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Monday, January 16, 2006 8:32 AM CST

Hello Everyone,
I hope you all had a great holiday! We are just trying to get back in the swing of things. Getting the kids up and everyone off. Kurt just got a full time job as well so we are trying to adjust schedules. The kids are doing great. WE just got back from a weekend in North Carolina with Aunt Joann. They had a blast in the snow. It wasn't much but it was enough. I wanted to add a note from a friend of ours about what you can do if you are looking for ways to support children with cancer. Also, please continue to pray for Jake Rivers and Kylie Berry, and many many more families who are suffering rigt now.

Rally Foundation
Please read below about the RALLY FOUNDATION. THis is a wonderful story about a Foundation that is getting started to help found Research for Childhood Cancer. This is a great organzation that will help children like Mckinley and other children in the future that will be dignosed with cancer nation wide. All monies are going towards research only.

My friend Nancy writes:

I’ll warn you in advance—this is long so if you are limited on time, skip to the highlighted words first and second because I have two favors to ask of you. If you have a few minutes start reading—this is amazing!

We all know that our friends want to help us. When Will was in for one of his many hospital stays, one friend, Dean Crowe visited and asked me what she could do to help. I asked her to find funding to go to childhood cancer research. What she discovered was there really wasn’t funding available to redirect for research that our kids need. But she knew that she desperately wanted to help and that others did, too, so after much prayer (lots of it in my driveway!), the Rally Foundation was born.

So, since so many of our friends want to help us, let's continue to give them plenty of opportunity. Rally Foundation is one way they can help. Rally’s mission is simple and clear: to raise money for childhood cancer research--nothing else—through grassroots initiatives. What I am about to share is amazing: In early spring, Rally will be introduced nationally. Rally is partnering with Wrigley Gum’s Big League Chew (remember all those mystery prayers about praying for gum????) which will provide awareness that childhood cancer research is desperately needed. We also have generous support from Leader Enterprises (helped Nike launch LiveStrong), Mizuno (athletic gear), Aflac-we Atlantans all love “our” duck, and Tom Glavine. Glavine has even enlisted John Smoltz to also assist in Rally Foundation's efforts to raise research dollars for pediatric cancer! As a former baseball mom, I couldn’t be more proud or excited to have two of the best major league pitchers on our team to help raise money for pediatric cancer research. Many of you know Jane Hennessy so you won’t be surprised to learn she has been a big supporter, too. Her son, Will, and Tom Glavine will appear on the back of every Big League Chew pack and encourage the grassroots to get involved!

Rally's official launch will occur in March at Spring Training but there is much to do before then. That is where I need your help, but first I’d like to share with you some information about Rally.

Dean and Brad Steele of Leader met with the co-director of COG and learned about the many different ways childhood cancer research needs to be funded. Rallyfunds will benefit all phases of COG research. This includes Phase I, II and III Clinical Trials, Principal Investigators, CureSearch, and eventually a Rally Fellow to help fund the next generation of researchers. It is a HUGE agenda, but the efforts and results are bigger than I could have ever imagined, and certainly bigger than I ever prayed for—it’s really more than any of us could ask or imagine! Rally truly could become the Susan G. Komen of childhood cancer—it’s all about the research!

There is a huge need for our "grassroots" friends and family to help us fund research for cures and less debilitating side effects from current treatments. There are endless ways to raise that money. Since our goal is the same: find cures and less debilitating side effects for our kids with cancer, the results will be breathtaking!

I know all too well that we are all too busy fighting for our kids' survival or even worse, you may unfortunately now be trying to survive without your child--all while trying to keep our homes functioning in this dysfunctional cancer world of children. So I am only asking for 2 small favors.

First: would you please post info on your website about Rally Foundation and ask your friends, family and supporters to help spread the word and to host a Rally event? Money has already been raised by some schools at football games (Four Quarters for Research), peewee football games, car washes, selling cards made at an elementary school and more. One college has even started a Rally Team and a couple of companies have asked how they can start a Rally Team! The fundraising possibilities are endless and Robin Rohrbach (Director of Grassroots Initiatives and mom to Alexa, age 8 and Neuroblastoma survivor) and her Rally Coordinators are waiting to help! Contact Robin at robin@rallyfoundation.org or 770-423-1354 for more info.


Second: could you send a photo or two of your child, permission to use the photos, and a sentence or two about your child that you wish to share. For example, I am saying: "Will, 19 years old, loved pitching for East Cobb baseball, but when he couldn't pitch anymore he turned to comedy. He loves performing stand-up comedy on his college campus and in Atlanta comedy clubs!" Another mom said of her little girl, “She loved the color pink, her friends and traveling.”

This is a national effort so children with cancer from any place in the U.S. are encouraged to submit a photo and sentence-- so send this to your friends, too. It is especially powerful if you can send a photo of your child in "healthier times" and a photo perhaps while on treatment. The Rally website will have a section called Rally Kids where people can pick a Rally Kid or Rally Angel to rally with to find better treatments with fewer long term side effects and cures. You can email your pictures and information to robin@rallyfoundation.org or dean@rallyfoundation.org.

As many of you know, our kids' stories on Caring Bridge have been read by untold numbers of strangers who have cared, worried, and prayed for our kids even though they have never met us and may live hundreds of miles away. But, your story touched their hearts and their lives were forever changed by our kids' struggles.

Many have wanted to do something, but the opportunities were few. Your photos and a sentence or two will encourage even strangers to Rally 'round our kids and raise money to find cures. They can start Rally Teams in their towns and the sky's the limit as to how they might raise the money.

It is humbling to think about what our friends and families have done for us since Will's diagnosis and so I fantasize about the results that Rally Teams will create. I believe this effort will reap research rewards that will make a difference! So, website and clinic buddies, please copy and paste whatever you wish from this way too long email and post/forward to your grassroots community.

It is exciting and reassuring to me to know that so much is being done for pediatric cancer research because of so many efforts from Atlanta families. We all see and personally know the need to provide research dollars for our kids because the resources have been too meager for too long. All these initiatives are not competing with one another, but they all are getting the word out about the research need, empowering folks to help, and raising money for research! How great is that?!

After the holidays, we will meet for lunch and fill you in on everything! Please email me, Dean or Robin with any questions. If you know anyone or a company that would like to be involved, please let us know!

As we continue to pray for miracles for our own child and the children we have come
to know and love through the web, clinics, and hospitals…..please join me in sending this info out to contacts around the country as we let strangers, friends, and family Rally around us and fund the research that we desperately hope and pray for.
Thank you in advance for your efforts with Rally and have a blessed holiday season.

Love and prayers,
Nancy (www.caringbridge.org/ga/williamolson)










Note: The foregoing information was authored by the patient, parent or guardian, or other parties who are solely responsible for the content. Such announcements or their content are not necessarily endorsed by CaringBridge, Inc. or any sponsoring agent. This information does not confirm that anyone is or was actually a patient at any facility.
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Wednesday, December 14, 2005 10:21 AM CST

Hello Everyone,
Well, things have been crazy around here. Zack sick, Zoe sick. Zack sick and now Zoe sick again, ear infection. WE left her little dance show yesterday and she just cried and cried, it was the first we had heard of it... I thought she was just being dramatic because I was going back to work and she wanted to go with me. Anyway, Kurt took her straight to the doctor because she was screaming and saying her face and ear hurt... This is Zoe's second ear infection in her life and I don't think Zack has ever had one. He just went straight to the blood infections.
Anyway, things are going pretty smoothly. I am not worrying too much about Zack because I am so busy with work.

Most of you know but for those of you who don't... I am working full time with an awesome company called First ArtWorks, the founder lives in my neighborhood. It was a total god thing! I was going to work part time and he grabbed me and said he would pay me more and full time. I am loving it and it is such therepy for me. Being out of the house and regaining a sense of me!

