Thursday, May 28, 2015

The trick is to Enjoy Life


A happy, fun post.

Update: Annabelle is beginning to communicate a lot of pain, discomfort and anxiety as the disease does what it does best - ruin lives .. .. .. as a family, we are trying to figure out how to navigate these waters in the waves they come - but for the intent of this post, I wanted to share some fun and happy news so we can all have a reason to smile and lift Belle higher in our prayers.


Virginia Beach
The last time Annabelle was able to visit a beach, she had just survived a week where she held Jesus's hand, but he choose not to take her so soon. The moment Annabelle recovered and we were given the clear, we jumped on a plane and took her to Disney World and the Beach. 




She does not remember much from that trip, but she does ask often about the ocean, sharks, dolphins and swimming. A few weeks ago - we took Annabelle and Madelynne for a quick beach trip, and it was everything our little family needed
  • The girls flew kites. 
  • They visited the aquarium and pet a sting ray. 
  • We played in the ocean, suntanned, cheated beat daddy in Putt-Putt. 
  • They swam, we laughed, our toes were in the sand and naptimes/bedtimes were ruined.
  • It was perfect. 
Annabelle declined quickly towards the end of the trip, but she still managed to enjoy as much as she could before we needed to bring her back home.









Dance Recital

We could never, ever thank The Dance Company enough for the gifts they've given that have enriched our girls lives thru dancing. Annabelle is our wild child and loves to dance and express herself. The day we returned home from the beach, the girls had their dance recital. They were in two different shows so the full day was busy running back and forth between shows but it was so fun. Madelynne and her dance class did a fantastic job and she performed beautifully on stage, absolutely shining! 
Annabelle's show was a bit different. For starters - they were a group of three-year olds (enough said?). I tip my hat to their teacher and the teachers aide for doing such an amazing job this year. Their dance was about a Chicken. Annabelle absolutely could not wait to perform on stage in front of everyone, but the moment the lights came on and I saw my little girl on stage, the butterflies flooded my tummy. The music started and she began to dance... I held my breath... she kept dancing .. .. .. .. .. but wait - oh no! What is she doing?! I couldn't breathe, what was happening??? She walked in front of all the girls on the stage and looked up at her teacher. Oh no - this isn't happening, not my child, not in front of hundreds of people. Is she ok? I wanted to yell "Annabelle, get back in line and dance sweety!" She stood directly in front of her friends as they were dancing perfectly to the music on key. She then looked at the audience. Without a blink or second thought, she lifted her arms above her head and I held my breath and covered my eyes "Oh God, I can't watch!" She then opened her mouth to the biggest smile you've ever seen and with her fingers touching way above her head, she started spinning, and spinning and spinning and spinning just like a ballerina. The audience roared into laughter. My adorable Annabelle, stealing the show and absolutely doing HER OWN thing as usual, as with everything in her life, she's spinning, smiling, laughing and making all those around her burst into smiles with her. I shook my head thinking "I cannot believe that's my child - I cannot believe she's doing that!" AK said, "Oh yes you can, that's our Annabelle. I wouldn't expect anything different!" 



Memorial Day Weekend


Annabelle was able to fully enjoy herself. She played with lots of cousins. Her and her sissy played cornhole and fed the goats while mommy and daddy enjoyed a cold beer and played horseshoes. The long weekend was unfortunately very fast paced because of all the places we needed to be, however Annabelle didn't want to stop. She pushes herself each and every day to enjoy life, despite the world trying to bring her down. Annabelle is our little hero. I have never seen a child so full of life and optimism as we do in Annabelle. She doesn't know a stranger, she loves everyone. She will have a tantrum without a second thought but will land a kiss on your cheek the moment she's finished. She will tell you out of the blue every single day how much she loves you. Each time we hear those words - the world stops and everything seems justified. All the fighting, tears, money, sleep deprivation, pain and fears are worth it when she finds you in the house and says "I love you so much mommy", gives a hug around your legs and then runs away. She's an angel in disguise to our family for sure.


