My niece was born in early December. She was immediately whisked away to the NICU (my sister-in-law didn't get to hold her for days). My niece was able to come home for Christmas. The week after she went in for tests. Everything looked good. The next week, she went in for the same battery of tests and all results came out drasctically bad. She will not come home from the hospital for six to eight months, at least. The diagnosis is Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). The prognosis is not good either (25-40% chance of survival). The treatment brutal. 😔
We all feel helpless to an extent. But, my niece has two brothers. Between three households (Julie's retired parents, Julie's other sister, and ours) we're going to make sure my nephews establish a pattern/routine to their day-to-day lives over the next several months. But, we're building out a list of places that we'll know we'll be spending dollars at to care for both my sister and brother-in-law but my nephews amongst these three households as well.
We can do a lot with the resources we have. But, we're going to be covering a wide range of services and functions that no one would ever plan for. We're all frugal but, who plans for a newborn to have cancer? No one. Gift cards are welcome. Please send them to my wife, Julie, who is coordinating care via email jules014@gmail.com
- Grubhub (supported at more restaurants here than Doordash)
- Kickstand Brewing Co. (local restaurant)
- Tropical Smoothie Cafe (in-store only; check if they'll work in SE Michigan)
- Leo's Coney Island (in-store only; local chain)
- Hungry Howies (in-store only; check if they'll work in SE Michigan)
- McDonald’s
If you want to mail a gift card, please use the DevOps'ish mailing address:
Chris Short
1150 Atlantic St.
#234
Milford, MI 48381
As always, if you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns, feel free to reach out to me:
Your niece’s strength at such a young age is incredibly moving, and your family’s dedication to supporting her and her brothers is truly inspiring. In times like this, even small acts of care—whether it’s helping with meals, errands, or a simple visit—mean so much. I hope the community steps up with gift cards and support, especially for places like Tropical Smoothie Cafe, so your family can focus on what matters most: being there for your niece and her recovery. Sending strength and healing to all of you.