Anyway, hope you all are well and have a great holiday season.
Much love,
Marcia

Wednesday, November 16, 2005 11:28 AM CST

Hi Everyone!!!
Just a quick update. Zack is doing great!
He actually has a fever and horrible cough but...that is o.k! Kurt is taking him to the dr. in a while to make sur it is not pneumonia, since that seems to be going around and he has asthma... Anyway I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and please pray for Jake Rivers!!!!!!
www.teamrivers.com
he is really struggling right now and if you all could just say a special prayer for his strength and healing, the family really needs it right now! Please visit their site and leave them a word of encouragement!
Love to you all,
marcia

Friday, October 14, 2005 12:31 AM CDT

Hi Everyone,
Just checking in to say things are going very well and no news is always good news!!!
Light The Night was awesome!!! Zack felt great and walked the entire way (2miles) in his bare feet, down town!!! Dont ask why he was barefoot just know that it was awesome that he had the indurance to do this for the first time!! We all had so much fun and seeing him happy and healthy was wonderful!!!
Thank you all so much for your donations!!! We raised over 14,000 I believe. I will get the final count soon! Zack is feeling great and no itching so far. A lot of kids get real itchy coming off chemo but he has another reaction. His face has bumps all over it! He looks like he is going through puberty!!! He is still precious of course. Dr. B says they are normal for coming off therapy and they will probably get worse b4 they get better! We can handle bumps!!!!! Take care everyone and please continue to pray for Kylie and Jake!! and all the other children who are suffering!! There are too many to list!
God Bless, Marcia

Wednesday, September 14, 2005 8:10 AM CDT

Hello Everyone!!
Sorry it has been a while. Things were going great then ...Zack got a fever, I got vertigo... But now we are all good again, I think!!!
Zack is a different child!!! He is so happy and mature, It is wild, how he has changed! We are enjoying our new life so far and look so forward to good days ahead!
I will update againn soon!
My new email is marcia@firstartworks.com
Please don't send to my old address anymore!! Thanks so much for checking in on us!
Much love,
Marcia and family

Tuesday, August 23, 2005 4:06 PM CDT

Hey Everyone,
AAAHHHHH, We are home and cooking a wonderful dinner with my mom to celebrate the new beginning!! Today went very smooth and easy.We were worried when we got there because he was wheezing but they agreed to go ahead which was a blessing after starving your child, sitting in 1 1/2 hr traffic... It would have been very dissapointing to hear we can't do it today... So we are so blessed to have Zack at home tonight feeling really good, after a long day of throwing up and throat hurting because of the tube down his throat.. He is up and happy tonight!
I have a huge headache which stinks because I thought I would be just so overjoyed. It is hard to know what to feel when so many kids are still suffering and you fear relapse... But , For now! I will try to just enjoy the moment, even with a killer headache!! We are soooo happy and relieved that this road is almost over, we have 2 weeks of oral chemo left but then it is officially over on Sept. 05!
Thanks for checking in and for following Zack on this long , long road! THank you for all of your suppport!
Much love, marcia

Thursday, August 11, 2005 4:19 PM CDT

Chemo could not have gone any better for Zack! Dr. Lew gave us the best present. He said we didn't have to do steroids this last round!!! Only you parents in the cancer world can fully appreciate what this means!!! No horrible grumpy, sad, tired, confused,... little boy running around this week!!
Also,to my surprise, this was our last port chemo! I thought we were getting vincristine on the 5th. Turns out they want to take his port out soon as possible, because Zack has had so many fevers, blood infections, ... because of that darn thing. So we are scheduled to get rid of it on August 23rd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Waaahhoo!!! Even Zack is starting to get excited. I don't think he really gets it! no more chemo!!!!!!!!! No more feeling like he has felt for the last 3 years! How could he get it really?
Anyway, we are so so excited for this period to be ending but want to also say it is not ending for so many and Zack
does have a small % chance of relapsing. This is why we are doing Light The Night again. Our good little friend Jake is in the fight of his life right now with ALL relapse. The same disease Zack has been fighting but he has to start all over! it is horrible! Please make a contribution to help doctors find THE Cure - the one that saves all little children's lives! The walk is in centennial park October 8th (sat) it will be so much fun and what a celebration for all of us who have watched Zack fight the last 3 years! If you want to donate on line please go to:
www.active.com/donate/ltnAtlant/ltnMHoechs
Thanks and Much love, Marcia

Sunday, August 7, 2005 4:52 PM CDT

Tomorrow is our second to last CHEMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have tried to remain calm but , it is just so dang close now!!!! Some other exciting news is I have gone back to work full time and am loving it! I am working for a friend in the neighborhood and he has a really exciting business that is just getting off the ground. I'll tell more next time. Kurt is still looking for a job and this makes the transition easier for the kids. They seem to not even really notice yet. I told my new boss I wanted to take Zack tomorrow because I want to be the one to schedule his last chemo and opperation date to take the port out!!!
WWWAAAAHHHHOOO, this means no more stinkin ER visits when he gets his fevers...
I think I will just take a huge real breath that day. The
first breath that I don't hold my shoulders up around my ears breath... It has been a terribly long three years. I often get people saying Can you believe it has been 3 years and my reply is #$%# yes! It feels like forever.
Even though this is a time of joy and excitment our hearts are still so heavy because of Jake and all the other little ones who have to continue suffering, it just stinks. Please continue to pray for Jake www.teamrivers.com and also visit our online fundraising site for Light The Night www.active.com/donate/ltnAtlant/ltnMHoechs
I know that is a handfull but I don't know how to let you just click on it. We will be sending this page out soon but just in case your not on our email list... here it is.
The Light The Night walk is October 8th this year. We would love for anyone who has been supporting Zack to come and walk with us!!! Much love, Marcia

Saturday, July 23, 2005 9:50 AM CDT

Hello from Minnesota!!!
Zack and Zoe and I are with my mom visiting my sister. We are having so much fun and so glad to be fever free for a while. Zack had a rough time of it last round of steroids. On the last day of steroids he felt like he was being bitten by bugs and had a fever so we rushed to the hospital.... Being on day 5 of steroids combined with a fever made him feel like bugs were crawling all over him, in his port .... It was scary!!! The nurse was not too confident and missed his port the first time. I had to muster up all the self control in my body to let her try again. She did get it the second time! Zack then had very high fevers for 5 days, up to 105.0 under the arm. Anyway, we are glad to be having fun with cousin Chandler, Aunt Beth, Uncle Sam and GG!! We miss you Daddy!!!!
All of our cancer friends make sure you go to the Braves Game on Thursday courtesy CureSearch!! If you don't know about it go to the Cure Search website!!!
Also, please pray for our dear friends the Rivers. Check out there website at www.teamrivers.com
Also, please give blood and platlets if you can!!! Our kids need them.
Much love, Marcia

Wednesday, July 13, 2005 6:27 PM CDT

Hey Everyone,
Well, we are right in the middle of steroid hell!! and so glad that this is one of the last months we will have to do this!!!! Really everything is o.k. Zack is just feeling pretty miserable, grumpy, wants to eat but nothing looks good....
I wanted to put a website up for you all to visit it is
http://www.quietheroes.org
it is going to be a special event that if any of you could help in any way that would be great!!
Post again soon, remember no news is good news!!
Marcia

Tuesday, July 5, 2005 7:58 PM CDT

Gosh time is flying!!! I can't keep up with this journal! That is a good thing. We are already due for chemo again. I am pushing it back a little because of Zack's big Birthday Party on Saturday!! I just realized he would be on steroids for his party and that would just ruin everything so I talked to our sweet nurse and she helped get us an appt. next week. Zack is doing really well. He just started getting a low grade fever, mouth sores... which means his counts are dropping, because we increased his chemo. Everytime we try to get him up to a full dose of chemo. his white cells drop and he gets all types of troubles... Anyway, I'll take him tomorrow and get his blood checked so we can drop back the chemo.

Zachary turned 5 on June 29th!!!! This is such a significant day for our family. This is the day 3 years ago that we felt like something really bad was wrong with our baby! on July 8th 2002 we discovered how very bad it was! This has been a long hard road for all of us and we are just so excited at the posibility that it might be about over. We are scheduled to end therapy around Sept. 5th.

