History

Saturday, July 25, 2009 9:52 AM CDT

Wow! I guess I haven't updated for a long time. Benjamin is doing great! We will visit our new oncologist in Michigan next month. It's always an adjustment becoming familiar with new oncologists, hospitals, etc. However, we're hoping this will be the last visit since Benjamin will have been NED (no evidence of disease)for five years on October 7th. Please keep your fingers crossed we won't be thrown a curve ball.

Benjamin has spent a lot of his free time fishing with his best buddy, his dad. Benjamin and Saylor also attended Nature Camp this summer and had a great time. I'm not sure how Saylor will do in pre-school without her big brother there. Benjamin will be starting Kindergarten in September and can't wait to get to "cool school." We visited last Spring and Benjamin was in awe of all the artwork that was displayed in the halls.

Saylor and Macy are keeping busy. Macy just came home from soccer camp at Michigan State University. Her team won their tournament and she received another nifty medal.

Please keep the children fighting NB and their families in your prayers. They sure need them.

Candace

Saturday, July 25, 2009 8:59 AM CDT

Wednesday, November 26, 2008 3:07 PM CST

Quite a bit of time has passed since I last updated. I'm not sure if people are still reading about Benjamin. If you are, please sign the guestbook so we know you were here.

Since the last update we moved to Michigan. The mid-west is very different from the west. I keep thinking I will see a mountain on the horizon, but there never is. A few weeks ago my mother was able to come see us which was very nice. We showed her around Lansing and Frankenmuth. Unfortunately, she was too late to see the wonderful fall foliage.

Benjamin is doing great! He loves his new pre-school and teachers. The school's curriculum entails a lot of learning about nature, which Benjamin just loves. They have a pet lizard named Izzy. He is also learning Spanish, French and yoga at school. The yoga has been especially helpful in controlling his leg pains. He will start soccer soon. Benjamin loves Michigan because we have already had a few snowstorms. There is never enough snow for Benjamin!

Macy has done incredibly well with the move. She is now in middle school and received all As last term. In addition, she started playing baskteball on a community team and will start volleyball soon before soccer starts again. She is also playing the flute and loves it. She and I are learning to play a few songs together. Macy on the flute and I playing the piano. We are also having a Guitar Hero contest. Macy is visiting her dad for Thanksgiving so I will be on the Wii practicing up to pull ahead.

Saylor is growing amazingly fast. She runs around talking on her pretend cell phone. She is usually talking to her Grandma. It must be the red hair bond going. She is speaking in sentences, which Russ and I find amazing at her age. When Benjamin cries she tries to comfort him completely unaware that she is the cause of the tears. We were worried about him playing too rough, but Saylor has proven she can hold her own, and quite well, I might add.

Russ is enjoying his new job with the Michigan DNR and I am enjoying being a stay at home mom. Although I have been thinking of looking into seeing how long it would take me to get a teaching degree with the credits from my other degrees. I wouldn't want to go back to work until Saylor and Benjamin are both in school, but if I take it slow, it may take that long to get certified.

I wish everyone happy holidays and ask that you pray for all the families who are battling or have battled cancer.

Candace

Wednesday, May 28, 2008 7:32 PM CDT

Here it is, months from the last update. Benjamin still complains about leg pain, but not as frequently. We'll be traveling to Salt Lake City for scans next month. Please keep Benjamin in your prayers for clear scans.

Benjamin will be finishing his first year of pre-school. He has come so far since his first day of school. He has many friends and is a favorite among the little girls in his class. He complains they kiss his cheeks too hard. I suppose one day he won't be complaining of such things. He received the cool hat in the picture above from his Papa Jimmy (paternal grandfather). It is a marine issued hat, so Benjamin thinks it is really neat.

We just came home from Medford, Oregon where Macy played soccer in a tournament. Macy's team did great! We're so proud of Macy and the hard work she puts into soccer. Macy is excited to be finished with fifth grade. She also has two soccer camps planned for the summer, one in Utah and one in Reno.

Saylor seems to really like soccer as well. She has her own little soccer ball that she throws all over the house. It's hard to believe she is 15 months old. Saylor loves Hello Kitty and insists on dragging a ratty, old Hello Kitty blanket around that once belonged to Macy, despite having blankets that I made for her before her birth.

We received some bad news last week. My uncle was diagnosed with cancer. His wife passed away from lung cancer last summer and now he is in the fight of his life. Two children with Neuroblastoma have passed away within the last month. Please pray for Spencer and Emily's families and if you could keep my uncle in your prayers, I would appreciate that too.

Thank you so much for checking in on us. Please sign our guestbook so we know you were here.

Candace

Wednesday, February 6, 2008 3:08 PM CST

I don't know where the time goes, but I don't seem to find it very often to update.

In December we had a scare with Benjamin. He woke up unable to walk, with excruciating pain in his legs. We did preliminary tests (blood and catecholamine plus x-rays). Everything came back normal, and he did start walking again within a few days. Our pediatrician believes it was growing pains. Our pediatricin received the results Christmas Eve night and called right away rather than waiting until he was back in the office. His kindness made the holidays very special. In addition, my sister was able to make it to Reno from Denver. The day after Christmas was my mom's birthday so all the girls (sans Saylor) went skiing. We had a great time.

