June 3, 2011
Isaac Miller
Parents ‘comforted, humbled’ by so much support
A benefit dinner and silent auction will be held July 15 to help 3-year-old Isaac Miller’s family with medical expenses. In late 2010, the son of Matt and Amy Miller was diagnosed with Precursor B Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma; he is currently receiving medical treatment. Click for a larger version.
By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)
Sometimes terrible storms begin quietly.
That seems to be what happened to the Miller family.
Amy and Matt were on vacation last September, and their 2-year-old son Isaac was spending time with both sets of grandparents. When the young couple returned home to Evansville, they heard quiet concerns about Isaac’s mood, his energy level and his weight gain.
“We knew he had gained a lot of weight very quickly, going from size 2T to 5T in just a few months,” said Amy. “We made an appointment with our pediatrician to discuss our concerns.”
An MRI of his brain was ordered. A doctor explained that “there appeared to be some thickening of the areas around Isaac’s cranial nerves and even some small nodes in a few places on the nerves.”
Further tests showed spots on his left kidney and sheets of cancer cells floating in his spinal fluid. The Millers chose Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, and a doctor there diagnosed Isaac with Precursor B Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma — just two days after his third birthday.
Chemotherapy began immediately, and the family became uncomfortably familiar with such medical terms as blood counts, liver function, platelets, hemoglobin and — eventually — they heard the wonderful term “remission.”
They also became “comforted and humbled” by the support from so many people from all over southern Indiana, Amy said. She is originally from Dale, and her husband Matt is from Newburgh. He’s the director of Worship for the Diocese of Evansville.
Amy says of the process to heal Isaac “my rosary and Matt’s prayer book definitely got a workout,” adding that many nights in the hospital “no one got much sleep.”
Christmas 2010 was special, Amy said. “Isaac was in good spirits, and we spent Christmas Eve morning decorating gingerbread houses and watching Christmas movies.”
January brought more chemotherapy treatment and lab work for Isaac. It also brought the good news that Isaac’s weight was coming down. “Just a few months before, he was in boys size 6 or sometimes larger.” The clothes he wore in January were a size 4T and his energy was returning. “He danced and sang, ran around the house, and loved to play again,” said his mother.
Some days were tough, she said, recalling the words from a “wise friend: Remember this is a marathon, not a sprint.”
Some days were good, she said, and he was “pretty much his old self, talking up a storm.”
When they are asked how their faith has influenced their response to Isaac’s diagnosis, they offer this quote: God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called.
They both say it took time to accept a “new normal,” finding it’s a process they still struggle with at times.
And they both agree that this is the path that God has chosen for them, so they have to trust that he will give them the strength, resources and grace to weather this storm.
Matt said, “We handle obstacles as best we can, but it has been our prayers and the prayers of others that have gotten us through those times when we were scared or overwhelmed.
“We are constantly amazed and humbled by all the good that has come from this one bad thing. For example, through all the ups and downs, any time there was a need we could ask for prayers and feel certain there were literally people around the world who were praying for Isaac. Both friends and strangers have gone out of their way to care for us in our time of need.”
They agree that to go through this without faith would be unimaginable. Matt said, “Recognizing Christ in all of this is not always easy, but if God can take an event as horrible as the crucifixion and transform it into something glorious and life giving, surely some good can come from this hardship.”
Benefit dinner, silent auction for Isaac Miller set for July 15
Friends of Amy, Matt and Isaac Miller are planning a benefit dinner and silent auction to help the family with its medical expenses.
In late 2010, three-year-old Isaac was diagnosed with Precursor B Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma, and is currently receiving medical treatment.
Lisa Shinn Rauscher and Charlene Fiedler are co-chairpersons for the event which will be held Friday, July 15, at St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville.
Rauscher said new items for the silent auction are “coming in every day,” and include Holiday World admission tickets, a free semester of Music Together classes for pre-school age children and autographed items from the award-winning music group Lady Antebelum.
The silent auction begins at 5:30 p.m., and the dinner and entertainment begin at 6:30 p.m. The cost for the dinner is $25 per person, and reservations are due by July 1. Checks should be made out to St. Benedict Cathedral with “Isaac Miller” in the memo line. They can be sent to Maria Janney, 8799 Glenbrooke Drive, Newburgh, 47630. Call 812-858-5241 or e-mail maria.janney@gmail.com for additional information.