I will try to update again soon. Just remember no news is always good news!!!
Much love and please visit www.teamrivers.com
Marcia

Wednesday, June 15, 2005 9:07 PM CDT

Hey, Just a quick update to say zack is feeling much better. We went to the clinic about his throat and his counts are good and his throat must just be allergies??? He is still complaining every now and then. He is coming down off his steroids and this has been a hard month for that as well. You never know how he will respond to each month's chemo and steroids. This one was hard but we are nearing the end.
please continue to pray for dear sweek Jake!!! their family needs your prayers !!!
Thanks for checking in on us!!!
Much love, Marcia

Sunday, June 12, 2005 9:07 AM CDT

Hello Everyone,
Well we made it through another clinic visit. Zack got his LP - Lumbar Puncture... chemo and chemo in his port. He threw up about 15 times that day and later afternoon he started feeling better and we went to the pool for a few hours.
He is having a very difficult weekend due to the steroids. I have not seen him respond this way in a long time. They are just making him miserable and his throat is hurting to the point that he is not eating. So hopefully we can make it till tomorrow to vistit the dr. and not have to go to the ER today.
Anyway, please keep praying for the Rivers family and visit there site if you have a minute.
www.teamrivers.com
Much love, Marcia

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 6:22 PM CDT

I know I haven't updated regularly in a while but things have just been pretty darn normal. I want to ask that everyone that visits this site please go to www.teamrivers.com they need your prayers right now. These are dear friends of ours and their precious Jake just relapsed. He also has Leukemia, he is a year behind Zack in his treatment ( yes, you can relapse on treatment).
His parents are Elle and Brent and they need specific prayers for their strength and God's comfort. Our hearts are just broken for our friends and we beg you to add them to your list of prayers. Please visit their website for more info. Thank you in advance.
Zack's next chemo is next Wednesday, he is scheduled for a spinal... I'll let yall know how that goes. Much love, Marcia

Tuesday, May 17, 2005 8:43 AM CDT

Well we made it through another round... Actually half a round. When we got to the clinic Zack was feeling very sick from not being able to eat and then he started chilling, next thing you know he is spiking a fever so we gave him rosefin sp? and did not do the spinal. But we are still on schedule for finishing up treatment on Sept. 5th. WWWWaaahhhoooo!!!
Zack is done with steroids for the month. So hopefully you will not hear from me until his next round of chemo next month. No news is good news.

Oh yea,
I have been meaning to tell you all about a wonderful thing that happened to us!! The awesome staff at NorthPoint Church and the lighthouse staff were wanting to minister to some families who had been through rough times. We were one of these families. They came over one rainy morning a few weeks ago and created this wonderful space in our backyard that we can sit and enjoy this summer. There were about 30-40 people who came on a big bus and did an EXtreme Makeover to our yard and helped organize our cluttered garage!!! It was awesome and we fill so blessed. I hope to get pictures on here soon to share with you all what they did!! Thank you, North Point and Lighthouse for making us feel special and loved!!! Much love to everyone! Marcia

Monday, May 9, 2005 6:52 PM CDT

Hello Everyone!!!
Sorry it has been a while, but always remember no news is
Good News! When things are calm, I usually don't post. Anyway, we have our second to last LP - Lumbar Puncture, which is basically a spinal tap where they put in Chemo...
These are no fun, no eating after midnight, ... Zack used to get sick on the way down because he knew what was coming and not eating. He hasn't done that in a while but he always gets sick directly after the procedure is over.
We are excited that this is hopefully the second to last one. they are done every three months and now we have (after tomorrow, June, July, August , and will be done with all treatment early Sept.!!!Waaahhooooo!!!!
We start steroids on Wednesday so please pray for my sanity!!! Much love, Marcia

Thursday, April 21, 2005 8:17 AM CDT

Howdy everyone!

I hope all is going well for each of you and your families. As an update to my email that I sent out about 2 months ago, I am very pleased to share with you that on Tuesday March 29th I accepted a job offer from a company based here in Atlanta, called Intellinet. I want to give a HUGE Thanks to all of you for the outpouring of support and responses that we received, and a very special thanks to Melanie Amos who responded to my email and connected me with Frank Bell, the President of Intellinet. What an incredible experience the past few months has been.

Intellinet is a professional information technology services firm. For you non-technical folks, they help their clients solve business problems by developing technology solutions to help information flow more smoothly in, out and through an organization. They help make businesses more efficient through the use of technology. I will be a Business Development Manager (Sales) focusing on the construction and real estate industries in Atlanta, and then the east coast where we have offices including Florida, Alabama and Mississippi, the Carolinas, the mid-Atlantic states, and New York/New Jersey. I am very excited about working with the professional and talented group at Intellinet, and look forward to bringing my experience in the construction industry into play as we further develop our client base.

Intellinet has worked with well recognized companies including Beers Construction (now Skanska USA), Bovis Lend Lease, Beazer Homes and John Wieland Homes in the construction industry, as well as AFLAC, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP, Cox Communications, Brachs, Comcast, Bellsouth, Cingular, Suntrust, Siemens, Kobelco, The Home Depot, The Weather Channel, Worldspan and Intercontinental Hotels---just to name a few! The folks at Intellinet have done an outstanding job building their business and their reputation over the past 10+ years, and I am incredibly honored and excited about joining the team and the opportunity to help continue growing the organization.

While I have you here, I'd like to take a minute to share with you a bit about what has transpired in my world over the past 2 months or so as I've been looking for a new career home. First of all, I want to say how awesome it was to see the support and offers for help that I got in response to my request. After sending out my email and posting the same letter on Zack's website, I was literally inundated with emails and phone calls. I spent 3 days doing nothing but reading emails and responding-each time I got caught up, several more would come in. Many of the responses I got were from friends and family who have been following Zack's progress over the past few years-thank you for your continued uplifting and inspiring words and help! I also got probably just as many responses from people I have never met who have been following Zack's website unbeknownst to us, or who had my info sent to them by one of the original recipients. I'd like to say a special thanks to all those folks-what an incredible feeling it is to have people who have never met me referring me to business contacts and following through to make sure my resume got looked at and considered.

I mentioned in my last email that Marcia and I have often been asked how we have dealt with and gotten thru the hurdles that have been placed in our path over the past few years, and I shared that it has been by placing our faith in God and trusting in His guidance-and I'd like to expand on that.

Know how it is when you go somewhere and you get exceptional service from someone? You get something totally unexpected and out of the norm, and you just want to tell a bunch of people about it, about what a great deal you got. Well, that is how it is with Christians who have seen and experienced the greatness of God and what He can do in and for your life. I wish I had the ability to put all my thoughts into words and share the incredible events that have happened in the past few weeks, months and years that can only be attributed to God our Creator, but try as I might I keep coming up short. But I will say that if people like us can come through the turmoil we've experienced the past 3 years and still believe that God is great, there must be something to it.

I have been going to church for many years but have not always had the closest or strongest relationship with God. I have had many questions and also some doubts, I've been turned off by the ceremony and rituals that many churches promote as part of a 'proper' relationship with God, and I have at times strayed away from living a life that honors Him. Fortunately for Marcia and me, we were both already seeking a stronger relationship with Him prior to Zack's diagnosis, and we've often said that we don't know how anyone could make it thru something like this without His help.

But back to my point, which was supposed to be about Faith. Why did Zack get leukemia? Why was our daughter Zoë born with club feet? Why did Marcia and I spin out of control in the rain on a major highway and end up going southbound in the northbound lanes? Why was I sideswiped by an 18 wheeler on another major highway? I don't have a pat answer to these questions, but each time, I (we) have turned to God in these moments of distress and in these years of trials, and each time He has been there for us. Maybe the reason they happened is simply so I write this message and it starts just one person to think about looking to God, and if so, I am overjoyed to be a part in His plan.

Most people I know believe in God to some degree, but many aren't sure to what degree. Most people believe that God is the Creator and that he is all around us, but many don't understand what it means to have a personal relationship with God. I assure you, He is there, waiting for you to just say hi, longing to be a part of your daily life. If you don't already have a relationship with God like I'm describing, I encourage you to just open your heart to that idea, and I promise that He will start to work in your life.

Whatever you do, wherever your heart is, the one thing I encourage everyone and anyone to do is to focus on spending quality time with the family that God has placed in our lives. None of us knows when our time will come, or our kid's time, or our mom's or dad's or husband's or wife's time will come. When Zack was diagnosed with cancer, I realized that he wasn't the first, and he won't be the last. Kids have been dying since the dawn of time. People die every day, in every way. It is guaranteed. Without a relationship with God, the Creator who set up the rules that everyone dies, who knows what will happen? What will happen to you? To your kids? To your spouse, or parent?

Also when Zack was diagnosed, I saw and knew the reality of everything I don't have control over in life, which as it turns out is just about everything other than being able to have a relationship with God. My kids are not mine, and yours are not yours. We just get to have the opportunity to enjoy them and help guide them. But they belong to God, just like we all do, and he can take them or us at any time.