Macy is having a great ski season. We're 15 minutes away from the nearest resort, so we're trying to make the most of it this winter. She is also gearing up for spring soccer. The season ends with a tournament in Oregon.

Benjamin is still enjoying pre-school and has several new boys in his class. He had only girls to play with before. We went to the University of Nevada -Reno girls' basketball game vs. Utah State. Benjamin, of course, had the drill team winking and waving at him. I believe I was about the only USU fan there.

Saylor and Macy will be celebrating birthdays next month. Saylor will be one year and Macy will be eleven years. Wow! The time has gone by so quickly. My in-laws will be here from Palm Desert to celebrate their birthdays and Easter with us. We are so excited to see them again. We're hoping my folks make it as well.

We will be involved in St. Baldrick's this year, so I will post more about the events and where you can make donations on behalf of Benjamin.

Love,
Candace

Monday, November 19, 2007 3:01 PM CST

It's been a long time since I last wrote. I have received some e-mails because of lack of posts. Benjamin is doing great. The picture is from Benjamin's first day of preschool. He started a month ago and loves it. Benjamin goes two mornings a week. He has a wonderful teacher who just finished chemotherapy. Please keep your fingers crossed for her.

Benjamin, Saylor and Macy had a wonderful time on Halloween. I was able to pursuade Benjamin to dress-up as Spiderman, rather than trying to figure out how to make a hurricane costume as he originally wanted. Saylor was Mr. Mustofolees from Cats and Macy dressed up as Hanna Montana. What tween didn't, eh?

We are preparing for the holidays. We have some lights up on our house. However, I was just thinking we could use more. You can never have enough Christas lights, can you? We'll spend a quiet Thanksgiving at home. It will be just the four of us as Macy is in California with her dad.

Macy played soccer this past fall. The season concluded with a tournament in Lodi, CA. It was a busy season with several practices and games each week. Macy was afraid she would be bored until soccer starts in th spring, so she signed herself up for a volleyball league and the school choir. Macy also plays indoor soccer at least once a week.

Saylor is already crawling and has two teeth. I can't believe how she has grown. She had her first ear infection last weekend. I took her to the ER and had to leave Macy and Benjamin with my mom, while she battled food poisoning. I didn't cook for her, if that's where your mind is going.

Benjamin split open his lip last week so we were in the ER twice. These things aren't big deals in the whole scope of things.

So, all in all, things are going really well for us. With that in mind, please keep the families battling Neuroblastoma in your prayers. It's truly horrific what these children and those that love them go through. You can help us fund research to find a cure by going to www.lunchforlife.org and donating the money you could have spent on lunch. You may also do that in Benjamin's name. How fun is that?

candace

Friday, July 27, 2007 2:47 PM CDT

All of Benjamin's tests from May's scans have come back clear of Neuroblastoma. Our oncologist does not feel we need tests for a whole year! We're almost to the point of being normal. However, I think the possiblity of relapse will alway be in the back of our minds.

We have had a busy summer. We spent a week in Flagstaff, AZ. Benjamin thought the meteor crater was especially cool. We also went to the Lowell Observatory and spent several days in Peter Rabbit's Garden at the Flagstaff Arboretum. From Flagstaff we went to St. George, UT to enjoy 117 degree weather. Okay, the heat wasn't that enjoyable, but seeing my parents truly was. We went to Zion National Park, Snow State Park and Benjamin rode Blossom, a pony all by himself. He was pretty proud and I will download those pictures soon. Our travels are not over yet as we will leave to visit Russ's parents in Grand Rapids, MI.

Thank you so very much for checking in on Benjamin. Please keep all the families who are battling Neuroblastoma in your prayers and please leave us a note so we know you were here.

Candace

Friday, June 29, 2007 11:37 AM CDT

Benjamin's tests came back all within normal range. YEAH!! We have now graduated to yearly scans.

My Aunt LuAnn passed away yesterday from lung cancer. She was part of that growing population of women being diagnosed yet never smoked a day in their lives. My friend Libby is losing her battle with lung cancer as well. Libby never smoked, ate oranic food and was a triathlete. Go figure. Tomorrow I will be attending her living funeral. I'm so heartbroken about these two women.

Please keep the families fighting Neuroblastoma in your prayers, and please say a little prayer for my cousins Breanne (fighting thyroid cancer) and DawnAnne (fighting breast cancer).

CANCER SUCKS!!

Candace

Wednesday, May 23, 2007 12:42 AM CDT

Benjamins scans are CLEAR!!! We're waiting on the VMA/HVA results, but I'm sure they are fine. We're so happy about the results and also that we have graduated to yearly scans now. We truly have been blessed.

The trip to Salt Lake City was too short and we didn't get to spend nearly enough time with Terri and August. We did, however, have a nice brunch and August was able to discuss wildlife with Russ. Russ throroughly enjoyed August's enthusiasm and we're hoping to have them visit us for some fishing this summer.

Benjamin loves fishing and as you can see he also enjoys the attention he gets from the little girls. I imagine we'll be doing some more fishing this weekend.

Macy is doing well and preparing to spend the summer with her father in Utah. It's always such a difficult time for me. I miss her terribly while she is away.

Saylor is growing and sleeping through the night. Whoohoo! She smiles all the time now, especially when we ask her if she is the baby princess. Hmmmm.

