Extra Life - Gaming to Support MUSC

Gamers will play all different types of games for 24 hours straight to support Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Extra Life is a fundraiser, which began ten years ago to play games and heal kids. Since it's foundation in 2008, Extra Life has raised more than $40 million for sick and injured kids.

The fundraising stays local to support any Children's Hospital you choose to help fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable child care. Each gamer can pick between over 170 hospitals throughout U.S. and Canada.

Stephen and Zoey chose to support MUSC Children's Hospital in Charleston, SC. Stephen volunteered at this hospital for quite a while back when we lived in South Carolina. He would wake up every Sunday morning and go play video games with the kids stuck in hospital rooms. It seems fitting that he plays games now to help them as well. 

When Stephen asked Zoey about doing this game-a-thon challenge, she was fascinated. She got to stay up all night and play videos for an entire day straight!?! She was definitely in. She even spent the week leading up to it prepping, in her mind at least, by thinking of the games she would play and how she would stay up all night.

Though only nine, Zoey is a night owl. She naturally would rather stay up later and then start her day later. Stephen and I are both the same way, so it works out well for us. Especially when it means staying up to play video games for charity.

In preparation, we got lots of snacks and some Coke to keep them going. I made muffins for breakfast and then a huge Nachos spread for lunch.

The day started strong. Stephen and Zoey were both in their happy place. They played Stardew Valley for almost five hours. At this point, it was just another Saturday morning. We are gamers, so this sight is not a rare one for a lazy Saturday afternoon.

I supported them along the way with Solitare, Ticket to Ride and Mini Metro. Mostly I cooked food and wrote. I'm working on Nanowrimo (a 50k word writing challenge during the month of November), so I spent a good bit of the day working on that.

See here's my contribution, lol.

I took several pictures through out the day, but most of them look the same. Here they are still playing Stardew Valley while eating lunch.

It was a perfect day outside for a game-a-thon. The cool, blustery day made me very glad we were cozy and warm inside.

We did come together for a round of Super Mario Party on the Switch. Here Zoey is showing us the secrets of the map since we had never played it before, but she had.

Seeing these two do what they love and have it help out others was really exciting. They had so much fun playing all kinds of games on their own and together. It will be a well remembered experience.

I went to bed about 2 am and they were still up, each playing their own game. Zoey said she wasn't even feeling tired yet, so she was still going strong. She's a night owl anyway, so this kind of challenge is right up her alley.

The next morning I woke up about 8 am, an hour left in their challenge. It wasn't until then that I realized it had been Daylight Savings through the night, so that last hour came from the time change. Stephen was still going, playing one last round of Dead Cells. He even defeated the final boss for the first time on his last play through of the entire game-a-thon.

Zoey, however, was passed out on the couch. Stephen said she made it until a little after 5 am. I thought that was fantastic. She did a great job and really understood how this was raising money for charity and could help kids her own age.

At some point in the evening, they also built legos.
Late night Lego builds...It might just catch on :)

Together, Stephen and Zoey raised $100 dollars to support MUSC. Extra Life raised $8.8 million #forthekids in just the first night of their game-a-thon. The fundraiser is open until December 31.

You can read more about their adventures by visiting their fundraising page Temmie Making a Ruckus where Stephen updated their progress and the games they played throughout the night.

The Mortality Realization

On Thursday, September 24, a fatal accident happened in Seattle. A "Duck Boat" swerved running into a charter bus carrying students to sight see in Seattle.

photo credit

Ride A Duck is an organization that creates a fun atmosphere to tour a city on an amphibious military grade vehicle that goes on both land and water. The Duck Boats in Seattle, a common sight to see in the city, go through downtown and across the Aurora Bridge to eventually putter around Lake Union. It is a fun adventure that we have been on twice now in Seattle and once in Boston.

Yesterday while going across the narrow Aurora Bridge one Duck Boat collided with a Charter Bus full of North Seattle College students, including several international students, killing four and injuring several more, about eight severely.

I debated about writing on this topic. I couldn't decide whether to comment on it or just let it go and quietly work out my own emotions. Tragedies happen all the time, usually when we least expect it. I mean, there is nothing you can do to prevent something like this. The Duck Boats are all inspected each morning by members of the Coast Guard before they are allowed to operate. Everything was cleared that morning. Sometimes there are just accidents. Sometimes those accidents are fatal.

That is scary.

Like really scary.

photo credit

I put my daughter on the bus every morning and wait for her in the afternoon and all I can do is trust that she will be okay out there in the big bad world. I go to work in the mornings and hope the same thing. Same for my husband and my mom and all my other family and friends that I care about.

