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Year 2003 Everything Changed

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Year 2008

 Tannerville

Ewings Sarcoma

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Year 2008


Wednesday, January 02, 2008

A wonderful cancer family just lost their little boy William on the 31st of December. Please keep them in your prayers and log onto their site to show your support. www.caringbridge.org/visit/williamschultz William was diagnosed at two weeks old with neuroblastoma. William has been doing well and was cancer free.  We saw him not to long ago at an Angels Amoung Us fundraiser. What a cute little boy with a GREAT smile. Our hearts are broken for their family.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Sorry it has been so long since I have updated but I will do it very soon. For now I would like to talk about an amazing kid, Ethan Grimm. He has been fighting childhood cancer over eight years and has beaten all the odds. Ethan is having pain from the cancer and is not doing well; please keep this wonderful family in your prayers. Ethan came to Tanner's funeral and he was very worried about Chris and I and how we were doing. He knew Tanner was ok and in heaven but kept asking his mom how we were doing. He is such a sweetie, please visit his site and show some Tanner love!  www.caringbridge.org/ia/ethangrimm  

Thursday, January 17, 2008 Happy Birthday Maddie!!

Things around here are mellow. Chris has been slow at work so he has been keeping busy here at home. Hope gave us a BIG scare this week. Hope's tummy has been hurting on and off since last Friday. Sunday and Monday she was down most of the day, no vomiting but lots of cramping and no eating. I called Dr. Harrision, which was Tan's pediatrian and knows all the history.  Dr. Harrison was concerned for two reasons no vomiting or diarrhea and no fevers. He checked everything, throat, ears, rectum and stomach. Hope was very sensitive to the touch and the pain was getting worse. Dr. H wanted to order a stomach x-ray and labs at Children's.  I was ok and not freaking out but I was thinking PLEASE lets not do this again. Hope did wonderful with the finger poke; she is all too familiar with Children's, labs and radiology. She said, "I'm brave just like Tanner". And she was right, she did a great job. Once done with the x-ray they told me to wait in the waiting room and they would have the doctor call me right away. That is when I started freaking!! My heart was racing, the tears started running down my face and I thought God, Please don't, we can't handle this, it is too much. They had me go into another room to get the report from Dr. H and he said, "counts are good and all is clear on the x-ray". I broke down on the phone, I was preparing myself for news of cancer or tumor and when it was not I was overwhelmed and relieved. When you get so used to living your life based on scans or x-rays it is hard to think that it does not have to consume you and your emotions. Hope started vomiting and continued until Tuesday afternoon.  Hope and I stayed in Tanner's room and snuggled together. Hope loves being in Tanner's room and she is playing in there right now. Hope is doing very good now but her being so little you can really see a difference when she does not eat for a couple of days. Thank you April for being there, I love you!

Brody turned three years old on January 7th and we had a party for him.  It was all set to be at McDonalds but there was an accident and the play area was damaged. So last minute plans were made and we had it at Skate Daze. Brody had such a great time and loved playing in their play area. Brody received so many wonderful gifts. Susie had some artwork that Tanner had made for her girls, one was Thomas the Train and the other was a butterfly with flowers. Tanner was so busy selling her artwork that she never had the chance to make any for her brother or sister. So Susie had color copies made of these two pictures and framed them for Hope and Brody. They are wonderful, the kids love having them in their rooms. I will post pictures soon. Thank you Susie that was very sweet.

I went for a girl's long weekend with some of my wonderful friends. It was exactly what I needed. I have been struggling to find the will to get my butt off the couch.  I know that it is very normal but it is not normal for me. It is so easy to fall into a depression; you are so overwhelmed with sadness.  I met with my friends and we talked, cried, went out to dinner, cried, had a spa day and cried some more. I could see Tanner fitting right in the middle. She was one of the girls not one of the kids. I have so much wonderful support, thank you all so much.  You all mean the world to me and with out you this horrible journey would be much harder. Miss you all already and we will have to do that AGAIN!!

As you have noticed some close friends have been struggling with childhood cancer. Some are losing or have lost the battle and we know the pain is unbearable. Please visit their sites and send your love and prayers. www.caringbridge.org/ia/ethangrimm and www.caringbridge.org/visit/williamschultz.

