 You may have heard him on the WUWTW Show...Here he is folks! The Super Star and my hero, Nicholas Weis!
I've been so blessed to be able to meet some really awesome folks while working in radio, but I can't think of another person who has effect me as much as Nicholas. I don't know what it is, but this kid has the power to change lives. I'm trying to get him to run for president or become a preacher...something!
We've had so many of our WUWTW friends tell us how Nicholas just makes their day when they hear me and him cutting up on the air an several had told us we need to have Nicholas page. I think that 's a GREAT idea - Chuck
Check out the PBTF (Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation) link for information about how you can help kids like Nichols.
About Nicholas - From Jon Weis (Nicholas's Father)
Our son Nicholas Weis was born on June 28th 2000. He was a very healthy; never saw the Pediatrician outside of a wellness visit until he was a little over 2 years of age. Then Nicholas started to show signs that something was just not right. At first he just started to seem overly tired first thing in the morning. Eventually he would have agonizing pain in his head. He would grab the back of his head and just scream. We began taking him to the Pediatrician because of our concern. Unfortunately he was always treated for an ear infection, constipation, etc. No matter how many times we went to the Doctor we were always treated for the same things. This went on for a couple of months with nothing seeming to help him feel better. Nicholas began to get worse and worse, mainly in the mornings due to excessive pressure on the brain, with no hope in sight. Nicholas finally got to the point where he would not eat, and just lay curled up on a recliner. This was all that we could handle. We were tired of getting no answers from anyone. We decided that the next morning we were going to take matters into our own hands and go to the emergency room at Duke to see if we could get someone to listen. That next morning Nicholas woke up and was unable to walk more than a couple of steps. To make a long story short we were able to convince them to give Nicholas an MRI but it wasn’t for another week until we could have this done. This saved his life. The same day of the MRI we were rushed back to the hospital to find out that Nicholas had a brain tumor the size of an adult thumb, but a fluid sack the size of an adult fist surrounding the tumor itself. That night Nicholas began to have seizures and by 4 the next morning was rushed into emergency surgery to remove the tumor via a craniotomy (open brain surgery). We thought our day of terror was over until the pathology report came back. We were informed that Nicholas had brain cancer. He had a very aggressive tumor called an Anaplastic Ependynoma. Following his first craniotomy (open brain surgery) Nicholas was due for 12 months of chemotherapy, which entailed countless medications and shots that had to be given at home, which broke our hearts. He had to have blood work done multiple times a week along with other countless tests. Chemo was cut short after 8 months when the tumor had returned. Nicholas then had his second craniotomy, which was followed by 6 ½ weeks of daily radiation. For this procedure Nicholas would take a “nap” with the help of a gas mask, which he associated with the scream extractor from Monsters Inc. So needless to say this was a very traumatic experience for him that he had to go through every day. Approximately one year later the tumor returned again, but this time we elected to go to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA to have Gamma Knife Radiosurgery. Once again the tumor returned about a year later, which again was removed via a craniotomy at Duke, and then followed by another round of Gamma Knife at UPMC in Pittsburgh, PA. Then in January of this year, the tumor returned and Nicholas once again had a craniotomy at Duke followed by a third round of Gamma Knife at UPMC in Pittsburgh, PA. Right now the tumor is listed as stable but we go every three months for an MRI to monitor the size.
That brings us to today. We try to live a “normal” but very full life. We live in the Mebane, NC. Nicholas has a dog, cat and a fish. He achieved the highest rank in the Little Ninja Tae Kwon Do program, which is a black leader belt. Nicholas has attended River Mill Academy since Kindergarten and is now in 2nd grade. He played baseball last year for the first time. He just celebrated his 8th birthday in June and is a very happy and energetic child. He fears almost nothing and is one of the strongest kids we know. Our son is our life, and our life is our son. We cherish every second that we have together. Will Nicholas’ battle ever be over? Will we have to fear having an MRI every time they come up? Nicholas will be fighting this battle for a long time to come, and there will always be a certain amount of fear every time he goes back into the scanner, but hopefully in the near future with the help of researchers, funding available, our son Nicholas and all the other children fighting this disease will get a better chance at survival. The researchers say that they may actually have the cure within ten years and we want to be one of the first standing in line to receive it. Nicholas doesn’t remember a time without treatments and hospitals in his life.
Our family counts our blessings everyday. We are blessed to have such a wonderful son and a true inspiration not just to us, but also to others around him.
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