The world has recently lost two very special children to Neuroblastoma. Please keep Kendall and Penelope's families in your prayers. Neuroblastoma is such an ugly disease. In addition please pray for the other families that are fighting so courageously and also my cousin's daughter Breanne who was just diagnosed with thyroid cancer, my cousin's wife who is battling breast cancer, my aunt who is battling lung cancer and my cousin Susan who is being tested for meningitis. It's been a rough couple of weeks for my family. I HATE CANCER!!

Love,
Candace

Thursday, April 5, 2007 5:11 PM CDT

Here is a solo picture of Saylor. She is such a joy to have in our family. Benjamin has adjusted to having a little sisiter better than I had thought he would. However, today he said, "Put Saylor back in tummy!" He changed his mind when we went to have the 2nd PKU test. He kept telling the tech to quit hurting Saylor. He was so worried about her.

Macy loves having a little sister. She thinks Saylor looks just like her. Macy started soccer and has one more ski session left. She also has a speaking part in her school play. She is so busy with all of that and Spanish and Choir to boot. We have such wonderful friends who have been so helpful getting her where she needed to go while I was in the hospital and recuperating.

We have scans later on this month. I'm trying not to think about it, but sometimes I let myself go there. It's so scary. So many of our friends are fighting for their lives. Please keep them and their families in your prayers. Also, please say a prayer for my Aunt LuAnn and my friend Libby who are both battling lung cancer. Both of them are part of that growing group of women who have never smoked.

Candace

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 10:53 PM CST

***************UPDATE*******************
Saylor Elizabeth Mason was born March 14, 2007 at 9:35 AM. She weighs 7 pounds 10 ounces and is absolutely adorable. Macy and Benjamin are so excited to have their younger sister here. I will update later with pictures.

********UPDATE***********************
March 6, 2007

No baby, yet. I have started contracting again, so I'm hoping they will coninue and we will have our little girl with us in the next few days. If not, the plan is to induce on Tuesday.

************************************

The contractions are starting. I have had them all day. I'm so hoping we have our baby here soon. I have never gone into labor on my own, so this is pretty scary for me.

Today Macy started her ski program through the school. It was so much fun to watch her. I can't wait to get on the slopes with her next year. Mt. Rose has a program for three year olds so Benjamin will be joining us while Daddy is on diaper duty.

Benjamin is finally excited about the arrival of his new little sister. We'll see how he reacts when she is here.

Last weekend we went sledding and to see the Andy Warhol exhibit and do art projects at the museum. Macy seems to be more methodical with her art while Benjamin has discovered GLUE! He loves it. He loves sledding and there isn't a mountain big enough for him. It's so strange to watch his tiny little head bobbing down the hill.

Please keep our friends who are fighting Neuroblastoma in your prayers. They so need them. These kids are amazing as are their parents, siblings, grandparents, etc.

Hopefully next time I post, our baby will be home. Thanks for checking in on us and please sign the guestbook so we know you were here.

Candace

Friday, January 26, 2007 2:13 PM CST

Everyone is still doing well here. Believe it or not, neither Benjamin nor Macy have had the flu or even a cold yet. Knock on wood!

The wind got knocked out of my sails the other day. When we were at PCMC for Benjamin's last scans, we were told we didn't have to come back again. We were seeing a different oncologist for that appointment. Well, in doing some follow-up for the cord blood storage, I contacted our oncologist who wants to see Benjamin longer. Just when I got used to being "normal." So, in April we will travel to Salt Lake to have scans and the usual urine and blood tests done and will have urine tests done on our new baby who will be born in March as well. I'm trying to look at the positive aspects like seeing my aunt and cousins, etc.

Everything seems to be going well with my pregnancy. Benjamin is having a difficult time grasping the idea of a baby (besides him) in the house. It will take some adjusting, I'm sure. I'm also trying to get him potty trained before the baby arrives. Yeah, right! He has a singing potty that amuses him every now and again. We'll keep trying. Any suggestions are welcome.

Macy is simply amazing! She has signed herself up for the school choir, spanish classes and school ski program. In March, she will start playing soccer and lacrosse. In addition, she is bringing home excellent grades and keeps making the school honor roll. She is almost finished with vision therapy- - one more visit. She is excited about that. To be honest, I'm pretty excited too because she enjoys reading so much more now that she is able to use her eyes together.

Thank you so much for checking up on us. Please remember to sign our guestbook so we know you were here. We love to read your kind messages. Also, if you have a chance and would like to help kids with Neuroblastoma, please check out www.lunchforlife.org. This is a great organization that funds research to find a cure. You can donate in Benjamin's name and give him ornaments for his cyber tree. The giving code for Benjamin is 24292. We really appreciate donations to help our friends who have not been so fortunate in their fight with this horrible disease. Please pray for them and their families. It an extremely difficult battle. And, if you wouldn't mind saying a prayer for my Aunt LuAnn who is fighting lung cancer and my Aut JoAnn who is experiencing heart problems and my mom's friend's granson, Cade, who was just diagnosed with Burkitt's Lymphoma, I would really appreciate it.

Love,
Candace

Wednesday, January 3, 2007 6:10 PM CST

Happy New Year! It's been quite awhile since I last posted. We moved to a new neighborhood the beginning of December and like our move last year, I ended up with pneumonia- - again! However, this year I added two features: being pregnant and finals.

