Pictures from World Meningitis Day

Today was World Meningitis Day, as you would know if you've been following along with my blog, lol. So we went to Wal*Mart & got one of the disposable helium tanks so we could release some balloons. The black balloons you see say "Meningitis-Angels" on them. A dear friend, Sherry sent them to me. Last year I was unable to attend the Meningitis-Angels Conference in Houston, TX because I was 8mos pregnant with Layne. So Sherry sent me a "conference-in-a-box"! It was amazing, she wanted me to feel like I was their, and boy did she hit the nail on the head! She sent me these left over ballons & wanted me to release them on Landan's special days. Sadly, Sherry has since passed away. I was telling my husband as I grabbed some balloons to take

"I feel sad about seeing these balloons. I never thought that she wouldn't be able to see these pictures when I sent the balloons up."

I was then reminded though, Sherry WILL see these balloons! I know she was watching over us today, sitting next to my Landan on a cloud. Today I celebrated Landan & Sherry's life & fight against Meningitis at our balloon release. One black balloon was for Landan, one was for Sherry & the last for the other fighters who fought so hard against Meningitis.

Here are some pictures of Landan's little brother, Layne, whom will always know what a hero his big brother is.

"Today we celebrated the fight you fought Landan. Your so amazing to everyone that knows you, and a little hero in so many eyes. I miss you terribly & would do anything to wrap my arms tightly around you. I yuv you bebe!"

Nana releasing Landan's balloons

World Annual Meningitis Awarenes Day

First Annual

World Meningitis Day
April 25th 2009
Today is the very 1st Annual World Meningitis Day! On this day, we remember the lives lost & dramatically affected by meningitis. We should also use this day to spead some awareness to others!

Things you can do:
Take 10mins to share our story with atleast one person.
Visit a few websites dedicated to Meningitis Awareness.
Light a candle at 7pm (your time) in memory of the lives lost to Meningitis so that a wave of light goes around the world.

Our plans for today include a balloon release to remember Landan & the others who lost their life to Meningitis, participate in the 'around the world' candle lighting & spreading awareness by sharing our story with one new person.



A few friends have taken time to spread some awareness through their blogs! Marisa & Kerin (myspace blog) Thank you ladies so much!

I'll post our pictures later from the balloon release!

Meningitis Awareness Week Days 4 & 5

First Annual

World Meningitis Day
April 25th 2009
Meningitis Week - Days 4 & 5
Life after Meningitis

Many Earth Bound Angels will not only suffer the loss of limbs, major organ damage including, brain, kidney, skin, but also blindness, deafness, have to give up attending school, quit college or receive less of an education, feel alienation form society and they often experience some or all of these life changes. The damage of meningitis is life long.

One of the most common complications is deafness, which affects around one in ten people, and can either be temporary or permanent. Blindness is also a possible complication

During the illness, septicemia (blood poisoning) can occur, and in extreme cases can result in a diminished blood supply to the feet, toes, hands and fingers. This may result in the need for skins grafts or even amputation.

Common health & behavior problems after having Meningitis includes: general tiredness, giddiness, bouts of aggression, recurring headaches/severe migraines, balance problems, mood swings, difficulty in concentration, violent temper tantrums, deafness, short-term memory lapses, tinnitus (ringing in ears), joint soreness/stiffness, clumsiness, eyesight difficulty/ blindness, epilepsy, amputation of limbs, depression, brain damage, paralysis, skin grafts, kidney problems, development of nero muscular diseases, digestive problems, & stunt bone growth.

Can Meningitis attack you more than once?
YES!

Above information above © Meningitis-Angels Organization
www.meningitis-angels.org

Meningitis Awareness Week Day 3

First Annual

World Meningitis Day
April 25th 2009
Meningitis Week - Day 3
Meningococcal Disease - Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime

Below you'll see a PSA from The National Meningitis Association

Anyone: It cares not how old you are. You could be one month, three years, twenty-five years, or sixty years old.
Heaven Bound Angel Stories
Earth Bound Angel Stories

Anywhere: Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter. It likes no specific season.
See just how frequently this is happening!

Anytime: Morning, noon or night. Who knows when it will unleash it's wrath.
Jessica's Story (Video, grab your tissues)

Meningitis Awareness Week Day 2

First Annual

World Meningitis Day
April 25th 2009
Meningitis Week - Day 2
Meningococcal Disease - What does it look like?


One of the "tell-tale" signs of Meningococcal Disease is the rash that appears on the body. The troubling thing is, once the rash get's to that point, the disease has already rapidly progressed & infection is in the bloodstream. The disease progresses even quicker from here on out. That is called "Septicemia". This rash will not blanch, which means if you look at the rash under a glass cup the rash will not disappear from the pressure you apply.

**GRAPHIC PICTURES BELOW**




Here are pictures of what the Meningococcal rash looks like. These are different stages of progression. This is exactly the type of rash Landan had.

*Note - These are not actual pictures of Landan. I'm using these pictures as a visual*

This is how Landan looked when I woke to find him laying on the floor at the end of my bed. When I was on the phone with my mom & then called 911, I told them it looked like he had bruises all over his body.


The pictures that follow are what the rash looked like when we saw Landan an hour after we got to the hospital. They'd rapidly progressed into this darker color & started covering his limbs instead of being spaced out like the first picture.

In this picture you can see that the infection is mostly in the limbs, you might be wondering why? It's because our bodies push the infection out to the limbs in attempt to protect our "core" organs from failing. Which makes alot of sense, it's pretty crazy to realize how smart our bodies are! We can live without our limbs, but can obviously not without our important organs. But this picture depicts VERY well how Landan looked in the end. My poor sweet little man. It makes me so sad to know what his body endured.


An excerpt from Landan's Story
"At 9am I woke up to find Landan laying on the floor next to my bed covered in, what looked to me, like bruises. I sat up straight in bed and frantically tried to focus my eyes because I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I thought he was dead, I was so afraid to touch him. I thought he was going to be cold. Once my eyes focused I saw he was breathing, touched him and felt that he was still warm. I ran to the kitchen where my cell phone was plugged in, I yelled Landan's name while I was running to the kitchen so he would stay conscious. I called my mom and then 911. When the paramedics arrived they checked his vitals but they knew he was sick so took him out to the ambulance. I remember sitting in the ambulance and asked the driver when we were going to leave, it felt like we sat their forever. We took him to the best hospital in the area, Toledo Children's Hospital. The last thing Landan said to me while we were in the ER before they took him up to the PICU was "Mama hold me" but I couldn't because they needed to get him up to the PICU as soon as they could. I think I said "It's ok bebe." We followed him up, and I remember my mom asking the doctor on the way up if he was going to be ok, and he said something like "... he's a very sick little boy ..." We waited in the waiting room down the hall from the PICU for about an hour. Before the doctor came down they sent a Chaplin in to talk to us, my mom knew then that he was really sick. The PICU doctor came in shortly and told us Landan had bacterial meningitis and it was a 90% mortality rate."

www.angellandan.com

Gearing up - Make yourself aware!

First Annual

World Meningitis Day
April 25th 2009

The very first World Meningitis Day! I'm very happy to see this day & to see Meningitis being recognized around the world! Starting tomorrow (the 20th) I'm going to post some information about Meningitis, & it's different forms each day until the 25th, along with a link to an informative website about Meningitis. I hope you'll join me & learn something about Meningitis that you may not know.

As always, let us remember sweet Landan during this time & the amazing fight he fought against Meningococcal Meningitis!