She isn't scared of anything. She kissed a frog twice on Sunday!
.. unfortunately, I am sad to report the frog did not turn into a Prince.
Annabelle was equally disappointed.
Madelynne just screamed and ran away at the suggestion to kiss it!


Memorial Day 
The Guilty Ones MC invited us to join them to watch the Memorial Day Parade in front of their home. AK had to work but the girls and I packed our bags first thing and made our way to visit our 'Motorcycle Friends'. We waited for the parade to start while all the kids ran around playing with one another, I sat on the porch enjoying the smell of burgers on the grill and the most humble down to earth people I've ever had the pleasure of getting to know. They literally welcomed us to their annual party with wide open arms, so much love and a chair pulled for us to sit. I didn't want to leave. Annabelle waived to everyone in the parade saying "Happy Morial' Day!". I challenged some of the Guilty Ones bikers to a game of cornhole, the President of the MC's wife agreed to be on my team. . . . . we each made 3pts, that counts for something, right? Clearly we lost. Quickly. But the fun we all day and time spent together, getting to know these guys and their families even more was absolutely heartwarming. We already feel part of the family just as they are part of ours.. and if I didn't know better..... I think that's just how these motorcycle guys work... one big family :)






The evening was spent with Annabelle's one and only, best friend in the whole world, her tubey-buddy, Ryan. Ryan and Annabelle both share this painfully rare disease. Him mom and I met a few short weeks after Ryan was diagnosed and a week before Annabelle received her diagnosis. The day I heard the words from the doctor, I called his mommy and sobbed - she was the only person in this world that knew every single fear and thought that was running thru my mind. Ryan was the only kid in the world that could understand the pains and discomfort Annabelle was experiencing. They are just a few months apart in age, both brilliantly smart and both full of life and personality. Annabelle is always there for Ryan when he needs her, before surgeries or when his worry is unbearable, Ryan was there the moment Annabelle finished her big surgery, he held her hand in the ICU and whispered "It ok Annabelle, we tubey-buddies forever now". They have a bond that is out of this world. His mommy and I share the same. We decided to spend the rest of the holiday weekend together - celebrating each other and not around food. Laughing and watching the kids play, checking tubey's, enforcing rest and shielding them from the sun bc their bodies cannot balance their own temps, calming 3yo tears over food and loving on all our babies.



For anyone that reads Annabelle's story or has met this rockstar, you will know instantly just how much she has to teach the world. Annabelle brings life and sunshine into every room she walks into. She is fearless and strong, but she's a broken little girl that is fighting a bigger battle than anyone I know. Annabelle is truly a gift from above. While we would never ever ask for this life for our child, we are so grateful that God choose us to be her parents, to love her, raise her, fight for her and care for her. What we didn't know was how much God has nourished our lives thru Annabelle. We are thankful every day for both the girls we have been given, the friends and family that surround us but mostly - for the open hearts and life that Annabelle puts into each and every one of us.. the life and smiles we never knew we were missing until you see her bouncing curls and hear her belly laughs.



Wednesday, May 20, 2015

National Eosinophil Awareness Week

Today marks Day 4 of National Eosinophil Awareness Week. 

  • The disease that terrorizes our family on a daily basis. 
  • The disease that strips children of the simple joys of the world. 
  • The disease that has caused my baby girl, and many others just like her, so much pain it's unimaginable. 
  • The disease that is a puzzle to doctors. 
  • The disease that has triggered her body to deteriorate in a domino effect because we don't understand how to control it. 

It's the biggest word in our families vocabulary, but a pronunciation that our 4 year old learned to say as she overheard so many talking about her baby sister. Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders are an emerging health problem that doctors are finally beginning to understand. But for our family and 3 year old Annabelle - an elementary understanding of this disease isn't enough to keep a smile on her face. We need answers, help and a cure NOW.




Imagine setting a table and not allowing your child to eat with you. Imagine planning a birthday party and the frustrations of trying to find a replacement cake because your baby cannot have a real cake.