My parents came to Nevada for Christmas and we all had a good time. Although, I wish the snow that was forecasted would have shown up!

Benjamin loved opening gifts. He received a huge Thomas the Train set on a table with all the fun stuff along with a tool box, a really cool dump truck and then the not-so-fun stuff like clothes.

Macy is now into electronics and received a karaoke machine and a Nintendo DS, along with an American Girl doll. Santa brought everyone in the family new snowshoes. Bring on the snow!

Benjamin continues to do well, although I am still panicky every time he gets fussy or looks tired. I'm still scared to death our luck will run out with this beast. I quietly left the NB listserve, as I felt at this point I have little to offer in terms of information or support right now. Please pray for all our NB friends who are facing relapse, end of life issues or doing well. We could always use the prayers and there are certainly some who really, really need them right now.

Thank you for checking in on us. Please sign our guestbook so we know you were here. Macy loves to read the notes to Benjamin.

Candace

Wednesday, October 25, 2006 11:06 PM CDT

Benjamin's last scans were clean. According to the COG protocol for Benjamin's stage of NB and the progress he has made, we can be seen in a year or forego testing altogether. I'm struggling with being pushed out of the nest like that although I know it's such a blessing. I'm sure it's a mix of those pregnancy hormones and being scared to death at the prospect of not having Benjamin monitored so closely. This is something I can get used to.

Macy continues to do well and is looking forward to Halloween, of course. All the tests that have been done for our unborn child have come back normal, so we are truly blessed.

This entry will be short and I apologize for any grammatical or spelling errors. I am exhausted from our marathon trip to Salt Lake City. Please pray for all the children and their families who are fighting Neuroblastoma. These kids are truly amazing as are the families they belong to. Please also say a prayer for my Aunt LuAnn who was diagnosed with lung cancer today, and my friend's daughter who will be undergoing tests at UCLA on Monday, as well as our good friend Jean in Colorado who is having scans in November to make sure her lung cancer has not returned.

Love,
Candace

Sunday, September 10, 2006 4:19 PM CDT

I can't believe it's September already! It's been a hectic few months around our house, and I mean hectic in a good way.

Macy loves fourth grade. She will begin swimteam again this week. Macy has the neatest teacher this year. I didn't think we could get one better than last year, or second grade, or first grade, okay, you see where I'm going with this. Macy comes right home from school and begins her homework. She wants to please Mrs. Ricci. Macy also makes time to play with Benjamin. They dance to the "Madagascar" soundtrack quite a bit. They also spend time eating fresh tomatoes from our garden. It's so cute to watch them and listen to their conversations.

Benjamin's second birthday was such a treat. First of all, with a cancer diagnosis, you don't know how many birthdays you will get to celebrate. Secondly, my parents and Russell's parents were here to celebrate with us. We spent time on a boat exploring Lake Tahoe and, of course, lots of shopping. Thanks to Benjamin's dad and grandfathers he has a remote control truck (very loud), a remote control Lamborghini (very fast) and his own motorized ATV (very scary). Benjamin loves to ride it through Russell's garden. He laughs hysterically when he sees his daddy running towards him like a man with his hair on fire.

Tomorrow marks the five year anniversary of 9-11. That event had such a significant impact on my life. I can still remember where I was and what I was doing and the panic I felt from being away from Macy. I remember having to pick out carpet and countertops for my new home and hardly being able to compose myself. What I was doing seemed so insignificant, and it was. I no longer have my home, but I still have the memories of watching that second plane hitting the second tower.

We have some friends who are not doing well at all with their fights against Neuroblastoma. Please keep Christi, Nathan, Penelope, Erin and their families in your prayers. They could really use them right now.

Thank you for checking in on us. Please sign our guestbook so we know you were here.

Love,
Candace

Monday, August 14, 2006 6:55 PM CDT

We have lots of news these days. Macy is home! Benjamin was so excited to see her. They ran to each other through the airport. What a sight. They have been inseparable since.

We also bought a minivan since we will be adding to our family this spring. I had to trade in my Volvo (equipped with the sports package) for a mom-mobile equipped with special mirrors to keep an eye on the kiddos in the back. It's much easier to get Benjamin in and out of. Macy abosolutely loves it, but I really, really miss my sunroof.

On Thursday my in-laws and parents will be coming to visit and celebrate Benjamin's 2nd birthday with us. Benjamin still loves airplanes so that is what will be used to decorate his cake. I am so excited to have everyone. I have the best parents and in-laws anyone could ask for. My mother-in-law and I exchange e-mails every single day. How cool is that?

Thanks for checking in on us. Please sign the guestbook so we know you were here. And, please keep all the other families fighting Neuroblastoma in your prayers. Our friends are facing such tough battles.

Love,
Candace

Wednesday, August 2, 2006 12:13 AM CDT

Benjamin is feeling great! Well, except for those pesky two-year-old molars that are coming in at the same time. Our pediatrician correctly diagnosed Benjamin with the flu. It cleared up just like he said it would.

We learned something new yesterday. Goldfish crackers seem to be toxic to betta fish. Our beloved Roxie made his journey to heaven after Benjamin decided to give him a snack. Of course, this is Macy's fish, so we will have to replace it before she gets home from her dad's house (this is the third Roxie we have had, but Macy thinks it's the original).

