Mattie Miracle Walk 2023 was a $131,249 success!

Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation Promotional Video

Thank you for keeping Mattie's memory alive!

Dear Mattie Blog Readers,

It means a great deal to us that you take the time to write to us and to share your thoughts, feelings, and reflections on Mattie's battle and death. Your messages are very meaningful to us and help support us through very challenging times. To you we are forever grateful. As my readers know, I promised to write the blog for a year after Mattie's death, which would mean that I could technically stop writing on September 9, 2010. However, at the moment, I feel like our journey with grief still needs to be processed and fortunately I have a willing support network still committed to reading. Therefore, the blog continues on. If I should find the need to stop writing, I assure you I will give you advanced notice. In the mean time, thank you for reading, thank you for having the courage to share this journey with us, and most importantly thank you for keeping Mattie's memory alive.


As Mattie would say, Ooga Booga (meaning, I LOVE YOU)! Vicki and Peter



The Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation celebrates its 7th anniversary!

The Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation was created in the honor of Mattie.

We are a 501(c)(3) Public Charity. We are dedicated to increasing childhood cancer awareness, education, advocacy, research and psychosocial support services to children, their families and medical personnel. Children and their families will be supported throughout the cancer treatment journey, to ensure access to quality psychosocial and mental health care, and to enable children to cope with cancer so they can lead happy and productive lives. Please visit the website at: www.mattiemiracle.com and take some time to explore the site.

We have only gotten this far because of people like yourself, who have supported us through thick and thin. So thank you for your continued support and caring, and remember:

.... Let's Make the Miracle Happen and Stomp Out Childhood Cancer!

A Remembrance Video of Mattie

March 20, 2019

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Wednesday, March 20, 2019


Tonight's picture was taken in March of 2004. Mattie was almost two years old and was full of life and energy. Mattie loved being outdoors, regardless of the weather. As you can see he was headed outside onto our deck and saw I was trying to take a photo. I believe Mattie probably was reaching for the door knob to prevent the photo from taking place. Mattie was typically compliant with my photo documentation needs, but there were times this did not fit into his plan. 




Quote of the day: Calcification is the hardening of body tissues by calcium salts or deposits. Although calcification itself is not considered a disease, it has been shown to be a significant contributing factor in nearly every known illness and aging condition, including heart disease, kidney stones, gallstones, chronic inflammation, arthritis, cancers, cataracts, eczema, psoriasis, and even wrinkles. David Wolfe


My day did not go as expected. I called my doctor back this morning as he suggested. Needless to say, when he heard I was still in pain and the stone hasn't passed, he encouraged me to keep my surgery appointment for tomorrow. Especially since we are going away next week for Mattie's birthday. He made enough of a case to me, that I conceded to have the surgery. Basically I had to accept that my quality of life right now is awful and the pain has exhausted me. I also remember my other urologist telling me that this is the best person in the area to do the kind of surgery I needed. Therefore, I do not want to be away from DC and need an emergency surgery with another doctor. 

So at 6am tomorrow, I report to the hospital. I am having in essence three things done: 1) a ureteroscopy, to catch and remove the kidney stone in my ureter, 2) laser lithotripsy (is a procedure to break apart kidney stones in the urinary tract. It is done with a ureteroscope passed into the tubes of the urinary tract. The laser breaks the kidney stones into smaller pieces that can either be removed by the surgeon or pass out of the body in the urine.) and 3) the insertion of a stent which I will have in me for a week.  I included more information below in case you are interested. 

I am preparing myself for several rough days after surgery. As I have heard the stent is very uncomfortable and leaves you with the sensation of needing frequent bathroom trips. Which isn't far off from what I am feeling right now. 





















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