Please start getting ready for our Milestones Walk for Cure Search it is on June 7th, 2008. Tanner's Termites raised $10,669.00 last year. And we are going to try and beat that this year. Please get involved and do what you can. We have so much love and support and we need so much help to raise awareness and money to find a cure. If you would like to help in any way Please email me at cmthb@hotmail.com If you have contacts or would like to be a sponsor email me and I can forward all info. to Kellie Beresh. I spoke to a representive at Cure Search this morning and she new of the walk in Omaha, Nebraska and new all about Tanner's Termites.  Cure Search is willing to put their name out there to help raise awareness and funding. If you have any ideas (like dinners, fashion show, auction, etc.) email me and I will forward all the contact information, or visit their site at http://www.curesearch.org/.

Thank you for your love and support! We miss you baby girl and we know you are here with us everyday!

Love, The Lusk Family

Monday, January 21, 2008 New photos posted

Every day is a struggle with out Tanner, we miss her so much! Things will be good one moment and the very next we just fall apart.  Grief is so hard; there is no right way to work through it.  We long to hold her and touch her beautiful face.  We long to hear her voice saying, "Mom, dad, I'm OK, I'm happy and I miss you very much". It is hard because everything around us is because of Tanner. Brody's birthday party was so much fun and he had such a great time but we also had a hard time because Tanner was not there. Tanner is what brought most of us together. So many of Tanner's friends and people who loved her very much were there and continue to be there for us. We try to keep a positive outlook and try not to be overwhelmed with sadness. Every day was a struggle and a fight while she was in treatment but she kept us going and never wanting to give up.  We now have a different fight ahead of us. We have to struggle and fight to live with out her here physically. I know in my heart that she is here and knows how much we miss her. But I long to see her face and hold her in my arms. We are sad and miss our tough little girl. She is our strength! And it will take time to learn to live with so much sadness in our life. We love to see all of her friends and to hear them talk about Tanner and all their memories. We miss and love you guys! I know it must be hard to lose a friend and to understand all of this but please know that we can and will get through this together.

Tanner will never be forgotten!

I will be ordering more "Together for Tanner" bracelets and if you would like any please email me at cmthb@hotmail.com

Thank you for all your prayers and support!

Love, The Lusk Family   (Hi Janet and Tatum, I know your there!!)

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Please keep our friend Hannah Knudsen in your prayers. On a routine scan a tumor was found, recurrent Ewing's Sarcoma.  Hannah was in remission and doing great! She will be having surgery tomorrow to remove the tumor. Please visit her site at www.caringbridge.org/visit/hannahknudsen it is so sad to see these AMAZING kids fighting this horrible disease time and time again. 

Please help raise awareness and funds at http://www.curesearch.org/ so that we can find a better way to fight childhood cancer. 

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Hannah is out of surgery and seems to be doing well, please continue to follow this family as they will need a lot of support www.caringbridge.org/visit/hannahknudsen .

Every one is doing well here.  We are trying to stay warm; it has been bitter cold outside.  I could just hear Tanner saying, "Good time to cuddle up on the couch and watch a movie".  Hope and Brody are doing GREAT. We will start Teddy Bear Hallow (grieving children support group) with them on Monday. The group in every other week for 16 weeks. The kids should do good and will be able to express the loss of Tanner, their sissy, with other kids. They love to talk about sissy.

Thank you for your support!  Please continue to pray for all the kiddos fighting this horrible disease. www.caringbridge.org/ia/ethangrimm, www.caringbridge.org/visit/sadielivers, and www.caringbridge.org/visit/lilyoetjen .

Donate Blood!!!

Love, The Lusk Family

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Sorry so long since my last update, we have been trying to stay busy. We started Teddy Bear Hallow last Monday and I think it went pretty well. Brody might be a little young and not able to understand what they are trying to teach the kids.  We will just have to wait and see. Hope understands more and was able to follow what they were teaching about death, what is alive and what is not.