We have spent days, months, years wiping the tears off Annabelle's face because she doesn't understand why she cannot enjoy what everyone else does around her. No popsicles in the hot summer time, no ice cream trucks, she has to wear a mask over her face in the 100 degree summer temperatures as she pours sweat, she cannot enjoy sledding in the snow like her friends because she cannot balance and maintain her body temperature.

Annabelle is to the point she no longer cries or moves when having labwork drawn or an IV started.. even after multiple sticks (or as we call them, pokes). We stalk her constantly when her body is suddenly weak and her legs are sleepy because she cannot walk any longer. Seizures sprout out of nowhere. Her liver has failed to the point protein in her body turns to ammonia and is filtered straight to her blood and neurological system.. then her heart and so on. This causes seizures, an inability to walk, think, learn or speak.. Balancing her protein intake is like doing a chemistry experiment. Too little protein = she starves to death, Too much protein = she's poisoned from the ammonia. Doctors, speech therapists, neurologists, MRI's, endocrinologists, nutritionists and drugs - just a tiny piece of our lives.

Like most children with this disease, she has a 'Tubey'. Depending on which area of their body is failing and destroyed from the disease, those with EGIDs can have different or multiple tubes to keep them alive and nourished. We've only had two so far and our prayers are that Ohio will not deliver news that we will be adding more. Annabelle has endured NG-Tube changes more times than we care to remember. As parents, our hands have subjected our baby to more painful tube placements than we ever should.



She's undergone almost 20 surgeries to investigate the presence and damage of the disease. She's had a Gastrostomy Tube surgically placed into her stomach at the same time the surgeon removed the damage to her esophagus and stomach. Lots of kids have damage lower in their GI system and require a GJ-Tube, just like Annabelle's Tubey-Buddy Ryan. His small intestines are so damaged, he cannot use his esophagus or stomach any longer. He is fed thru a painful tube that delivers a medical food directly into his small intestines. These children also have Colostomy bags because the disease has eaten their large intestine / colon.



Those fighting EGID's are heroic. But there is very little hope for a happier, healthier, more promising quality of life. Most will never experience the taste of a birthday cake, be able to taste their own cooking, some cannot even enjoy the outdoors or a swimming pool. Surgeries, endoscopies, biopsys continue every several weeks for rest of their lives where they are subjected to more rounds of anesthesia and the dangers of an OR. Medical costs are astronomical. Sleep is only something people talk about. In-home nurses are what our homes are blessed with to help care for these children.

So many others, just like Annabelle, live every day wearing a smile but hiding the pain. Their future is heartbreaking but their optimism is absolutely unreal. They fight depression as toddlers and they see themselves as 'different', when all they want is to be 'normal'. Our babies and all those fighting, deserve an opportunity for hope and for a cure. Children's Hospital of Cincinnati is one of our country's research hospitals for Eosinophilic Disorders. These research and studies are funded by donations and the organization APFED and CURED whom have been the biggest assets for finding the answers we need. Take some time and visit the sites below to learn more about what they are doing and how you can be involved for all those fighting, just like Annabelle.

http://curedfoundation.org/

http://apfed.org/drupal/drupal/index.php

First Year After Diagnosis


Second Year After Diagnosis

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Bikers For Christ

2:15am
The house is quiet, dark and locked up tight because daddy is out of town. A wild-haired little girl shuffles her feet into my room and begins to whimper "Mommy, he's gone. He doesn't listen to me!" My eyes opened to see the most angelic little face peering over my mattress. 

"Did you have a bad dream Annabelle? Are you alright?" 
"No Mommy! I talk to Jesus but he doesn't listen to me!" 

