOTS of places.

3 year old girl at a school presentation politely asks if she can pet my llama ... wanted to a blog about that.

FRED "self soothing" himself during presentations and tv interviews. If it weren't for the sounds, I may not clue in and tug the leash.

Folks are still asking if this is his real natural colour. I say yes.

We have a new website! Its totally sponsored by Pure Logic (WE LOVE you Carmel) and a new on-line registration page. Few glitches from the switch, but WAY better that before.

Kali and I are both participating. Have no time to solicit for pledges. Hope my head is worth something in the end....

LOTS of schools and teams this year! EXCITING! Kids helping kids.....

This is neat....

One of our cheer kids we coach approached me in practice with pictures from 07 (her first shave).

Little did I know she was the same little girl who missed the Massacure at the mall and found her way to Make-A-Wish to get shaved up (while we were unloading that night). Small world. This is her fifth year participating.

That was a blog in my head about repeats (which BLOWS my mind that folks return year after year).

Drove around with Kali last weekend popping into as many Save Ons, Totems, and McD's as we could to say hi and thank you for selling Kali Bears, Kali Pink, hard hats - took note of passing our many busses and billboards with the 3 boys. Speaking of that (and repeats) - the mom emailed us!

I was so curious if we would ever hear of them or their reactions (they will be returning for their 5th year!). Yay!

I KNOW there is more but I can't remember it all....

Brandi and Jaime, Christie and Pat, Darcy and myself all going nuts trying to keep up with HM - ..... another blog.

Brandi has no time to attend events this year (I feel bad for her) as she's swallowed up by tasks / inquiries flooding in. Jaime's shedding serious pounds just chasing, Pat choked me again last week during a pinking, Christie hair looks like she's been electrocuted (wonder why...) and Darcy is all by himself in Red Deer taming the beast.

I am doing ok. Little tired. Threw out another toothbrush confusing Preparation H (for the eyes...) with my Colgate, showed up for Global interview with "pink eye" - clued in and moved my nose drops away from my eye drops on my night stand, using plastic baggies for dental floss (not a good idea to apply lipstick prior to), still driving around with bottles of hair colour in my cup holders, and auto correct in my phone continues to get me in trouble.

Having an inside battle with "letting GO of things (tasks that others can manage), that shall be an upcoming blog.

On the "not so good..."

My little cousin has had 4 comas since mid December. We are worried sick about that. Visited her today at Stollery. She's my special little kid, always with a smile.

A family very dear to us (who participated 2 years ago) are praying hard for their son Auston as he awaits specialized radiation to hopefully shrink a tumour on the brain stem,

my step mom is going for open heart surgery in a couple of weeks (a possible effect from the 25 radiation treatments last spring on her left breast), and tomorrow I shall take my dad for his post heart attack tests which we are booth apprehensive about.

Lots going on....

Hope to be in touch soon!

Christmas updates

Hi folks, Merry belated Christmas!

First update shall be about my little cousin Taylor. I am pleased to say that my Taylor was released to our family just in time for a mid afternoon Christmas meal. Still weak and shaken from her ordeal in ICU, Taylor managed to endure a couple of hours of visiting from the couch (with a smile).

Ironically the first thing she came out with upon entering my moms house was "Kali, what did you do to your wrist?" These kids are like that.

Kali really didn't know what to say. A fracture pales in comparison to a coma.

Despite the fact that Santa greeted Taylor (and all kids) at the Stollery - with his full on sleigh, toy bag and gifts - our family felt that his delivery of her to US was by far the best.

It was a great Christmas. I still don't care about the gifts.

But I aint gonna lie... I care about the food.

Jaime is in BC with her family visiting with her dad who was also just released from ICU. I know she is feeling helpless in regards to his health.

As parents we have the authority and ability to control the situation with our children's health, living conditions, exposures, etc.

Any parent that chooses to opt out of nurturing - I personally feel you should be tarred and feathered at the very least .... (just sayin'... ).

As children of older parents, we do not have that control unless it has progressed to extreme conditions where power of attorney takes effect. Sometimes after all of our support, all of our efforts, advice and resources exhausted - all we can do is pray for them and watch for the outcome.

