Yossi Chaim has continued to get beautiful postcards from around the world. We are trying to figure out how to put them together in some sort of album. If you have any ideas, feel free to let us know.
Lisa Cohen has sent ALL my kids lovely cards and a beautiful shalach manos.
Dr. Zeiger bought Yossi Chaim a pizza from Baltimore. Since he was unable to eat it, he gave it to his brothers and sisters to share. (She is going to get him another one IY"H when he can eat it.)
Thank you Judith Mehl and Ruby Creditor. They arranged rides for me every Wednesday, as I will be at MCV with no car on those days. Not only did they arrange for the rides, but they typed out directions, and gave me a list with names, numbers, and possible substitutes.
Rabbi Smith and Congregation Or Atid have given us a very generous check. We need to hire a cleaning crew to clean when Yossi Chaim will return home after the transplant. (He will be incredibly susceptable to infection, bacteria, and fungus. We have tons of rules that we need to follow to make sure that he doesn't get sick.) The amount of work was over whelming, until we got this check. (I had planned on starting some of it while he was in DisneyWorld.) Thank you all so much.
Ahron Fhlor sent Yossi Chaim two new beautiful yarmulkahs. One has his name in Hebrew with a beautiful trim. The other has his two favorite teams, the Giants and the Jets, on it. It aslo has his name in both Hebrew and English. Yossi Chaim needed this becuase he needed a new, clean yarmulkah to wear in the hospital.
There are a lot of people who donated money to the Mezuzahs For Yossi Fund. I am so happy to know that not only was there enough money to put a mezuzah on every door at RTA, but now some of the other Jewish agencies in town will also have kosher Mezuzahs.
Thank you for all the kind deeds that have been done not only on our behalf, but also the ones that we don't know about... The ones that people are doing in his merit.
Obviously, the most important "one" to thank is Hashem(G-d) who has brought Yossi Chaim into remission. I hope that He will continue to bless him, and bring Yossi Chaim a speedy and complete recovery.
First and foremost, I would like to thank my in-laws, Marvin and Ilene Paley. There is no way I could even imagine getting through this without their love, support and help in every way. I love you!
Although I get real annoyed with her, my mom has been great at letting me just vent, and get angry at her.
Hey, Daddy, I just want to let you know that I am very thankful that we have gotten closer, and that you are also getting closer to the kids. I was very happy when you and Sandi came. We are all looking forward to when you come back.
Auntie Ellen has called us many times a week and keeps sending letters and postcards to Yossi and the other kids, which they enjoy very much.
Michael's Aunt Evelyn and cousin Glen gave Yossi a check and a Sega Genesis. Yossi was able to buy himself a Lego castle that he has wanted for a long time.
Harriet Rochkind has been very kind and taken some of my cake orders that I haven't been able to do. She also did something very kind, and shared some of her profits with me!
We have a hard time getting certain products. Chuck and Judy Lessin have been kind enough to shop for the various food items, and bring it down to us from Maryland. (Gosh, SO many people have picked stuff up for us, but they do it regularly.)
Thank you also to my friends Chana Gittle and Ora Goldstein (distant cousins through marriage, I think). They both have sent packages. Yossi Chaim loves the cassette tapes, and especially the nosh he got (which he shares with everyone!).
Aviva Fhlor and family sent Yossi Chaim a beautiful menorah for Chanukah, as well as some other things. (I can't even begin to tell you all how much these packages mean to my children.)
Lisa White, a lady I met on Ped Onc (cancer support mailing list) also sent Yossi Chaim a stunning menorah. (This from a person I've never met in person! I am still amazed at the kindness of others!)
Just this past weekend, we received cards for each of the children with Toys-r-Us money, and we got gift certificates to the movies. (This was done anonymously.) Whoever did this: thank you so much. I can't tell you how happy and excited my kids were to get their own Chanukah cards, and now they picked out their own toys. (I am looking forward to going to the movies. Is there anything good playing now?)
A big thank you goes to Patsy Saunders for her daily phone calls to check on Yossi, for her cards, prayers, and for bringing much needed supplies to us in the hospital. She is always available to help and we appreciate it.
Thank you very much to Rabbi Ron for visiting Yossi often, taking him to the clinic and offering to help in anyway at anytime.
Different people have passed on money anonymously. Thank you.
Jackie Kahn has been so helpful in organizing meals and getting people to give blood or platelets. She has also provided a lot of support. One of the best things that she did was to get Yossi Chaim a lap top that he is able to use down at clinic. (Confession time.... I use it to update his site when he is in the hospital.)
Judy Maizels has watched my kids so many times. They love her, and it really eases my mind to know that they are happy.
Fay Kranz has been there everytime I've needed her, as has Rabbi Yossel Kranz. She comes down to the hospital, and stays with him, and brings him gifts that he enjoys.
Thank you Perel Sherman for the mandelbroit. (It's all that I eat when Yossi is in the hospital!)
Noa Kletszick has been so wonderful in picking up and dropping off my "little ones", as well as listening to me vent. Gosh, there are so many things she has done. Thanks, Noa.
Thank you Zipporah Gewirtz. You know what you have done. (Food, kids, shlepping Goldie, etc.)
Wendy Howard, I know that I can count on you and Morgan for cheering us up, and returning the library books.
An important part of his recovery is laughter. Thank you Joan Lipstock for arranging for Jonathan Austin to come perform for Yossi Chaim. It really made him laugh, and cheered him up tremendously. This was especially nice, because it came at a time when he was sooooo sick. I would also like to thank you for the food you gave us.
