End of 2008

Hello everyone, I hope this post finds you well and that you are assessing all that has happened to you in the last year and looking forward to 2009. We are certainly in that mode right now, counting our blessings and remembering some of our recent adventures. We have had a tiring but exciting end of the year. I am pleased to say that Allison is getting better and stronger every day. We have challenges, to be sure, but we have no cancer, according to the lastest MRI on Friday Dec. 18th. We will have two more MRI's in the next six months, and then start on a scheudle of an MRI every six months. Allison is going to have one more eye surgery in January and then shouldn't need anymore corrections to her eye muscles. She has thyroid problems and growth issues, as a result of radiation and chemo, that will be ongoing issues for the rest of her life. She is thriving in school and really working hard. She loves spelling, writing, and reading, and is doing really well at everything. Her hair is growing in lush and thick and she is starting to get a bit rounder in her face and body. It is a beautiful thing to watch her recover.

Since October, we have been going full tilt, doing a number of amazing things, all while Allison is gaining back her strenth, abilities, and desire to do the things she wants to do again.

Allison auctioned one of her Stinkbug t-shirts at the Morgan Adams Concours d' Elegance, and raised over $2,000 for pediatric brain cancer research!


MAKE A WISH TRIP--DISNEY WORLD!

Minnie and Pluto show the love!

The girls rode the Woody Woodpecker roller coaster at Universal at least five times!

We stayed at a place called Give Kids the World just outside of Orlando, a place just for wish kids and families, which was a magical experience. We were one of many families fulfilling a dream to meet Minnie and Mickey and see Disney World and it was a powerful experience to be around so many kids and families with different challenges. Make A Wish is truly making a difference in the lives of these kids. I can't think of anything else, besides Sky High Hope Camp, that gave her so much to look forward to and made her feel special.

Allison dressed like Coco for Halloween!

We recovered in time to meet our newest member of the family, Lucy Isabelle Pockman, down in Albuquerque, and also spent Thankgiving in Wichita with Brian's family.

The cousins in ABQ: Ella, Emily, Allison, and Lucy

Then just before school let out we went on a trip to Playa del Carmen to relax and hang out on the beach. Allison surprised us all with a renewed appetite and awakened tastebuds. She loved anything salty or sweet and we loved watching her eat! Emily frolicked in the pool, Brian and I bodysurfed, and we all had a blast. Allison also joined in on a surprise for the parents and learned choreography to "Grease," a sweet show put on by the kids.

We'd love to hear from you....let us know how you are doing and where you'll be in the new year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Love, Dianna

July 2008 camp sky high hope

Allison shaved her dad when she came home from camp.

Update, Fall 2008

Friends and Family,

I had every intention of getting back on in July to update you, then August, and here it is almost the end of September. Life is in fast forward right now and I don't know where the free time goes, but I have only small bits to actually sit and think about a post to you all.

Summer was rejuvenating for all of us. We laid back and enjoyed the season. The week-long camp (Sky High Hope--a Ronald McDonald camp) was everything we hoped it would be. She started the camp very frail and weak and got stronger by the end of the week. When we picked her up, she looked stronger and had gained weight! She made friends, connected with adults and kids going through the same thing, and had a blast doing all of the things kids do at camp. Horse riding, fishing (she got the award for catching the largest crawdad), dances, pranks, silly songs, and making amazing friends and counselors. The camp helped her become more independent, a big step that Brian and I really wanted to push her toward but needed the help of her peers and other adults to do.

After camp, Allison rested and had an eye surgery to balance her weak and strong eye muscles that has been very successful. At the same time, she had her port removed and had the docs pierce her ears. After the surgery, her balance improved a bit and she found it easier to work on math with her tutor, Mrs. Mahlke. Then school started and Allison jumped in full throttle. She has been going all day and soaking in as much as she can of third grade. She is thriving in school and excelling in reading and writing. Math will take some work but we will get a tutor to help. Brownies, Hebrew School, art, and maybe a dance class will keep her busy. Her hair is growing in thick and lush, brown with a bit of gold, just like before. Her weight is steady and hasn't increased yet, but that will happen in time as she gets more energy and starts eating more. Emily meanwhile is keeping herself occupied with first grade but she misses being a kindergartner. Soccer, dance, reading, and goofing off are her specialities.

We have been back for an MRI, which was all clear, and are learning a bit more about what challenges we face. Her cerebellum was injured as a result of the surgery, and she will struggle with balance and coordination for the rest of her life. She will learn to compensate as she starts to get stronger. Her total treatment was 14 months, so the docs say it will take about 28 months for her to return to full energy levels. She is taking medicine for her thyroid. She will be tracked for normal growth patterns. Things will come up and we will deal with them as they come.

