story2939.xml

story2939.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

My son Logan was diagnosed with a brain tumor in October of 1997. He was 18 months old. An operation was done to remove part of the tumor (part of it was inoperable) and a shunt was placed in his head. We went home full of hope, and prayed for the best. In March of 1999 Logan was having many problems with his shunt. There was infection after infection, and we were admitted into the hospital in May of 1999. It was then we had found out the tumor had grown back larger than it's original size, and had spread thoughout his brain and spinal cord. We spent four months straight in the hospital, surviving yet another brain tumor resection and countless infections. We went home (finally) in September of 1999 and our family, myself, my husband, my oldest son Duncan and Logan actually got to sleep in the same house for the first time in months.
In October Logan embarked on his journey of chemotherapy and did remarkably well.
Fourteen months later we were finished with our chemotherapy regimen, again hoping and praying for the best. In the meanwhile, we had decided to have another baby. Our son Tynan was born September 11, 2000 and he was a reason to celebrate! We had a great year - a new baby brother, no chemotherapy, no hospital stays!
It was an incredible year for us.
Logan was due for an MRI to check on his tumor growth. If the scan showed any growth - Logan was to go back on chemotherapy. My husband made the appointment for September 11, 2001. After telling me the date, I reminded him it was his son's birthday, and if we got bad news it would ruin the day. My husband, Robert Hillery of FDNY company E216:L108, assured me it would be good luck.
"Tynan will bring us luck" he assured me and refused to change the date. Robert was supposed to work the night of September 10th and since the shift doesn't end till 9AM, had to get off work to be there for the MRI. He was supposed to be in his fireshouse on the morning of Septmeber 11, 2001.

As our son was wheeled into the MRI room, my husband and I
went to the waiting room and watched with horror as everything unfolded. When the first tower came down, he looked at me and said "I just lost alot of friends".
I looked at him and said "Your son Logan saved your life today. If we weren't here today, you would have been at the Trade Towers this morning".

My son Logan is my hero, not only for enduring over 20 surgeries, 24 months of chemotherapy and countless nights in the hospital, but for saving his Dad's life. And as we all grow older together, I will remind him of it often.