I actually have a hard time reading the news (and sometimes Facebook) because stuff like this comes up all the time. I have a hard time dealing with mortality. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

We live in a cruel world and life is not a guarantee. I guess that's why I decided to write about this, because I realize that we can't be afraid of the unexpected. It happens, it sucks and there is nothing you can do to prepare for it. But, that just makes life that much greater. We will not live forever. Every moment we spend with family and friends and for ourselves is vital. Both parties on either vehicle in this wreck were looking forward to a relaxing day touring the city. Neither suspected their life would change (or end) that day.

photo credit

My heart goes out to all those affected by this accident. There has been a huge outpouring of aide from the community, including the Woodland Zoo and several restaurants opening it's doors and serving food to first responders and others involved in the crash.

A few articles about the wreck:
The Seattle Times
King 5 (Local News)
CNN

And just because life is full of coincidences, I also want to share this video title "Adieu" that we watched last night on "Hit Record on TV" starring Joseph Gordon Levitt. It is in French and about death...just watch:

So take that one last hug before you leave, give that one last kiss before bed and you can never say "I love you" too much.

Mesothelioma Awareness Day: September 26, 2014

September 26 is a very important day in the lives of many. It is the 10th annual Mesothelioma Awareness Day. That may not mean much to you, honestly, it didn't mean much to me until a brave and beautiful woman, Heather Von St. James, reached out to me to raise awareness for this rare, yet deadly disease.

Mesothelioma is a rare, but aggressive cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. What are asbestos? I'm glad you asked. Asbestos are naturally occurring fibrous minerals that were used for many years as an industrial insulation component. Even though asbestos is classified as a known human carcinogen, a substance or agent that tends to produce a cancer, it is still produced and used in America and throughout the world. It can still be found in many homes, schools, public facilities and commercial or industrial buildings.

I don't know about you, but that last fact is a little scary.

Photo Credit: ELSL Law, one representation of mesothelioma victims

Even over 30 years after the peak of its use, asbestos still remains the number one cause of occupational cancer in the United States. It was greatly used throughout the 20th century in a wide variety of applications. Those who are electricians, plumbers, carpenters, mechanics and machinists are especially at risk. Additionally, there is a risk of second hand asbestos exposure if you live with and handle the clothes of one who is regularly exposed.

Navy Veterans from WWII through Vietnam were also probably exposed to high concentrations of asbestos through the engine rooms, boiler rooms and even sleeping quarters of their ships and in the shipyard. This exposure to asbestos often develops into Mesothelioma.

The sneaky aspect of this form of cancer is that mesothelioma has a long-latency period. This means it commonly sits dormant in the body for approximately 20-50 years after the initial exposure. As a result, Mesothelioma is most frequently diagnosed between the ages of 50-70, many years after the initial exposure to asbestos.

Over a long period of time, asbestos fibers slowly inflame the lung's internal tissue and disrupt organ function. Roughly 80% of mesothelioma cases occur within the lining of the lungs. However, there is also peritoneal mesothelioma which occurs in the abdominal lining and pericardial mesothelioma which occurs in the heart lining.

Photo credit: Mesothelioma Guide

This is a very serious disease that affects many thousands of people in the United States alone. This year approximately 10,000 Americans will die of asbestos-related diseases such as lung cancer or mesothelioma. Over 200,000 will be living with asbestos.

However, there is hope! Awareness is the key. The best way to avoid mesothelioma is to avoid asbestos completely, since it is its cause. Nonetheless, consulting with a physician at the first sign of symptoms or if you believe you are at risk can make the difference. Early diagnosis provides a greater range of treatments. Most mesothelioma cases are not diagnosed until the advanced stage giving the patient only on average 10 months to live; however, early diagnosis can quite literally save your life.

Heather Von St. James is a voice for Mesothelioma Awareness. In 2005 at age 36, she was diagnosed with Mesothelioma right after giving birth to her only daughter, Lily. She was only given 15 months to live. However, after a life-saving surgery that included the removal of her left lung, she is not only alive, but thriving. After being one of the few to survive this fatal disease, she and her family have dedicated their lives to spreading awareness of Mesothelioma.

I am in awe of Heather's passion and eagerness to give a voice to the victims of asbestos exposure. I am very thankful to have this opportunity not only to learn about this grievous disease, but to spread awareness and hope for the future. There is no cure for Mesothelioma yet, but awareness is the key to advancements in treatment and hopefully a cure for future generations.

Learn more about Mesothelioma Awareness Day Campaign!
Learn more about Mesothelioma!
Learn more about Heather's Story!
Read more from Heather Von St. James!

A couple additional links about Mesothelioma and Mesothelioma Awareness Day.

In honor of #MesoAwarenessDay, I am giving my voice to victims.