Although I often talk and brag about Luke, I do have another superhero in my life and that is my 13 year old Jake. I couldn’t have asked for a better son and Luke could not have asked for a better brother while we endured Luke’s journey with cancer.
We may have lost our 10 year old son but Jake also lost his brother and his friend. Luke has been present in his life as far back as he can remember. Every family memory Jake has, Luke shared those memories with him. Whether it was Christmas, Easter, July 4th, summer vacations, Halloween, Luke was always by his side. They were laughing one minute and arguing the next. Luke , when he was little would always look up to Jake and copy everything he did until he got older and then he didn’t want him to step foot in his room, lol. But they loved one another. They shared a bond only brothers can share.
Jake misses his brother so much! He has pictures in his room of them together and loves to watch videos of them. There have been several nights he has come in my room and cried so hard because he misses his brother so much! It breaks my heart and I want to fix it but I know I can only love him and be there for him. We pray that God will heal our hearts and thank God for taking care of Luke. Jake likes to imagine and talk about what Luke may be doing in heaven.
I remember when we heard that Luke wouldn’t be with us very much longer, we were busy trying to do so much to fulfill all that Luke wanted to do. Jake said, “ Mom, there is nothing here that Luke can’t do in heaven. He will have everything!” I told him he was exactly right but we wouldn’t get to share it with him so wanted to make the most out of it.
Jake was with us at the doctor’s appointment when we found out Luke had leukemia. On our trip to Children’s, he was calling all of his friends crying and asking them to please pray for Luke. He was so scared. But throughout Luke’s journey, Jake was so strong! He was a super hero himself. It was so hard on him. He went from being with all of us every night to only seeing Luke on the weekends and only being with one of us once or twice a week.
He rode to Dallas every weekend to spend hours in a small hospital room. Not once did Jake ever complain. On Sundays, he would tear up because it was time to go and that meant us not all being together for the week. He was so understanding and just wanted Luke to get better so we could be back together as a family.
For the Math mall at school he had to make something and sell it. We spent several days making slime. He made $300 and wanted to give it to us to help with gas and food. He rarely thought of himself during Luke’s journey.
Luke had been wanting to shave Jake’s hair so one day after Luke’s bone marrow transplant he wasn’t feeling very well so Jake decided to let him shave it. Luke had so much fun shaving Jake’s hair.
Siblings of children with cancer are also deeply affected. Their lives are put on hold while parents deal with treatments, lengthy hospital stays and medical appointments.
Siblings make sacrifices that most families would never consider asking of their children.
Jake had to see his brother get sick, run fever, vomit, go through chemo treatments, lose his hair,and then get told that his brother only had a few months to live. Then he had to attend his brothers funeral where the reality of it all set in and the pain was overwhelming for Jake.
I just pray that Dwayne and I through our own grief can be there the best we can for Jake during his grief. I pray that we will all heal as a family and help us to be all that God has planned for us to be. I want Jake to be able to talk to me about Luke or his feelings anytime. Kids grieve so differently. It’s harder for them to understand. But I know Jesus has his arms wrapped around Jake carrying him through this as he does our whole family.
Thank you Jesus for giving me two superheroes, Jake and Luke, my two warriors!
