Update

I got a call this morning from the hospital. Her Nero Surgeon Dr. Moss wants to see us in the morning to go over her scans. I am a little freaked out because he never goes over her scans with us. It is usually her oncologist. We know that it has to be something to do with her shunt or the cyst. It makes for such a long day today. Just waiting to hear the results. Chris brought Kenzie home from school again today with a bad headache. Her eyes were doing some funny things. Chris called the surgeons office and talked to his nurse. He tried to get some info from her but she wasn't going to say. She did tell him that if she becomes unresponsive to bring her in. She said Makenzie should be fine until tomorrow and that they will be able to fix what is going on. That makes me feel a little better but still. I am impatient and I want to know NOW! Carson has soccer practice tonight, then American Idol Result show and I have volleyball. Hopefully that will make the night go fast. Thanks for listening to me. :) t

Quick Update

Just a quick update. They finally called today to set the MRI up. We are scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. Kenzie does not like getting MRI's but knows they are necessary. She does great. She does not need sleepy medicine anymore. It is great because we can walk right in and right back out. Before, when they would put her under she would have to wait over an hour in recovery until the medicine wore off. That is a long time to hold still. I don't think I could do it. :) PLease pray that all will be well and that the doctors will know what to do for her.

We LOVE you kenzie :)

Field Day

First I think this is a record. I have posted more than twice in a month and now on to my third. I forgot how fun it is to keep this going. I have to brag a little on my Carson. He is such a sweetheart. He is so concerned this year with good choices and bad choices. He really wants to choose the right. I really hope he hangs onto that as long as possible. He is just getting too grown up. His first field day was on March 13th. He had so much fun.

Carson is playing soccer again. The last time he played he was in la la land playing with the grass other than playing. This year he has just taken off. He LOVES to play. I catch him practicing around the house all the time. Today at church I had to talk to him because he was walking down the isle during the sacratment practicing his kick. So funny. On Saturday he scored his first goal and then ended up scoring 2 goals. Way to go CARSON!!!! I am sad to say that I was so busy being excited that I forgot to grab a picture of him making a goal. Maybe next time :)

Random thoughts

I had every intention of mailing out Christmas cards this year. I printed my pictures. I decided what I was going to do and had all the stuff. I was doing a top ten for the year. Family being number one and a few other highlights. Life got away from me and they turned into Valentines cards. Valentines Day snuck up on me and here it is APRIL and still no cards. So this is a Merry Christmas, Happy Valentines Day, Happy Easter and anything else you can think of. All online so everyone knows they were thought of. :) Here are the Pictures I had printed. They were taken by my super cute friend Erin (THANKS!). Maybe I will have better luck this year.

I can't believe school is almost out. Chris will be home for the summer. I can not wait. Since Kenzie will HOPEFULLY not be on Chemo we are going to have a FABULOUS summer. We are going to have fun here for the first part and the middle of summer we are going to the Orgeon coast with Chris's family. We are just happy to not have to worry about dr's and such.

Today was nice. Went to church and came home a little early with Kenzie. She had another bad headache. As long as she has Tylenol the headaches aren't too bad. We forgot to give her some before church and I think that is why it got so bad. I wish I was a little more upbeat in my last post but I just had to vent a little. We are going to insist on an MRI in the next couple of days. We need to know what is goint on. terri :

Please Pray

I am a terrible blogger. Chris has done the last few updates. I am hoping that people still look at her blog because we need prayers. Everything has been so great for Kenzie. She has really felt well. School is great. Playing a lot. Started piano lessons. Just fun girl stuff.
On Sunday she started with a really bad headache and felt like she was going to throw up. This has continued all week. Monday she actually threw up twice. Lots of bad headaches. I am worried that it might be a shunt issue. Last scan it showed a cyst that had enlarged. I am worried that it could be getting bigger. She had an appointment today for a port flush and I talked to her nurse about it. She did not seem as concerned as me but said we would get her a scan sooner rather than later. I really can't stand waiting. I want a scan NOW! If the headaches continue tomorrow I might just take her to the ER and insist that she get an MRI. Please pray for her that her body will fight. Please pray for healing. Please pray that the headaches will stop. Please pray for new scans to come back with good results. We have been blessed beyond measure. We know our Father in Heaven answers our prayers. Miracles still happen. We are so grateful for everyone. Hope your weekend is great! terri :)

Happy Birthday Makenzie & Student of the Month!!!!

