Monthly Archives: July 2015

7/29/15

Where to begin?? Eli was in Camp Simcha for 2 weeks of non stop incredible fun. The staff and program are the absolute best there is. The care, love and attention was truly amazing from day 1 until we got back in the car. His counselor, co counselor, division head, learning rebbi, head counselor, waiters, nurses and so many others were just simply incredible. Seeing some pictures and videos of Eli doing things that took so much energy which they brought out of him was beautiful. 

Once again I had the privilege to go to camp to pick Eli up on Tuesday morning after the full 2 week session ended. I found out in camp that Eli penned a phrase that stuck “FOR THE SAKE OF TORAH” which Eli scrame at the end of each learning group. He made so many new friends and felt so at home it was an experience he will never forget. 

Before camp we were at MSKCC to get transfusions and to see the DR. At the time we were there the DR ended up on vacation but today before we left NY he was there so we went to see him. BH the DR only had good news and good ideas for us which we need to discuss with the DR in LA but BAH Eli is now eligible for studies and treatments that not that long ago weren’t on the table at all. 

This news is beyond amazing and it is only thru literally miracles that we have seen and thru all the davening that is done constantly on Eli’s behalf. We beezrat hashem hope that this only continues with even better news as each day passes. 

For now the plan is to see the DR in LA Friday morning and start again on Monday-Friday chemo the same chemo Eli has been getting for many months. 

We also had a great mazal that this organization called Corporate Angel Network arranged our flight home from Teterboro to Long Beach on American Express private jet. They allow children with cancer travelling to or from Dr visits to use this amazing system to avoid germs and all the hassle of flying on a commercial flight. 

Please as always continue having Elimelech Ben Basya and all cholim in your tefilos.   ‎

7/15/15

We landed Monday night and went to our home away from home to our cousins in NYC. Tuesday morning we were at MSKCC and spent a few hours there doing a check up and transfusions. Unfortunately the DR was out of town so we didn’t get that part done but maybe after camp we will try that. 

WED morning we got an early start for the 2 hour drive to camp. There are no words to describe the feeling upon entering camp. There are literally hundreds of staff roaring and cheering each and every kid as they arrive. Eli knew a lot of faces and the ones he didn’t all came over and introduced themselves and made Eli feel as comfortable and happy as possible. The grounds of Camp Simcha are 5 star and there’s nothing there they don’t have. The staff, the nurses, Doctors, counselors, games, lakes, activities, game rooms, it’s nothing you can imagine unless you actually see it. 

Eli met his counselor and felt right at home with him. He also knows a few of the counselors in his bunk house from Miami marathon, some from coming to visit in LA and others from Instagram. I spent 4 hours with him and making sure that all was set and I felt totally at ease leaving Eli for the 2 week session. He texted us later that he’s having a blast and is enjoying every second. We know he will enjoy every second and even though we will miss him we are really happy with the decision that we sent him. We hope he will have time to post a few pictures on Instagram over the next few weeks @EliGradon is his name if you aren’t yet following him. ‎

Please keep Elimelech Ben Basya and all cholim‎ in your tefilos. 

7/13/15

There hasn’t been a post lately as there hasn’t been anything to post. We have been working on helping Eli gain weight and BH that happened with eating and TPN. He looks and feels a lot stronger and noticeably gained weight BAH. We finished on Friday another round of chemo and it went pretty well with little side effects. 

The good news was that as a result of the stem cell transplant a few weeks prior Eli’s platelets climbed higher then they have been in a long time. The issue now is do we postpone chemo to try to let them climb higher even and then possibly let Eli be eligible for a study or will that gd forbid let the cancer come back if he’s off of treatment for any extended period of time. Either way for now‎ since what we are doing is having an effect we are going to stay with it for the time being but we are being proactive in planning for the future. 

‎We are currently on the plane to NY to bring Eli to CAMP SIMCHA!!! We will IYH land late Monday evening and we will be taking Eli to MSKCC Tuesday morning to see the DR there and get a blood transfusion so that hopefully Eli can be in Camp without worrying about getting any transfusions. In addition we have been weaning Eli off of TPN so that he can enjoy every minute of the camp experience without dealing with any medical issues beezrat hashem. We have been in full contact with the amazing staff there and know and trust that it will be an amazing experience. It’s a 2 week camp full of non stop fun and we hope that Eli loves and enjoyes every second of it. Camp begins WED and we look forward to bringing Eli there. 

Please as always have Elimelech Ben Basya and all cholim in your tefilos. ‎

6/30/15

We got back early Monday morning from a truly unforgettable trip to Israel. We accomplished what we mainly went for which was to daven by the kosel, Kever rochel, some of Eli’s Great grandparents‎ Graves, Kivrei Tzadikim and to receive as many brochos as possible. 

By every rov and rebbe we went to Eli was very warmly greeted and asked for a brocha for himself and all children in similar situations. Eli got brochos from R Dovid Soloveitchik, R Yitzchok Scheiner, R Reuven Elbaz, R Tuvia Weiss, R Nachman Levovitz, Pinsk Karlin Rebbe, Dushinsky Rebbe and many other chashuvim. We also went to a cheder of 1600 kids in Sanhedria Morchevet called Chochmas Shlomo where every single kid in the cheder knew of the name Elimelech Ben Basya. It was very inspiring to see them saying tehilim specially for Eli daily.   ‎

We also went at least once a day sometimes twice to the kosel and Eli davened very hard there‎. Just walking around Yerushalayim was enjoyable where so many people we have never seen would just come over and say refua shelayma or ask for Elis tehilim name. 

Shabos was extremely nice and relaxed in the hotel where we ate together with a lot of LA people at the Wolmark Sheva Brochos where so many people went out of their way to make sure Eli had anything and everything he wanted. After the long trip we finally got on the plane and we both fell asleep as soon as the plane took off and we slept straight for 11+ hours!!

BH when we got back we went to CHLA to have Eli’s labs checked and BAH Eli held his own and didn’t need any transfusions. On Thursday is the next scheduled DR appt at which we hope Eli will be cleared to begin chemo once again on Monday. 

Please as always have Elimelech Ben Basya in all your tefilos. Also I forgot the last time I wrote the list of young cholim to include  ‎Yehuda Ben Margalit Sara as well as Minka Sara Bas Devora Gittel bsoch shaar choley yisroel.