A few weeks ago, when Annabelle first met her 'motorcycle friends',  they asked her a bunch of questions to get to know her a little so we can plan the best event possible. They asked Annabelle, "What do you like to do?" She piped up and exclaimed, "Go outside and ride my bike!!" They smiled so proudly, wearing their leather vests and told Annabelle, "Oh really? Well.. we kinda like to ride bike's too...... " She was absolutely blown away that these awesome men also like to ride bikes, she asked them if they have a really little bicycle or a big bicycle. They made a promise instead "How about we bring some more friends next week and visit you again, we will bring all our bikes and you can check them out, how's that?" Oh, the excitement that tore across her face was priceless. She spent every day for the next week telling everyone about her motorcycle friends and their bicycles. The evening we expected them, our family waited outside for their arrival. Minutes before they made it to our road, I received a text message from a friend, "HOLY MOTORCYCLES! I DONT KNOW IF THEYRE FOR ANNABELLE, BUT ABOUT 20 LOUD HARLEY'S JUST ENTERED OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!!!!!!!!" We could feel the rumble as they turned the corner and pure adrenaline and love absolutely burst from my heart as I watched my little girls faces light up at the show arriving in front of their home.





AK got to meet the Guilty Ones MC and we were both honored to meet those from the Bikers for Christ MC. Bikers for Christ is a Christian ministry for motorcyclists that have many chapters / organizations around the country and around the world. We opened our doors that evening and invited everyone into our home for dinner.

The Minister with Bikers for Christ, as all the rest of the riders, were very kind, honest, genuine and open. They asked questions about our little girl but didn't pry too hard. They asked how AK and I are managing and I gave them the honest answer to what a marriage looks like when you're told your child may not survive. We talked for 2 hours around the journey Annabelle has taken us on, the doubts we have had in our faith, the bitterness and anger in our home from time to time and above all - the fears that flood our family because of Annabelle. I walk around every day on the verge of breaking into tears and that evening was no different. Only this time, I couldn't hold them back. With tears streaming off my chin and my husband by my side, I shared some of the darkest questions we have within our family and relationships (those with one another, with our children, with ourselves and with our God).

In the Bikers For Christ pockets, all the guys carry trinkets to share with kids or anyone they wish to share Jesus. The girls were both given a handmade bracelet. They were also both given a metal cross. Simple, shiny, but also dull, grey and lightweight. It sat in their hands perfectly as they stared at it. The Minister spoke to them just as they would be able to understand, "You know what that cross stands for?" Annabelle piped up, "JESUS!". He said "That's right! Any time you are scared, frightened, if you are worried about your sissy Madelynne, or if the boo-boo's inside your body are hurting Annabelle, you can just hold this cross and talk to Jesus. You can tell him anything and he will listen to you. He is always here and always listening to you. He loves you very much, always remember that." 

The evening was more powerful than words can describe. As the clock continued to turn - I knew Annabelle needed another feeding, but more importantly she wanted to see the Motorcycles parked outside, so we began to wrap up the night. Before we did though, the Minister asked if he could say a prayer.

He keeled to the floor and said to Belle, "Im going to get down on your level, OK Annabelle?" She said "No sir! This is my level!!!" And pointed all the way down to the ground. They both sat down on the ground. As he keeled, he held one hand with Annabelle and his other with Madelynne. Slowly, quietly, intently, the rest of the bikers in my home began to form a tight circle around one another. Placing one hand on the shoulder of the kneeling man in front of him, they all bowed their head. He spoke the most honest words to Jesus, he prayed heavily for Annabelle, for the doctors and her care givers, he then prayed for Madelynne. I peeked thru one eye and caught her reaction, she jerked her head straight up out of curiosity for why he just mentioned her name.. she found me in the crowd and I winked to her as she dropped her head back down and closed her eyes. He prayed for Madelynne, he prayed that she enjoy her little sister and always remember to play and cherish the fun and not-so-fun moments with her, he prayed that she not have to worry about more than her little 6yo mind should, he prayed that she remained focused on school and herself but still have patience and discipline even when mommy and daddy have little. Finally, he prayed for AK and I. He prayed for everything we need to continue fighting this journey with our little girls, for ourselves, for our family and for our faith. The prayer was so humbling and honest, I struggled to mumble "Amen" at the end. I was speechless as if the air had left my lungs - but my eyes were too dry to allow another tear to fall. The night closed perfectly.