Summer semester is over. I'm very happy to be free for a few weeks to enjoy the cooler weather we are having. Benjamin and I will be traveling to Tahoe (about 20 minutes away) to attend the Wood Boat Festival (i.e. Chris Craft). One day I hope to own such a boat. For now I just have to admire from a distance.

Macy will be home from visiting her dad in a few weeks. We are so excited. This summer has been exceptionally long without her. Also, all the grandparents will be coming to celebrate Benjamin's 2nd birthday. It will be such fun to have everyone together. We're very fortunate to be celebrating another year with Benjamin.

Please sign our guestbook so we know you were here, and please keep all the other NB families in your prayers, as well as Phil, my bestfriend Nancy's husband, who is in Salt Lake City having tests to determine what is growing on his kidney. We are hoping it's not renal cell carcinoma as my dad beat a few years back and rather a benign cyst. They could really use some prayers right now.

Love,
Candace

Sunday, July 9, 2006 10:50 AM CDT

Well, the last few weeks have been a little tough. Benjamin has not been feeling well (fever, vomitting, dark circles around his eyes, etc.). Our pediatrician has assured me that it is nothing more than rotovirus, but is humoring me and doing a catecholamine test. I know he is probably right, but I can't shake the fear that the Neuroblastoma has returned. I am sure my fears are normal and other parents whose children have had similar diagnoses are the same way. He seems to be improving, however.

Macy will be home for a week and then will return to her father's house in Utah until August 12th. It will be great to have her home. We are planning on going to Six Flags Sea World in San Francisco (given Benjamin is feeling well). I am very excited to see her. Grandma Mason has ordered lots of things from Pottery Barn Kids to finish decorating her room with. Macy has chosen a Hawaiian theme. Macy will get to see her special friend, Charlie, when she returns. Charlie is in Reno visiting his Grandma for a few weeks and then will return home to Hawaii.

Russ continues to enjoy his job in Reno and has spent many hours fishing near Lake Tahoe. I have decided that my degrees in psych and math haven't be real lucrative, so I have returned to get my teacher certification. I know this field won't be lucrative either, but I know I will enjoy teaching immensely. I just have to find time to study.

That's about all we have been up to. Please sign our guest book so we know you were here, and please, please pray for our friends who are fighting this horrible disease and for Benny Petz's family who are having to learn to live without him.

Love,
Candace

Wednesday, June 14, 2006 4:52 PM CDT

As Father's Day nears, I find myself thinking about the sacrifices Russ has made for us these last few years. Russ had to move from Colorado to Washington DC when I was 8 months pregnant with Benjamin, while I stayed behind to sell our home. Benjamin was diagnosed two weeks prior to his due date. Russ meanwhile was living with relatives because we couldn't afford to make our mortgage and a rent payment as well. Russ worked things out so he could come home for Benjamin's birth, his surgery and nearly all of his scans. Russ never faltered and kept me going when I was exhausted, depressed and scared out of my mind, never once complaining about how hard his life was. He is the most wonderful husband and father. I don't know how I got so lucky.

We are so fortunate and blessed to be under one roof and healthy. Please pray for all the families who are fighting Neuroblastoma. And to any fathers that may be reading this, please have a wonderful day.

Love,
Candace

Wednesday, May 17, 2006 4:20 PM CDT

It's been awhile since I last updated. There hasn't been a whole lot to report, actually. Benjamin continues to be in good health and now has a mouth full of teeth. The last on erupted this week, but he seemed to handle it well. Of course, sucking on popsicles probably helped a bit.

We are having a party for Macy this weekend. Macy can talk Russ into about anything and so we are having 13 9-year old girls over for a campout/sleepover. The girls will be able to play volleyball and of course, we'll barbeque hotdogs, hamburgers and roast marshmallows for smores. Then we'll pitch the tents and hope they sleep or at least don't keep the neighbors awake all night.

Mother's day was wonderful. We went to the Reno Whitewater Kayaking Competition. I love kayaking so this was a lot of fun. Russ, Benjamin and Macy gave me a new digital camera so I will update pictures when I figure out how to download the pictures. Macy also made a clay mask for me to hang on the wall and she cross-stitched a bookmark for me that say, "Supermom." None of them can keep a secret, so I received all gifts about a week before the big day.

The picture above is from our trip to Salt Lake City where we had the opportunity to spend an afternoon with August and Terri Mead. We went to Build-A-Bear as you can tell. In Benjamin's stroller with him is Dr. NED.

Thank you for stopping by and checking on us. Be sure to sign the guestbook so we know you were here. Also, please keep the families who are fighting Neuroblastoma in your prayers.

Love,
Candace

Wednesday, May 17, 2006 4:20 PM CDT

Wednesday, April 19, 2006 7:52 PM CDT

We just returned from Southern Utah where we spent Easter with my parents. Benjamin and Macy had a wonderful time with their grandparents and the Easter Bunny spoiling them rotten. The weather in St. George was significantly warmer than in Reno, so we spent lots of time outdoors soaking up the rays.

