Encouraging developments

So.... some encouraging developments. We think we may be able to get the medication from Canadian pharmacies for about half the cost, $4400. That's illegal, but apparently the US doesn't prosecute people who buy less than a 90 day supply at a given time for personal use. And, there is a possibility of switching insurance companies to a company that would agree to cover the medication, unlike our current insurance who refuses to cover it... which we believe to be in violation of the insurance contract. We are looking into that. But any switch, if we made it, couldn't take place until July or August. So, if we switched, we still have to figure out between now and then.  One irritating thing we discovered is that the amount that insurance companies pay for the medication we need is less than $3000 for a 3 month supply. But we can't buy it retail at that price. The cheapest we've seen is the Canadian pharmacy. Anyway... the situation looks a little brighter than it did a couple of days ago.

Teenagers

I can not believe how long it's been since we updated.  A lot has happened since then.  Makenzie became a teenager in March.  I am still trying to figure out how that happened... and so fast!  She is a beautiful young lady and we love every minute with her.  Thirteen things we love about Makenzie

FUN
Talks A LOT
Spirtual Giant
Kind
Loving
funny
Helpful
TEXTER
Teaches herself to play the piano (mom and dad need to get her some lessons)
Strong and a survivor
Goofy
Great hugger
AND A GREAT TEENAGER who loves to put on makeup, and fix her hair and is just a beautiful young lady.

Update on Makenzie's Medical stuff. Makenzie has done SUPER well over the last year and a few months. She went on a clinical trial last year and was on it for almost a year. The medication she took(Afinitor - Everolimus) kept the tumor from growing and caused her no side effects.  During much of the clinical trial, our insurance company - Golden Rule - denied coverage for routine medical care things like MRI's and Labs. FRUSTRATING!!!! So we are having to fight with the insurance company about those claims while trying to hold off the hospital billing department... and they are not patient about waiting for payment. Now, because she did so well on the Afinitor medication, her doctor wants to keep her on the medicine for at least another year and the insurance is denying the medicine saying it's investigational treatment... It is an FDA approved medication but apparently not for pediatric brain tumors so they are saying it is investigational.  This is the only medicine available for her right now. She has exhausted all of the standard treatments for her tumor. If she goes off this medication, the only other things are more clinical trials and in order to qualify for those the tumor has to grow... When you have a brain tumor that's the last thing you want to hear is that it has grown. Oh yeah.. and the medication is about $8,800 a month... Sooooo we are in the process of trying to figure out what to do and how to go about it.  We would appreciate any and all prayers...  We are truly grateful for what has been given to us and know that all will work out in the end... It is just making it in one piece and trying not to cry every hour on the hour...  done with my vent... here are a few updated pictures of Makenzie on her birthday.  :)  I thinks she looks so cute in braces.  :)

Our summer vacation and back to school

Its been a while since we've updated our blog. We had a great summer vaction in Logan Utah with our Grandma, Grandpa,cousins, and our Aunt and Uncle. We were out of town for almost 3 three weeks and the weather wasn't as hot as hot as here. We spent three to four days at Island park. It was a blast. We rafted 5 miles down a river for three hours and rode four wheelers. While the boys went fishing us girls stayed in our cabin and played games. We went to Yellow Stone National Park and saw some geysers. In Logan we went rockwall climbing and went to a mini zoo. Our Grandparents are very nice to take our family of 13 including them, the 5 of us, and our coudins family of 6 on a fabulous vacation every summer.

I went to Camp Rainbow again this year as a 5th year camper and as usual had a total blast riding horses, getting messy, hangin' out with my friends and much much more

Now we're back in school and having to get back into the swing of things. I am in 7th grade, Brayden is a 1st grader, and Carson is a 3rd grader. In some ways I am happy to be back in school. Here we go again with another very busy school year. Woo hoo!

P.S. As some of you already know I have been totally into poetry and writing stories so my Dad helped me create a website to post my poetry and stories. I hope to one day become a famous writer. Here is the link: www.writingofmakenzie.blogspot.com Please feel free to check out my semi new website.

Brayden...6

My cute little BABY Brayden is now 6... He is such a sweet little boy.  He was sick this year on his exact birthday.  Threw up all day and never complained one time. He tried to act like he was not sick.  6 things we LOVE about Brayden...

FUNNY...  He always has something funny to say. He is witty and always has a good comeback.  One time Chris was asking him things like...
Chris: where did you get your blonde hair from...
Brayden: Heavenly Father...
Chris: where did you get your blue eyes from
Brayden: Heavenly Father
Chris kept asking him different things like that with the same response... The last thing he asked him:

Chris: where did you get your toots from?
Brayden:  Satan

SHY:  He didn't talk to his Kindergarten teacher until a month and a half after school started.  She said she loves him because he always gets her jokes.  He got his first goal in Soccer a few weeks ago.  We asked if he scored and he said no.  Does not like the spotlight to be on him

WILD:  He is a little dare devil.  He learned how to ride his bike about 6 months ago and he is SCARY to watch.  He will try anything.