Outside Annabelle asked if she could see the bikes, they laughed "Oh Annabelle - PICK A COLOR!" The fleet of motorcycles in front of our home, gave both of us a heart attack. I've never seen so much money parked in front of my house, and Annabelle has never seen so many toys to choose from :) Both girls climbed on the bikes, one after another, picking their favorite color and the most comfy seat. Annabelle liked the big red one - Mady liked the white bike and named it Snow White.


 


 
Two days later.. at 2:15am
"Did you have a bad dream Annabelle? Are you alright?"
"No Mommy! I talk to Jesus but he doesn't listen to me!"

She's holding two metal crosses in her hands and she's trembling. "My motorcycle friends told me that Jesus will listen when I talk to him. My boo-boo's hurt mommy and Jesus is gone - he can't hear me anymore!"

Oh sweet girl, Jesus always hears you, and he is helping you right now. Jesus is very special and he is talking back to you, but we can't hear him. He is working lots of miracles around you everywhere that we can't even see. Just like your motorcycle friends, your dance friends, our neighborhood friends, family and lots and lots of people - they are all loving and praying for you, together we are all making the boo-boo's go away and get better. I promise. Keep telling him what you need sweetheart, he will listen.

... she begins to whisper ...

"Jesus, I think I need some candy."




Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Quick Update on Annabelle

Unfortunately, our family continues to get hit with a GI bug that is circulating the county. It's a nasty bug, and one that will quickly land Annabelle in a hospital if she comes down with it. Kudos to our family, our nurse and Annabelle - we have somehow managed to prevent Belle from coming down with it. Between quarantine, gallons of lysol, hand washing and isolation - she is doing very well.

One change in Annabelle's condition, is more pain/discomfort. If you've ever met this strong little girl, you will recognize almost immediately "she does not complain of ANYTHING". Annabelle can run 100mph into a wall, fall down and bounce back up "Im fine!" with a smile. The doctors are not certain whether she does not feel pain, or her poor body is so used to constant pain that she doesn't recognize when she's hurt. Lately however, she is complaining more and more often that her tummy hurts. This typically happens after she has either drank a cup of her formula or has received a tube feeding. Her whimpering is not accompanied with tears, she just seems to lay down and not move for quite some time until the pain subsides. I am not certain what is causing the discomfort. I hope we can find resolution to this next month - I pray it doesn't escalate between now and then!

Her joints and muscles are also becoming more and more weak. She pushes herself really hard to play and keep up with others. When her friends are over to play or when she's around her cousins, she gives it her all... and we certainly let her run! However, she will spend the next day(s) barely able to walk down stairs without crying for help. She wants to be carried a lot more often - because Annabelle does not communicate what hurts her, I don't know if she wants to be carried more because her legs / joints are in pain or if she's too tired / fatigued, or if it's her tummy that is bothering her. To ask these questions is like speaking to a fish. She will smile a goofy smile and say "I ok mama! I not sick! :) " I love her spirit and optimism, I wouldn't dare crush that for anything. We just carry her along and continue moving about our day.


Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Cincinnati Intake

Patient intake is complete for Cincinnati Children's Hospital. A short phone interview yesterday finalized Annabelle's case. We highlighted the most significant aspects of Annabelle's health that need to be addressed, we clarified prior tests and procedures and why they were performed (EEG's / Brain MRI's / Bone Age Scans etc.) Finally - I was asked who we would like additionally part of Annabelle's team while we are there. I asked that Behavioral Medicine be involved; this was hard but a reality we need to discuss.