Macy is doing really well in school. She was so surprised to be the Student of the Week, in addition to receiving her awards for making the Principal's Honor Roll and the Perfect Attendance Honor Roll. Macy amazes me. In spite of Benjamin's cancer and everything else that has gone on in her life the last two years, she has excelled and been so loving towards Benjamin. I'm sure there have been feelings of resentment, but she really seems to have her head on straight.

Benjamin continues to do well. His HVA/VMAs came back normal. This means that we will do ultrasounds, bloodwork and urine tests to detect NB instead of the CT Scans. It is such a relief, but I'm sure I will worry just the same.

We call Benjamin the South American Dictator because if he doesn't get his way he screams, "NO!" and points his finger. We are definitely heading into the Terrible Twos. I'm so grateful for those Terrible Twos. We didn't know if we would have them. How I have changed. With Macy, I dreaded them. Now I say, "Bring 'em on." Glad we made it to this stage.

Please keep all the children who are battling this horrible disease and their families in your prayers. There are some that really need a miracle at this point.

Please be sure to sign our guestbook so we know you were here. We love to read all the fun messages. Also, please look at the lunch for life page. If you would like you can make donations in Benjamin's name to help fund research to find a cure for this horrible beast.

Love,
Candace

Tuesday, March 28, 2006 11:10 AM CST

Benjamin's scans were clean!! We're waiting to see how the bloodwork and VMA/HVA test results yield and if the results are normal, we'll be doing those tests and ultrasounds from now on. No more sedation and scans!!

Primary Children's Medical Center doesn't use propofol to sedate the kids. They use versed which made Benjamin very happy and giggly. While he was in the CT Scan he kept saying, "Weeeee! Hey Dad." As we were leaving recovery he blew kisses to everyone and told them he loved them. He was very punch drunk!

We were able to meet Terri and Auggie from our NB Family. We had a great time with them, which included visiting an aquarium and touching stingrays and star fish as well as getting treats from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. We also went to Build a Bear. After explaining to the manager why I was buying scrubs for Benjamin's dog to wear, he told us about the cancer bear they have. The corporation donates part of the proceeds to pediatric cancer! We named Benjamin's dog, Dr. NED! It seems to have worked. It was great to be home in Salt Lake.

Thanks so much for checking in on us. Please keep all the other NB families in your prayers. Don't forget to sign the guestbook so we know you were here!

Love,
Candace

Monday, March 13, 2006 3:35 PM CST

Two more weeks until scans. The angst of it all is starting to set in. I was hoping that being able to meet Terri and Auggie from Utah and see members of my family and friends would alleviate some of the stress of the scans. It has to some degree.

We will be traveling to Salt Lake City, Utah for Benjamin's scans. Primary Children's Medical Center does things a little differently from The Children's Hospital in Denver. I am hoping that our experiences there will be even better than in Denver, although Dr. Wang certainly set a high standard. We are forever grateful to him and our pediatrician, Dr. Drysdale.

Benjamin continues to grow and do well. He is definitely hitting the terrible two's full-force. He is quite a biter, but prefers to bite the dog and cat to humans. Lucky for us, bad for the pets!

Macy is trying out for a swimteam tonight. Keep your fingers crossed. She, like her brother, is hitting a stage - - the tween stage. Needless to say, it's pretty crazy around here. I'm hoping that the swimming will channel her energy into a more positive direction. But, that's probably wishful thinking since I'm so lame! (Macy's words).

Please keep our NB friends and their families in your prayers. So many are relapsing and need some extra help to get through this.

Love,
Candace

Wednesday, February 1, 2006 3:13 PM CST

I think it's probably time to change the pictures here. I will get on that ASAP!

Benjamin will be having his CT scan March 27th, in Salt Lake City. It will be about a 5 hour drive for us, but we plan to spend the weekend there and see family, friends and our NB family members Terri and Auggie. We can wait for the scans, but are excited to be in Salt Lake again. I have been trying to pretend we are normal for the last 5 months, but now we're thrown back into the reality of it all, childhood cancer.

Benjamin's favorite toys are his airplanes. He loves airplanes. We will be driving in the car and he will let out a blood curdling shriek and point to an airplane in the sky. He then waves to the plane and I suppose the people in the plane. We spend a few hours a week at the airport watching the planes land and take off. Benjamin is a climber. Our new home has tile in the kitchen. The tile seems to be winning in the constant fight with Benjamin's head.

Macy is doing great in her new school. She was student of the week last week based on her academic achievement. She and Russ will be doing a science fair project in the next few weeks so she can shoot for an A+ in science. She constantly reminds me that she needs to be serious about school if she is going to become a pediatrician. I'm glad she likes school. I just worry that she takes it a little too seriously.

I am recovering from my second bout with pneumonia this year and a collapsed lung. I kept thinking the cold I had was viral, but apparently it wasn't. I am feeling much better and hoping to take the kids sledding this weekend.

Russ is liking his new job and we love being a family and living under one roof.

Thank you for checking up on us. Please sign the guestbook so we know you were here. Also, please keep the children fighting this horrible disease and their families and the families of those who lost to this beast in your prayers.

Love,
Candace

Thursday, January 5, 2006 11:43 PM CST

Happy New Year!

