Celebration of Easter- He Lives!

Easter Sunday is such a beautiful day! It is Spring time, flowers are in abundance, the weather is warm but still penetrates a sense of  a cool breeze, the sun shines more than it has in months past and a sense of true real happiness fills the air.

I don't think it is a coincidence that one of the most important remarkable miracles the world has ever or will ever experience occurred during the beautiful season of spring. To be saved from an eternal state of death to every lasting LIFE! To know after all we can do, we are saved by GRACE because of the love and mercies of a loving Father in Heaven and His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. 

To know that no matter my weaknesses or sorrows, our pain spiritually, emotionally and or physically, the Savior of this world has suffered it all and can and will walk beside us if we open our hearts to let His infinite love and grace in!

I have had to open my heart, through our families struggles, to the mercies and atoning love of Jesus Christ to help us endure the pain and anguish that come's because of life's challenges. I encourage you if you are struggling to find answers to life's questions to seek Christ! He know's you and He love's you.  Miracle's happen not always in the way we expect them to happen, but God know's us best and will teach us what we need to know to better understand ourselves.

Because of Him!

Jake Schneberger And His Courageous Battle

Many times I come across stories that truly pull at my heart. In life, none of us are exempt from trials, however the intensity and struggle of some leave me in ahhh over how these individuals can endure and overcome them. There is no question in my mind and heart that having a testimony of the life and divinity of our Savior Jesus Christ is the only way to find strength to endure our burdens and bring peace to our souls.

 

The Schneberger family is a true testament of this. Jake Schneberger is a husband and father who has lived a life full of love and joy with his beautiful family in Oklahoma. His life suddenly took an unexpected turn and he has been valiantly fighting for his life ever since. Touched by him and his family's story, I asked if I could respectfully share his courageous journey. Jake's wife Susan recounts the past five years of their lives.

 

I feel strongly from our own personal experience, that prayer in numbers can bring about great miracles and tremendous peace. I ask as you read the Schneberger's story, that you pray for them in your hearts as they continue to fight for Jake's life.

 

 

Jake Schneberger Story- Shared by Susan Schneberger

 In 2010, Jake began having frequent, reoccurring migraines.  He had them as a child, but they were not nearly as severe as the migraines he was experiencing at 30 years old.

2011: Our family physician finally recommended an MRI and referred us to a local neurologist.  After being informed that he had a very large brain tumor in his left cerebral hemisphere, three doctors said there was nothing they could do for him.  After our son's 1st birthday, we traveled to MD Anderson on April 31, 2011.  Dr. Prahbu informed us that he could, in fact, help us and that there was no timeline on Jake's life.  We learned that the tumor infiltrated both frontal lobes of his brain and that he wanted to remove the largest portion of the tumor on the left side. He scheduled a craniotomy for May 13, 2011.

Dr. Prahbu performed a 6-hour awake craniotomy to remove 60% of his front left lobe.  He was diagnosed with having a Stage 2 Oligodendroglioma.  Jake can recall details from the surgery as he was answering questions the entire time to indicate to Dr. Prahbu how much of the tumor he could remove without causing severe neurological damage.  Jake recovered remarkably well.  He continued chemotherapy after the surgery and had no lasting physical problems.  It was amazing.

2013: After two years of regular check-ups and no indication that the tumor was growing, Jake was feeling back to his "old self" and he skipped his final check up in August 2013.  On December 4, 2013, Jake was taken back to MD Anderson for complications.  His memory had lapsed and he had severe problems with his vision.  An MRI showed that Jake had developed a new, more aggressive glioma tumor that had now infiltrated all four sections of the brain.  We relocated to Houston at the end of January for a 6-week rigorous daily radiation treatment to stop the tumor from growing.  The radiation was a success and we were sent back home to Oklahoma.  He continued chemotherapy throughout the year with weekly visits to his local oncologist, and every 6 weeks a trip to MD Anderson for an MRI. 

2014:  The doctors were confident that the tumor was stable after his last MRI on November 15, 2014.  He continued his cycles of chemotherapy, but began to have severe pains in his neck and back.  The local oncologist sent him in for several scans of his back, but there were no signs as to why he was having so much discomfort. 

2015:  The back and neck pain continued to worsen to the point that he would stay in bed for days at a time. He was just about to finish chemotherapy and the doctors assured us he would begin to gain weight and get his strength back.  They believed Jake's pain was probably due to the toxic levels in his body from the constant chemotherapy.  February 5, 2015 Jake picked our son up from school and came home to take a nap.  As I tried to wake him from his nap, I recognized the  same glazed look and lack of response I had seen before.  An ambulance transferred him to a local emergency room, and after an MRI and a consult with specialists at MD Anderson, the decision was made to MedFlight him to Houston.  When he arrived, he had a low-grade fever and was incoherent.  At first, they said an infection in his spine was probably the cause of this episode.  After several tests came back negative, they scheduled him to have a full spine MRI and spinal tap.  Four days later, we received the devastating news that the second tumor had significantly spread all throughout his spine and into his spinal fluid in 82 short days from his last MRI.  He is now diagnosed with Leptomeningeal Disease and given weeks to live.

- Susan Schneberger

Follow Jake's journey on facebook

 

A news segment shared Jake's story on the Oklahoma Channel 9 News

I just spoke with Susan's sister-in-law, Marji, this morning. She shared with me that last night Jake took a difficult turn and is now in hospice care. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Schneberger family at this time. A scriptural account that always brought peace to my heart during our darkest battles with Emmett was this: "Behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul... I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love" 2 Nephi 1:15

An account has been set up to help the Schneberger family during this difficult time. To help the Schneberger family. please click Here and Here.

"You've Been Nick'ed!"