Annabelle is growing wise, aware and becoming more verbal about her condition. She asks questions that her daddy and I struggle to answer. When Annabelle was an infant, she simply screamed day in and day out and looked at us with helpless eyes - this resulted in an incredibly frustrated and depressed infant that resorted to banging her head onto hard floors and pulling her hair out. We have overcome those days, but we have evolved into where we are now: "I can't go to school because I have a tubey and that makes me sad." "I want to eat what sissy is eating, PLEASE mommy! Please! I promise it won't hurt me"."WHY?!.... why :("


AK has ridden this journey along side of us the entire time, but as a daddy - he struggles to see his daughter as 'sick'. Daddy's like to fix things, they want to make the pain stop and go away. Men and daddy's are 'fixers' - mommy's tend to nurture and take care of our sick child. AK and I have taken two different approaches to this life we were dealt raising Annabelle. We compliment each other very well and Annabelle never misses a hug and kiss from each of us when she needs it. But as this journey continues to unfold, with little answers for what the future looks like - AK and I need to be on the same page, the conversations in Cincinnati need to be heard by the both of us and with clarity. We struggle to recognize what each other and Annabelle needs from us at times. I want AK to be part of the Cincinnati trip for many reasons, mostly so he can learn and hear from the best medical doctors in the world about his daughters condition - I also need him as support for me while we face a tough road on this journey. We both need to hear all the information that will be given to us so we can keep ourselves accountable to her treatment plans. It's very, VERY difficult for one person alone to hear a doctor and retain everything. Behavioral Medicine will be part of our visit to Cincinnati. They will be there to support AK and I as we make this trip and they will also be there to help us begin to understand and answer Annabelle's frustrations and questions. We have quite a large team preparing to work with Belle.. behavioral medicine, I believe is going to be the icing on the cake for this visit. Whether we know it or not - we need them involved more than we can imagine.


Our final itinerary will be sent to us shortly, but tentatively the schedule appears to to involve Surgery Monday, Scans and procedures Tuesday along with Behavior Medicine Eval. Allergy / Immunology work-ups, consultations and EoE seminar that AK and I will participate in while the team of doctors round-table. Thursday will hopefully be the day to review clinical findings and develop a treatment plan based on our tests, pathology results, evaluations etc. It will be a very busy week.. I am hoping we do not have much more added to the scheduled.




Monday, May 4, 2015

Goals for the week

Stabilizing Annabelle is our current struggle. She has a fair appetite since being home from the hospital but she continues to have bouts of retching (trying to vomit). She does not complain of pain but she's visibly uncomfortable. She struggles most after a feeding and then begins to feel better shortly after her stomach is emptied.

Mid-week we began to worry about Annabelle's BMs. After three days from being home from the hospital, Annabelle already wasn't passing stool again. She is taking all the standard stool softner and oral laxatives daily, by day 4 we added milk of magnesia into her diet and that did the trick. She had several BMs over the weekend which came as a huge relief to us. We do not have any true plan as to how we will control or maintain a healthy GI digestion and keep things moving. Some part of her GI system is no longer functioning - we just need to get to Cincinnati and get our answers to hopefully determine the best game plan and treatment for Annabelle. In the meantime, our prayers are held strong that we can safely maintain Annabelle's digestion and keep things 'moving'.

Goals for this week are to improve her diet. If she misses or is late for feedings, she becomes critically weak, pale and disoriented. With feeds she becomes nauseated and uncomfortable. Hopefully we can find a safe balance soon.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the continued prayers for our baby girl!

Friday, May 1, 2015

Answers for Annabelle

Two weeks ago, our family received an email from a Motorcycle Club, they mentioned our little girls name and that her story had been brought to their attention. Our family does not ride motorcycles, Annabelle's grandmother has a Harley and a few of our friends here and there ride - but a group of bikers in leather is typically not our crowd.. we are more Nissan Altima and lifted trucks kinda people ;)

My heart skipped a beat and I quickly called AK inside to read the email again to make sure I was reading it correctly. A club wanted to meet us? Wanted to meet ANNABELLE? We gave her a high-five, "Way to go kid! You have fans absolutely everywhere, in EVERY shape and form, don't you?!"

