Jimmy
This is the story of Jimmy:
“I was 14 years old when Codi was diagnosed,” recounted her brother, Jimmy, “I was just getting ready to start my freshman year of High School.”
On July 1st of 2016, Jimmy’s sister, Codi, was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma. “My sister had been having a sharp pain in her chest that got so intense that my mom told her to get to the hospital where she worked at,” explained Jimmy. “They did some tests, and then came in and told us that she had a mass in her chest.”
“My sister is the toughest person I know, I know she can do this,” thought Jimmy. Like many of our families, beginning a cancer journey is an unknown and painful path that all members involved embark upon. “Codi’s treatment was very grueling, and to watch her go through it was hard,” told Jimmy, “but the one thing Codi always said was that nothing changes - she wanted everything to be as normal as possible.”
“So we tried to keep everything as normal as possible,” explained Jimmy, “the day to day things changed up a little bit when she had treatment, but with all of the friends and family that surrounded us, we were all taken care of.”
Still, witnessing your sibling go through their cancer journey is one that will inevitably have an impact on both your life and your relationship as brother and sister. “Codi and I were always close, but helping to take care of her brought us even closer. My mom always says we were thick as thieves!” said Jimmy. “When my sister was in UCLA the summer that she was first diagnosed, awaiting her first major surgery, I was on the waitlist for Gorman,” shared Jimmy, “She called me as soon as my parents found out that I made it in. She was the first one to give me the news that I was a Gorman Gale!”
Despite her heavy treatment schedule, Codi continued to be a supportive presence in her brother’s life. “She was hospitalized for about a week one time, but she was determined to not miss my game,” recounted Jimmy. “She was able to get out of the hospital, go home, change, and was at my game even though she was extremely sick,” shared Jimmy.
Memories such as these, whether during or before treatment, are what keeps Codi’s memory alive. When asked how Jimmy remembers Codi, he noted, “Everyday, thinking of her, knowing she is right there for me still rooting me on. I wear her thumb print on my neck. I also have several tattoos for her.”
Becoming a bereaved sibling is a life change that no one can ever prepare for, but when asked for words of advice to other siblings that may be freshly in his steps, Jimmy said, “In the words of Codi – you get one day to cry. It’s usually more, but then try to stay positive and know that they are there for you and with you every day.”