SWEET:  He LOVES to cuddle. We know he is tired when he brings us his 3 blankets and asked to sit with us.  Loves his brother and sister.  He likes to help me with anything.

Wii :  He is really good at Wii and will play it as much as we let him.  He is really good at it.

PICKY:  Likes things a certain way.  Very picky eater. Wants us to brush his teeth. Only likes wild cherry Capri Suns. Has to have the "soccer player"  on the front. ONLY likes to wear soft shorts  (ie...basketball shorts) .  Doesn't like anything slimy on his hands.  That includes shampoo... He gags when anything slimy is on his hands.

These are ALL things we LOVE about Brayden.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!  B

12

That's right...  12...  I can not believe that Makenzie is 12... and all that comes with it.  New for Kenzie is:

braces

new glasses

make-up

Young Women's (youth program for girls at church)

Babysitting

paying for her own cell phone... to name a few
12 things about Kenzie we love!

1. Beautiful (in and out)

2. Spiritual... my mom has always called her an old soul.  She is definitely wise beyond her years. I think she is raising us instead of the other way around.

3. Notebooks... always carries a notebook. Always writing down everything.  Takes notes at church and studies the topics she hears at church.

4. Funny... Most people don't know that Kenzie doesn't really have a filter.  Sometimes anything goes... if you could be a fly on the wall... great entertainment sometimes.

5. Crafty... Loves to make crafts and is very creative

6. LOVES her family... Tries to make sure everyone is loved with lots of hugs and sweet comments.

7. TEXTING QUEEN...  We got her a cell phone last Christmas.  It has been nonstop.  Great way to keep in touch with cousins and grandmas.

8. Good example...Her brothers LOVE her and she is always trying to set a good example

9. Favorite color is PINK.

10. Great at figuring out how to play a song on the piano. plays the flute in school

12.The best daughter anyone could ever want...

WE LOVE YOU KENZIE!!!!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

8 is Great

It has been forever since we have updated. I am teaching Makenzsie how to update it and she will probably do a better job than me. She did the last post and I think she sounds like a grown up.  I guess she was born an adult. We had a fantastic weekend. Carson was baptized (by his dad) a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We believe that we are baptized at the age of 8... it is an age that they are starting to understand good choices and bad choices and that they are accountable for their own actions. We are super excited that Carson has made that choice. He is such a good example to all of us.  ALWAYS trys to make good choices and we are so happy he is a part of our family. He was baptized on the same day as his friend Jillian. They both looked so cute. For the program Makenzie sang with her grandpa (Jesus once was a little child), Cousin Courtney played the piano, grandma led the music, Jillians Grandpa gave the talk and sister Wright welcomed them into primary, Bishop Pace spoke, sang I am a Child of God for the closing song,  Grandpa George said the closing prayer.  I am so grateful that friends and family came from near and far.  We really appreciate everyone that came.  Here are a few from the day. The ones in the dessert we took at the location of where the new Temple will be built in Phoenix.

Halloween!

WOW! Its already the end of October! This is Makenzie. We havnt updated since May. Sorry for the delay. Here's what has been going on this month for Halloween. We went to our ward trunk-or-treat on Oct 9th.(a little early but at least we had one). My Aunt, Uncle and my 1 year old cousin Hayden ward had a trunk-or treat on I think October 29th and we went to that. Last night 1 or 2 streets were doing a trick or treating/mingling event and we did that as well and it was fun. Tonight since we can't go tick-or-treating we are going to pass out candy and my Grandparents are coming over for dinner. Happy Halloween!

May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month

It has been forever since I have updated. There is only one word to describe the last few months and that is : Busy... Never ending day to day stuff. It has been a great few months.  In our family no news is good news. Since May is National Brain Tumor Awareness month I thought I would break down and post. Just a little recap over the last 4 years... Makenzie was diagnosed with a astrocytoma brain tumor on her brain stem February 15th 2006.  This February we celebrated 4 years since her diagnosis. We say celebrate because Brain Tumors are ugly and Makezie has made it 4 years... There will be many more years to come. Much to celebrate. Upon Diagnosis she went thru two brain surgeries. Nasty Chemo for 13 weeks that left her on steroids and miserable. There was a bit of growth so they changed meds and went on a different chemo for a little over 2 years (she did great on that drug). November of 2008 she was able to "graduate" and get off chemo. She did that and was doing well until headaches began. April of 2009 we were punched in the gut again when they said, what they thought was a cyst growing, was actually new tumor growth. We witnessed a miracle in that all the new tumor growth was into her ventricle and that is open space in the brain.  Her Neurosurgeon Dr. Moss asked if we wanted the OR the next day...or in 5 days.  In that moment I was like TOMORROW!!! Luckily Makenzie is very wise and spiritual. She knew we needed to wait 5 days. I was so grateful for that.  We were able to prepare and make sure everything was taken care of. Kenzie was nervous but went in knowing she was going to be taken care of. Her neurosurgeon is the same religion (LDS) and was willing to give Makenzie a blessing with Chris. What a great comfort to know that he knew his gift was from God and that he would be guided in taking care of her. Her surgery lasted almost 7 hours with 35 staples across her head. HUGE incision.  He was able to get all the new tumor growth out and dug an inch and a half into her brain stem.  He didn't know how she was going to be when she woke up. Kenzie couldn't walk, use her left hand very well and was in sad shape.  I found a new respect for families who have to take care of a disabled child full time.  It was EXHAUSTING.  Every 30 seconds they need something. It was only 18 days in there and I was done... I do not know how others do it full time. In that time Makenzie was doing therapy and learned how to walk again and use her left hand.  She still has some left sided weakness but you wouldn't really be able to tell.  She is a ROCK, old soul, and wise beyond her years. After her big surgery, a few months later, she had to get a second shunt placed to pick up a bunch of junk left from her surgery. Kenzie started a new chemo that she has now been on for almost a year. She does pretty well on it.  It seems to upset her tummy a little more than than her other chemo but it is doing it's job. She will be done this summer because the drug she is on has a high occurance of secondary cancers when given past a year. April 29th was a year since her big surgery.  She is doing well and happy to be done with school. Above is a cutie little friend of Makenzie.  We have known her since she was about 18 months old and is Makenzie's age. I babysat her for a few years. We love her and she is part of our family. We pray that Brain Tumor Research will come far quickly. There needs to be something better. They are getting so close. Money is needed...I remember hearing something like for every $100 spent on a person with breast cancer on .10 or a 1.00 is spent on a child with cancer. Awareness needs to be raised in order for funding to increase...off my soapbox ;) have a happy Sunday. :)

