Camille+Ipson

IMAGERY

Music Blarring My heart still bro ken I want to jump From this ride of life Fall from here like a leaf migrates off a tree in the fall Fear on my face I do nothing but frown The music rush Helps nothing inside of me Pain of hurt easily shown My wanting to escape Visible as ever. Stuck, I Drop  Released <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> Onto this hill <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> Pressure rising <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">I still hear the music in my head <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">But for once, my heart is unbroken. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">WORLDS

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Market streets full of tourism <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">People shouting persuading others to buy <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">The ocean a couple minutes away <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Hearing the wave crashing as I sleep <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Disney characters surrounding me <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Full of laughter and excitement <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Warm weather pressing against my skin <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">The orange state being my sanctuary <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Tall buildings and busy streets <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Business men and taxi cabs <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">The big apple is even more magnificent then in the movies <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Loving the sleepless city <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Adventure always awaiting outside my window <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">I look out and see time square smiling back at me.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">SHORT STORY

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 21px; line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">INTRODUCTION ** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.5in; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: 200%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Being a teenager isn’t always easy as you probably agree. From homework to relationships we all deal with a lot of the same things. But we also have our own personal obstacles in life. Unfortunately, life threw the biggest obstacle you can probably think of for a teenage girl or anyone in this matter: My name is Kaitlyn Adams I am 15 years old and I have cancer. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.5in; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: 200%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">I was diagnosed with a rare type of tumor called “alveolar soft-part sarcoma.” It is a mass of abnormal cells that can grow and spread to many parts of the body. I first noticed a lump on the left side of my chin that would hurt when I used my tongue a lot. My tongue was also really swollen. I went to a dentist, thinking it was something dental, but he referred me to another specialist. These doctors did not know what it could be, until I had an MRO, and a biopsy where they cut a small part of my tongue out to test it. The lab determined it was a malignant tumor, Alveolar soft-part sarcoma. Luckily it was surgically removable, so a team of surgeons removed 75% of my tongue and reconstructed it with a piece of my stomach. Unfortunately, the surgery wasn’t the end of my cancer. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.5in; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: 200%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">We found out just before the operation that the tumors had spread to my lungs. Although they were very small, there were too many, which made them inoperable. There really weren’t a lot of treatment options after that. I started a drug, called interferon, which is sometimes used along with chemo and radiation. I injected myself in the leg every day for over a year and I didn’t really experience bad side effect. But we eventually decided it wasn’t doing any good so I stopped. This past year has been extremely hard, I’ve always been a really active dancer and in the summer I go the swine flu while I was taking that trial drug from Maryland, so I had to miss quite a bit of drill practice. I didn’t get to go to camp but I went on vacation once my swine flu was gone, and during July I thought I was back to normal. When drill started up again in August, I realized dancing was a lot more difficult than it used to be. I also had some weight lost that I still haven’t been able to put back on. I eat as much as I can and I have been trying to gain weight but my lung tumors are so large they use up a lot of my food that I need for fat and energy. Although, I fell sick almost all the time, and I rarely have energy, I still do as much as I can. I haven’t been able to perform with my drill team this year, but at Nationals in New York I am going to compete a solo I made up! <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 21px; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">THE STORY… <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.5in; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: 200%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">It was March 17, 2010 and I walked into Salt Lake City’s international Airport with my blue and yellow costume bag hanging on my right shoulder that felt like it weighed a 1,000 pounds and my mom carrying my drill navy roller bag in her left hand because it was too heavy for me to carry and her suitcase on her opposite side. Going through the blue glass sliding doors I was full of excitement; today was the day we departed from SLC and went to the big apple, the sleepless city, that’s right New York City! Panting from the walk from the car to the inside of the airport I was exhausted.; but I could not help but smile when I saw my fellow teammates waiting for me in a huge clump as if they were all bee’s on a honey-drenched beehive. Our flight took off at midnight and we had a red eye straight to the city where we would immediately get on a tour bus and head straight for Elise Island to see “Lady Liberty.” The plane ride was full of twenty girls giggling and expressing their excitement for our destination, I feel really bad for the eight moms and dads that were trying to sleep on the plane ride before the long day ahead of us all. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.5in; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: 200%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">The first day was full of pictures and us screaming and gliding through the chaotic streets of New York City, I was extremely thrilled to reach our Sherraton Hotel, which was located almost in Time Square! The day was long and consisted of a lot of walking so I was extremely tired and was way happy when they offered me a wheelchair in the middle of the day. Once I reached the bed in my room that I had to share with my mom because it had my oxygen tanks, I wanted to take an immediate nap. Although, I am bummed that I couldn’t share a room with my teammates, like the other girls, I understood my predicament and knew it was for the best. Changing into pajamas and getting ready for bed that night; I could not wait to wake up tomorrow. Tomorrow was the day I have been waiting for, the day I get to perform my solo that I choreographed and have been waiting to do all year long. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.5in; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: 200%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">My hair done, slick tight into a bun, and my eye lashes glued on I was ready and incredibly excited to get to our competition! We all loaded the bus and started our drive for Staten Island where the competition was held at. Again the air was filled with laughter and chatting teenagers and two motivated coaches. Once we arrived at the college we exited the bus and got to post-up in a locker room that we shared with many other teams. My team danced all their routines but three Kick, Lyrical, and Pom but it was time for solo’s to go on. I was so nervous, my palms were sweating and I had a thousand butterflies in my stomach flying around as if they were playing tag with each other. Somehow I over came the thrill and agitated instincts and walked out onto the gym floor with confidence and a huge smile. As I reached my beginning position, I saw my team out in the audience and I was so pumped to show them how hard I was working even though I hadn’t participated in practice for over 8 months. My music turned on and I started to dance, it was the best feeling I could ever think of. I kicked as hard and as high as I could and did my facials non-stop. When my music ended I was exhausted and overwhelmed with excitement all at the same time. I looked around the whole arena and I saw that I got a standing ovation from every single person in that room. That created the biggest smile I think anyone could ever have and I felt like my team was the proudest they could ever be. Walking back to the bus after an emotional rollercoaster day I couldn’t help but feel so proud of myself and my team for being as our theme was this year “ONE.” <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.5in; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: 200%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Once we reached our hotel it was dinner time and I was starving, because my tumors take almost all my food I eat constantly and I couldn’t help but want to pig out. Luckily my mom, me, and a couple of other teammates found a little quaint restaurant around the corner and ate some delicious tenderloin stakes that smelt just delightful. After grubbing down we hit a night on the town and prowled the streets of Time Square. It was the most exciting and beautiful night of my life. I saw all the amazing lights, purchased an “I LOVE NY” shirt and hoodie, and even break danced in the street with some men who were trying to make money. Although I was tired and felt like I couldn’t walk anymore I knew I probably would never be able to come back to this magnificent city, so I never mentioned how tired or how numb my legs were. I had an off feeling about the numbness I felt earlier and how lightheaded I became but I pushed through because I didn’t want to miss a thing. Unfortunately all good things had to come to an end and we had a curfew of 12:00 A.M. back at the hotel. So mom, Sarah, Caitlin, Jessica, Alisha and I headed back to the hotel for a much needed nights rest. --While I was in the bathroom getting ready for bed the numbness and light headed feeling came rushing back. The next thing I remembered was being strapped to a gurney and being hauled away in an ambulance. Apparently I had a seizure and hit my head on the counter really hard. I was weak and scared and I could tell that my body was tired of fighting for this long. My team got to leave the next afternoon back home for SLC while I had to stay in the hospital with my mom until I was stable enough for the long plane ride back. The principal and his wife were nice enough to stay an extra day too and make sure that I was alright. After two days of excruciating pain and sleepless nights I finally was able to be released from the hospital and go back home. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.5in; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: 200%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">When I got home I was exhausted and on so many pain medications I felt as if I wasn’t Kaitlyn anymore. I couldn’t function by myself and it was hard for me to make sentences to even have a conversation with anyone. I soon was back into the hospital and knew that my battle with cancer had come to an end. Although, my last couple of days were filled with my team coming in and out and seeing the love and support of those around me I knew everything would be alright. On April 12, 2010 I felt the angels take me and I left this earth. I loved my family and friends very much and I know I will see them again.. I didn’t let my illness hold me back from living my life. Lots of people don’t understand that life is about living in the now. I think happiness is the ultimate goal in life. I lived in the moment because really no one knows which moment could be their last. I hope my story inspires you to think positively and to appreciate your health.