I speak from experience as my own father and step mom are both recently fighting very serious health issues that have turned our family to prayers.

Jaime is praying too and soaking up precious time with her family in BC.

I am soaking my family at home. <3

Unfortunately winter months (campaign season) are not conducive to connecting with family very much, so this break has been very nice.

Brandi... well we believe she is on a lovely well deserved holiday (at least thats was her story when she left). Smoke and screetch from her tires in the Make-A-Wish parking lot Friday at 5 may have indicated she needed a break.

The GPS we fastened to her ankle when we took off the shackles has lost signal. Jaime and I have our fingers crossed... but then again - she really does love us. :)

A few more day after new years and the campaign will explode.

With HM on Feb 3, we have a very short window to cram our chaos into. I suspect lots of caffeine chocolate and Ritalin (for me) will be on the list.

Here are a few updates for you:

McDonalds Corporate Restaurants (BIG returning sponsor) shall be selling Kali Bears again as well as feeding our 400 volunteers (BTW - these paper kali bears were Jaime's brainchild when she implemented them years back as the C.R.)

Totem - our new BIG sponsor shall be selling Kali Bears and Pink Hard Hats (brain child of Paul Liimatainen years back - implemented by Paul Hobbs GM of Totem AB). Just discovered Kali Bears as far south as Lethbridge and north Grand Prairie!

Save On Foods - (returning BIG sponsor) shall be selling Kali Bears and Kali Pink / bleach and hair extensions in all Northern Alberta locations!

Corus Radio - Along with our returning big media sponsor CISN, they shall have CHED and JOE in tow this year - very excited to work with all of them!

West Edmonton Mall - if you haven't heard yet - they have donated the Ice Palace!

Romy Young Photography - will be working with us on creative design (check out our Xmas photos included in this blog), capturing and organizing photos and a promo video for next year.

We have a new social media sponsor (excited to share more SOON) - Pure Logic Solutions!

We have of course more wonderful sponsors that shall be showcased throughout this blog at a later time, just wanted to update on the new exciting items.

Stay tuned for more - perhaps another sponsor or too shall bless us for this anniversary event.

Tam

When Kailey got her wish!

I would love to share for you my families experience with our daughter being a recipient with Make-A-Wish.

I want to tell you specifically about the day she received the news that she would be getting to make a wish.

My daughter has had to fight for her life, literally since the moment she was born.....12 years ago.

When we first were told of Kailey being selected we were overwhelmed with many emotions. Grateful, Joy but to be honest it was a little sad too. To have your child selected it means they suffer with a "life threatening illness". The reality of this, to be blunt is that if Kailey gets sick or any cold, and it enters her lungs or even if she was to take a sip of a glass of water, we could lose our daughter.

This is something that as a parent of a child in this predicament, you avoid acknowledging. We strive to make Kailey's life as normal as possible and enjoy every healthy breath and once in a while it settles in just how scared you are. For me, her being selected was one of those moments. We knew Kailey was going to be presented with this moment a couple weeks before, so it was a good "processing time". When you have a sick child you are often riddled with guilt, what if's and wish I would of or wish I could just moments. I had time to "process" my crap and decide to take in the joy that this wish was going to mean.

So off to the Make-A-Wish building in the west end of Edmonton with a bunch of the people that could make it that morning and that have been a part and watched Kailey through many battles. Dad, Me, Gramma (my mom), Auntie Christie and Kailey's long time aide Teresa. I knew Marta, (at the time she worked with MAW) and Tammy was our volunteer wish granter. We piled into the office and I am sure Kailey had no clue what was going on. Marta then begins to tell Kailey what MAW is about and delivers the news "Kailey, you have been nominated by your incredible doctor (our beloved angel Dr.McGonigle) to make a wish.

I look at my beautiful daughters face and in that second remember how many times we watched this precious face in sheer pain, held her down for needles and procedures and locked our eyes and hearts on the medical monitors begging God to PLEASE let her stay with me. Instead this time I see absolute JOY. I am thinking about how amazing this child is, thank God for her stubborn nature.

