Genius is one step from Insanity
The online home of Jim Kenzig
Information on Brain Stem Tumors
The Thin Net-Information on Thin Computing
CLICK HERE TO JUMP TO THE PAGE OF 600+ BRAIN TUMOR INFORMATION LINKS I MAINTAIN AT VIRTUALTRIALS.COM
"Things sometimes go wrong so that we will be able to tell the difference when things go right."-ZIGGY
"After all is there anything else in life you could do that is more important?"- Television commercial referring to kids
It's Here! The Brainstem Chat Room at Talk City! Grab a cup of coffee and come on in!
WHY DID I CREATE THIS SITE?
There are times in your life when you think that just when things can't get any worse they do. We have all had things happen to us...the lost job, divorce, loss of a loved one and so on. There are so many things that challenge us in our lives. One of the most by far is to suffer the loss of a child. The grief is a thing that stays with you for the rest of your life. It doesn't go away and it is an untruth when they say "time heals". It is a sad, sad fact.
My daughter Kristen was taken from this world at the age of 10. An inoperable brain tumor called a Brain Stem Glioma is what caused her death. One of the most deadly and incurable cancerous brain tumors that children get. Roughly 100-150 children a year get this type of tumor. Less than 10 percent of them survive longer than 9 months. New treatments are being tried and tested. Most show little promise.
When my daughter was diagnosed and I was given the grim prognosis I was in deep denial. Not my child...she will beat this thing. I learned everything I possibly could about brain tumors and searched and searched for a "cure". I learned there is no cure. The only thing I had to go on was hope and prayer. At the end I lost hope and the prayers turned from please God spare my daughter, to please God don't let my daughter suffer when it is time.
I was left with managing my family and a relentless illness for nine months. They were nine months that seemed like an eternity. There were some great times. The Make A Wish trip to Disney World...the Picnics, a first communion and a huge Birthday Party for Kristen one week before she passed away. All will be my most precious memories of her. Then there were the difficult times. The ones people do not speak of. The gobs of pills, infusion pumps and needles and doctors and hospitals and all that came with it. Through it all Kristen remained a very happy, brave and a special child. She left a mark on this world and touched many people.
Kristen's ordeal taught me how life is precious and it is not about money or material things. It is about what you leave the earth having accomplished.....whether you are 9 or 90. Every person has a purpose, and a reason to be here be it good or bad. Kristen taught me how a child can endure more pain and suffering than any adult and bounce back from it and still be able to laugh and smile and see the world in a wondrous new way as only a child could see it. And she touched more people than I ever realized because of it.
Kristen passed away on Sunday September 14, 1997..just 11 days after she turned 10.
I created this site to help future patients and parents of children who have Brain Stem Tumors. I also started a mini mailing list for patients with or whose children have Brain Stem Tumours, if you would like to be added send me an email or click here for information
This site started out small and has grown exponentially over the months to not only include Brain Stem Tumor information but a definitive site for Information on all Brain Tumors. Kristen's memory will live on in the people who are helped by this site.
Click Here to go to Kristen's Memorial Page and to see her pictures
~~ TODAY ~~
Outside my window
a new day I see
And only I can determine
what kind of day it will be.
It can be busy and sunny,
laughing and gay;
Or boring and cold,
unhappy and grey.
My own state of mind
is the determining key;
For I am only the person
I let myself be.
I can be thoughtful and do
all that I can to help;
Or be selfish and think
just of myself.
I can enjoy what I do
and make it seem fun;
Or gripe and complain
and make it hard on someone.
I can be patient with
those who may not understand;
Or belittle and hurt them
as much as I can.
But I have faith in myself
and I believe what I say,
And I personally intend to
make the best of each day.
-- Author Unknown
Heres a thought to ponder:
Imagine there is a bank which credits your account each morning with $86,400, carries over no balance from day to day, allows you to keep no cash balance, and every evening cancels whatever part of the amount you had failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent of course!!
Well, everyone has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest in good purpose. It carries over no balance and allows no overdraft.
Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the records of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours.
There is no going back. There is no drawing against the tommorow. You must live in the present on today's deposites. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success. The clock is running. Make the most of today.
EXCELLENT LINKS:
Brain Tumor Links for Astrocytoma
Bios of Brain Stem Glioma Patients from the Brain Stem Tumor Mini List
Brain Tumor Links for all of the other Types of Brain Tumors
General Brain Tumor Links-The most comprehensive listing of links on the net!!
How to Subscribe to the Brain Stem Glioma Mini List
HERE IT IS! MY NEW FUN AND ROMANCE SITE-ZONER'S PLACE
My Letter to the President, Vice President and First Lady
Brain Tumor Forum-Questions and Answers
Use this form to send me your comments, questions or feedback...Click here
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Disclaimer:These links are provided for information purposes only. The author of this page claims no responsibility for any of the content provided by these sites. The worldwide web can sometimes contain false or misleading information. Use this information at your own risk and discretion.