I have not written for a few months as I have been rather empty of the words, the inspiration to write. Savanna got a clear MRI from head through spine last week and I was thinking chemo until August and then I realized in a blink that the time is getting shorter, it does not seem like such a rugged mountain, 4-5 months. She has been diagnosed over a year with Medullablastoma and it has been grueling for her and for her family. Her mother, Brittany has become one of my heroes. Ha, my own daughter. Regarding, Sharon, I am quite sure she is watching over Savanna as she did each day of her being on this earth in the body. I am positive she watches now..I know I have felt her presence on several different days. She cried and cried when she found out about Savanna and that was the only time I heard her weep so deeply from her inner being. She encouraged me even as she was wracked with cancer herself, my red headed lady, my friend, it mattered not how I was, she remained steadfast to me in friendship. Tom is recovering more and more from his heart attack. I am thankful to God for that. The dogs are another blessing in my life as they love me unconditionally and thing Tom hung the moon just for them. He treats each one with special loving care. Honestly, they are spoiled but they are ours to spoil for these moments in time. Nothing shows a man what he is and isnot like trouble..nothing. It will all surface and there you are looking at yourself, your flaws, fears, strengths, and your own heart cracked open like an egg. There it is. Now what you choose to do with this knowledge is quite up to the individual. Grow and change for the better even if you may crawl at times and fall down at times, get up, and keep walking, slow at times, and at other times you run in strength and taste the joy of the Lord on your lips even though the storm rages and the rain falls down, you walk on. He is with you each step.When you fall down, he puts an arm around you and says walk on and you really must as He is there to walk with you. When you run on the wind of HIS wings and taste the joy of the lord in the storm, it is like a deer leaping over the snowcapped mountains, it is ecstacy in the spirit world. I pray I have become more compassionate to my patients as they need more than medical treatment, they need us to really see them. I thank God for Savanna turning five next week and I pray she will eat cake with Sharon smiling down and all of us will be celebrating together. That is indeed, my prayer. Best and God Be With You Melly

  

Sharon Filleti has passed, she is gone. She is a butterfly in the bright sunshine, a breeze that gives you peace, a red bird in all his glory, she was the kindest soul I have personally known. I miss her and I am lost. She loved me unconditionally and is instrumental in Savanna's website, so many things, you see she had a gift for looking at a person and seeing what potential was there and putting her focus on that potoential. She called me early the morning before her death in ICU and we talked for 40 minutes. I thank God that on that day being late for work was OK. It was so right that we talk and I had the opportunity to thank her for all her love, support and you know it was the emotional and spiritual support that I beleive will not be filled. She was like a rock of hope for me. I will never ever have another Sharon...period. She was incredibly brave, oh my, so stalwart and un swavering in her courage. I think so often I was not fit to wipe her shoes. Savanna had a clear MRI on December 23 and chemotherapy will go until August 2009. I am quite quite sure she will watch over Savanna and is with both our dogs that have passed over. Everthing seems so small now that seemed important. Dog shows, all of it, I enjoy it but the importance is greatly in the proportion it should be. People and love are what is the most important thing in this life. I got two 3 point majors this weekend and all I can think is I miss my friend. Keep life in perspective, things are useless, people are precious. I pray Savnna survives Medullablastoma but it is beyond even my most minute control...all of it is in His hands. Sharon called me every day when I had a great loss and at that time I was a stranger but she saw the pain and she reached right out and pulled me up. Would I do that? Would you repond to a stranger's pain and take the chance and sacrifice your time. Would we really? I pray and hope so. Melly

  

Savanna is so excited about Santa Claus and she really is full of belief and wonder. It is inspiring to watch her go down after chemo and get back up. She is so resilient...I do believe more than the rest of us. Her brothers are awesome, sweet precious boys. Brian and Steven, so very brave, I am at a loss at my own inadequacies but believe me I do not think I would be here without God, He does give us strength but often the circumstances remain.My dear friend has inoperable lung cancer but she says she will survive and overcome and I believe her. She reminds me of Savanna...not a quitter. She just stands in her belief and she stands firm. My daughter Brittany and Savanna's father, Andy are troupers because you see this war is long, oh so long, it goes on and on, she will be in chemo until August 2009. She gets a MRI on Dec 23rd and I pray for no metastasis of the cancer. She has a light in her eyes that sparkles and shines in the darkness. Her hair has not grown back. Honestly, there have been health problems with my husband and I and I surely am riding a giant roller coaster. I want to get off and sit for a while and put my feet in the creek and rest. I tell you even a deeper truth, my heart is broken every time I look at her, just broken into a million pieces but I will march on with my family and we will have Christmas, God willing. My sister Leslie has been awesome, AWESOME. some friends go away and some new ones come, I wonder if it hurts too much for some and for others what you are speaks so loudly I can't hear you, not my words but so true. Savanna will have a calender in a few weeks than Ann Jowers was instrumental in putting together. Thank you so much for your prayers and blessings to all. God is still on the throne and that keeps me sane and brings me through. Blessing To All Melly