Miss Makenzie hit double digits. She turned 10 years old on March 2nd. She celebrated all weekend. First, Grandpa Bill and Grandma Alice took her and her family to Peter Piper Pizza on Saturday. On Sunday, Grandma Betty and Grandpa Roy came over for dinner. Grandma Betty made some yummy chicken enchiladas and birthday cake. And, on Monday, Kenzie celebrated by skipping school and going to Peter Piper Pizza one more time with Grandma Betty and her brothers. For gifts, she got cash, a cool little figurine (to celebrate no more chemo), clothes, a purse, a Hannah Montana bag, and an alarm clock (I'm sure there is something I am forgetting).

Makenzie is also student of the month for March in her 4th grade class. She works hard and does well in school. We are proud of her. Unfortunately, she will have to miss the student of the month assembly because she will be flying to Aspen to go skiing for a week that Friday morning. But who wouldn't rather go skiing in Aspen.

As for health, she continues to do well. We are still concerned about the cyst in her tumor (see previous post). But all we can do is watch, wait, hope, and pray that the cysts will go down on their own. It is not causing her any problems right now and she continues to feel great and do whatever she wants to do.

Finally, An Update

I know, we need to do better about updating this... that will be a goal for us.

Makenzie has continued to do well. She finally, after 2 1/2 years, stopped weekly chemo back in early November. Her last treatment was on election day. Of course, it was great to be off chemo but at the same time we worried what might happen with the tumor. After about 3 months of no treatments, Makenzie got an MRI on February 5th. The news was mostly good but there was a problem. Her tumor (pilocytic astrocytoma) is made up of solid tumor cells and cysts with fluid in them. The solid tumor cells still have not grown. That is great news. Unfortunately, one of the cysts has more than doubled in size to about an inch in diameter. Right now, it is not causing Kenzie any symptoms or problems. Her team of doctors met to discuss the options. For right now, since the cyst is not causing any issues, we will just monitor it and hope it does not grow or shrinks on its own. If it begins to give her any problems, surgery or radiation may be options to try to shrink the cyst. Pressure in the brain stem is pressure in the brain stem, whether it is caused by solid tumor cells or fluid filled cysts... and can cause problems since the brain stem controlls vital functions... but cysts are less difficult to deal with than solid tumor cells. So... please, keep Makenzie in your prayers, pray that the cyst will go down on its own so we can avoid a surgery or radiation.

As far as what Kenzie has been up to the last few months:

Our family made our annual Rainbow Kids trip to Turf Paradise for breakfast, lunch, tours, and a horse race. The kids went to see Santa at the Phoenix Zoo (also Rainbow Kids).

Our family travelled to Logan, Utah for a very white Christmas. It snowed pretty much the entire time we were there. The girls shopped and played. The boys went ice fishing a couple times and went to a Utah State vs. Utah basketball game. The kids built ginger bread houses, played in the snow, and enjoyed the toys they got for Christmas.

Since Christmas, Kenzie has gone to see High School Musical on Ice. She really enjoys all the fun things she gets to do through the various organizations around the valley that provide fun activities for kids with cancer and other life threatening conditions and their families.

Makenzie is looking forward to a week of skiing in Aspen, Colorado over spring break through the Shining Star Foundation... lucky dog. She's going alone too, no family on this one... just a few other kids from Phoenix Children's Hospital and a nurse.

We'll get some pictures up soon of all the fun stuff the kids have been doing.

Still Doing Well

Not much has changed. Makenzie continues to do well. She is enjoying school this year and got a good progress report... all A's and one B in math. Her counts have held up well the past 4-5 weeks and she has been able to receive treatment. And we are grateful that her tumor did not grow during the month she was unable to receive treatment. Grandpa Bill and Grandma Alice are in town from Logan, Utah for about 5 weeks so Makenzie and her brothers are excited that they will get to see them a lot for awhile. We'll add some new pictures soon.

Good MRI News

The MRI results were good... there has still been no tumor growth and her shunt is functioning just fine. She did have some sinus issues which probably are the reason for her headaches and balance issues. We will put her on some allergy medication and hopefully that will help her feel better. We feel blessed and grateful that she continues to do well. Please, continue to keep her in your prayers.

D-Backs Game and the Science Center

Kenzie and her brothers have been busy. Kenzie and Carson are both enjoying school. In the past couple of weeks they have been to a Diamondbacks game with other kids from Phoenix Children's Hospital and the Arizona Science Center with Hope Kids. The baseball game was sponsored by AFLAC. This is something AFLAC has been doing each year for a few years for kids who are patients at the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Phoenix Children's Hospital. Before the game, they fed the kids and their families free dinner at Sliders across from the stadium. At the Arizona Science Center the kids were able to play with many of the hands-on exhibits and see the Chronicles of Narnia exhibit. They had fun.

Kenzie got another MRI today. It was a little sooner this time, we didn't wait the standard 3 months since the last one. She has been having a few more headaches, tripping a little more, and she missed 3 weeks of chemo a month ago because of low blood counts. We should know the results in a couple of days.