A lot has happened since I last updated. First and foremost we moved from Colorado to Reno, Nevada. Of course this occurred right before Christmas so I had only a short time to get the tree up, shopping done etc. It was so hectic all of us ended up getting sick. Benjamin was hit the worst with a double ear infection and croup. The rest of us had the flu and pink eye, which forced us to spend Christmas Eve in bed. Fortunately for us and unfortunately for my parents they were here to help with wrapping, shopping and all the stuff that goes along with the holidays. We wouldn't have had Christmas if it hadn't been for them.

Macy is excited to begin some activities such as skiing, tennis and swimming in Reno. She will also be attending a finishing school. Hope it helps calm down some of the wild outfits she chooses to wear. If Betsy Johnson designed clothes for kids she would be all over them.

Benjamin is doing well. We will be having scans in March in Salt Lake City. In some ways going every six months instead of every three months has been more difficult. I am hopeful things will continue to go well for Benjamin. He is walking all over and getting into everything. Macy is away visiting her dad so Benjamin has been carrying her picture around saying, "pretty." Benjamin loves airplanes and waves everytime a plane flies overhead. We drive by the airport quite a bit so he can see them. Perhaps he will be a pilot when he grows up.

Thanks for checking in on us and please sign our guestbook so we know you were here. Also, please keep the other kids and their families fighting this horrible disease in your prayers.

Love,
Candace

Sunday, October 9, 2005 10:56 PM CDT

We received the blood and urine test results from Benjamin's last scan. Happily, they were within normal range. Although clean scans are welcome, I don't entirely relax until all results are in.

Benjamin is continuing to grow and explore everything within reach. The plastic electrical outlet plugs seem to be a source of frustration for him. He seems to know the outlets do neat things and he would love to be able to get at them.

Macy is doing well in school and loves synchronized swimming. She is pretty busy with her friends and collecting "The Littlest Pet Shop" toys. They are great! Lots of little pieces for mom and dad to step on.

Russ will be home for Halloween, which just happens to be his birthday. We are very excited to be able to celebrate with him this year. Halloween will be a collective effort this year with everyone in costume. Macy and I will be in pink poodle skirts and Russ and Benjamin will be wearing leather jackets with their hair slicked back.

Thank you for checking in on us and keeping us in your prayers. Please pray our friends, James, Ruby, Auggie and Nathan and all the others who continue with their fight against this horrible disease.

Be sure to go test drive a Volvo as monies are being donated to Childhood Cancer Research for every drive that takes place.

Don't forget to sign the guestbook so we know you were here.

Candace

Thursday, September 8, 2005 10:57 PM CDT

Benjamin's scans came back clear. We are still waiting for the blood and urine tests, but most likely everything is fine. We feel very fortunate to have made it through another one.

Macy started synchronized swimming with her best friends from school. The first lesson went well. However, they didn't spend much time in the pool. Mostly they stretched and practiced dance moves. We will have to see what Sunday's lesson brings.

Russ will be attending meetings in Colorado, so we will have him home for a week. During that time Grandma and Grandpa Mason will be visiting from Grand Rapids. We are so excited for everyone to arrive.

Grandma Johnson was here for Benjamin's scans and we were fortunate enough to have her over Labor Day. Benjamin got his first big boy haircut by a professional rather than mom. It really makes him look a lot older.

Thank you for checking on us. Please sign the guestbook so we know you were here. Also, please keep our friends fighting Neuroblastoma in your prayers.

Candace

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 10:27 PM CDT

We celebrated Benjamin's first birthday with his daddy in Washington, D.C. Benjamin's favorite dessert is cheesecake, so we stuck a candle in one and let him dig in. I can't believe we have reached this milestone. Last year we didn't know if he would still be with us. He has added so much to our family and we have been so blessed that the Neuroblastoma was caught so early. He is an amazingly sweet and happy little boy. Of course, he is a boy, and gets into everything. Benjamin, has however, learned to pet the cat without pulling on his tail or trying to play with his teeth. Benjamin has two teeth and is trying to cut another tooth.

Macy had a great time seeing Russ and now calls him "Yo Pops." We visited the National Gallery of Art (one of many places we packed in) so she could see original Vincent Van Gogh paintings. Van Gogh is her favorite artist. We were also able to meet Meg, Catherine and James, Angel Rachel's mom, brother and sister. We went to the Natural History Museum and then the girls played in the fountain. Macy and I had a difficult time with the heat and humidity. Macy also received a Super Sibs t-shirt while we were away. She thinks it is super cool.

Benjamin has his scans next week, so please keep him in your prayers. Please keep all the children fighting Neuroblastoma in your prayers as well as their families and also the children who weren't able to fight anymore and their families.

Don't forget to sign the guestbook so we know you were here. Macy loves to read the entries.

Candace

Saturday, August 6, 2005 0:34 AM CDT

Benjamin has traveled quite a bit this summer. He was in Zion National Park, Utah, for a family reunion. He was able to meet most of my aunts, uncles, cousins and his second cousins. We had a wonderful time and Benjamin thought spending a week with Grandma and Grandpa Johnson was really neat. He came back a little spoiled.

The latter part of July and first part of August, Benjamin and I went to Banff National Park in Canada. Russ had to work so Benjamin and I played for 9 days. Kananaskis and Lake Louise are breathtaking. We also got to see a few wild animals here and there. We stopped to see where Custer took his last stand. I have to admit, the rattle snake warnings were a little unnerving. Again, we had a wonderful time and Benjamin has proven himself to be a good traveler. Every waitress we had made a fuss over him and he quickly learned that if he played up to them, they would bring good things (especially cheesecake).

