So many children need help - including our own grandbaby.

Larry Jr is in his MRI still. We've been at Mott today since noon, and it's now 9pm. Dad is back there with him because Larry is a really hard IV stick and he needs contrast, and he has a lot of pain for this MRI with his spine just killing him. So, one of us sits with him while he gets the MRI to comfort him and keep him going. It's a long MRI. And it's Dad this time that's his buddy.

While Larry Jr has been in the MRI, I snuck up to the NICU to sit with our little granddaughter. Had me some Grandma and grandbaby time. Please keep praying for her. She is a little 24-week micro preemie. She's such a little peanut. And she needs all the prayer she can have. And pray for our brave John and Stephanie. They are amazing parents already. They love their little girl so much. Sitting there I had so many flashbacks to Larry's jr's time in the NICU at U of M. He was there for 6 months. I sat in that room with our grandbaby thinking of our daughter-in-law who spends every day in there with her wee little babe. All those machines running, the ventilator's constant rhythm, alarms occasionally going off. Our son John stayed every day as well, but like most families, had to return to work this week to maintain finances. They are both beyond exhausted. This is why we do what we do. To help families like our son and his wife. (John is our board treasurer and because of this and as a family member cannot apply to our foundation.)

I feel like we have been at this Hospital our whole entire lives. 24 years and 114 surgeries for Larry jr. 20 years for my husband with his chronic liver disease and blood clot issues. Our oldest son's little angel babies. And now our second oldest son and his wife and sweet little Elise. I can't count the many times when we've had more than one family member in the hospital at the same time.

I wish Mott Hospital would feature Larry and his non-profit on the Mott Hospital webpage and Facebook page. We have not had any luck with this. The amount of money we raise is a teeny tiny, miniscule percentage of what the hospital receives from donors and fundraising. We are not competing; we do our own fundraising. I sit here and think how many years we've been here, and how we love it here and we volunteer, and we do speaking engagements. We love this place. And Larry is now transitioning to the adult hospital. Has his own non-profit and has helped 215 families and counting. Because he wants to!!! Because they need this help more than anything. Because insurance doesn't cover what these families need financial assistance for.

We could raise more funds and help more families if they would feature his nonprofit on the Facebook page or website as a resource for families to reach out to. We could reach more families who need help.

On the first day that they went to the NICU with their little baby, John and Stephanie received a packet. In the packet was Larry's nonprofit information. The NICU has been phenomenal at reaching families so that we can help them. And we really appreciate the social workers in the NICU that understand the financial assistance these families need.

John sent me the picture below on that first day he and Steph were in the room with their new baby, and all we could think was we've come full circle. Larry started out in the NICU. He spent 6 months in the NICU here at Mott. And now his little niece is here. Very bittersweet.