Kristofer--Meps & Josh update

Tomorrow I'm putting Kris on the bus to head down to St Louis for MEPS. Since he has a tentative date for basic on the 28th May and its approaching soon---I'm just wondering if it will be as bad as the day I sent him off to kindergarten and high school (both of those days were rough for me). I can't believe he's old enough to make his own choices for his journey into the big bad world. I'm so very proud of him tho!


Josh is doing well after his surgery. He's still having headaches but I don't think that has anything to do with surgery--more so migraines. We are heading back to St Louis on 6 May (Happy Birthday to me!) for a follow up exam. We got the results back that he has NO tumor cells present--YAY! His brain lesions are a part of a demylating disease and we will keep an eye on them through MRI's. The MD wants to do another one in a month to watch for any changes.

Home

We got home late last night and Josh is doing well. We won't get the results of the biopsy back until Wed. and he goes back for a post surgery check up in 2 weeks.

Josh Update Part 2

Josh is in a regular room on the Peds floor now. He had a rough start this morning with more nausea/vomiting. He was able to eat some lunch and keep it down and is also up getting a bath. His pain is better under control now and he's getting IV ATB's still. He *might* be able to go home tomorrow if all goes well.

Josh Update

Just a small update. Josh is out of surgery and is in PICU . He has about a 2 inch incision where they removed 4 samples of tissue to biopsy. He didn't bleed very much so he didn't have a transfusion and they didn't have to open him up all the way either. He did end up getting sick in Recovery and once he was up in the PICU unit and he also is still having a lot of pain --a 9 on the scale of 0-10 :( We don't know much more until rounds in the morning.

Heading back to St Louis on Thurs

We are heading back to St Louis on Thurs to meet with the neurosurgeon and to have another MRI done before surgery on Fri. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
He's starting to get scared of what awaits him. I took last Thurs off work and took him shopping and out to lunch while the other kids went to school. I will update as soon as I can.

Earthquake in Illinois

Yep these 2 slept through the earthquake this morning! (Don't mind the no pillow cases--we actually use them!)

Hannah and Butt cracks :)

On the way back from St Louis on Wed Hannah was sitting in the back seat when a truck driver pulled up next to us (mind you we just dropped daddy off at his semi at the truck stop after Josh's appointment)

Hannah: Ewww thats gross
Me: What's gross?
H: Hims butt crack mom I seen his butt crack and its gross amongest many ewww and giggles from Hannah. I saw hims underwear gross, gross!
Me: I'm trying to stiffle a giggle because 3 y/o's noticing a butt crack is just as funny as a fart to them.
Me: Yep Hannah his butt crack is gross

Now we are almost to the turn to get back on the interstate and I still hear her giggling and ewwws coming from her. Then I hear... Mom you know hims butt crack was berry berry disgusting!!!

I laughed and agreed with her and then had to call her daddy to tell him next time he climbs up into his semi to remember that even 3 y/o notice nasty butt cracks showing!

Another Update

Josh is having his biopsy done in St Louis on 25th April. He will be in ICU 1-5 days. We will go down on the 24th and stay until he's released.

Another Update

I called the nurse today to find out why they want to do an MRI of the spine and she told me that they found another spot this time being on his right side that wasn't there on the previous MRI that was done less than a month ago. So she prepared me that the next step will most likely be a biopsy.

Another Update

Not much to post...



The only thing that was done today was an MRI spectroscopy.
We got done with the tests about 1030A so we headed to the zoo for some fun but the weather was a tad nippy so we cut that short. It was nice that it wasn't crowded tho and that we can do the zoo a little at a time.

We also stopped at the outdoor market thats supposed to be a historic landmark called Soulards market. Not sure what the history of it was but it was pretty nice and cheap so we got some fresh veggies and fruit. I have never been to one.

While we stopped to get supper we got a call (I left my cell in the van) and a message was left for us to be back down to St Louis this Wed for an MRI of the spine and to meet with a neurologist there. Not sure what they found or what they are thinking and the nurse said that she would be in her office Mon morning and I can call and they will discuss the test results.


Thanks for thinking of us and sending prayers and many thoughts our way! You ladies are awesome!

Josh Update

His appointment went well yesterday and he didn't feel the need to admit him to the hospital.

They do an exam and history and physical to get an idea of his background and what some of his problems have been. They tell us that they will have a meeting tomorrow with several of the neurosurgery and radiology team and most likely he will see us in June. He's thinking the wait and see approach is the best option right now because he's still not showing any negative signs except constant headaches.