  

Who knew in March 2008 my grandaughter, Savanna, would be fighting for her life against Medullablastoma. That my dear friend would be fighting lung cancer.
That my husband would have a blockage and require angioplasty. All in 5 months. Life storms at times and is a gentle stream at others. I have had my faith tested and then tested again. People amaze you with their kindness and the amount of love they give. There are a few that amaze you in their emptiness but that is for God to judge. The cruel and the kind....many more good souls. Hard times bring out the truth better than any other time. It is a fact. God is truth and He reveals it. The truth is always revealed by God.
Savanna gets very sick when she has the three drug chemo but does fairly well with the one drug chemo. She marches on making bracelets and sticking stickers in books and then when counts are low her doctors and parents battle the cancer and somehow she comes back strong. She was hospitalized last week and is much better, her WBC was 0.900 and normal is 10.000. She is a fighter and a good soul. Her eyes dance with a light only God could have put there in those searching blue eyes. God has been good, He has been there irregardless of the moment for me, He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Life is minutely short, please live it. Let your light shine just like Savanna. God will take me through whatever comes He will go with me. He will be there for Savanna and her family, for my friend, for all the downcast in heart and soul. He came for the weak, lost, and suffering. He said "the sick need a doctor". Every word He said he meant. Thank you for all your prayers, card, gifts, kind words, and every random act of kindness. My mother, dear Mother, calls me Job. She can make me laugh and make me see in the darkness. My friend that is so sick was one of my rocks and now she needs me and I will be there with the grace of God.
Blessings
Melly

  

Chemo starts very soon and some will be in-patient and some will be out-patient. There are two protocols and it will last a year. Please understand that I know I am remiss on some thank you notes, my hair looks like I do not like my hair to look, I am always behind and that is not me, I am stretched and then stretched a little bit more. The reason I am sharing this is for others you may know going through similar circumstances of a long term serious illness. There is not enough time so please understand that for your friends. Savanna goes on the 18th to get an MRI per Dr. Lee to see if any cancer has returned, once again, I ask you to PRAY, and please continue.
There have honestly been too many blessings to count and so many from strangers, I am truly humbled, honored, and touched way down deep...the deepest part of me.
I tell you if there are any dreams in your heart...do them immediately or as soon as you can. Life has one certainty, it is uncertain...grab your dreams and then live them. The important things are not my house or car, my titles or lack of titles, gossip, possessions or any thing of this world, really, they are very small. It would be nice if I could write a check and buy Brittany and Andy a modest home but it would not change the cancer, would it? All that matters is love, doing what is right as best you can, if you do wrong and if you are human you will, immediately make amends before pride lies to your heart, NOT NOT JUDGING others, and above all a relationship where GOD is LORD of your LIFE.
Lord, I said, yes. He is an awesome God who is totally in control anyway, so why not take our hands off the steering wheel. These are my very personal life lessons I am sharing with you from my heart and I hope someone understands that it is good to tell truth and share your burdens and victories. I dearly love my family, my friends, co-workers, my boss, my husband, my dogs but it is through God that I live and move and have my being, He is who has carried me through, he has used many people, good people to help Savanna and I am just very, very, grateful. Finally, pray for Savanna, Gage ( a small boy with Leukemia in my town), Brittany, Andy, Steven, Brian, my secretary, Mary Ann, and her dear husband Ross. All these people are in the fight against cancer indirectly or directly. So many more....and for a very special dog to recover that I love 100% to their fullest potential. I pray for America to wake up and remember what made us strong. GOD
Melly


remember her


Follow your dreams


and know joy and love
Melly

  

Here is the link to Savanna's personal site donated by Ned. If you need a website he is awesome, kind, meticulous, and talented!!!!
www.princess-savanna.com
I had the information wrong so here it is. CORRECT, thanks to my dear frind Ned straightening me out. Hey, SHARON, you are awesome!!!!!!
Melly

  

Savanna got a good report with her doctor today; counts were good, she has survived radiation as well as can be expected. She has no brain damage (she is furiously making necklaces), she can walk albeit not as well as before, she talks like a train and she bosses her brothers around very professionally. She is bald but who cares, I certainly do not. She is such a precious soul, she is wise way beyond four years of age.
She is delicious!!! This hat was made by Pat of Bow Wow Ware and Dina helped Pat make it happen for Savanna.
She certainly looks happy attired in all her necklaces !! Now comes Chemotherapy in a couple of weeks. Please pray for her as she enters this phase of her treatment, and for her brothers and parents.