I'll step down off my soapbox pulpit now, but I'd like to point you to the website for our church where I'd recommend listening to two recent messages our minister has given-both of them outstanding and beneficial to both non-believers and veteran Christians alike. If you follow this link ( www.northpoint.org/sermonaudio ) you'll see a sermon titled E-Day..as in Easter. If you've ever questioned the 'story' of Jesus and wondered if he was who people say he is, or wondered about the validity of the story of his death and resurrection, listen to this. It is the best Easter message I've ever heard, and you can listen for free by clicking on the one of the icons to the right.

I also encourage you to listen to the next two sermons that are posted there, which talk about how to deal with doubt about God, and what he does in the world and in our lives.

I'll wrap up by saying again that I am so grateful to each and every one of you for helping me and my family move forward and find a new level of peace. Having been at Intellinet just 2 ½ weeks now, I already know that the people and the purpose are 'right' in every possible way, and I am thoroughly excited about watching the future unfold. If you happen to have questions about Intellinet or Christianity, please definitely give me a call and if I don't know the answer I'll find someone who does!

Thanks, Peace, and God Bless!


Kurt Hoechstetter
kurt@imagebolt.com kurth@intellinet.com

Thursday, April 7, 2005 7:58 AM CDT

Not much to report!!! Which is always good news. We have had a pretty normal few weeks. Zack started having diarhia yesterday, so we will wait and see what that turns into, hopefully nothing. We have chemo on Friday plus another immunization - prevnar. Which he has had but they did a titer sp? on him and his levels are very low. Which means this immunization might help him to not have any other blood infections, or it may do nothing because immunizations typically do not work while on chemo. Anyway, it is worth a shot, literally!!
Hope you all are doing good.
Most of you already know but if you don't. Coulter, a dear little boy lost his battle last week. Please pray for his family (Nikki, Terri, Annika and the baby Tinley) They are a strong family but could use your prayers.
Also, Please continue to pray for kylie and her family. Kylie is having a tough time right now and she needs prayers for strength. www.caringbridge.org/ga/kyliescorner
Much love, Marcia

Saturday, March 26, 2005 9:01 AM CST

Happy Easter!!!!
Yesterday Zack woke up throwing up again! and by 2 he hit 101 and we took him to the clinic. I was so excited they were open! Usually it is sunday when the fevers hit. I thought for sure they would be closing early for the easter weekend. Anyway, Kurt took him down and they did the normal drill. He is feeling fine. I just wonder what this one is. He seems to throw up everytime he gets sick these days. Anyway it is a beautiful day and I want to get out in it!
Please pray for kylie and coulter!!!! They need your prayers really badly right now!!!
www.caringbridge.org/ga/kyliescorner
www.caringbridge.org/ga/coulter

much love, Marcia

Wednesday, March 16, 2005 8:53 AM CST

Hey Everyone!
It is a miracle!! I got Zack to school on Day 4 and 5 of steroids!!! He was sooo grumpy yesterday but at the last minute, decided to go in his pj's and slippers. So glad to have a few mornings to get caught up on paperwork...
I owe a huge thanks to Mrs. Cindy (zack's teacher) who he loves. She makes him feel so special and lets him do what he needs to do to get through these hard days at school. This is a huge blessing to me and a huge change from last year at school.
Anyway, my sister and her son are coming in from Minnesota tmrw and zack and zoe are sooo excited to have the weekend with them! Zack is doing pretty good and hasn't thrown up since last Saturday so hopefully he is getting stronger and ready for Spring .
Love to you all and please pray for Kylie who is having a very difficult period in treatment coming up. Most of you who know me know of her but if you don't yet, please check out www.caringbridge.org/ga/kyliescorner and also coulter at www.caringbridge.org/ga/coulter
p.s. i have a new web address it is www.marcia@zacktracks.com
Marcia

Wednesday, March 9, 2005 12:42 AM CST

We Are Home!!!
We had a great time at Disney - Give Kids The World Village.
Zack threw up at the airport and did not feel great the first few days. He eventually got into the swing of things and started feeling better! We really enjoyed spending time together and not having a care in the world!! We didn't have to clean up after ourselves and were catered to in every aspect, it was awesome. The last few days were awesome!!! Zack started feeling really good and we all had soooo much fun! We rode rides and ate and ran aruond the park. Our little girl has nnnnooooo fear!!! We rode several rides that I thought she would be crying on at the end but she was all smiles... I will write more later. I have to tackle the house. Zack is not feeling great again. He felt like he needed to throw up this am but I think it is just because he is sooo congested. We have chemo on Friday so I'll update after that!!
Much love, and thank you for all your prayers to keep Zack healthy at Disney, They worked!!! Marcia

Wednesday, March 2, 2005 3:19 PM CST

Well we had a good day on Monday till 3am and Zack came downstairs breathing hard and shivering so ... after throwing up his tylenol twice he had a fever of 103.3. We were in the ER by 3:45.. Nothing has shown up in the blood and he has not had a fever since so we are assuming it is/was viral. So we are off to Disney tmrw. am and praying he will stay well!! I am feeling pretty cruddy now but hopefully we will have some warm air and fun and we will all feel better.
Kurt is still on the job hunt.He had 2 interviews today. But keep those leads coming! Much love and thanks for the prayers.
Marcia

Sunday, February 27, 2005 5:06 PM CST

Calling all prayer warriors!!!
We are suppose to be leaving for Disney in 4 days and Zack hit 101 degrees today for about 10 minutes and then it went down. He has been feeling very sick all day but has perked up a little this evening. Please, Please pray for him to start feeling better tomorrow!!! I really don't want to have to tell them we cant go but I also don't want to go with a grumpy sick child who will not enjoy it like he should!
The Make a Wish people came tonight to give Zack a party. They brought pizza, cake, balloons, gifts and a special shirt that Zack gets to wear to get to the front of every line!!!We are soo excited about this trip and hope that Zack is feeling great for it!

Much love, Marcia

Wednesday, February 23, 2005 6:47 PM CST

Hello Everyone!
Not a lot to report, which is a good thing! Zack is doing very well. He beat the blood infection and bounced back strong after the chemo this month! Zoe is a grumpy girl the last week or so. I took her to the dr. and she checked out o.k. but she is not herself. I think she is just fighting something.
Kurt is still job searching. He has a lot going on and has had several second interviews.. So things look pretty good but please keep him in your prayers and on your mind as you go about your days. He is still open to new opportunities. See his previous entry if you don't know what I am talking about.
The best news of all is we leave one week from tomorrow to go to Disney!!!! We are going with Make a Wish Foundation. And it should be awesome!!! Everything is taken care of for us. We will get all the info. this week sometime letting us know all the details. We are all very excited and pray that Zack continues to feel good so we can all enjoy a week away!!!
Much love to you all! Marcia

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 9:26 PM CST

(This is Kurt writing the entry tonight--Marcia went to bed already and asked me to update everyone) Well, it looks like the antibiotics are doing their job, thank goodness! Zack has not had a fever in the past 3 days, and the blood sample they took Monday has not grown anything yet--hooray!
Thank you to everyone who has responded to my request for help with my job search, and if you haven't yet seen what I'm looking for please see the journal entry from a few days ago where I describe what I'm after.
Please continue to pray for Zack and all the other kids fighting these awful diseases. Saturday night we were at a fundraiser for CURE, a Georgia non-profit that helps with funding research for childhood cancer. Bruce and Faith Prescott shared their story about their beautiful daughter Shelby, who was promoted to the church triumphant last fall because the research done so far was not able to keep her here with them. Bruce made a point that made a huge impact on us, and the rest of the crowd when he said that over 1000 kids die each year from cancer. He said, if terrorists killed 1000 kids, just think of the money and support this country would pour into finding and killing those responsible. Well, 1000 kids died last year from cancer, and 1000 the year before, and over 1000 will die this year--and number of kids being diagnosed each year is on the rise. But funding for research to eradicate childhood cancer is still absolutely pitiful compared to that thrown at adult cancer. My numbers may not be exactly correct, but I believe Bruce said that for every $112 spent on research for adult cancer, $1 is spent on research for kids. That is a crime. PLEASE help get rid of these diseases!! Donate to organizations like www.curesearch.org and help make a difference.
Please say a special prayer for dear little Kylie, and our pal Coulter. These kids need our help in a huge way! Visit their websites at www.caringbridge.org/ga/coulter and www.caringbridge.org/ga/kyliescorner
Thanks, and Thank you for stopping by to check on Zack!