I went to dinner with some of the wonderful staff at UNMC (radiation dept) they have became such a great part of our lives. Thank you Roxanne for the beautiful angel with Tanner's name on it, you are so thoughtful. Anisa and Natasha also came to dinner with us and it great to see both of them.  During all of Tanner's treatments we became so close to her care givers and it is hard to lose that contact. They are who is there for you when your child is sick and who is with you when you get the news that the cancer is back and all the treatment plans. They became your family, your support. You depend on them and see them everyday. I am so glad that we continue to have contact with all of Tanner's care givers; it has helped us with our grief. It helps to hear all the stories about Tanner and what she put these wonderful people through and how she has changed their lives. Thank you for being there for Tanner and now for being there for our family.

We are getting ready for the Cure Search Walk this year and ready to double the money raised from last year. I hope we can count on a lot of support this year. The only way we are going to stop seeing our kids die and suffer from childhood cancer is finding a CURE!! We need to go to the source and fund more research.  Tanner's Termites is getting ready and we are hoping to have a HUGE team again this year to honor Tanner and her amazing fight for life. The walk is June 7th at Village Point 8am-10am.

Bellevue Bruins (college baseball team) Opening Day is March 16th at 1pm. Tanner was their #1 honorary player. Last year Tanner threw out the first pitch and this year the Bruins have asked our family to throw out the first pitch in honor of Tanner. They are asking for Tanner's friends and family to join the game to honor Tanner and her love of baseball. Please visit their website at http://www.bellevuebaseball.org/  We will have "Tanner's Treats" a concession stand that will sell drinks, candy and "Together for Tanner" bracelets. All the money raised will go to Cure Search for the walk in June. We will also accept donations for Cure Search as well. The Bruins are honoring Tanner and her love of the game, but we are asking for your support to honor her and help find a CURE. The Bruins have also had Tanner's initials put on their hats in memory of Tanner. That is so cool!! Thank you guys for all your love for Tanner!

We have had so many of Tanner's cancer friends relapsing or have lost their battle. Please keep all these wonderful families in your thoughts and prayers because the pain and the challenges ahead of them are heartbreaking.  Treatment after relapse is hard because you have very little if any choices. You have to watch your child endure things and suffer to have a chance of saving their life. If you lose your child then you have to suffer with out them in your life forever. Both are heartbreaking, both are painful but in the end you have to do whatever you can to save your child. The whole in your heart after your child dies will never go away and it can never be filled.  Please pray for these families that are suffering. www.caringbridge.org/visit/sadielivers and www.caringbridge.org/ia/ethangrimm and www.caringbridge.org/visit/hannahknudsen

Thank you Shawn and Vista for asking your guests to bring donations in lieu of gifts for your wedding to Cure Search http://www.curesearch.org/ To honor Jake Beresh their nephew, Lily Leyden their friend and in loving memory of Tanner Lusk. Thank YOU!!

Love, The Lusk Family

Monday, February 11, 2008 Happy Valentine's Day!!

It has been quite this week. It has been very cold so we have been staying home and warm for most of the week. I went to Sadie's visitation on Thursday with Kellie B. and April (my sister).  It was a very nice tribute to Sadie and I loved all the pictures, what a pretty girl. Thank you Kellie and April for your support, I knew I could not go alone, but I wanted to show my support to Sadie's family. I wanted to hug Teresa and let her know that the rode is hard and your heart aches more than you can imagine but somehow you make it thru it, somehow you get through a day.  It does not get easier! After Tanner passed away I wanted to talk with other parents who have lost their child, who have felt that pain. Not that is helps your pain or that they have some wonderful words of advice but you see that they have lived even after the death of their child. I don't know how we do it, but somehow we do. One day at a time!

Hope is having her Valentine's Day party on Wednesday and she is very excited. Hope loves going to school and is ready for BIG school. Brody is a wild man and we are starting to potty train but it is not going well. Maybe boys are harder because Tanner and Hope were so easy. Brody still talks about going home with Tanner, I tell him we are home but he still wants to go with Tanner. He misses his "sissy".  It's hard to see them sad and not understand. Again, one day at a time!

Please continue to pray for all our friends who are still fighting and for the families who have to live with out their child.

Love, The Lusk Family

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

It has been over five months since I have kissed Tanner and you would think at this point I would know she is gone, but sometimes is feels so unreal! Not that I thought is would get any easier but the pain feels so deep in my chest. Some days are ok but other days I find it hard to even catch my breath. Not only do I miss her touch, but her vibe that was part of our home, our family.

