M-E's Letter to Make-A-Wish

Dear Make-A Wish Board

My name is Mary-Elizabeth and I am 12 years old. I
will be 13 on July 4th 2005. I have ALL a form of
Luikemia. I was diagnosed on Friday the 13th of
August 2004. I have not been able to go anywhere
since I was diagnosed and feel like I am kept in a
little box.
The treatment has been horrible because of all the
chemo therapy. I have missed a lot of school and my
friends. They come and see me but they are mostly at
school. I have missed going on trips or even to the
movies. The hardest part has been not having all the
energy I used to have. Sometimes I don't even want to
talk on the phone to my friends. I have had to spend
a lot of time in bed and it has been hard.
Many things have helped me. One is my best friends
Whitney Verhoff and Laura Breshock. They have taken
every step with me. They have been understanding
about what is going on and why I can not do things.
It has also helped alot to know that I can make a
wish. I have thought about my wish almost every day.
It has helped me to keep going because I know that if
I quit treatment, I won't be able to have my wish.
My first wish was to go to meet Oprah and go to her
show where she gives away her favorite things. I was
going to be able to see my friend Laura who has moved
to Chicago. I was going to take Whitney with me. We
were going to have a great time together. Rachel told
me that if my first wish was not granted, (Which is
wasn't) I had to have two other wishes. My second
wish was a trip to Venice with my mom and Whitney and
her mom. My third wish would be to go to Hawaii and
Swim with the dolphins. I would like to visit the
lava flows. I would want to stay at a place on the
beach with a pool. I love to swim. I would want to
relax and be on the beach a lot.
Rachel said we can go to Venice and I have lots of
reasons I want to go to Venice. Let me explain.
I went to Venice before with Whitney on a day trip
when we were in Germany. Both Whitney and I knew we
would want to return someday. It was really pretty
there and we wanted to explore it more. We loved the
ice cream and how friendly people were. The only
people on time limits were the Americans and we wanted
to go back when we could act like locals and just sit
and watch people go by. We also both love art and we
wanted to visit Murano and the art museums and
churches. We loved the boats and canals and the fact
that there are no cars. We did not have time to try
the real food. We just had pizza. I want to have a
chance explore everything.
There are some things I want to do. I want to go to
Murano and visit the glass blowers. I want to have a
chance to watch them work. I love glass blowing and
would love to see as much as I could. I would love to
meet mask makers and watch how they make the masks. I
home I can bring home a mask and some glass.
I would like to also go to Padua and find St. Anthony
and see his tongue. We are Catholic and St. Anthony
helps us find lost things. I have needed his help
alot since I had radiation. I don't want to go with
my mom to all the churches. She wants to light
candles in all of them. She is a bit crazy. I would
like to take a gondola ride and visit some places the
tourists don't ususally go so I can find a peaceful
place to sketch. I would also like to visit an art and
paper store. I know they have special paper in
Venice. I would like to visit an artist that paints
Venice. I would like to bring a special little piece
home. But most of all I would like to have lots of
time to just blend in to the town and wander around.
I want to take Whitney and her mom because she is my
best friend. We have been friends since first grade.
We have had class together and traveled together on
several trips. She and I were on vacation when I was
diagnosed. She and her family are my second family. I
can not imagine going on a special trip without her.
We have been doing lots of research on Venice. I have
done research on Venice and the things I want to do.
I have looked at lots of guide books and art books. I
am making my second room a Venice room. I am very
excited about being able to go.
I have three more months of very intense therapy. I
start my maintenance in August. I should have my
energy back in time to go in October. I would like to
go when there are not too many people visiting Venice.