Will You Join The Fight?

2 More Days left until the LIGHT The NIGHT

Will you be joining us?

Come on out tonight for yummy food, great people, and good times.

TEAM GRIFFIN'S KICK OFF PARTY

Thursday September 23, 2010

HOULIHAN'S RESTAURANT
550 W. Touhy
Park Ridge, IL
847.692.6505

6PM-9PM

There will be free appetizers for our bunch

20% of dinner receipts will be donated to TEAM GRIFFIN

Fundraising continues with T-Shirt sales...get them while they are hot!

Come on out and meet GODZILLA he is hungry for your donations.

Raffle prizes a plenty.

Catch Griffin and his family here and the first round of Root Beer is on me!

Make a donation and find Godzilla at the event or link to TEAM GRIFFIN



(GODZILLA creation c/o Wayne Rizal-president CALAMBA ASSOCIATION of ILLINOIS)




The Maks family house is brimming with last minute details for the walk coming up this Saturday. Gretchen and Jon continue their efforts to raise funds for the walk as well as quell any tantrums inevitable among the Maks siblings.

Last night Griffin busy playing hide-n-seek with his cousins and made out to be a very good hider and seeker.

Want to find out more about this little dude?

Meet him tonight and JOIN the Fight!

See you there!

2010 Light the Night Walk *Team Griffin*

I remember the day when I was a kid playing endlessly at the park, climbing the monkey bars, spinning in the tire swing, and jumping on the teeter-totter. I played until the park lights started to flicker on and the setting sun cast it's last rays.







Over the weekend, Griffin (my 4 year old nephew), took a break from playing in the park to capture a few smiling images. We had walked a few steps around the jungle gym to find a spot for him to show off his cheeky smile and he said to me,

"I can't walk far because my legs hurt."

I proceeded to find out more about the discomfort that afflicted Griffin, and asked him my cadre of questions to find cause for his pain. Griffin answered my what, where, when, why, and how framework of questions. Griffin described his legs were hurting because he was playing in the park. He confirmed that he did not get bumped at the playground by his rambunctious siblings-Everest, Hudson, nor Kailey. He did not fall off the jungle gym, and he had not been play fighting Tai kwon do with his cousins (my rambunctious kids). Later on, my sister, Gretchen, told me the chemotherapy medication Griffin received made him tired and caused pain to his legs. Griffin left the park not too long after the images were taken and just prior to the debut of the evening sky making it's appearance.



I did not understand Griffin's pain because growing up as a kid I did not have the same experiences that Griffin has to endure. I have stopped asking myself the why about Griffin's Leukemia and find myself asking what can be done.
"What can I do to help my nephew not experience the physical pains after performing activities that children inevitably do growing up?"



On Saturday, September 25, 2010, Griffin and his family plan to attend The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS's) Light the Night Walk.





Joining TEAM GRIFFIN will be family and friends helping to raise funds for lifesaving cancer research. I join the fight to find a cure for Leukemia. A disease, in my opinion, that steals away the fundamental right of growing up as a child. I invite you to join Griffin.



Special mention who have and are still helping Griffin Maks and his family, including the Elizabeth Meyer School --Griffin's preschool. On behalf of Gretchen and Jon Maks: A huge Thank You for your efforts. We look forward to a good turnout in support of leukemia research!

Rah*Rah*Sis*Boom*Bah

Whether I cheer on the sidelines with pom poms in hand, or I scream and shout from the bleachers, I am showing my support for my team. I know that I can be overzealous shouting out my encouragement to the players on the court. I may stamp my feet and clap my hands. I have been known to stand up from my seat and call out to the referee. I do this to channel the energy that I have, to both inspire and maybe even give that extra "edge" to the players so that a victory will be won. I am preparing to watch my son's basketball game tomorrow morning. My son and my nephew (Everest) play basketball together. Everest is Griffin's older brother.

I plan to cheer for the basketball players tomorrow as I do for my nephew, Griffin. I cheer for Griffin everyday. My cheers for Griffin ride along with my thoughts and beliefs of my faith. I pray to God to keep Griffin well, healthy, and happy. There are other participants on the field who also deserve encouragement. These first string players need no introduction from me. You know them by a first name basis. Jon, Gretchen, Everest, Kailey, and Hudson.



The playing field is set in a number of different places. The fourth floor clinic at Children's Memorial, the house at 60076, and even the car ride to the emergency room. I am shouting out encouragement to

"...keep cool, relax, continue to do what you are doing..."

I am encouraging the players to endure, to sacrifice, and to overcome what may seem to be the hardest hurdle yet to be faced.




The current situation sets the players at different places. Everest is with me for a very early game in the morning. Hudson and Kailey are snug in their bed with grand-parental supervision. Jon, Gretchen, and Griffin are on the way to Children's Memorial. Griffin's white blood cell count has been trending on a downward slope. This situation challenges Griffin's body and makes it hard to fight off infections. Griffin had been monitored by the Md's for the past week plus a few days. Gretchen and Jon were given instruction to come to the hospital if Griffin developed a fever.
I had talked to Gretchen over the phone on Saturday evening (I can not change the time entered/displayed for this post). She spoke to me with tears and told me her "mother's instinct" and interpreted her gut feelings. She was preparing and packing in case Griffin did indeed show more objective signs of fever. I received the call Saturday night (before midnight) they were in fact on their way to the hospital.