The kids have been doing well. Hope started not feeling well last night, stomach pains again and a low fever. Hope had a great Valentine's Party at school, she got a special Valentine's and a small box of See's Candy from a boy!! Campbell is a sweet little boy, who Hopie adores. We also had conferences with Hope's teacher and she is doing well socially and academically. She stated that everyday when Hope is asked who she would pray for 90% of the time its "Tanner". They also noted a decrease in Hope's self-confidence. She is second guessing what to do and how to do it. We have decided to enroll in a High 5 program at her preschool instead of going to kindergarten next year. It is everyday, half day but not as much pressure or demand on Hope. Hope will be upset at first about not going to Wheeler but with the year she has had it will be best in the long run. Tanner was the leader and always helped Hope along. Hope is having a hard time being the oldest and not following big sissy around, sometimes she is lost and you see Brody take over.  Brody is doing much better potty training, pee that is, still having problems pooping on the potty. He now goes to preschool in his big boy pants and has had no accidents. YEAH.....Brody!!!

We are going to Great Wolf Lodge Sunday and Monday to make up for missing our time in December. We are going with two other wonderful families and Hope and Brody are very excited. We are also getting ready for the Bellevue Bruins Baseball "Opening Day" on March 16th. We have sold some hats with Tanner's initials and have raised over $500.00 for Cure Search. I have also ordered "Together for Tanner" bracelets but have yet to receive them, so if you have ordered them I have not forgotten you but will email you once I get them.  We will also have a concession stand "Tanner's Treats" at the game to sell hot coco and candy. Hyvee has donated all the coco and cups for our fundraiser. Thanks HYVEE, the world's greatest grocery store!!! All proceeds will go to Tanner's Termites (Cure Search) for the walk in June. We have also received our first check for $100.00 towards Tanner's Team! Thank You, Panfil Family!!! I have also received emails about joining "Tanner's Termites" for the walk. I am going to a meeting this week and once I receive more info I will follow up with you. Please email me with all your info. and I will contact you. Thank you for your support for "Tanner's Termites" we are going to try our best to raise more money than last year.  We need all the help we can to raise money to find a cure for childhood cancer. Tanner is no longer here to fight this battle but we are and we will continue to fight in honor of our amazing daughter, sister, and friend!!

Please continue to pray for our friends who are fighting childhood cancer! Donate blood and save a life!

Love, The Lusk Family

Sunday, March 9, 2008 

We had a good time at Great Wolf Lodge!! Hope surprised all of us when she wanted to go down the BIG waterslides, time and time again. If you knew Hope prior to this trip she was afraid to leave the steps, not even in my arms. We are so proud of her, she is getting brave. Brody is still having some issues, hates water on his head. He loved to just sit in the kiddies' pool, no slides, just sitting but not to much action. He loves the water but to just hang out. I will post pictures of our weekend. Everyone is doing ok! Chris has been having a hard time. He does not show it that often, tries to hold it all together. Moms are different; we can break down, lose it, cry, stay in bed, but for some reason it seems to be different for dads. They have to go to work, stay strong and somehow after losing your (in Chris' case) best friend, keep it all together. Chris' mind never stops he is always thinking about so many things but mainly, where is Tanner, is she ok, can she see us, is she happy and so on. Tanner some how kept it all together for her dad. When Chris would say something weird or silly, (which he does) she would call him on it, "DAAD, yah right" and stop Chris in is tracks. Chris and Tanner would go to Dave and Buster's, late movies and play video games till the wee hours of the night. He misses her very much.  We are getting ready for "Opening Day" with The Bellevue Bruins. We will be throwing out the first pitch on Sunday, March 16th at 1pm. On their game schedule March 16th is designated as Tanner Day. She would have thought that was very cool! We would love to have many of Tanner's friends out at the game for support. We will also start our fundraising for "Tanner's Termites" with a concession stand with hot coco, lemonade, candy and "Together for Tanner" bracelets. Please come by and join the fun in celebrating Tanner's love of the game and raising money for Cure Search. Please pray for our friends who are fighting this horrible disease. Hannah, www.caringbridge.org/visit/hannahknudsen, Lily O. www.caringbridge.org/visit/lilyoetjen , Ethan www.caringbridge.org/ia/ethangrimm

and Lily L. www.caringbridge.org/visit/lilyleyden. Please take the time and donate blood, they would never make it through treatment with out it.