This is her paternal grandmother, Mrs. V. Pughsley getting a hug..the Pughsleys have been very helpful and supportive in this battle and love her dearly. Please pray for them as well.

One of my little dober babies... they keep me sane as they keep me busy...very busy.


They are growing like weeds, 5 weeks old now and such fun and work, too.
I am starting a cancer support group in my local community. I have to do it. It is so important as now I have those shoes on my feet; I realize the roller coaster and the need for an outlet to share and receive understanding. It will be held starting August 14th and is being published in the newspaper.
People as a whole have been amazing. Kindness and support so I want to give back. Please pray that this is a blessing for people in need of a hand of hope and love...just like me.
I have found I am definitely learning to live one day at a time and to lean very heavily on God's grace, mercy, and strength. He remains an awesome God full of love and understanding for me and I could not go one step without Him....not one.
There has been heartache and dissapointment as well but it is not nearly as great as the blessings and love so I think on the good.
Savanna has received posting cards from Cinderella and Snow White while they are on vacation. LOL, how sweet and special to a little girl that is a princess in her heart....

Savanna with me wearing my necklace from her.
I want to say thank you for every kind word and email. Every positive thought..every gift and donation. A smile, a hug-they all are random acts of kindness. Blessings to All, Melly

  

It has been a wild ride, cancer, it takes and move away and them slams back on the scene. She is eating well right now and not sick@!!!!! They are getting a sofa that can be wiped down from the Lion's Club, AWESOME, They need a small  (low to the ground) child's bed with a new mattress, (bed does not have to be new just the mattress), an air cleaner, a dishwasher and one unspoken big miracle. AND OF COURSE, we pray Savanna will be with us for years to come to grow to be a woman. A friend's mother said we should be praying so much our knees would be black and that is the truth, I need to stay in a mind of continuous prayer for God's will and His mercies....his tender mercies.....a bruised reed God will not crush. Please pray with me in these matters, God can do it!! Also, please pray for Mary Ann and Ross, my secretary and her husband who both have cancer. for Mary's whippet, Rickie who is sick and needs surgery, for Mary for strength, and let us pray one for the other. Blessings to all
Melly


She is joyous in her suffering.....

  

Well, here she is opening her quilt from Mary of TAW, one of the list I am on about whippets. She takes some pretty strong medicines and it does take a tremendous toll but see that sweet smile....it is there and she is there. She has lost her hair but not her spirit. I was thinking today, how are we going to do this, how are we going to get there and then I remembered who is in charge, God, the most giving and faithful father of them all. She told me she did not have her hair and I said you are beautiful and she was just that, beautiful. Her stomach hurts and she has vomited so much but perhaps, this will pass and she will have a reprieve. Please continue to pray for them and if you have not please take a look at ther website. www.princess-savanna.com
Ned donated HIS time to make this website for Savanna when actually, it is a rather difficult time for Ned at present. Thank you so much Ned and Sharon. God is an awesome God and here a man I have never had the pleasure of meeting who put together this most sweet, professional, and lovely website for Savanna. Mary and Sharon, Ned so many, Ann with her photography....just the best friend a girl could have in any time of their lives...but especially this time.
I think of how much we have been blessed and I trust He will take us through this storm onto dry land. He does always show up just in time, never late.
Best
Melly

  

Savanna has her own website now, www.Princess-Savanna.com
 pray NOW, pass the word and the website all over the world. Please, my heart is breaking, a broken and contrite heart God will not cast down, I am broken and I am contrite and I am humble. She was admitted to the hospital in Augusta last night, vomiting, her hair is falling out, dehydrated. swelling in her little brain from the radiation, Please please pray. I am empty. I want you to please pray. Pray for the parents. Lift her up to the heavens, please. I know others are suffering and I know God is not a respecter of persons.  I want the victory, the healing, but I submit all that I am to the Father. It is His plan, I am praying for mercy but please know mercy comes in different forms. He does have a plan. I am praying for strength, He does give us that.  I am desperate for the Father's touch. I prayed with Brittany earlier and I felt the Lord. Yeah thought I walk though the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for Thou art with me. He is with us. He is the great I am.
Melly