Tuesday, February 15, 2005 10:13 AM CST

I just heard from our nurse Kim and she said it was not a contaminent and that the blood is growing streptococal pneumonia (not the right spelling i am sure) anyway what this means if he gets a fever again we go inpatient into SR and then I will get nervous. So everyone pray for no more fevers!!!!!
Please see previous entries to learn about kurt's situation if you havent already! Thank you to all of you who have responded to him. We are so blessed to have such a supportive community! Much love, Marcia

Monday, February 14, 2005 3:25 PM CST

Well I have a lot to catch you all up on. Yesterday (sunday) on the way to the circus Zack was feeling hot to me but not 101 hot so we went on and he was miserable during the circus... which was a bummer but I think he enjoyed it he just was feeling so bad. When we left we went to the store to buy a thermometer. Of course it was 101.1 the magic cut off number so we went straight to SR and his anc was very high. those are his white cells basically, which tell us he is fighting something... So it was good his ANC was high but I knew or was pretty suspicious because he had no other symptoms, that he might be fighting a blood infection that can sometimes come after chemo.
Anyway, long story short, his nurse called this afternoon and said the blood was growing something so he had to go back in to the clinic(at least not the ER) today and get more iv antibiotics and probably oral antibiotics... If the blood they take today still shows something growing, we will have to go back tomorrow and get more antibiotics and wait to see exactly what it is growing. Our prayer is that it is just a contaminent... that somehow got on the specimen... We just ask that you pray it is not growing something too dangerous!
I will keep you posted and thank you to everyone!!! who sent out kurt's email to friends... He has gotten an overwhelming response. For more info on this past entry you may go to previous journal entries.

Also, I am still selling the green armbands if you want one just email me!

Much love, Marcia

Tuesday, February 8, 2005 9:28 AM CST

(A message from Zack's dad Kurt....)
Well, it is the beginning of another year, and things were getting too “normal” in my life so I knew it must be time for some sort of a change. It wasn’t a huge surprise, but the company I’ve been working with has closed the the division I worked in at their Georgia office and I now find myself without a job.

As you know, our family has gone through some rather stressful times over the past few years as we’ve dealt with Zack’s leukemia and the multitude of issues that have come along with it, and the support we’ve received from you and so many other great people has been tremendous---and we are grateful beyond expression.

If you can take a moment to try and think of any companies that might be a good fit with my experience and objectives, please give me a call or drop me an email. I’ve attached my resume and a cover letter with my goals and qualifications but as a quick summary, I am a business to business sales and marketing professional with experience in:

Software products and solutions
Building Products for commercial construction
Technology Consulting
Business publishing

If you can’t think of any positions or companies that might be a good fit, please pray for me in my job search and also for our family as we climb one more hill. I try to look at things in as positive a light as possible, and I truly consider this an opportunity and not a setback.

In talking with other parents who have gone thru similar (childhood cancer) experiences, one of the lessons that we’ve been forced to learn is that there are times in life when there is no other option than to be humble enough to accept the help and support that others heartfully offer up.

It is a lesson that Marcia and I learned early on in our saga as we were forced to run our household with both of us living in the AFLAC Cancer ward with Zack for 5 weeks straight. We had friends mowing our grass, cooking us meals, and helping out financially as well.

For guys—dads in this case—it is so crucially important for us to be able to do the things necessary to support our families even in dire cases like we were faced with. It feels like you’re going against the grain when you accept the pledge of the neighborhood men to each take turns mowing your grass for the whole summer—but you know that there is no other choice, you know that it makes sense, you know that without their help and assistance you’d have an absolute jungle on your hands.

Having learned my lesson on being humble enough to accept aid, I am now taking the initiative and being humble enough to ask for your help as I launch a campaign to find possible employment opportunities—before our finances become a jungle of unpaid bills.

Thank you so much, again, for your continued thoughts, prayers, and support for our family and our other cancer-family-friends.

One final thought....people always ask how we deal with the situations that life has thrown at us. Truth be told, it is simple: we put our faith in God and seek His guidance.

THANKS SO VERY MUCH!!


Kurt Hoechstetter

kurt@imagebolt.com

678-575-2936

Saturday, February 5, 2005 9:51 AM CST

Quick update:
It is too pretty to be inside on the computer so I will make this quick. Zack is doing great. We are scheduled for chemo- LP- Lumbar puncture on THursday morning.

Also, I have 100 "Reach The Day" armbands to sell. If any of you have teenagers you know it is all the rage to have these lance armstrong type armbands. Ours are Green and go to research for all types of childrens cancers. They are just 1 dollar each. Let me know how many you want and I will mail them to you! Thanks and much love! Marcia

ps- Please continue to pray for kylie!!
www.caringbridge.org/ga/kyliescorner

Sunday, January 30, 2005 8:51 AM CST

Well that didn't last for as long as I would have liked! Zachary started feeling bad on Thursday and by Friday afternoon he was coughing really weird. So, at about 4:30 I called our nurse and she could hear him and said try a breathing treatment (for those of you who don't know, Zack has asthma too) and if that doesn't do anything go to the ER! So, at 5:00 rush hour,on friday, in sleet, they headed down. Kurt had the idea to call the dr on call and see if we could go to the hospital up here because they were just going to take a chest x-ray and give him oral steroids... So luckily she agreed and they didn't get stuck at SR.
So we are on oral steroids which is loads of fun! I guess it is croup, but the steroids are allowing him to sleep instead of coughing to the point of throwing up, which is nice!
We have had fun playing in the ice, we went sledding a lot yesterday and Zack said this is the funnest thing he has ever done!

Much love to all!!!
Marcia

Tuesday, January 25, 2005 6:22 PM CST

Hey Everyone,
Just a quick note to say we are having so much fun the last few days!! It has been like someone came in and gave us our old Zack back! He has been in such good moods, so full of energy and best of all, so nice to Zoe!!!!
What is going on around here? The other day they were running around chasing eachother and they started pushing eachother, which would normally lead to screaming and crying but no, they laughed harder and when I tried to get on to Zack about it Zoe jumped in and said "no mom, I like him to push me hard" I was so amazed!! I keep waiting for it to end but it isn't. This has been a record for us to have 5 days or so of getting along and happiness. Have they turned a corner or is Zack just feeling extra good? I hope this is a new trend!!!!! We are not scheduled for chemo until the 10th so hopefully we will have at least another good week or so.
Please keep Coulter and Kylie in your prayers!!! They are both undergoing stuff you cant even imagine!
www.caringbridge.org/ga/kyliescorner
www.caringbridge.org/ga/coulter

Also: I HAVE GREEN ARMBANDS TO SUPPORT CHILDHOOD CANCER RESEARCH. LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT SOME AND I WILL MAIL THEM TO YOU. THEY ARE ONLY $1.00 EACH!!!
THEY SAY "REACH THE DAY" - FOR WHEN WE REACH THE DAY WHERE CHILDHOOD CANCER DOESN'T EXSIST!!!


Much love, Marcia

Thursday, January 20, 2005 8:09 PM CST

Today was an awesome day!! Zack woke up screaming for juice because his throat hurt but as soon as we got some juice in him all was good! He was so excited to go to school, his teacher said it was the best day yet, belly laughing and everything! He got in the car at cazpool happy and continued his day so sweet and getting along with Zoe. It is so interesting, if Zack has a good day Zoe has a good day... we all have a good day! She so much takes his lead.
I just got back from a nice dinner with friends and am ready to hit the sack but wanted to mention too, I have GREEN ARMBANDS!!!! The same idea as lance armstrongs yellow ones. They say "Reach The Day" and with you purchasing one, you will be helping to find a cure for children with cancer or at least make the treatment easier for them by purchasing one or 100!!!!!
I have a bunch and they are 1$ each. So email me or respond on the site and I will send them to you. Let me know how many you want and where you want them sent to, add a 1$ for shipping.
I just sent 2 armbands to Canada today!!! Pretty cool !