Griffin has one more year of treatment and must face every challenge with strength courage, and faith. As I sit here in front of my monitor I invite you, reader, to join me on the sidelines and Cheer your heart out for the Home team. We can do a virtual wave, we can whirl a dervish dance, we can scream from the rooftops, we can send our positive energies, we can pray. However you choose to cheer, encourage, uplift and/or inspire...let us all tip the scale in Griffin's favor. 1-0.

Man & Woman of the Year

The beautiful faces that you see belong to Griffin and Rose. You have been hearing the story of Griffin and all his 'going-ons' from word of mouth, Gretchen's FB, and or have been eyeing glimpses of him here and there.
There is more to tell you about Griffin and his recent follow up visit to Children's Memorial for a routine blood work up. Results are still pending, but the lab result of importance are Griffin's liver lab values. More updates to follow when available.
It was by special request to update the blog and give special mention to Rose and her mission. Rose is a survivor of NHL and her story can be found here:


http://www.roseabovecancer.com


The benefit for Man & Woman of the Year will be tomorrow May 21, 2010.

Congratulations to all who have supported LLS. To all the candidates in the running for Man & Woman of the Year, it was not only with the donations raised, but with your blood, sweat, and tears that you put a happy smile on Griffin's face.

On behalf of Griffin Maks and his family, Thank you!

Turn on the Light

The cogs are turning and the switch has been turned on. Imaginary light bulbs are above mine and Gretchen's head at the making of this post. The kids are running around us asking us for snacks, asking us to fix their toys, and tattling on the one that seems to cause all the commotion...Griffin. I know the latest post was way back when...but keep a look out for more information. We are here, and I know you are too.

Light the Night

"Whoa, Where have you been?" "What have you been up to lately?"

Have you heard these words before when you have not seen a friend in awhile? And yet whatever the reasons are that kept the relationship silent, it is as if no time has passed after the greetings are said, and conversation picks up right where it left off.

So here he is. In the following images you may not recognize him right away, he is there, he does not look sick, ill, or with cancer, because his smile, his scowl, his laugh, keeps him looking like all the other kids around him. You can even see the family that supports him and wakes up with him every late night because he is so hungry from the steroids, he has to eat something.







The Maks family have been growing, learning, and continue to journey on learning with every challenge that is presented. So what is Griffin up to now? Well, with only 3 days left, the Light the Night Walk will take place. Along with his family and friends, Griffin, will embark on another part of the journey. This cause will help to raise funds to continue the fight against and find the cure for Leukemia.

You need more info?
Follow along on the team page:
http://pages.lightthenight.org/il/ChicagoL09/TeamGriffin



Catch the people involved in fighting Leukemia and the efforts that are being done. From the "Hoops for a Cause" event to the "Festivus" they are all there both in body and spirit.



Follow the people who have met there goal and are continuing to raise more money.

You want to join?

Come along, the team has won a tent, pizza, and route markers with Griffin's mug greeting the walkers along the way.



You want to walk?

Sign on up and welcome to the cause.

So what else do you want to know about Grif?

Let's see, there was the Florida road trip in April for a program called

"The Lighthouse"

A retreat for children with cancer and their families and a program run by many dedicated volunteers.

After Florida the Maks arrived in fashion just in time for Easter.





Summer was filled with all the summer glory, sort-of-hot weather, ice cream, water play at the beach, at Millenium Park with the cousins, Michigan jaunts to the Dunes and even a car ride to Canada.





Yes that is right Canada. The Maks' drove over 1,000 miles one way and with 4 kids under 7 years of age and a California uncle Ashlin in tow with stressed out anxious parents behind the wheel. The final destination was made in Mont Tremblant, Quebec Canada.

From the time of the last post in February to now, Griffin, has made a couple unscheduled visits to Children's Memorial Hospital. He was treated for a sort of maladies, including a bout of flu. He has recovered and has been able to start preschool with the rest of his peers.



At the time of writing this post, late night Wednesday, Griffin will have class pictures come Thursday morning and will then go to a scheduled visit to Children's Memorial for spinal tap and medications.

Please continue to pray for Griffin and his family. Send your positive thoughts his way.

You just want to know more about Griffin? Well, until next time.

Griffin with Fever

Update 2/10/2009 2:20Pm

Griffin was admitted to the 4Th floor Oncology floor into an isolation room He was started on Mirapenem (antibiotic), Intravenous fluids, and continuous pulse oximetry (a measurement of oxygen saturation in the blood- basically if numbers were low then supplemental oxygen would be needed).

The doctors told Gretchen and Jon chest x-ray results showed possible mid/lower lobe infiltrate. Other differential diagnoses included atalectasis. The plan is to have Griffin go home. Gretchen and Grif are waiting for Jon to pick them up from the hospital. Griffin was also found to have an increase in his blood count which is encouraging because then he will be able to receive chemotherapy, but not until this infection is cleared.

Continue to keep Griffin in your prayers, and Thank you for your comments.




With a temperature of 103.0, Griffin is on the way to Children's Memorial Hospital. Griffin was observed to develop a 'croupy' sounding cough and doctors were immediately notified by Gretchen earlier in the day, and ordered to monitor Grif for fever. Jon and Gretchen are at Griffin's side and the rest of the Maks family are at home with MamaRita. Updates will be posted as soon as Gretchen calls back with results from the hospital. Please continue to keep Griffin and the family in your prayers.