Well early this afternoon I get a call at work and they want us to bring him back to St Louis tomorrow and have another MRI done there on their machines. Not sure if we just have the scan done or we get to see the doctor too. I was just surprised that they wanted to see him back there again so soon.

So we will be back on the road at 3 am.

Hannah

Josh

Josh has an appointment with a Pediatric Neurosurgeon at the Children's Hospital in St Louis on April 2nd.

Josh update

Josh is now home and we have to go back on the 7th for an MRS (like an MRI just more define) and they only come in once a week to do this test. They are still leaning more to MS but she did say its still a possibility that it could still be a tumor but most likely its not.

We still are no better off understanding exactly what it is and this test will put more pieces to the puzzle for the right diagnosis. The lumbar puncture came back with no organisms but the other aspects of the test still is pending and the EEG said he has ischemic changes but no seizure activity (which happens in this lobe thats affected)

We only found this lesion by chance as he doesn't show any signs of illness.

Josh

Josh my 15 y/o was taken to the ER last night and they found a spot on his CT scan and MRI. The spot is located on his Left Temporal lobe deep inside.

Early this morning he was finally admitted to the Peds ward to follow up with the Neurologist and the Neurosurgeon. Josh had an EEG and a lumbar puncture done to see if their is anything in the fluids that will help solve what this mass is on his brain.


Will update when I find anything further out. Right now Josh is in good spirits playing the Wii, watching new movies, playstation 2 in their room and the internet availability. Oh what more could a 15 y/o want but room service and he gets that 3 times a day. I joke with him that he's staying at the Carle Hilton because he doesn't visibly look sick.

About us

Hannah's finally feeling better after battling a virus for 2 weeks that turned into a double ear infection and bronchitis. I just hate it when your little one is sick :( She's still going to preschool/daycare and loves it. She tells me her best friend is Emily.

I'm trying to fight a sinus infection and a chest cold. I still have a love-hate relationship with work.

Not much to update on Joshua.

Kristofer is now working at McDonalds. He also spent last weekend with the National Guard on drills and loved it so he's going back in March.

Hunter is doing well in school.

BJ is driving a semi again and he pretty much likes it. He only drives to KY, WI, MO, IN, IL. He's making pretty decent money so we are getting some bills paid off that was much needed.

Book Meme

Find the nearest book, turn to page 123, start at the fifth sentence and type out the next three sentences.

Not on this page yet but here it goes....

We're using three-hundred-year-old teeth to get the baseline DNA. I'm too stunned to speak. "Impressed?" He asks.

the book is Blood Memory by Greg Iles.

I tag Wendy, Angelique, and Sara.

WTG Tigers with 2nd in State

Hannah's Birthday & 1st day of School

A little update on us!

BJ and I just celebrated our 17th Wedding Anniversary!

Some days it seems like we have been married forever and some days it feels like yesterday that I walked down the isle to my awaiting soon to be hubby. Truthfully I can't believe we've made it thus far--our journey through marriage has seen manypeaks and valleys.

I finally let my oldest DS Kristofer get his license on May 29th after having him wait since Dec. I didn't think he needed his license in the winter weather of Illinois and truth be known I wasn't ready for my child to be driving just yet. I'm not really ready for him to make some of the choices he's making right now but those choices are his to make. He's wanting to go into the military after high school and he's also wanting to go to Boot Camp NEXT summer. This is even scary for me to have him join the military then get his driver's license. I will support him in whatever he decides to do with his life. This year he will be starting his Junior year in High School.




Joshua graduated from 8th grade on May 20th. This school year he will be a Freshman in High School. I hope that he does A LOT of growing up over the summer. Mr Miller will more than likely have my number on speed dial with this one.

Hunter will be entering 4th grade next year and he's fully enjoying his summer already with playing with his friends and staying outside as much as possible. He loves being outside and is very responsible with checking in when you tell him to. Now why can't the older boys grasp this concept yet???

Hannah will be 3 in a month. Where's has the last 3 years gone? She has had a major attitude lately. She's still my sweet girl and listens most of the time. She will be starting pre-school/daycare in a month or so. She will attend pre-school in the morning and daycare in the afternoon 5 days a week. She can't wait and this is all she has talked. We will be going to her school in the next week or so to get her enrollment papers and for her to meet her teacher. She has been on the waiting list since Jan and can't go to this school until she's 3. Hannah loves playing outside with her yard toys and we often have a battle to come back inside. Yesterday we went shopping for tomato plants and flowers and then we can home and planted them. Our flowers look nice in our big pot. Hannah had a blast planting and getting dirty :)