Much love, Marcia

Wednesday, January 19, 2005 9:08 AM CST

Hey Everyone,
Just a quick note to say we are done with steroids!!!!! Zack was so grumpy this am and i told him no more pills today! and he got the biggest smile on his face and yelled yea!!!
So both are off at school for a little while, we were about an hour late because zack woke up at 5:30 wanting to eat.
Please pray for Kylie, she just had her tumor removed in NY and is having a hard time! Please Pray for her family!
www.caringbridge.org/ga/kyliescorner
much love, marcia

Saturday, January 15, 2005 7:45 AM CST

Wow, It is Saturday again already!!! Zack started feeling better by about Tuesday of last week and then we had chemo on Thursday! So as I type away I hear Zack screaming at Zoe at the top of his lungs!Steroids stink!!! We expect to have a weekend full of fighting and whining. Hopefully this month will be better than last month as far as Zack being sick all the time.
Some good news, we got our confirmation, we are going to Dinsney World on March 3rd through Make a Wish! We are so excited!!! Hope you all have a great weekend and please keep kylie-who is having surgery in NY in a few days to remove a tumor in her belly- in your prayers. Please pray for peace for her mom and dad!
much love, marcia

Sunday, January 9, 2005 9:59 PM CST

Well it is Sunday and the feeling good part didn't last very long for Zack!!! He woke up this am with a fever of 100.8, so close but never made it up to the 101 mark, thank God, I think! In a way I was hoping it would so that they would do some more tests on him. He is just so tired and cranky and still not eating well at all! He ended up having some energy later in the day and we decided to go around the block in their new cars they got for christmas. Zack made it down one street and said his legs were to tired to push the gas pedal! So I drove us around the block in his little 4 wheeler, which I am sure looked pretty funny, but we had fun!!! A lot of fun actually!
We had a baby sitter tonight while we went to bible study and when we got home they both were wide awake and Zack was acting like he felt pretty good!
Please pray for his recovery to whatever this is!!!! He can't seem to catch a break and we already have chemo again on Thursday! Zoe is doing great, fianlly off her pain meds, which hopefully will help her belly troubles.

Thanks for your journal entries! We look forward to hearing from who is coming to the site. Please don't be shy, just say you were here if you want to . Some of my friends have expressed it is intimidating to write when you know other people are reading... Nobody cares what you write, it is just good to know you are here with us and you care! So write away and don't forget to refresh after it!!!!
Much love, Marcia

Saturday, January 8, 2005 8:06 AM CST

AAAHHHH it's saturday!!!! and both kidos are feeling good!! What will we do???? Kurt and I met with Dr. B at the clinic yesterday because we have been so worried about Zack, he has just been so sick and looked so bad for so long. Dr. B reassured us that he is not relapsing ( my first thought when things don't look right) I think I do this becuase he was sick for sooo many weeks b4 he was finally diagnosed the 1st time that I don't want to miss anything if he does relapse. Dr. B also explained several things to us that we wish we had known a long time ago. Like we would not see all of the symptoms like we did the 1st time b4 they saw something wrong in his bloodwork, this takes the pressure off me to catch it!!!! I am not sure if that makes since but basically I don't need to always be watching out for signs of relapse, I can just leave that up to the dr.'s ! I know all this talk of relapse has some of you wondering. Zack probably will never relapse but you never know and if he did, the treatment is much more harsh, and the prognosis is not as good as the 1st time around!
Anyway, I am off to have some fun with the kids! Hope you all have a great weekend!! Much love, Marcia

Wednesday, January 5, 2005 8:25 PM CST

Hey Everyone,
Well I spent about an hour updating the site last night and it didn't save..
I am tired and it is late so I just want to say we had a fairly good day today!!! Zack started throwing up again last night and this am but after that he has been full of energy and looks a lot better. Zoe is also doing a little better and drinking a little more! Yea
Kurt has the fever tonight... hopefully he will get better soon!! I can't take care of 3 sick babies!! ha ha
Well thanks for visiting and I will try to update again tmrw! Thanks so much for your postings and if you have posted and you don't see it, you just need to hit the refrest button on your screen to make it show up.
Please pray for all the families who have sick children, there are so many and my heart just breaks for all of the moms and dads who have to deal with this awful disease. Please give blood and platlets if you can!!! Much love, Marcia

Sunday, January 2, 2005 9:07 AM CST

Hi Everyone,
It has been a busy and rough few days!!! Zoe is hanging in there, the pain is getting worse as the scabs begin to form and ... days 5-8 I think are suppose to be the hardest for her, but as long as we keep the pain meds coming she is o.k. . She is barely making it the 4 hours now.
Zack is having a tough time too. He has been green for about 5 days now and is throwing up still. Just once every now and then but his belly hurts non stop and he is still not eating much at all.
Between the two of them I have a strong feeling we will be at the clinic or hospital tmrw. Zoe only tee teed twice yesterday, so I worry about dehydration!!!
Hope you all are doing good and I'll write tmrw and keep you updated!
Much love, Marcia

Thursday, December 30, 2004 9:37 AM CST

Hey Everyone,
Thanks for all the postings!!! Zoe is doing good. She did great at the hospital and was so comfortable there! Her cousin Tyler was there too, so we were roaming the halls visiting the second floor. He had kidney reflux surgery and had a rough time but is much better now! Zoe's Dr. said her tonsils were "colossal"! sp?
Her voice is so high now!it is weird, I don't know if it will stay this high...
Zoe is needing me so gotta go, Zack is not doing great! He is very pale and taking 4 hr naps and not eating.. so we will go today to get labs and have his urine checked.. he says it hurts when he pees.
Much love, Marcia

Monday, December 27, 2004 8:52 AM CST

I have time for a very quick update.
Zoe has surgery tomorrow. Zack was in the ER on Christmas Eve day with a fever of 102.7 but got out quickly because his counts were very good. He also has had pink eye, he woke up with his eye swollen shut the day b4 his fever and we went to the clinic...
He is feeling better but Zoe feels like poo. HOpefully they will go ahead with her surgery... she is breathing so poorly at night it scares me.
Much love, Marcia

Tuesday, December 21, 2004 6:07 PM CST

Hello Everyone,
Well we just finished up day five of steroids and we are all glad it is over for this month...but I do have to say the new drug Zack is taking to counteract the steroid is helping pretty well. We actually had an enjoyable day for the most part today. We went to Aunt Leslie's house and played with our cousins and Zack and Zoe had a blast. Which never happens on day 5 of steroids!!! So we are happy about that!
Zack's LP - lumbar puncture(spinal tap) with methotrexate on Friday was difficult. We tried a new deep sedation for the procedure, a new sedation for this one to see if maybe he wouldn't be so sick after the procedure... well he wasn't sick but it wasn't worth it! Zack became very agitated and was fighting the procedure...This scared me and there was a team of anistesiologist in the room ... I could go on but you get the general picture.. plus, after the procedure he is suppose to lay flat for as long as possible for the chemo to get up to his brain (comforting, huh) he was fighting me and the nurses to get down and walk! IT was bad! So we will go back to the old light sedation next time , where he sings and giggles next time!
O.K. most of you don't know this yet probably but Zoe is going in for her own surgery on Tuesday at Scottish Rite for her tonsils and adnoids out!!! She has been having nightmares about this and I am really regretting telling her about it this far in advance. The other day when she was going to her Grandma's house. She said is Grandma going to take my tonsils out??? Last night she woke up screaming the monsters were taking her tonsils out!! I win the mother of the year award for this one!! She is kinda excited to be staying in the hospital that her brother has stayed in!!!
Please pray for Hayley's parents- the just lost there precious little 22 month old girl to leukemia AML.
They need all the prayers that you can give to them tonight!
Much love to you all and hopefully you wont hear from me till after christmas!!! Have a Great one!!! marcia

Tuesday, December 14, 2004 7:43 AM CST

Hello Everyone,
I just wanted to tell you all what a great couple of days we have had. Zack and Zoe have been playing non stop together, yes, together!!! Like best friends!!!! It has been so heart warming to see them and to know that they really do love eachother it is just hard for them to know it when Zack is feeling bad.
We just found out that Zoe is also having some physical problems that probably were affecting her mood!!! She has very enlarged tonsils so I took her to the ENT and he said she also is showing all of the signs of sleep apnea. So, her tonsils and adnoids need to come out ASAP. She is scheduled for the surgery on Dec. 28th. She will stay one night at Scottish Rite, she actually smiled when I told her this!!! THis is a child in need of attention!!!

Zack has a deep sedation (a new thing) for his spinal on Friday. I have heard good things about it and am hoping that with this new sedation he wont throw up after!!! Please pray for him Friday morning. These mornings are never easy!

