Sunday, May 15, 2011

Hello from Rochester, Minnesota!

I've never been to Rochester before. #TeamKate (that's how I'm hash tagging it on Twitter) had some plane trouble, but made it in before 10pm last night.

I just wanted to write a quick post to thank you all sincerely for the well wishes for Kate. She's my best friend in the entire world and your support to her means so much. I knew Team Canterwood cared about me, but the overwhelming well wishes for Kate are astounding. We appreciate so much the Facebook page for her. We check it every day and she and I both carry your thoughts with us.

Just to share a little: Kate has been in extreme stomach pain since May 13, 2010. It just happened out of the blue. No warning. We've been to 29 doctors and 3 NYC hospitals. Not one doctor has been able to help to stop the pain and get her well. Kate has woken up crying for 365 days. And guys, she's TOUGH, she does not cry, and this pain (pain I KNOW I couldn't take) has made her sob.

Kate and I talk about the support she's gotten from all of you and she's asked me the same question probably three times: "Why do your readers care about me? They love you. I'm nobody to them."

I tell her the same thing every time: You all do care about me as the CC author. But I also feel like you're all my friends. I hope you feel the same way. My best friend is very, very sick and because of it, you've all embraced her because you know how much I care about her. It's what friends do for each other. Kate does not get enough support in real life, but she does from Team Canterwood. You all have become our virtual friends and we care about you guys a lot! I know when you say you're praying for Kate--you mean it. Those are not empty words. It means more than you'll ever know. I promise, some how, I will find a way to pay it forward one day.

You've also been amazing support for me. I'm grateful for it, too. Seeing your BFF sobbing and unable to leave the house hardly ever is a gut-ripping feeling. I've been living with her for a year to try and help her mentally and physically. There's been anger. Sadness. Confusion. Frustration. Hope that dwindles and rises.

The Mayo Clinic process starts tomorrow at 7am. It'll probably be a week of tests and hopefully we come out with some answers. I hope that you'll continue to keep Kate in your thoughts this week. I'll update everyone as I can.

Also, as a side-note, I've received several pictures of you with your copies of CHOSEN. Thank you and I'll post them when I get home.

Since I'll be gone all week, I'm going to extend the contest. If you haven't already, you can leave a comment on the original post. You may also send me a photo of you with your copy of CHOSEN (paperback or on an e-reader) to my e-mail (jess_burkhart AT hotmail DOT com.)

The contest NOW ends on May 25th at 11:59pm EST.

I hope you're all having a good weekend!

Much love. xoxo

7 comments:

Sam N. said...

oh, my gosh.... i had no idea!!! :( poor Kate!!! Ah, i can sort of imagine how you feel.... today my bestie got hurt really bad under her thumb. she is bullied, even by her sister, and i try to be there for her whenever i can. she was in so much pain, and it looked like her thumbnail was going to fall off. then, unintentionally, (i hope!) her sister hurt her feelings, and that made her cry worse. now, if i multiply that by about 80,600,052, i think i can imagine how you feel. :/ GET BETTER SOON KATE! you're in my prayers. ❋ ╰☆╮ ❋ ╰☆╮ ❤ ❤ ❤

Allie said...

I'm definitely praying for Kate. I can't even imagine being in that much pain for an hour, and for a year? That must be excruciating. PLEASE GET BETTER KATE!!!! I'm praying for you....

-R

Anonymous said...

Hi Jess and Kate,
Soo very glad you made it to Mayo. Good luck to Kate and to you Jess. Our prayers are with all of you.

Adina said...

awwwwww, poor Kate. That must be a terrible things to witness and experience :'(. I hope she gets better really really soon.

Amanda Ashby said...

Hey Jessica and Kate,

I'm sending you both lots of hugs from New Zealand and I so hope that everything goes well at the Mayo Clinic and that they find out what's wrong. I can't even imagine what it must feel like to be in that kind of pain.

Btw, my word verification is Fierses, which sounds like it should be a cool horse word!!!!

Joni said...

You answered Kate right when she asked why we care. Even though we know each other only over the blog-sphere, you've become a sort of friend to me- and I care! So when you hurt for Kate, I do too. And Jess, you don't owe us a thing for caring. The friendship goes both ways. :)

Thinking of you both!

With bright love,
Joni

CanterwoodCrest1000 said...

I know I would DIE if anything like that happened to my BFF and you are sooo helpful and supportive, Jess. You both are in my prayers.

Counting down to Saddlehill Academy!

  Hii, friends! I'm so very thrilled to remind everyone that NEXT MONTH (!!!) is the release of my first novel in eight years! Ahhhhh!!...

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