Has it Really Been Three Days?

Has it really been three days since I posted? Time flies when you're having fun ... or is it when you're trying to clean your house because you're going to have a news crew in the living room? (I get confused sometimes.) We decided that we would do one last interview and take the opportunity to thank everyone and to let everyone know that Malkolm's listing has ended. We will be on the CBS Saturday morning news program (is it the Early Show Saturday Edition? I'm actually not sure, things are a bit of a blur), I believe it is on at 7:30 a.m. ... but I'm not 100% sure about that.

After all the Fox News / Yahoo News publicity, our stories sold so fast! People are continuing to e-mail, asking if they can get a copy of the story or if we are going to re-open the listing. Many of my friends and people who know Malkolm and our family personally are really disappointed to see the listing end. Especially with all the positive publicity surrounding this whole thing.

Malkolm's dad and I felt it would be best to honor the original intent of Malkolm's idea, to help pay for his surgery and medical expenses related to the surgery only -- and I figure with all that we have received, his follow-up visits possibly through the summer are totally covered.

I hate to admit, but closing the listing was not the easiest thing in the world for me to do. Selfishly, I was thinking that Malkolm's medical expenses for his heart could be completely paid for maybe even into the next year or maybe even longer -- if we let it ride. What mother wouldn't think about that for their child? Not to mention the amazing feeling to see so many people touched by my son. BUT ... I know anything past what the original intent of Malkolm's idea would just water it down and turn it into something else, spoiling the purity of it.

Not to mention Malkolm is still working his way through a stack of stories, still signing!! He's got a myriad of afflictions: Writer's Sleepy, Writer's Rug Imprint, Writer's Cramp and Writer's Wrist Tiredness ... all of which can only be cured when the signing stops.

Many people who know us personally or know Malkolm personally were pretty disappointed that we let the listing end, because the positive energy was so amazing and this was something that really was inspiring and blessing people (not just our family); but they mostly understand when we explain why.

Another idea a few people had is to use the current publicity and start donating the extra money to a charity that helps children with medical issues who don't have insurance or can't afford to pay for their medical expenses. Although I think this is an excellent idea, I do think it needs to be a separate thing at another time -- this publicity thing is really time consuming and it's definitely taking it's toll on Malkolm and our family. I can't even imagine doing all this with Malkolm in school, we definitely need to have all of this off the table before he goes back to school full-time.

I got an e-mail from someone who said something about Amazon.com offering a service where they will bind books as they are ordered (I haven't had a chance to reply yet, I am still working my way through replies to everyone who has purchased Malkolm's stories). I didn't know such a thing existed. Malkolm is interested in making this into a "real book" someday, and that is also a viable option, but just not through this Ebay listing.

I think a neat idea would be if Malkolm does illustrate his book or have it illustrated and decides to do all that extra stuff to make it into a children's book, to donate a portion of the proceeds from his book to the Children's Hospital or the Ronald McDonald House. Both organizations are close to our hearts for different reasons.

I'm sitting here writing and am amazed that I'm even writing about this. It feels so surreal. I think back to about one month ago, when we found out when his surgery would be... it's years ago.

March 1 - doctors say Malkolm needs surgery
March 12 - we find out surgery date is March 24, first day of ebay listing
March 23 - Malkolm's Pre-op appointment in Atlanta
March 24 - Malkolm's open-heart surgery
March 28 - we're home
March 31 - first post-surgery follow-up
April 12 - first post-surgery defibrillator follow-up
April 14 - ebay listing ends

eh?!! What just happened?

The important thing through all of this is that Malkolm is doing so well, yesterday he needed Motrin for the first time in four days, so his pain is definitely under control -- he will even be going back to school in the mornings next week for the CRCT (Georgia standardized testing), in which he generally does pretty well. He goes back to school full-time on April 27.

Ok, well, few more things need to be finished up before news land gets here, and I do believe I smell a poopy diaper.

-Jennifer P.

:)