See you at the game!!!

Love, The Lusk Family

Update: Wednesday night:  It is not only my pain that I feel, it is the pain I feel for Hope and Brody. With treatment you have very little choice, but all the will and strength to never give up. You lose the ability to keep your child safe from pain or death.  After the loss of your child you have no will or strength but yet you must for your other children, for yourself. You loose the person you once were, the person who thought you could do anything to save your child. You have no choice but to deal with the death of your child. I was watching TV and Brody came up to me and gave me a hug and said, " Mommy, I miss Tanner" I said," I know buddy I miss her too" he than reached out his little hand and said, "Ok than, help me find her!" I can somehow keep it together for the most part, but seeing the pain and confusion in Brody little face is so hard. I found myself again having very little control to protect my children from pain and suffering. Brody gave me a kiss and hug goodnight and than said, "I want to give Tanner a kiss and hug too" Tanner, Hope and Brody have always been very loving towards each other. I even remember Tanner's concern for Hope and Brody towards the end of her life. She is lying in her bed dying, and she said, "Mom, Hope and Brody will not understand". She was always so worried about them. I try to reassure Hope and Brody how much their big sister loves them and misses them.  How much we miss her.  My heart continues to break not only for the loss of Tanner but the loss that Hope and Brody have to live with.

Thank you for letting me vent, somehow it helps me to process it all.

Saturday, March 15, 2008- Time change for the game tomorrow: game is at 2:30pm: We will be throwing out the first pitch at 2:30pm in honor of Tanner!!!

Ethan Grimm passed away today after an amazing eight year battle with childhood cancer. Please keep this wonderful family in your hearts and in your prayers. Our hearts ache for all of Ethan's family and friends.  www.caringbridge.org/ia/ethangrimm 

All our LOVE!!!

The Lusk Family

For whatever reason this webpage will not let me fix the update below. I will update pictures soon. Please keep the Grimm Family in your prayers, Ethan is not doing well and this time is so hard on the family. Ethan and his family have been fighting for so long. We love you and we are thinking about all of you. www.caringbridge.org/ia/ethangrimm

We would love to see you at the game this weekend!!

Wednesday, March 25, 2008

It has been quite a while since my last update. Everyone is doing well and we have been staying busy. As you know we had the BIG game on the 16th of March, which was a GREAT turnout especially since the weather was very cold. The Bellevue Team retired Tanner's #1 jersey and made a wonderful dedication in honor of Tanner. Chris threw out the first pitch (living his dream) with Hope and me by his side. Thank you, Tanner!! The team had hats with Tanner's initials and the #1 in a gold ribbon on them and plenty for all to buy. The Bruins also do a rally call in honor of Tanner and how she has inspired all of these wonderful men:   In it to win it, not afraid to fail, Passion and Strength, and we WILL prevail. -TANNER-     That is what they say before every game. Tanner has truly touched so many people and we are so blessed to have her as our daughter. Thank you to the Bellevue Bruins for their amazing gift they have given us and continuing to honor Tanner. Thank you to all our friends and family who came out to support us. (It was so cold) With our hats sale and concession stand we raised $995.00 for Cure Search. THANK YOU!!!

Papa, Mar, Jessie, Beau and baby Eddie came out for the game and to celebrate Easter. As most of you know Easter was Tanner's favorite holiday. We even celebrated it in June last year, what great memories. It was very nice to have them out and enjoy all their company. We did an Easter egg hunt with all the kids. Papa and Grammie and Uncle Jeff stuffed the eggs with candy and money, we made one very special egg with Tanner's name on it. We said "who ever finds Tanner's egg will get the golden egg with $20.00 in it" Everyone was very excited and it was great to have Tanner be apart of her favorite holiday. Hope and Brody love seeing Papa and Mar but I think baby Eddie beat them both out this trip. Hope just loved having him here and wanted to do everything with him, even just to ride in the car with him. Brody got to feed him and jump in the pack-in-play that was his favorite. We will be going to Illinois soon so Brody can take Papa fishing and Hope can help Mar make cookies, oh and play with baby Eddie. See you guys soon!!! 