Dentist

We really thought we did a decent job at oral care. Found out the other day... maybe not. I wish that I got to go. I had too many daycare kids so Chris took both boys. Carson had to have a baby tooth pulled about a month ago. This appointment we had was to check out the rest of his mouth. I was thinking like 8 cavities but we were lucky and found only two. Brayden did good as well. That was his first time at the dentist. He couldn't get x-rays because the little cardboard thing was too big and made him gag. Chris said that they both were brave. Chris did say that the hygenist said that we are doing a good job...poor Carson might just have my poor teeth. The kids loved going to see Dr. Mishler... aka Ben - he's in our ward and just starting his own practice. He does good work and is great with kids.

Meet Cheeto

Well dear friends...Santa made us give in and gave our kiddos a puppy for Christmas. What can I say...he drives a hard bargain. I only had one rule. Cheeto WILL be an outside dog. I do not like dogs (sorry animal lovers). I don't like the smell, the hair, pee, poo...you name it. I do love Cheeto because my kids LOVE him. I mean LOVE LOVE LOVE him. :)It is fun to see them so happy and just taking such good care of their puppy. He has been good. Right now he does get to sleep inside in a big rubbermaid tub and we usually have to take him out for a potty break at midnight and 5:30 (I am usually up at both of those times). It has been so long since I have updated that I don't know where to start. Christmas was fantastic. It was just nice to be able to stay home.

Chris started school again and is getting his administration certificate. When he is done he will hopefully get a vice principal job. He loves teaching but realizes that we won't be able to save anything for our kids college or missions. This will allow me to not have to work, able to make our ends meet and still be able to save. I am excited about that. Chris is also STILL Ward Clerk. It is so funny. It has just followed him wherever we go. He just hit his 8th year mar...IS ANYONE READING WHO CAN HELP!!!! hahaha. Chris is fantastic at it which is why he has done it so long. :)

Brayden will start school in the fall. He has been so fun. :) He is always happy and just a gross, funny, PJ wearin, goofy, crazy, and sweet little boy. He loves Cheeto and carries him around like an airplane flying all over the house. Brayden is my shy one. Always content to hang on my leg when there are a bunch of people present.

I am trying to figure out what I am going to do when Brayden goes to school in the fall. I think I am most excited about getting to volunteer in the class with my kids. Still doing daycare and photography. I am seving in the Young Womens 16-18 year old girls. They are great and fun.

Kenzie is still on Chemo. She is doing very well. This seems to be very mild on her system. Although we know this is nasty stuff we know it is doing what it is supposed to. We feel so blessed. February marks 4 years since diagnosis. Feeling so blessed that she is with us. There are so many who are not as lucky as we have been. Kenzie got a cell phone for Christmas from mom and dad. She loves it. It is mainly to text family. It is alsom really good for her fine motor skills since she has had difficulty with her left side since her big surgery.

Carson is just his sweet self. Loving to come home from school and play with Cheeto. Carson was so sweet when we visted the "REAL" Santa..."not the helper Santa" at the zoo thru the hospital. Santa asked what Carson wanted and he almost cried and said a dog. He asked what kind. Carson said I don't know. Santa said a Labrador (sp?). Carson said with a tear coming down his cheek...I don't care I just want a dog. He could have won an award. I almost cried. What a tenderheart he is. I love Christmas cards and it was always so fun to me because I used to make them. I have not sent any out for 2 years. We haven't even been able to get our picture taken. SAD!!! we keep having to reschedule. One day. I am thankful for the ones I received. It is so fun to see all the updates. Hope everyone had a super fabulous Christmas and hope this will be an awesome year.