It’s Tuesday morning and we’re sitting at the hospital. Joe went ahead and admitted himself yesterday after two weeks of pain and no relief in sight. There is a sense of peace though as I see him finally getting some comfort with the IV medications. We are struggling with getting the right combination to try and give him some quality of life because right now, he isn’t getting it.

I’ve thought so many times today, that I made the right decision stepping away from work and being here. I don’t know what I would have done on a day like today trying to juggle the baby, a sick husband and a job. The only way we were able to make this decision is because of friends support. I can sit here by Joe’s hospital bed and worry about MRI results and not paying the bills.

It got me thinking about a new friend who is traveling this same uncharted journey. As we were welcoming our little girl in December, they learned they were expecting. One week later, the found out her husband had a tumor in his colon.

We’ve never met but I found myself pouring my heart out to her in ways I haven’t been able to talk to anyone. She is 31 years old, her husband has stage 4 colon cancer and she’s due with a baby boy any day.

I’ve heard this story somewhere before.

My heart aches for her as I think back to those final days of my pregnancy. So much fear, so much unknown, resentment, heartache and pure joy all circling around the beauty in the birth of a baby and the ugliness that is cancer. Two extremes, face to face in a moment that’s been anticipated since you were a little girl— the day you become a mother.

All I want to do is wrap my arms around her as she starts down this path. But then I got an idea, and this is where you come in.  We have nearly 6,000 followers on the Cocktails and Chemo Facebook page, could you imagine if every one of them gave this sweet family just $5.00. That’s less than the venti soy chai tea I just got from the hospital Starbucks.

This is Ashley and Ryan Wagner.

They live in a suburb of Chicago and they are waiting for their little boy. They may induce labor to try and work around Ryan’s chemo schedule. It’s all such a mess and I know they need help even though I can tell from talking to Ashley, they would never ask for it.

Could you imagine if they had a little cushion to help them through these next few months of chemo and home with a new baby? Maybe they could pay a credit card off, a pile of medical bills or even take a little weekend trip. I know what this has meant to Joe and I and it’s saved us a couple and our sanity.

Surgery is not an option for Ryan because the cancer has spread to his lungs and his abdomen. They’re buying time.

I wish my $5 would buy them 5 years— but it won’t.

But it will be one less thing they have to worry about as they welcome that little baby.

You can follow their story here. Team Ryan. 

And I’m going to ask you to please CLICK HERE…. just $5.00! Donate, spread the word and #Givethem5

Do it for Joe today, do it for me.

We want to give back the help we’ve been given. Do it for Joe, so he knows his fight his moving mountains. (Maybe a little extra good energy can get us out of this hospital too). 🙂