Letter: A well-deserved wish

I am writing in reference to a letter published in April in the R&L about my son, Tyler.

First of all, any child granted a wish through the Children’s Wish Foundation must meet stringent requirements. A child is not qualified unless their medical condition is potentially life-threatening and a doctor or doctors (in Tyler’s case) have recommended them to the foundation.

After we found out Tyler had been selected, our first thoughts were that we didn’t deserve this. Tyler expressed this numerous times. All the wonderful nurses at the hospital and staff at the doctors office always stressed to Tyler how much he deserved this memorable trip and his granted wish. We are very grateful for this experience, as it provided a much-needed break from Tyler’s many medical worries, trips to the doctors (all in Charlotte), all the long hospital stays. Our family was able to feel like a “normal” family for a week.

The purpose of this article was not to have my son criticized, but to let people know of good in the community. There’s enough bad spoken of all the time.

When we read the paper, we should remember that we don’t always get the entire story. Due to space considerations, not every detail can be included and occasionally people may even be misquoted. One example is that Tyler has had six surgeries, not two as stated in the article (1 eye, 2 kidneys/bladder and 3 hip). It was also stated that “Tyler also has an oversized bladder and kidneys and has to wear a catheter.” Tyler had to wear a catheter for five months to drain his kidneys that were so big they were ready to rupture and stints had to be placed to help them drain due to a blockage in both ureters. Due to all the kidney problems, his hip surgeries were postponed for a year. We had to get clearance from the urologist before his hip problem could be taken care of.

Tyler’s urologist, Dr. Gazak, is an amazing doctor and person who loves children.

I don’t know what we would have done without him. He was the one who told the Child Life Coordinator at the hospital to nominate Tyler for all he could be. (Tyler was also “Hero of the Month” at the hospital.) Some days, Dr. Gazak would be the only outside face we would see while in the hospital, and his encouragement helped us get through the long days. He told Tyler every day he was “a strong boy and would get through all of this.” When myself and Tyler would say things like, “Let the little boy with cancer have the chance of the trip,” he would tell us that when Tyler gets good enough to go, “He deserves it just as much as the other child that got nominated.” He told us “Tyler has went through more pain than anyone should go through in a lifetime.” “With some of the illness, there is medicine to help them get through the pain.”

In Tyler’s case, there was no medicine to help his pain in his kidneys or hip. Also when you are in the hospital and have surgery, X-rays, bloodwork etc., you get a prize out of the treasure box. Tyler always got something for his sister and cousins. He always is thinking of others, even when he was fighting for his life.

The purpose of all of this is to let people know Tyler and a little about what he has went through. He is a very caring, thoughtful person that has had a rough life and finally got something that he well-deserved. “I have problems with my hip and kidneys, so I deserve to go to Australia” was words that he has heard from his family and doctors for a year and a half. It’s a shame that people out there like Bonnie Black have the time to fight with something good happening in the community. What is happening to this world?

Dawn Hobbs
Statesville