By Larry Briscoe
Correspondent
A Quinlan mom and dad wage a battle for time every day for their 12-year-old son. The fight is in its eighth year for Misty and Michael Russell.
Twelve-year-old Andrew was diagnosed in Sept. 2006 with a rare form of brain cancer, ependymoma.
“It’s obviously stressful,” Misty said, even between wife and husband.
A friend, Tracy Nowlin Hawkins, describes the ordeal this way on a website fund to help the Russells with mounting medical bills, “I know we all have stresses in our lives that sometimes seem unbearable to overcome. Health issues (kids getting sick, missing work from the common cold, flu season), financial burdens (past due bills, cars in the shop and the cost of living steadily rising without our pay increasing to match). But imagine going through all the everyday hardships of life when you have a sick child; and not just the ordinary sick, the ‘C’ word sick. My dear sweet friends, The Russells, are experiencing just that.”
The fund web address is www.gofundme.com/h937no.
Misty said the couple decided to homeschool Russell this year after issues developed at school. That meant she lost her job. Now, although she has a job at the Point Post Office, it is only parttime.
“I can deal with everything except the bills,” she said. Misty said it was always stressful when she had two car payments, and when two months behind, she had to deal with making sure one of them was paid.
“The hardest part of the struggle is juggling bills and trying to make memories for Andrew by taking him all the places he wants to go,” she said. “With a grim prognosis were not sure how long we will have him and want to make sure we make memories. Not only for him, but for us.”
Both Michael and Misty graduated from W.H. Ford High School.
Hawkins states in her plea for help for the Russells, “Only their closest family and friends know their struggle and their financial situation. Michael and Misty Russell are so humble and modest that the thought of asking for help would be devastating. That is why they do not have too. I will do it for them.”
Andrew has his hard days “but for the most part, he is pretty upbeat and positive,” his mom said.
“He loves any super heroes,” she said of his passion. The Russells are trying to get free tickets to a super hero event in early 2015.
He loves video games and anything electronic like laptops as well as being a part of Quinlan Boy Scout Troop 392 activities. Andrew does not have to fight off siblings for the controls as he is an only child as are both Misty and Michael.
Andrew is able to participate in most activities, although Misty said he has chronic pain and high blood pressure, making it hard for him as he gets out of breath.
Misty said they had been lucky with Andrew’s immune system even though he is in his 18th chemo treatment, and with the use of a wheel chair, were even able to take him to Disney World over the summer.
The family is getting ready for the holidays. Thanksgiving will be across the street at the home of Misty’s mother.
The want list for Christmas? “Our biggest wish is for a cure,” Misty said.