Mar and Jessie are going to start a Milestone Cure Search walk in Peoria, Illinois on September the 20th. So if you live in the area or know someone that would be interested in helping out with the walk please send me an email at cmthb@hotmail.com There are only two walks for Cure Search, so please help us get another one together.

We are getting ready for the walk here in Omaha with Tanner's Termites, we are everywhere!! We showed last year that we were everywhere and we are hoping to surpass our goal. We will be having a "Fundraiser Kick Off Party" in April for all to join; I will post the date soon. We are also having an Upper Case Living party on the 25th of April at 7pm-?? (open house) my friend Tarra has offered to give 20% to Cure Search. So all are welcomed to my home for a fun night and raising money for Tanner's Termites! http://www.uppercaseliving.com/ to view items. Any fundraising ideas you can email me or if you want to host something on your own (for those of you out of town) we would love to have your help. The Milestones Walk website is not up and running for 2008 yet but it should be very soon, patience Uncle Jeff!! I am so glad everyone is so excited, Thank you for all your continued support!!!

I know this is a long update but I wanted to thank the Grimm Family for an amazing service in honoring your son, Ethan. It was an honor for us to be apart of those couple of days. I know it is sad to go to another child's funeral but I try not to look at it like that. Ethan was not a sad boy; he was alive, strong and full of love. Cancer is what killed him, but not how he lived. Like Tanner in so many ways. Thank you for including Tanner in the prayer at Ethan's funeral. In your time of sadness your family remembered Tanner and our family. Thank you!!! I know that you heart and arms ache for him every second but somehow you get through the day, it may not be pretty but you do. All of you are in our hearts!!

Love, The Lusk Family

 

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Tanner's Termites, we are everywhere!! Fundraising page is now up and running. Please visit the site and register as a walker or start your own fundraising page and make a donation to Tanner's Termites!!!

Click here to view the team page for Tanner's Termites, We ARE Everywhere!!
If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:
http://host.curesearch.org/site/TR/Walk/Milestones?team_id=1880&pg=team&fr_id=1090&et=ywiAA6k-hVKfH1V0qe5V-Q..&s_tafId=1830

 

Tanner is no longer here to fight for a cure but we all learned from her the determination to never give up. Tanner had amazing strength, was always determine to fight for her life and a cure. Tanner also showed us how to help others in need. When she was so sick herself, she wanted to help the other sick kids at Children's Hospital, which is now "Tanner's Treats". I know that Tanner would want us to continue her fight for life and a cure for the 40,000 other kids that are on treatment today. Please help us you can make a difference, you can help find a cure. I will not stop fighting childhood cancer, we battled against it for 4 1/2 years and it took our daughter, we WILL NOT walk away until we find a cure.

Tanner was a featured child in a you tube video called 12 young cancer angels please view at http://youtube.com/watch?v=J8LMQdP2U7I 12 young girls who have all passed away from childhood cancer but have made a huge impact on people's lives. It is sad and all the girls look so normal and healthy. Cancer does not discriminate, it could be any child. We need a cure, we need your help!!

 

Thank you for your support!!

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Thank you to all of Tanner's Termites for all your hard work in raising money for our team and Cure Search!! Cure Search is needing our help to pass a bill Conquer Childhood Cancer Act:

Here is the link for The Conquer Childhood Cancer Act. Just click on S911 to email your senator (150 million dollars in pediatric research funding) or HR1553 (creation of a data base and info for treatments, etc.) It takes 5 minutes!
Thanks for your help!

http://capwiz.com/curesearch/issues/bills

The Lusk Family

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Sorry for the lack of updates, it has been a pretty tough couple of weeks. Sometimes you just don't know what to say. You feel so overwhelmed with grief that anything you say is filled with negativity. Not that I feel I have to always be positive but the saddness consumes you. You have no energy, no strength or desire to put one foot in front of the other.  I feel like there is this huge mountain in front of us and we keep climbing and climbing and there is no end in site. I am done climbing, I just want to sit for awhile and not fight anymore, not have this pain consume us. When we fought with treatment we had HOPE but without Tanner the hope is gone. We are now fighting our own sadness. In the beginning we prayed for a cure, after relapse we prayed for more time/more treatment and at the end you pray for her peace and comfort in death. Now there is no relief for our pain, no cure for the loss of our daughter. I want her back, I want all of this to be a nightmare, I don't want this life.