We added a new member to our family, Coco Pipi, an 8-month Bichon Frise, who we adopted through the prison dogs program. Colorado Correctional Industries has a training program for inmates who train rescued dogs. We just got her on Thursday and we are getting to know one another. She is adorable but still timid with us. She is more used to being with dogs than people!

We still count ourselves so blessed to have the support of such a wide circle of friends. I don't know how we would have gotten through without you!

All the best,

Dianna

Bye Bye Stinkbug

This is a picture of Allison's stinkbug cake, given to her by Dr. Nick, Jenny, Laura, and Wanda and the other people at the hospital to celebrate the end of her therapy. These are the people who have been taking care of Allison and they are really nice. They managed her chemo and helped us through. Laura usually put in and took out the butterfly--the needle that goes in her chest and delivered the medicine or blood that she needed--really carefully.

Emily kisses Allison's bald spot, the last time that she will be bald now that chemo is over!
Kara, Allison's cousin from Kansas, helps celebrate the end of chemo!

Allison drew a stinkbug to symbolize her last chemotherapy treatment and we had it put on a t-shirt to give friends at school and the hospital. This picture is of her classmates wearing the shirt on her last day of chemo.

This picture is of Ella, Lindsay and Maddie, three friends who wanted to raise money for a charity that Allison chose. They made cool bracelets and sold them at school for $1 and made $150! We matched that and bought a bag stuffed full of toys (Bags of Fun--Gabby Krause Foundation) for a kid who has to be in Childrens Hospital.

Allison's last treatment was on May 22-23. She didn't feel well for awhile and had to go back to the hospital a lot, but she is finally feeling better and getting stronger. Summer is fun. She and Emily and Sara have lots of adventures at the zoo, pool, park, playdates and short camps. Allison is going to Sky High Hope Camp, a sleepover camp sponsored by the Ronald McDonald House which is just for cancer survivors, in mid-July. She is really excited to meet other kids who have gone through what she has.

Allison's Hospital Blowdown

We had a party to help us mark the one-year anniversary of Allison's tumor diagnosis on April 4th. Sixty or so friends, six cans of shaving cream, 30 juice boxes, one pinata, one model of Childrens Hospital, and one pony keg later, everyone had a grand time. Allison built a hospital out of cardboard boxes and painted it, complete with Childrens logo, and we bought a pinata for the kids to bash and break. The kids got in a huge shaving cream fight and covered the hospital, which Allison batted down and the kids jumped on. I think some fireworks got thrown in for good measure. Then she and the other kids let forty or so balloons up in the sky, as a way to say goodbye to all that has happened in the past year. All in all, a successful way to mark the last year, even if it was overwhelming, emotional, and very messy. That's just life. Very messy.

Today we are at Childrens for the 8th of nine chemo treatments. Even though we are almost done it doesn't make it any easier.

Allison's napping, Brian's pacing, and I am sitting here thinking of what to say....but I am truly more tired then I have been before so I'll save my thoughts for another day.

All the best to you!

Dianna

Allison wrote this story with the help of her teacher, Melissa Mahlke. She wrote it to help other kids feel better about writing and drawing about their experiences in the hospital. Now she says she'd like to be an art therapist, and start a foundation to help kids who have to go through what she has gone through. We made copies and gave them to the therapists at Children's who help the kids express themselves. She also read it on the air for the Alice 105.9 radio thon, which raised 1.5 million for Children's Hospital during February.

Allison's story

Allison's story, continued

Update Spring 2008

A sincere apology for those of you who have been checking on the blog to see if we have any news. Ever since November I have found it impossible to post anything, whether from lack of energy or enthusiasm or just not having the time to sit down and think about what to write next. For two months or so, Allison was rebounding nicely and growing hair, becoming more like herself, and returning to things she loves to do. In March she started to get tired again, from the treatments, and is trying to keep up with school and other routine things. When I read the last post I wrote in November, I realized that she sounds very much like she did then, even though emotionally I think she is stronger and I've seen more of her old personality come through. Physically, though, she is just holding on and a little bit of activity or stimulation makes her pretty tired. We have two more treatments to go, in April and May. Then about six months of recuperation before she will start to feel better. Every three months for the next two years she'll be getting MRI's to see if the cancer cells start back again.

Holding pattern would be the best way to describe us right now. Our first anniversary of her diagnosis is April 4th.

We have some photos to post. We have also learned about two wonderful foundations who support Children's Hospital through donations, but are close to our own situation: The Morgan Adams Foundation and the Gabby Krause Foundation. Links are on the left.

Thanks for all of the love, queries, and support.

Best,

Dianna