Speaking of praying, we have many families that need your prayers. Hayley is a precious little girl that only has a few days left on this earth. It is heartbreaking... these parents need your prayers for strength and please pray for Hayley's continued comfort!
Also, I am going to give platlets today and I ask that if you physically can give blood or platlets that you do it! What a wonderful Christmas present for a child to recieve life!!!
Much love, Marcia

Tuesday, December 7, 2004 8:36 AM CST

I just want to update a quick message b4 we go to bed. Many have expressed their sadness and concearns for our wellbeing and I just want to say. We had a rough week and will have more of them after chemo starts again, but for now.... Zack and Zoe have had a great couple of days.!!!! Zack has been so sweet to Zoe the last couple of days and I am so thankful for that. We should have at least another good week b4 chemo starts again. Thank you for all of your prayers!
I also want to express that I am feeling really guilty about complaining all the time when so many families would give there lives to have their children home fighting instead of being in heaven. I do realize this but this is kinda my outlit where I let it all go so bear with me and know that I am so thankful for the situation I am in even if it is not the one I would have chosen. For now, I still have both of my children that God gave to me and I am so very thankful for them!

Please pray for all the children who are suffering tonight and there families. There are so many of them, I just hate what this disease does to children and there families!!! I will be selling Green armbands "reach the day" for childhood cancer soon. Let me know if you want one. They are $1 each and all proceeds go to research for children with cancer!!!!! Much love, Marcia

Thursday, December 2, 2004 7:47 AM CST

Well, we have had an exciting week. Zack has been off steroids but is still acting a little, o.k. alot angry!!! He is like a time bomb just walking around in a sweet little body just ready to explode! His poor little body is just filled with toxins and I know I can't really blame him but oooohhhhh he can make me so mad.

Tuesday when I picked him up from school he had his mind set that he was going to his friends house... I explained that we had other plans (taking his sister to the doctor who's tonsils are almost swollen shut!) Anyway, he had a huge angry fit that eventually lead to him saying some really nasty things to me and then started hitting Zoe. So I turned around just as my light was turning green, to stop him from hitting her, and I smashed the lady with two children in front of us. ......... She has whiplash, I had to take my car somewhere to have them cut a piece off so I could get to the other dealership that could fix my car... All the while Zack is in the back seat screaming because he wants spicy gum... Zoe, because she has to pee. I could go on and on but I think you all get the picture. Tuesday was not a good day for us!!!

We never made it to the Dr. for Zoe but we are going today to see what is going on with her. She always has huge tonsils but now they are making it hard for her to breath right at night!

I had a good day meeting with the "cancer warriors"- moms that I have come to know and love, who also have a child with cancer. We are coming together to try to get more money for research for children. I will have more to follow but it is all very exciting!!!!

Hope everyone is well. Much love, Marcia

Tuesday, November 30, 2004 7:39 AM CST

Hello Everyone,
It is Tuesday and both kids are at school today!!!! Yeehaaaw. That probably sounds awful to some of you but if you could see how they are fighting you would understand! Anyway, Zack is hanging in there the last weeek, he had chemo but got to go off the steroids a little early so that helped a little! i guess. He was still pretty grumpy. Which leads me to believe maybe it is not as much the steroids as it is that he just doesn;t feel good after chemo. And that is the way he acts when he isn't feeling good. I guess I'll probably have it all figured out just in time for the whole thing to be over!

Speaking of over, only 10 more months to go! That probably sounds like a long time to some of you but 2 years down makes 10 months sound doable! We have a busy couple of weeks coming up, with parites given by all of the wonderful groups that support children with cancer. We have a Lighthouse Party, Camp Sunshine Party, Cure party... All coming up in the next week or two. So I am glad Zack has chemo out of the way to enjoy the next few weeks. We do have a spinal due a few days b4 Christmas, but I am gonna see if I can't push it back or move it up or something.

Allright Max had to give me something to do while the kids were away so he decided to throw up all over the floor! So off to clean that up!! Have a happy day!!!!

Much love, Marcia

Wednesday, November 24, 2004 9:24 AM CST

Hello Everyone,
Just a quick update. We are at the clinic and Zack is to congested and wheezie to have his lp (spinal) so we are just getting regular chemo this month. Great news Dr. Lew is letting us go off the steroids that we have been on since Sunday, when we went to the ER for fever. This is a whole other story. Basically Zack fought a fever for a day then reached 102. by Sunday morning. We spent Sun. in the ER and Monday at the clinic. Now it is Wednesday and we are back at the clinic. He has a horrible cough that put us on steroids early. But Dr. Lew "felt my pain" and said we could come off the steroids early so we could have a good thanksgiving!!!! Yea Dr. Lew!!!!!!!!!!!

Zoe is having a hard time being shuffled all over the world the last few days, but I plan to spend a fun Friday with her to make up for it!

Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for checking in on us! Please sign the guestbook to let us know you were here! Marcia

Saturday, November 20, 2004 6:06 PM CST

Hello Everyone,
We just got back from a day trip to Chattanooga. We went to see some friends of ours that we haven't seen in 2 years! It was great to see them. We had a great time at the Childrens museum and ran around downtown... The day was not as carefree as we would have liked though. Zack got a fever of 100.8 right when we got there. For those of you who don't know 101.0 is the magic number that sends us to the ER. We said a quick prayer and went about our day and amazingly enough. It never reached 101. We are still watching him of course. I can not get him to drink anything and he has not tteed since this afternoon. Also, He has a terrible cough.

Soooo , we are really hopefull to avoid a nighttime visit to the ER tonight. And we are really thankful for a wonderful day that our family had today with old friends. Again, Zack has chemo on Wednesday (spinal, with methotrexate).


Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!! Drive Safe if you are traveling!
Much love, Marcia

Tuesday, November 16, 2004 8:06 AM CST

Well I just spent 30 minutes updating the journal... and i don't know where it went so ...
Quick update... Zack is doing great and his stomach has fianally cleared up!
We are due for chemo next Wednesday, which is the day b4 Thanksgiving so I think we are o.k. as far as Zoe goes! But thank you to all of you who offered to help this month! I really do appreciate it! I will let yall know about next month in a few weeks. The week after Thanksgiving might not be great if anyone wants Zack or Zoe for a couple of hours... Zoe doesn't have school on Mondays and neither one have school of Fridays.
I wish I could type everything again but I have a million things to do while the kids are at school!!
Much love,
I'll update soon!

Please visit past journal entries if you want to and read and sign our guest book! Also, please see Light The Night Photos by clicking on the photo button!
Marcia

Friday, November 12, 2004 8:07 AM CST

Hello Everyone,
Still have not heard anything from the clinic about Zack's stomach and as of this am it was still hurting but no diarhia,Yea!!!!
His thrush has cleared up so that is good. I am really dreading this winter but I met with a childlife type nurse about the way Zack feels while on steroids... and she reassured me that he needs to be in school as long as he is feeling up to it... the psychological effects from having to stay home and not do his "job" - school, are worse for him than a cold. His ANC has been very good lately so hopefully he will be able to fight off a lot of the colds this winter.
Well the kids are beating eachother up so I guess I should go!!!!!

Thank you all for visiting and please donated blood or platlets if you can!!!!
Thanks, Marcia

Friday, November 12, 2004 8:07 AM CST

Hello Everyone,
Still have not heard anything from the clinic about Zack's stomach and as of this am it was still hurting but no diarhia,Yea!!!!
His thrush has cleared up so that is good. I am really dreading this winter but I met with a childlife type nurse about the way Zack feels while on steroids... and she reassured me that he needs to be in school as long as he is feeling up to it... the psychological effects from having to stay home and not do his "job" - school, are worse for him than a cold. His ANC has been very good lately so hopefully he will be able to fight off a lot of the colds this winter.
Well the kids are beating eachother up so I guess I should go!!!!!

Thank you all for visiting and please donated blood or platlets if you can!!!!
Thanks, Marcia

Tuesday, November 9, 2004 10:19 AM CST

Hello Everyone,
Thank you all who responded to my plea!!! It is hard to ask for help but I have gotton pretty good at it the last few years! I don't know how we could have made it without all of the support you all have given us!
Zack is still home from school. His diarhia started up again and I took him to the clinic yesterday.Luckily he had an attack while we were there and they can test it to see what exactly is going on. His blood counts are fine so that is good news. I was starting to really worry about him. oh yea, he has thrush too. So we are working to clear that up b4 we all get it!