Along with Safety, Emmett's Fight promotes all things GOOD! Our family had the honor of knowing Nick and his mother Traci during our many stays at Phoenix Children's Hospital. 

Truly two of the most amazing people we have met!

 Nick's legacy lives on through his mother and his many follower's who have been inspired and touched by him and his love for life. Read below to learn how you can "Spread the Love" by "You've been Nick'ed!" someone!

Nick's Epic Battle to Defeat Osteosarcoma

Safely Recycle those Old Batteries Guest blogger Melissa Schaap

Post by: Melissa Schaap from Battery Solutions

We know, all too well, the dangers of ingesting button cell batteries and everyday people are learning how to safeguard their children from this type of preventable injury. But what happens when they run out of power and it’s time to get rid of them? Should you throw them in trash? Store them in an old shoebox until you figure out what to do? Or properly dispose of them through recycling? Ding. Ding. There are lots of options for recycling your spent batteries and recycling is the safest and proper way to dispose them.

A company called Battery Solutions provides unmatched convenience by being the only provider that allows its customers to put all battery types and chemistries into one receptacle. You can put button cell (the ones inside your watch), lithium coin cell (the ones inside your car key fob or heart rate monitor), rechargeable batteries, alkalines, and even your mobile phone or small power tool batteries. All in one place. They provide a SmartReycle System and iRecycle Kits ranging from five pounds to 55-pounds capacity. A five pound recycling kit lasts an average household about six months or longer.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), button-cell batteries found in items such as watches and hearing aids contain mercury, silver, cadmium, lithium, or other heavy metals as their main component. Recycling batteries keeps heavy metals out of landfills and the air. Once in a landfill, rain water steeps through the waste creating leachate, or a toxic soup, which can enter the groundwater and even end up in the domestic water supply. Recycling batteries not only prevents these hazards but saves resources because recovered plastic and metals can be used to make new batteries. 

Battery Solutions serves a variety of customers from the single household to businesses of all sizes, again, taking all types and chemistries. In 2014, responsible people and businesses allowed Battery Solutions to collect 40 million pounds of batteries to recycle! These recycled batteries are turned into materials that create: new batteries; steel – which could help build your next car; micronutrients – used in fertilizer; and so many other materials that will sustain our lives in the centuries to come and are not harming us by being put in a landfill. Earth911 is another great resource for finding out how to recycle everything, including your batteries. 

Just like the medical community is not fully educated on the dangers of button cell battery ingestions, laws haven’t kept up with what we know can harm the environment. They are starting to catch up – it is illegal to throw batteries in the trash in California and other states like New York and Vermont are setting these types of recycling precedents too. Next time you are wondering what do with your spent batteries, think twice about tossing them in the trash, not only can kids and pets still find them there, it’s not good for the environment. Besides, it’s pretty cool old batteries can be turned into something useful for a second life. 

Be on ALERT for LAUNDRY SOAP PODS!

As technology advances, we as consumer's become excited to purchase the new latest and greatest items. This also goes for house hold cleaner's. Pediatrician's educated parent's about the danger's of cleaning supplies if consumer by a child and advise, for cleaner's to be placed up high out of little arms reach or behind a child proof cabinet. However, what about these cute little tiny pods?!?!

The little laundry pods are cute, less messy, easy to use and have great reviews... 

Just as there is a laundry list of appealing reasons for parent's to purchase the tiny packages of soap, little curious eyes may have their own list of idea's why these cleansing pods may look attractive. Colorful, shiny, squishy, smell yummy... At the young and tender age of a toddler, the oral stimulation is quite alive and inquisitive. (We have learned with our research of toddler's and button battery ingestion.) Children are curious, if the item looks attractive, they will put it in their mouth. The problem is... these laundry soap pods are TOXIC! I have heard more and more stories about little one's ingesting these little cleaner's, I wanted to send a friendly note to parent's and caregiver's to be AWARE of these items in your home!

Cancer Benefit for Malina

Malina, The Rauch Family is routing for you and our faith and prayer's are with you to fight this great battle!

Go Malina, Go!

Mother's Grace Benefit Brunch

Thank you Mother's Grace for generously gifting Emmett's Fight Foundation with our first ever GRANT!

I am so grateful for the opportunity to be the guest speaker today,  to a group of two hundred beautiful ladies this morning at the Mother's Grace 5th Annual Benefit Brunch. It was a delightful and emotional experience.  I was able to share Emmett's and Ethan's journeys, provide awareness to those in the audience about the danger's of button batteries, share why Michael and I started our Foundation and what our goals are in this movement. It being Mother's Day weekend, I was able to be accompanied by my wonderful Mother, Mother in law and one of my best of friends, Wendy.

What is Mother's Grace?

"Mother's Grace foundation is dedicated to the support of Mothers and children who have endured life tragedies. By providing financial support and guidance, Mother's Grace empowers these women to reach their goals of making a difference in their communities by helping others inflicted with similar circumstances." (from: mother-grace.org) find them on  Facebook

Michelle Fanger President and Founder of Mother's Grace.

(left to right) Wendy, Roxie (mother in law), Myself and Karen (my mother)

I feel so blessed to have my Mother's love and support! She has held my left hand while Michael has held my right through these past years. She has taught me to be strong, no matter how dark the storm may be. She is MY advocate. She is my biggest fan as Michael and I  work towards creating a safer world!

Wendy has been with me through the thick and thin and has an incredible story of her own. She is one of my biggest cheerleaders and I am so grateful for her passion in helping to spread the awareness about Button Batteries!

Michael's Mom has been a great support in many ways to our little family. She is a nurse by trade and has helped sit in during many difficult conversation Michael and I have had with Physicians. I am grateful for her listening ears.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you wonderful Mother's!!!