The Make a Wish Foundation gave Yossi his "wish"--an awesome computer system and everything he needs to use and enjoy it for a long time. It is really quite extraordinary.
Thank you to all the Shaarei Torah girls who have watched my kids on such short notice.
A gigantic thank you to Mr. Scott who has followed Yossi Chaim all over town trying to get his assignments completed, and for fasting so many times, and giving his platelets, and taking all our ribbing over the "dead" skins.
Thank you to cousin Isabelle Namanworth, who has sent Yossi Chaim a lot of cute packages with interesting stuff in it.
Yossi Chaim has really appreciated all the care-packages he has recieved from all over, New York, Chicago, California. He also loves the postcards he's gotten from as far away as Israel and New Zealand.
Anna Lee, thank you for thinking about all the other kids. She has made certificates for each child, and printed cute pictures for them to color.
Thank you to all my cyberfriends. You have all been a great support and inspiration to me. My new friends on Ped Onc have been so special. It still amazes me how close I've become to a lot of them, and how I worry about their children like I do my own.
Nancy Winston has been very kind, and collected money for us when Yossi was first sick. Some of that money was used for meals at the holidays. (We've also bought Yossi Chaim a few little perks with the money, and we'll probably use it when he comes home from the transplant to have the house cleaned from top to bottom.) Nancy also arranged for 2 Renegades Hockey players to come visit Yossi Chaim in the hospital when he was first diagnosed, as well as arranging for visits (from his friends) in the hospital.
And a gigantic THANK YOU to all of you who have given blood and platelets to Yossi Chaim. (I would love to thank each of you, but I am nervous that I would leave someone out.)
Gari Polevoy is wonderful. She has not only organized meals and inquired about his condition, but she came to our house to cut hair when we were in a bind! Gari, we really appreciate everything.
When Yossi Chaim was first diagnosed, a lot of people ran to the airport, bus station, or other errands. Thank you Rene Gold, Debbie Colby, Sheila Pour, Judith Mehl, Phyllis Ellenbogen, and Orly Lewis.
Sheila Pour has driven to the airport; and when she found out that food had been stolen at the hospital, she went out and bought us a bag of food, making sure that it was all pareve!
I know that Karen Roodman has been so concerned. She has taken Goldie to her house so many times, and she has brought us food, and also worried about my in-laws!
Fran Gewirtz has also taken Goldie to her house, both picking her her up, and dropping her back off. Goldie adores going to Lisa's house, and it makes life so much easier.
A special thank you to Ellen Wiess of Chai Lifeline. Ellen is a kind and generous person. She had actually come up, and brought us JUNK FOOD! She has also arranged for me to speak with another frum woman whose son has Leukemia, and she invited Yossi Chaim to come to Disney this January (through Chai Lifeline). Chai Lifeline also sent my kids this big box of Chanukah presents. They were sooo excited!
I made another cyberfriend, Rivkah Finkelstein. She has emailed me, and sent the kids packages.
Dr. and Mrs. Weger did such a chesed(kindness) for me a while back. He went shopping to purchase vegetables so that I could make Yossi Chaim a rich, vitamin-filled, chicken soup.
Joan Cantor has helped in so many ways. Thanks Joan, for all the car-pooling, and more.
Thank you Ronit, for being late to school at times to take Goldie to school. You've had so much patience when she is late.
Again, Debbie Colby has been great in helping me out in a bind. I can count on her when I need something quick. :)
I wish that I could show you how much I appreciate what Rabbi Klestzick and all the teachers at school have done. From keeping the kids informed, saying T'hellim (psalms), learning with Yossi Chaim on your own time (Cathy Klosenberg, Rabbi Sherman, and Rabbi Gewirtz), visiting him (and me) in the hospital (Dabney, Monique, Pauline), or just giving Goldie some extra TLC (Jeannie and Zipporah), it's all wonderful!
Dr. Topaz has been so kind and strong. He has brought his son Guy to visit Yossi Chaim many times, and has, in general, been helpful with hospital issues.
Dr. Michael Edelstein has come to visit Yossi Chaim almost everytime that he was admitted into the hospital, bringing him balloons, and little presents.
Dr. Neri Cohen, Dr. Martin Graham, and Dr. Debbie Cantor have also come to visit Yossi (and bring him Dr. Pepper, Debbie!)
At the hospital, Anne Keeler, the dietician has tried so hard to get whatever we need, and make it available to us. She has even put tape on lights (in the 'fridge) so we don't violate the law of turning on a light on our Sabbath.
Oh, and the nurses! You couldn't find a more devoted bunch of women. Kathy T. asks about Yossi Chaim even when he is not in. (I know, cuz I tried to update her, and she already knew from asking the doctors.) Donna, Robin, & Teresa(7East), Marisa, Suzanna, Michelle, Grace, Brenda, Melinda, and Kelly to name a few...They all care so much about all of us. They are very careful to make sure that we have everything, and they heat meals, and turn on and off lights on our Sabbath. They call the house when we can't to give updates. They basically treat him like he was their own child. I can't begin to praise them enough!
Thank you Rabbi and Jackie Gorelik for always being there for me, and for giving me support when I need it the most.
So many people have cooked for us, and fasted, prayed, sent cards, and so much more. This page is far from complete. There are many things that people have done that we don't even know about! Thank you everyone.