I just returned from an unexpected trip to Denver.  My cousin Crystal has just been diagnosed with terminal cervical cancer.  Here is the email that her husband wrote to friends and family:

Dear Family and Friends:

As you may or may not know Crystal was diagnosed with an aggressive rare type of Cancer located in and around the Cervix.  Unfortunately, since Crystal is HPV negative and completed annual Pap tests the problem wasn’t diagnosed until it reached stage 3.5 – 4 with the primary tumor growing to a length of 9 cm.  We will continue to explore all options, but this is a fast moving disease that is not curative.  This is difficult to say and it may sound like we are giving up, but that is not the case.  We are going to fight this disease and expect good things to happen.

Radiation and Chemotherapy will start on November 24^th and we are confident that new combinations of therapy and or surgery (not to mention the support of the entire Kaiser Oncology staff) will reduce the size and slow the growth so Crystal can enjoy time with Rylee, Aiden, Gaven, family, and friends. 

No one knows for sure, but we were told to expect a couple of years depending on how she reacts to the upcoming 6-8 week treatment.  After that she must balance future treatments and quality of life.  With a little luck, your support, and prayers we are going for her 40^th birthday (about 6 years from today).  We can do it… 

We appreciate all of your support, thoughts, prayer. Our door will remain open.  Crystal wants to make sure you know it is ok to visit and call anytime.  Her only request – no flowers. 

Crystal, Jason, Gaven, Aiden, Rylee

December 11, 2008

Crystal is more than my cousin. She is more like a sister and a best friend. She is 33 years old and she has a 2½ year old son named Aiden and a 8 month old daughter named Rylee.  She is married to Jason who has a 14 year old son named Gaven who Crystal treats as her own. 

Since her husband wrote the above letter to friends and family, things have actually gotten worse. After many tests, it has been found that Crystal has an EXTREMELY RARE and EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE form of Cancer. So rare that her Oncologist has only found one other oncologist in the entire United States that has dealt with anything similar to Crystals Cancer. There is no protocol for this.  If things go well and Crystal responds well to ongoing Chemotherapy and Radiation, she could live another 2 years. Unfortunately, it could be less.     

Crystal worked very hard to become a nurse. The RN program is a 2 year program. She completed that and took it one step further and continued her education to get her bachelors degree in nursing.  The ironic part of all this is that she is an oncology nurse.  When she told me she wanted to get into oncology, I thought she was certifiably insane.  I could NEVER deal with all that sadness on a day to day basis.  Oncology is a special calling and she got it.  I don’t wish cancer on anyone but I definitely feel that it is NOT FAIR that it would attack my cousin who dedicated her life to helping cancer patients.

Her biggest fear is that her children are so young that they will never know or remember her.   How could this happen to my young cousin that has two babies depending on her?  She asked me to create the Scrapbooks for her children so they would know who their mother was. She wants them to know what a great life she has, how much fun she is and of course how much she loves them. How do you let these children know what a wonderful person their mother was? You know how sometimes you wonder why life has taken you in one direction or another.  I think it was in God’s master plan that I would be called to do this one day so He led me to open a Scrapbook Store. I don’t think there is a better way to accomplish this task than through our passion, our hobby...scrapbooking.

We spent Thanksgiving 2008 with Crystal.  We went through her pictures and organized them so we can start making the scrapbooks.  This is where we are pleading for your help.  I know you are all very busy with your day to day lives but if you can find it in your heart and find the time to make a layout for Crystal's Scrapbook it would be a great big help for us.  We need all different types of layouts.  She will be scrapbooking her journals, emails that people sent to her and greeting cards. We would like these to be 2 page layouts with no set format.  She will also be scrapbooking lots and lots of photos.  We would like these to be 2 page layouts with several mats in different sizes but most for 4x6 photos.  We would also like an exposed spot for journaling (no hidden journaling please).

If you do not have time to make any layouts, donations will also be accepted.  Trust funds have been set up for Aiden M. LaGrange and Rylee M. LaGrange and an account has been set for all of Crystal's needs in the name of Caring for Crystal Foundation.  Crystal has an amazing support system in Denver.  I was there for 6 days and 3 of those days her friends brought home cooked meals for her and her family.  Her coworkers at Kaiser have donated their vacation to her.  When I left, 6 months worth of vacation had already been donated.  It is amazing how kind, caring and generous that people are. 

I also ask for your personal prayers for Crystal. If you belong to a church or a prayer group and you are able to add Crystal to the prayer list, I would greatly appreciate it.  I believe in the power of prayer and I believe that there is still a miracle in store for Crystal. 

I am not one to reach out and ask for help. However, I have never needed this much help.  I feel so blessed to be able to reach out to so many people.  I belong to an amazing sisterhood, a sisterhood of tens of thousands of scrapbookers.  We all scrapbook for the same reason, for the preservation of our memories.  Please help me preserve Crystal's memories for her children.

If you belong to any Scrapbook Yahoo Groups or Message Boards and you think anyone might want to help, please forward this information. 

I am headed back to Denver in January.  I would love nothing more than to present Crystal with completed Scrapbooks.  She expressed to me so many times that this was her number one concern.  If we can do this, she can stop worrying about this and start concentrating on her battle against her cancer.   

If you would like to know more about Crystal, see pictures and keep updated on her treatment program and her fight against cancer, her friends have started a blog for her. It is www.caringforcrystal.blogspot.com.  We have created a link on this page that will take you directly to Crystal's blog.     

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Thank you for any layouts that you can contribute!!  Layouts can be dropped off or sent to Scrappin' Good Times 564 W. Arrow Hwy., San Dimas, CA 91773.

Again Thank You, Trish Figueroa

I spent most of last week answering emails and phone calls from people who wanted more information about creating layouts for Crystal's Scrapbooks.  I got asked the same question several times so I thought I should post some more information.  Here is what we need...

Size
12 x 12 (2) page layouts. Leave one journal box per each two page layout..no hidden journaling please.  Sign the back of each layout. Some have even written words to Crystal and her family.  I want her children to know how many special people worked on her family Scrapbooks.

Theme
Updated January 30, 2009
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!
A million times over Thank you all so much for all of these beautiful layouts.  The response to my request for layouts for my cousin Crystal was enormous. We received way more layouts than I every imagined.  It warms my heart that my work and my hobby involves an industry of WONDERFUL WOMEN.  My Scrapbook Sisters who understand the importance of leaving your legacy.

December 30, 2008

All I can say is WOW!!  We have been inundated with layouts for Crystal.  Every day I get to the store and there are more beautiful layouts on my desk.  We have received packages of layouts from Illinois, Kansas and Texas.  I am overwhelmed with emotion.  Thank you for the prayers, the kind words and the words of encouragement for Crystal.  I update her on the progress of her scrapbooks every time I talk to her.

The Good Time Girls complete monthly assignments for our Showcase.  January's showcase will consist of all of the layouts that they have completed for Crystal.

Many of you have asked how Crystal is doing.  She had a wonderful Christmas. Her sister Cindy flew her entire family out to Colorado on Christmas Eve morning and surprised her.  Her in-laws are visiting and so are her two best friends.  She is surrounded by people that love her very much. 

She is still having chemotherapy and they recently upgraded her to a high dose radiation. So far, she is responding well.  She continues to be extremely fatigued and constantly has an upset stomach.  She makes the most of the time she has and spends every available moment with her children.

Thank you, Trish