Posted on 11/08/2011 8:01:35 AM PST by CSM
Topping the list of things most teenagers probably would not want for Christmas? A trip to the hospital.
But 15-year-old Joshua Nienow didn’t have a choice. On December 19, 2002, hours after he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), Joshua was admitted into Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee to begin a yearlong battle against the disease.
For the next nine weeks, he would endure several rounds of harsh chemotherapy treatment and a surgery to remove 12 inches of his intestines. To make matters worse, he already had Crohn’s disease, which complicated his treatment and made his outlook even grimmer.
During 2003, he spent more than 200 nights in the hospital. The outlook wasn’t positive. Some of the most respected pediatric oncology doctors in the nation gave Joshua a 20% chance to survive. His family was devastated.
“I remember realizing how empty our hearts felt. Joshua was very sick, and we didn’t know if this might be our last Christmas with him,” said Les Nienow, Joshua’s father. “He was so sick at one point that his mother couldn’t even touch him. And, of course, he’s 15-years-old, but she wanted to hold her baby. We were at death’s door for months.”
Christmas in the Hospital
The Nienow family was shocked at the amount of love they received from both friends and total strangers. “We were overwhelmed at first. We had only been in the hospital for five days. Then on Christmas Eve night, this woman, a total stranger, knocks on our door and she has a huge garbage bag full of toys and games for Joshua,” Leslie, his mother, said.
Because Joshua was in a “myelosuppression” room—meaning only approved people could enter because of germs—the woman had to quickly hand the bag through the door and shut it. “I just cried and cried because everything was frightening and scary, and here were these people kind enough to think of us during this time and bless us,” Leslie said.
The giving continued for months after that. “People brought us reading materials and gift cards for things like gas and food because we were traveling to and from the hospital so much. Someone bought Joshua a Game Boy to help occupy his time and distract him from the pain. They brought things that we would’ve never even thought about,” Les said.
“You’re at a point where you don’t know what you need. You’re in shock and you’re just trying to get from one day to the next, just hoping your son lives. And people just show up with things. It wasn’t until later that we realized just how helpful that was,” Leslie said.
Joshua adds, “The giving never stopped. I constantly received cards. We would put them on the walls, then take them down and put up new ones.”
The Gift of Life
Perhaps the most generous gift Joshua received was the gift of bone marrow. In October 2003, he received a bone marrow transplant at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.
Eight Years Later
The leukemia hasn’t relapsed and Joshua is doing well, though he still struggles with neuropathy brought on by the chemotherapy treatments.An anonymous donor—a female attorney from the Midwest—was willing to go through the painful procedure of bone marrow transplant to give a teenager, a total stranger hundreds of miles away, the opportunity to live.
The transplant match between the anonymous donor and Joshua was perfect, which is a rarity. So after nearly a year in the hospital, battling through one setback after another, Joshua went home with new bone marrow and a new outlook.
He spent Christmas 2003 in the Ronald McDonald House while he was being treated after the transplant. “We met with the families who were about to go through transplant, and we talked and prayed with them. We even made cookies for them,” Leslie said.
A year later, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Joshua was just strong enough to make a trip with his family to Green Bay, Wisconsin to become an honorary Green Bay Packer for the day. He used a cane to move around, but when he got the opportunity to catch a pass from Brett Favre, he handed the cane to his dad. “He was able to jog a short distance for the pass, and he caught it!” Les said.
It’s been eight years since Joshua’s treatment. The leukemia hasn’t relapsed and Joshua is doing well, though he still struggles with neuropathy brought on by the chemotherapy treatments. The doctors have told them the neuropathy will only get worse as Joshua grows older, but he and his family still have faith. “We believe that this miracle will be completed one day,” said Les.
Learning to Receive
Family Blessed to be a Blessing The Nienows are reminded of that day nine years ago when their life turned upside down. From left: Rebecca, Leslie, Joshua, Sam and Les.The entire experience has changed both Joshua and his parents. Leslie works with women battling cancer, and Les does public speaking events on behalf of Make-A-Wish and The Ronald McDonald House.
Les also says they had to learn to become gracious receivers. “I was working on a church staff at the time, and I would head up a lot of special fundraising events for families. Then, all of the sudden, I’m on the other end of it,” he said.
“People came to us and wanted to give us things, and we’re saying, ‘Why are you doing this? We don’t really need it.’ So it was just a change for us. And, for me, I honestly believe it was an act of God, because I don’t think you can truly be a giver unless you learn to receive graciously.”
As Christmas approaches, the Nienows are reminded of that day nine years ago when their life turned upside down. Les says Christmas will never be the same again.
“Every Christmas is very special when you have your loved ones with you. I know we’ll never again take another one for granted.”
This season is all about giving. That’s why everything we do this time of year is focused on blessing others. From November 14 to December 22, we’re giving away cash and prizes every weekday.We’re also highlighting you and how you’re giving this year. That’s what Dave’s Giving Challenge is all about. Share your story with us, and if we feature it in an article like this one, or a video, you’ll be entered to win $5,000 to give away live on The Dave Ramsey Show! Together, we’re giving like no one else!
Remember to live like no one else, so that you will be able to GIVE like no one else.
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Touching story. THanks for the ping.
I’ve met Les a few times when in training in Nashville. The story is even more powerful in person and when you meet his son while it’s being told.
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