Benjamin's paternal grandparents will be visiting in September. We are very excited to see them and are counting down the days.

Macy returned home on Monday. She and Benjamin have been inseparable. He must wonder where she has been. We are so happy to have her home and we're looking forward to Russ coming home next week.

We will be having scans again in September. We are, of course, nervous as usual. However, we remain optimistic that Benjamin will continue his NED status. I am asking for you to pray for Jamie, James, Kaitlin and Nathan as they have recently relapsed. Also, please keep all the angels, warriors and their loved ones in your prayers. These children really need them.

Candace

Friday, June 3, 2005 11:52 PM CDT

Dear friends and family,
I have good news to share. Benjamin's scans came up clean. We are still waiting for the results from the bloodwork and the urine test. Our oncologist has suggested scans again in 3 months and then spacing them out. He is pleased with Benjamin's progress. I get nervous about having scans and I'm nervous now about not having them.

Benjamin is crawling and he is pretty fast. He can get around and pull things out of cupboards faster than I can pick them up. He keeps crawling to Macy's room who has left to spend the summer with her father in Utah. I'm sure he is trying to figure out where she is. We miss her terribly.

Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. Please pray for James and Jamie and their families as they are facing relapse and the other children and their families who are fighting and those who have lost their fight to this horrible disease.

Please sign the guestbook so we know you were here.

With love,
Candace

Friday, May 20, 2005 0:14 AM CDT

Benjamin's next scans are scheduled for May 27th. He has been suffering from an ear infection for the last two months and may have to be put on a maintenance antiobiotic or have tubes inserted. Hopefully, this new antiobiotic will clear it up and it won't return.

Macy got her first package from Supersibs. What a great program. She was so happy to have something addressed only to her. Macy has been faced with having a new sibling after being the only child for 7 years and then having her brother born with cancer. Macy has taken everything in stride and adores her little brother. She has decided that they are both going to be pediatricians and have their own practice.

I am saddened to write that during the last few weeks a number of children have lost their battles with Neuroblastoma. Please pray for their families and also for the families and children who are still fighting this horrible disease.

Candace

Saturday, March 19, 2005 6:33 AM CST

The last few weeks have been difficult for Benjamin. He had an ear infection, the stomach flu and on Friday we found out his ear infection had returned. Colorado seems to have been hit hard with different viruses and infections. Unfortunately, I think his sister brings all of these home from school (she had strep). I am hoping we are on the mend.

Benjamin and Macy's dad will be home on the 23rd for a few weeks. We are so happy to have him back in time for Easter. He will also get to celebrate Macy's 8 birthday with us and take her to a daddy-daughter dance. She is so excited. She has grown up so fast. Benjamin just adores her.

On March 25th we will be delivering almost 200 boxes of Girl Scout cookies that Macy and her grandfather were able to get people to donate to the Children's Hospital in Denver. She wanted the children with cancer to have something sweet to eat.

Benjamin is growing and becoming more mobile. He isn't quite crawling, but somehow manages to move about on his stomach. He can now sit for quite awhile and play with his toys. His favorite object is a little mirror that he holds up and admires his cute mug!

We are very grateful that we are winning our fight against Neuroblastoma. Please continue to pray for the families who are battling this horrible disease.

Candace

Saturday, February 12, 2005 10:57 AM CST

Benjamin had his first post-operative CT Scan yesterday. The scan was clear and he came out of sedation like a champ. Our next scans will be in May, so we are praying those will also be clear.

Benjamin has been so happy to see his daddy. They have spent hours playing which Benjamin quite likes. Macy and Russ have also had a good time walking the dog and going out for ice cream...just the two of them.

Our family thanks all of you who are praying for us. Please continue to pray for all the children who are courageously taking on the fight against Neuroblastoma.

Candace

Tuesday, January 11, 2005 11:20 PM CST

Benjamin is feeling much better. The RSV seems to have resolved itself without Benjamin having to be admitted to the hospital. Benjamin's CT Scan is scheduled for January 28, 2005.

On January 19th, we will be traveling to D.C. to so I can be with my husband and the kids can be with their father. We are also planning to see the inaguration of the President and meet Jennifer Click and her children, Carolyn (NB survivor) and Evan.

We got good news as far as staging goes for Benjamin. He is Stage I, which has the best prognosis we could ask for. This means that the cancer had not spread from his adrenal gland and since the gland was removed, the pathology reports came back favorable and his age, Benjamin has an excellent chance for cure.

For those of you who have kept us in your prayers, we thank you. Please continue to pray for all the children who are fighting this horrible beast and their families.

Thursday, December 30, 2004 1:49 PM CST

Benjamin's bone marrow aspiration and bone scan were both negative for disease. His right adrenal gland was removed on October 7, 2004. Benjamin was only 2 months old. On December 28th Benjamin's VMA/HVA levels were within normal range. A CT Scan was scheduled for December 29th, but had to be canceled due to a diagnosis of RSV.

Poor Benjamin was sick for his first Christmas, but still enjoyed having his grandparents in Colorado spoiling him.

Thursday, December 30, 2004 1:35 PM CST

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