Kailey looks confused, excited and just in awe. We take a minute to clarify, "Kailey, YOU are getting to wish for anything or to meet anyone you want!" She bursts into laughter...it takes her little time to say "I WISH TO MEET JOE JONAS!!!!" I was not surprised! Marta explains that she has to make 3 wishes just in case they can't facilitate one..she looks astounded..."I WISH TO SWIM WITH DOLPHIN's" and "MEET ZAC EFRON"!! As we all cry and enjoy this the happiness my daughter is feeling I realize that she has already begun to change because of this wish and she has not even known for one hour yet! I see confidence bursting from her smile like I have never seen before.

As we walk to the car, I look at her face deep in thought and I ask this little miracle what she is thinking and this 9 year old child says to me something that I will never forget and she has no idea how profound the statement is. But with this statement it exactly describes the reason wishes for children in her position are so vital as we all know the child with spirt and joy has the energy to continue to fight.

Kailey says to me " This is the first time in my life that I have actually been given something because of my disability and not had something taken away". This is so accurate.

This is why I am so passionate about this organization. I saw my daughter change that day and we now have this wonderful memory to focus on when she is having a bad day or is not well. That's a gift I do not know how to ever say enough thanks for.

Praying for Taylor

I find a lot of irony in this particular blog.

This will be the 2nd Taylor that I have requested prayers for in the past year.

I thank God for the miracluous success with little Taylor (#1) who fought all odds last year with the rapidly growing tumours in her brain that called for an urgent widespread prayer chain. Taylor had an estimated 3 weeks left ... she's been recently captured in the cutest pics sitting on Santas knee (where I believe all children should be sitting close to Christmas time).

Now Im praying for a new Taylor. My Taylor.

She's my little cousin who I adopted as "my little kid" dating back to when she was born. We spend every Christmas together and now Im struggling with the second piece of irony.

My last 2 blogs:

http://hairmassacure.blogspot.com/2011/12/take-it-all-in.html

http://hairmassacure.blogspot.com/2011/12/climbing-out-of-christmas-despair.html

both reflect children suffering in hospital - going through the holiday season.

How could I have known that days after my last blog that another young family member would be taken to this place.... that I would return to this place.

Im feeling torn between my own selfish feelings and triggers and feelings for Taylor and all of the kids at Stollery right now. I shouldnt take this internally, I feel guilty for doing so.

I learned yesterday that its packed in Stollery right now :(

I also learned that Taylor was just transferred from ICU (a good thing) to 4E3 (our old stomping ground - Peds Oncology). Yuck.

I will return for a visit tomorrow and I will wear a smile for her, but inside Im absolutely dreading it. I don't want to go back in there at Christmas time, but again this is not about me.

Taylor was taken in this week by ambulance from her school. From what I understand she fell into her coma right there and then. Taylor is diabetic among other threatening conditions that impede her birthright to be healthy and normal.

When Taylor woke up a couple of days later, we breathed a sigh of relief until we learned that

her condition is still not understood and they are just treating symptoms.

Again, through the sick worry we are all so grateful that she is at the Stollery. She is really getting the best care she could receive in the country.

My last visit with her in ICU reflected a ton of teasing followed by soft little giggles.

I would not go in there and feel heavy, instead I would be the same Tammy that she is accustomed to.

I asked her why she chose this particular method of skipping school, what was up with her hair, why she decides to take "naps" in the middle of the day and why she seems to think she needs a higher IV tower than everyone else? I told her that when she decides to cause some trouble I would help her, and that I was gonna tell on her to my daughter Meagan about the hair thing (Megs is her hair stylist).

Every giggle was like music, every smile was gold.

Still I left feeling like I had been hit by a truck (and I really have - so I know the feeling).

I dont understand why some children are meant to suffer and why "bad guys" often go unscathed.

Like everyone who has lost or been affected by a suffering child - we feel desperate and helpless at the same time.

I will update my Christmas visit to Stollery, stay tuned.

Jaime's Gadgets

Something you would learn about me rather quickly is how much I love new gadgets. I love iPods and iPads and if my husband had not locked the shopping channel, I will believe that you NEED to boil eggs in little cups and all I need is one more hand blender. I love any kind of object that makes life easier. Why wouldn't I? Life as a working mom is busy and any little job means more time with my kids...lol...or my gadgets.