Three days later, we opened our home to the Guilty Ones Motorcycle Club, Richmond Chapter.
I wasn't nervous in the least, but I was quite curious over who was about to come into my home. Neither AK nor myself are judgmental people, we open our doors to perfect strangers.. but this was quite different - I was intrigued and excited for what these new guests would bring to our family.

Annabelle ran to the door in a full sprint when they arrived, "Come on in friends! Come in my house!" She didn't miss a beat. She didn't see the leather vests or tattoos - she saw a group of the most incredibly loving, humble and caring men that may ever come into our lives. They brought her gifts. A FULL BAG of gifts to be exact. She was in disbelief over the goodies, I was in awe as I watched her slowly begin to wrap them around her pinky.

Before I knew it - two hours had passed. We had all shared some of the most amazing stories and conversations, I sipped a glass of wine to help fight back the pouring tears that wanted so badly to fall - tears of happiness and joy, humble and love for perfect strangers. Annabelle showed the guys how she hooks up her feeding tubes and within a blink of an eye, 5 grown biker men were kicking a Princess Frozen bouncy ball in my living room while Annabelle laughed and smiled.




The Guilty Ones MC has chosen Annabelle for their annual "Impact a Child Charity Event" 

This event is for children that have a specific need, whether that is a medical device / supply / treatment, etc. Annabelle's need is for answers. And while money or funding cannot buy answers.. Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Center for Eosinophilic Diseases can certainly provide the answers that Annabelle's little body is dependent on.

Thursday, April 30, 2015 - I got the call from Cincinnati, Ohio. "Hi Mrs. Bishop, Annabelle has been approved and a team is waiting for her here at the hospital." The silence fell and the world stopped spinning. In the most incredible way possible - everything in life just stopped when those words were spoken. This is the prayer that our family has been praying hardest for since March 2013. This hospital and it's organization is the answer for children like Annabelle who suffer from this disease. This is our "St. Jude" for Eosinophilic Diseases, if you will.

Because of Annabelle's most recent admission, we now know the rest of her GI system (large intestine, colon and possibly small intestine) is succumbing to the disease. We need answers quickly, but answers do come with a price tag when it involves consultations, surgeries, tests, labs and a huge array of doctors representing various fields.. not to mention, flights, travel, lodging and time away from work. The price tag is more than any family can handle. But a price tag should never be placed over a child's life.

This benefit is to get Annabelle to Cincinnati Children's Hospital and literally save her life, the quality of her life, keep a bubbly smile on her face, calm her parents fears, ease all your troubled and worried minds.. most importantly - this benefit and hospital will provide Annabelle Grace everything that a beautiful, strong three year old deserves in life, a fighting chance.


The "Answers for Annabelle" charity will be hosted locally in Hanover County. The Motorcycle Club is doing all the leg work and coordination but they can use any and all the help you are willing to offer and share.
  • We need a venue large enough to accommodate the event - do you have any suggestions?
  • Answers for Annabelle T-shirts with all the sponsors on the back will be printed
  • Personalized rubber bracelets (designed by Annabelle... no kidding) are being manufactured now.
  • There will be bouncy houses, face painting, multiple bands playing, corn hole tournaments, poker runs, and much more. 
  •  Most importantly, a bike ride on Annabelle's behalf will be coordinated and any and all bikers are invited to join for this little girl. 

Sponsor packets will be available very soon for anyone that wants to share their love and have their company/organization name printed on the t-shirts. ANY vendors that would like to come out, participate, setup a vendor table/tent, donate items or be part of the day - you are more than welcome to do so.

It takes an army to make things come together, fortunately for Annabelle.. she has the biggest and best army behind her cheering her on. I cannot wait for you all to enjoy this day with our family, spend some time with Annabelle, dance, have fun and give her big hugs as we leave for Cincinnati Ohio for answers.


If anyone has any questions or would like to be part of this amazing event, please contact the club directly, they are an incredible group of men and are grateful for everyone that wants to be part of making this come together for Annabelle.

GuiltyOnesRichmond@gmail.com