05 Sep Frozen Vanilla Yogurt With A Cherry On Top!
My name is Allen Smith. I live in North Carolina with my mom, sister and gramma. I’m 13 years old. I’m going into 8th grade. I love football, the Panthers, riding my 4-wheeler and hoverboard, playing video games, archery, and hanging out with my best friend, Rakeem. I’m big for my age, I wear a size 14 shoe and I have M.S. (Multiple Sclerosis).
It all started one morning when I was 6. I got up, threw up and woke my mom because my mom always made me feel better. Over the next few days I got worse. I started falling all the time and began slurring my speech. My mom took me to the doctor. There were lots of different doctors, tests and needles. I hate needles! It was scary. The doctors told us that I had ADEM, (a rare inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system). I had to stay in the hospital for treatment and rehab.
Throughout my hospital stay, my mom always made me feel good. When I think of that month and a half, that’s what I remember the most. I hated to be in my room all the time, so my mom would take me on wheelchair rides for frozen vanilla yogurt with a cherry on top and wheat pizza! One time I asked my mom to take me to the basketball court to play. So off we went. I tried and tried, but just couldn’t make that basket. But my mom didn’t let the afternoon end with me being sad. Not my mom. She wheeled me off the court and directly to the cafeteria for frozen vanilla yogurt with a cherry on top and a smile!
Having my mom and all my family by my side helped me so much. My treatments and rehab went really well. When I was able to go home, I went home symptom free. One year later, I started to feel bad again. Back to the doctors and more tests including the awful needles. When the results came in, my doctor suspected MS and recommended we fly to Buffalo for a diagnosis confirmation and treatment.
What no one knew was that my mom had never been on an airplane before and was terrified to fly! But my mom got on that plane with me, my sister and gramma and together they took me to Buffalo and the doctors I needed. When the doctors confirmed that I had MS, my mom was heartbroken. My mom looked at me and said, “Yes, it is hard to believe, but we can handle this. With God’s help anything is possible.”
We had to stay in Buffalo for a few days while I had more tests and appointments, so our social worker spoke with my mom and gramma and for the next few days we all stayed at the Buffalo Ronald McDonald House. When I first saw the House, I thought it was so pretty. Everyone was so nice. The playroom was great. It was a fun place to be.
We all come to Buffalo every year for my annual check-ups. I’m so excited to come. It’s like a mini-vacation – we all stay together at the Ronald McDonald House and visit our friends there, go shoe shopping (size 14 is not easy to find!), and sightsee.
Staying at the Buffalo Ronald McDonald House is like staying at home. I am surrounded by my family and their love and support. But when I think of the Buffalo House, the first thing that comes to mind is the soft beds! They are the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in. My mom says it’s like sleeping on a cloud and she even bought the same mattress for her bed at home! My gramma says being at the house feels like hope and confidence.
When I listen to my mom talk about my MS and all the doctors’ visits and tests which lead to my diagnosis, I cry. It’s not because I feel sad about me, but because I am overwhelmed by my mom’s strength and resolve. She is always by my side. No matter how sad or upset she is, when she is with me, she always smiles. I couldn’t imagine not having my mom, sister and gramma with me.
We stay together. We are stronger together. Whenever I feel bad, my mom, sister and gramma are there to support me. As my gramma always says to me, “God’s got me”. I’m good.
– Allen Smith