The problem I have is that the gadgets don't see to like me! I have had my computer crash more times than I can count, I think I may be on a list somewhere to mail viruses to me to see if they work! And they always do! So what did I do to combat this issue? I started learning how to back my files up, the problem with that is that I actually have experienced my back up files crashing! So, to be ahead of this I decide to back up my back up files...now I am so confused as to where the files are and even more confused than when my computer crashes!

Then there is the battery problem, I have spent more hours searching for chargers than the average person spends sleeping! I seem to run out battery power more often than any other person I know. I am quite confident my skin gives off a battery charge that helps to drain batteries! I have owned more cameras than your can imagine due to the fact that I have lose the chargers!

So, is it no surprise then when I get introduced to the world of the "Mac" computers I would suffer serious frustrations?? Thank god for Glen Peters and his super powers of fixing Jaime's computer issues...over and over and OVER again...I think when he hears a DING in the middle of the night he is now accustomed to to thinking, " what did she do now?"

So I finally get up and running and learn some cool tricks and decide, I need to own an iPad! There is this new wonderful gadget called, "iCloud"! Not only does it sound really cool, I am positive this will make my life so much easier! My hubby should have booked Glen for his duration of Christmas holidays before he decided this ipad would be the perfect Christmas gift for me!

Glen made plans to go home with his OWN family for Christmas and I am not sure I will be okay without my super computer fixing friend! So, in the 3 days I have owned this iPad ( we opened presents early in my house due to traveling for Christmas), Glen had to update my entire system on my Mac. His first mistake was sending me home With the computer installing as it was taking a really long time, but he was confident I could handle this and the system would walk me through what to do next! So, I thought I did that right, whew! Quite chuff with myself I decide, I am on fire and I can handle updating the new iPad, then set up the cloud! I discover late at night (cause that's when my computer crashing skills are the strongest) I have lost the capability in the upgrade to use microsoft word or excel files...problem..ALL MY FILES ARE WORD OR EXCEL!!!!

Again Glen hears the DING at 11:30 at night and replies back....again...What did you do????

I know this may sound spoiled but I know not to worry to much, because super Glen, I know, will get me up and running...again...and I am sure in the near future...again.

Thank you Mr. Super fixing friend for all your incredible patience....DING..I need help!

What I REALLY want for Christmas

Well, here we are just four sleeps until Christmas. As I recently said on Twitter - that count only applies if you are actually sleeping :)

We put so much pressure on ourselves to do more, buy more, be more at this time of year, don't we? Why is that? Truth be told most of us have everything we need. Friends and family ask "What do your kids/you want/need for Christmas?" in genuine hopes of fulfilling wishes. The honest answer would usually be "Nothing". Yes, maybe we could do with a new pair of slippers (mine are actually my crocs) or a new waffle iron (cause I really like waffles) or a new... wait - I can't say more in case my kids read this! But my point is we actually don't need more stuff.

What I'd really like this Christmas is the ability to slow down, unplug from technology, and just be in the moment. I'd like to watch the excitement in my son's eyes when he opens the BIG box behind the tree from his Nana instead of rushing to clean up the paper. I'd like to linger in the moment when my daughter sees the thoughtfully chosen gift from her brother. And I'd like to savour the laughter that I know is going to come when my honey opens the little-bitty box in the corner.

What I often lack is the ability to stop thinking. Stop planning. Stop evaluating. I wish I could just "be". Maybe it's a learned thing. And I'm really trying to learn it. My goal this year is to slow down and not let the little pressures get to me so much. Working at HM, you'd think I would have automatically grown more able to appreciate the little things - considering the families we meet are struggling with such heart-wrenching situations. Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate small victories (mine are often associated with finishing a document or solving a process-related problem). I just wonder why all these pressures still get to me when I should be more grateful for all I have and what goes right.

So, my wish for all of us this Christmas is that we do some of the things we talk about. Hug more, smile more, worry less, slow down and be in the moment. Remember the line that says "Life isn't about the breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away". I wish you LOTS of those moments.

Merry Christmas,
Brandi