Chris is coaching Tan's softball team from last year. He ordered a team shirt for her with number one on it. They are going to put a ribbon with Tan's initials and the #1. I know he is going to have a hard time but Tanner and him shared the love of baseball.  When Tanner was unable to play softball, she would tell Chris to go out and be with the team. Its going to be hard to see all those girls out there where your daughter should be.

On a better note Tanner's Termites are doing GREAT!! Thanks to our wonderful team for all your hard work and all the donations. We are half way to our goal of $10,000.00 with only 6 weeks to go. We CAN DO IT!!! We have some wonderful friends that are doing fundraisers for the team, "Tanner's Tea", hair cut athon, pillow cases, and flower pots. Lots a good ideas to help raise money for Cure Search. We are also getting our Tanner's Termites shirt orders together. Please email Susie Looney at sblooney@cox.net if you would like to order a shirt. They are the same shirt from last year. Also please email me if you would like to be on Tanner's team at cmthb@hotmail.com you do not have to register online to walk with the team. If you want to do online fundraising you can register online at http://host.curesearch.org/goto/tannertermites if you don't register online, please email me so that you can get all the team info. THANK YOU so much for your support!! There is this video that Cure Search put together on you tube that helps put the point across  that cancer can happen to anyone, not just someone else. Please view and help us make a difference. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGS4yE5v9rM&feature=related We have so many friends that are still fighting for a second chance, for one more day to be cancer free. Please keep these families in your thoughts and prayers as their life is a constant battle to keep a hold of their child.

All our love, The Lusk Family

 Thursday, May 1, 2008

Another precious little girl lost her battle against childhood cancer.  Miss Lily battled over 2 1/2 years and was only 4 years old when she died. My sister and I went to the viewing to give her wonderful family our support. It is so hard to see all these amazing children who fight so hard for so long taken from this world. Please view princess Lily's site www.caringbridge.org/visit/lilyleyden . Our thoughts and prayers are now with her family has they began a very long and hard battle with out their little girl.

I have a You Tube video that I would like to share with you. Uncle Jeff made this of Tanner and the radioathon the link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0BpMXVfQUE . Thank you Uncle Jeff!! I have also updated Tanner's Treats and the fundraiser page. We have a wonderful fundraiser coming up on May 18 at the T!LC Church in Bellevue. Tanner's Tea, was created by a wonderful women named Tracy. Tracy never met Tanner but saw her obituary in the paper and was touched by Tanner's life, story, and smile. Tanner touched her life with out even meeting her. Tanner you make your mom so proud. I don't think that she knew that she touched people like that but she did. Tracy, thank you for caring and thank you for helping raise money in honor of Tanner and for all the kids still fighting this horrible disease. Tanner's Tea is by reservation ONLY so please email Tracy at tannerstea@hotmail.com There is more info on the tea and many others ways that we are trying to raise money on the Tanner's Treats/fundraising page to the left. Please continue to support Tanner's Termites for our Milestones Walk this year for Cure Search.  We are almost to our goal!! Please log on to http://host.curesearch.org/goto/tannertermites to join our team and make a donation. Thank you for your support!!

Chris a I are going to Kansas City this weekend to see John Edwards, the medium. We are hoping to have a reading but we are also know that Tanner is with us no matter what. I am hoping it will bring us some comfort. It's also our 12 year anniversary and it has been a very long time since Chris and I have gone away together with out the kids.

The Omaha Zoo received a donation in memory of Tanner Christine Lusk from the Larson, Beresh, Friend families and Ashely. In their new Butterfly Pavilion there will be a brass butterfly engraved with Tanner's name and permanently mounted on the railing. Thank you so much guys!!! Tanner loved the zoo and it was where we spent a lot of our time and one of the last places she got to go. THANK YOU!! So if you are going to visit the zoo the Butterfly Pavilion opens in May look for Tanner's name and let us know on the guestbook. It would be fun to see how many people can find it.

Thank you for continued support and love and please help us make a difference. Anything that you can do DOES help!!