Prayers and Teaser Tuesday (1)

             Okay so before I start talking about books.  I have something very important to say, so please keep reading.  A girl who I've known since kindergarten died today from leukemia, her name was Kailey Wilmarth.  She was one of the kindest, greatest people I know.  Everyone liked her because there was nothing to dislike.  Now that she is gone all of my friends who knew her are very sad.  But we can't let her memory be for nothing.  There were many fundraisers held for her that boasted "Kailey's Krew" on  T-shirts and bracelets.  I participated in a few, one of which was a Las Vegas Night and Auction.  Everyone put such a great effort into it, and all over town people prayed.  Then a month ago Kailey started taking a downward spiral.  She needed a bone marrow transplant, and her brother was the donor.  A week ago they gave her the cells, and yesterday they started to take effect.  This tiny miracle which was so impossible gave Kailey a few more days until this morning when she was taken to heaven.  WE CANNOT LET HER STORY GO UNTOLD. 
             If you know someone who has died from cancer.  Please share their story in a comment or post on your blog with link. All of the fundraisers we did for Kailey can be done for all of the other boys and girls that have leukemia or any other type of cancer.  We gave Kailey a year.  What can we give someone else? 


Now for the book part.  I looked up a few cancer/loss related books.  Some of them I'll be reading to bring me comfort in this hard time.  One of the books I'm going to do a teaser about after the list.

A Time for Dancing by Davida Hurwin- This is about a girl whose best friend is diagnosed with leukemia.  They band together and help each other accept what's going on, and that she may not live. 

1. I've not read this book, but the reviews said that this really describes what cancer is like.  I'll post the review soon. 

Lurlene McDaniel-  She is an author who has written tons of books about cancer and terminal illnesses.  I haven't read anything by her, but I think since she has written so many it's worth a look at.

Before I Die by Jenny Downham- This is about a girl who is struggling with leukemia and has only a few weeks to live.  She has a list of things she wants to do before she dies.  One of the things she wants to do is have sex so warning to all you little children out there.  It's a very sad book so don't be afraid to cry. 

Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick-  This is about a thirteen year old boy who is diagnosed with leukemia.  He's an average kid then one day he gets sick.  Once the doctors diagnose him, he finds out it's leukemia and he can't believe it. 
I've read stuff by this author before, and he's hilarious but can still get to the point of serious topics so I'm excited to read this one and laugh while I'm grieving. 




My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult-  Of course the obvious one, but I think this one is better suited for older readers because this is about a girl who was basically born to give organs to her sister who has a disease.  She finds out and gets a lawyer to avoid this.  I'm not interested in this book because I rather read about loss than some brat who doesn't want to give organs to her sister just because her parents made a mistake. 

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson-  I wasn't even  planning on getting this book when I went to the library today to look for comfort.  This book is about a girl whose sister has recently died, and she's dealing with that loss.  Then while she's grieving she somehow finds herself in a relationship with two different guys. 
         Though this book isn't about leukemia or cancer.  I wanted to get this because the girl seemed a lot like me, shy and booky.  So I picked it up because I thought it would help me deal with my grief. 



If you have any more books please leave a comment or any words of advice for me I would love to hear from you. 

Now for Teaser Tuesday!   This is hosted by Should be Reading.  I'm going to do two teasers. 
1)The Sky is Everywhere, and 2) A Time for Dancing.

"What do you do when the worst thing that can happen actually happens?  When you get that phone call?" p. 54

"In Pre-Op, I waited patiently while the nurse tried to find a vein to give me the anesthetic.  She finally settled on my hand, put in the needle, almost...and then had to try again on my other hand."  (pg. 105)









Thank you for reading through this long post, and for all your support.  Please help me let Kailey's memory live on, and give back to other people who have leukemia or who have lost someone to leukemia.  -Kailey's Krew Forever.