We get to go to the Equifax Thank you party tomorow night and be honored for collecting so much money for The Leukemia Society. It should be lots of fun and Zachary will feel special.

I will update yall soon and let you know what is going on with zachary as soon as i hear back from the dr.'s

Much love, Marcia

Thursday, November 4, 2004 8:41 AM CST

O.K I have a lot on my mind today so here goes! As you all will come to find out my spelling is horrible so just know that I know I can't spell!
Zachary has had a rough time of it the last few days, actually for about 8 days or so. It started on the day he got chemo and has continued through yesterday. I do think he is doing better today. He has had really bad diarhia and stomach cramps and on Tuesday he started to run a fever. It never got to 101 which is the magic number that says we have to go to the ER.
We go to the ER to make sure it is not a blood infection, which could be life threatening! He has had one of these b4 and it is NOT FUN. He can get a blood infection several different ways... So there is always a fear after chemo of fevers. We do think all of the diarhia was probably just a stomach bug but of coarse there is always the fear of relapse (symptoms pretty much the same as two years ago), or blood infection... it just goes on and on.
On to our family! We have just realized that the dust is starting to settle and our lives have been very affected by the last two years of "survival mode". Kurt and I have neglected us and Zoe is feeling the impact of it too(in her behavior)! Zack of course is tired of feeling like crap 2 weeks out of the month and Zoe doesn't get it!!! We try to explain what is going on when he is on his "grumpy medicine" but she is only 3! And it is hard for us to be around Zack when he is on his steroids so obviously it would be hard on her, especially not understanding why one minute he is nice and the next minute he is screaming at the top of his lungs at her!!!
Anyway, we are all working on rebuilding our lives ... Someone said to us recently, "Where would your focus be if your house burned down? We said,working to rebuild it, he said where would all your time and energy be, we said on our house, .... Anyway, Zack is our house burning down and we have focused on him for 2 years now and poor Zoe has had to deal with that and our marriage has had to deal with it! We wouldn't change a thing about how we have gotton through it because what other choice did we have.
What I am trying to say is we are all working to rebuild our lives and move forward. Things still aren't easy with Zack but they are better than they were a year ago!

CALLING ALL FRIENDS!!! WITH THE ADVICE FROM OUR FAMILY THERAPIST I am gonna try to remove Zoe from the situation when Zack is feeling crazy so I will be building a calendar to ask for your help. There will be 5 days or so when Zack is feeling really bad and is mean to her...so I need somewhere fun for her to go after school or for the day so she has her own life and fun things to do that make her happy instead of being stuck with him being mean to her! So I will send out special days in November that we need help and you can just email me if you could have her come over to play!
Thanks so much for your support! I hate asking for more, but it is important for our family to become normal again so I will!
Also, The number for giving blood and platlets is
1 800-826-2026 If you can give blood or platlets please please do!!!
I love you all and thank you for your time reading this book!!!! Much love, Marcia

Tuesday, November 2, 2004 6:28 AM CST

Hi All,
Zack is finally happy again!!! The dex has left his body!!! Now if we could get this darn stomach virus to go away we would be all set! I took him to see dr. lew yesterday to make sure he was not dehydrated and he said he looked o,k. to just watch him.
Thanks to those of you who signed the guestbook it is nice to know who is visiting!!!!
Much love, Marcia

THE CHILDREN NEED PLATLETS...I WILL HAVE A LINK UP SOON TELLING YOU WHAT TO DO OR YOU COULD CALL THE RED CROSS!

Saturday, October 30, 2004 9:17 AM CDT

Hey Everyone!
I just got our total for Light the Night and Team Zachary raised over 33,000 !!!!!!!!!!!!! Way to go everyone!

Audrey from The Leukemia Lymphoma Soc. says:
... $33,461 is what I have for your team total! Congratulations!!
You are by FAR the top family team we've ever had....and possibly the 2nd
highest in fundraising ever - only behind Equifax from this year.
CONGRATULATIONS!! :)

We are so thankful to everyone who came to the walk and those that contributed but couldn't make the walk! It feels so good to be loved and cared about by so many!!!

We are on day 5 of steroids and it is a typical day 5...Zack is happy as can be for about 1 1/2 minutes then goes straight to crying because he wants something but then we do that something for 1 1/2 minutes and he is crying because his belly hurts.... this goes on pretty much all day! but hopefully by tomorrow (Halloween) he will be feeling a little bit better since we don't have to do pills tomorrow! Zack threw up the night we got chemo this time which is unusual when we just get the one chemo so I am not sure what is going on with him but he sure doesn't feel good!

Hope all is well with you and again please sign our guest book so we know who is visiting...

REMINDER: We are very low on platlets and our friends are having to wait on bags at the hospital. I will be going within a few days to donate them if anyone wants to go with me or wants to make an appt. just call Red Cross or me and I will help you get started. We have one friend that has to get transfusions almost daily until he has his stem cell transplant so please help him and our other little friends that have to spend extra time int the hospital because of the lack of supply!!!!!!
Much love, Marcia

Tuesday, October 26, 2004 8:55 AM CDT

Hey Everybody,
We are going in for chemo today. Just vincristine in his port and a 1 hr drip of an iv antibiotic which he gets every month to prevent pneumonia.
Please pray for Shelby Prescott's family. They lost there little girl a few days ago and need all the prayers you can offer. They are strong christians and will do fine but prayer always help carry the sorrow!

Please see new pictures of the Light The Night Walk on the photo button!!! I hope to get you all a final number for Atlanta soon!

Much love, Marcia

NEW PHOTOS!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, October 19, 2004 10:00 AM CDT

Hello Everyone,
Well today I might have 3 minutes so here goes. We are doing really well. Zack is feeling really good except for not eating much of anything the last few days. He had strep (on the bottom) and is on antibiotics.. I hope that is what is causing him to not eat a lot.

Zoe is also fighting something and has been really tired and grumpy lately. We have chemo next Tuesday and will be on the steroids right up to the 30th. I hope he will be able to enjoy trick-or-treating. He is going to be batman and Zoe is a princess. They are really excited this year...wanting to decorate the house and wear there costumes everyday.

Zacks therepy is going slowly, he is not really responsive but I hope this week will be different because it is the week b4 chemo and he is feeling good. We have been working on being more consistant and positive reward charts and things. Zack is responding very well to it all. Zoe not so much!

I want to ask all of you to please pray for Shelby and her family. Shelby Prescott is a sweet little girl that doesn't have much more time here on earth. She is suffering from Neuroblastoma and her family needs you to lift them up right now. If you want to visit there website and let them know you are praying for them I know they will appreciate it.
www.caringbridge.org/ga/shelbyprescott

Thank you for visiting and please sign our guestbook! Marcia

Wednesday, October 13, 2004 10:21 AM CDT

Hello Everyone,
I only have about 1 minute but wanted to jump on and just say THANK YOU all for your awesome support at Light The Night! Your prayers and support are not only carrying us through this difficult time but you are helping doctors find cures too!
We are so very blessed to have such support! We feel your love and prayers and we thank you from the bottoms of our hearts! I have so much more to say but am out of time for now! Please pray for Coulter, a sweet little boy who is having a hard time in the hospital. See link below
Much love, Marcia

Saturday, October 2, 2004 8:46 PM CDT

Hello Everybody,
I was trying to sleep but I am just so overwhelmed at how much money we have raised to fight cancer I am just so excited and shocked that we have raised over 27,000.00 just our little team zachary!!!!! The money is still pouring in I can only imagine what number we will end up with. If any of you are thinking about coming to the walk let me know so I can get a headcount! It is going to be such a fun night and a celebration of all of our hard work raising all of this money!!!! Well, maybe now I can sleep! Have a Great Sunday! Marcia

Thursday, September 30, 2004 7:41 PM CDT

Just a quick note to let yall know Zack's counts are good and chemo went well. We were at the clinic for about 5 hours so it was a long day for Zack. The psychological side didn't go to well seeing as though zack wouldnt talk to her!!!! Anyway, the steroids have already kicked in and he is looking pale and tired as usual after chemo but hanging in there. The worst part of yesterday was the flu shot... he is still complaining that it hurts! At one point during a antibiotic infusion he said he wasn't able to breath, which was scary - given our history of reactions... but he must of just had a cramp or something. More later, Marcia

Tuesday, September 28, 2004 8:23 AM CDT

Today Zack woke up happy and excited about going to school. Isn't that the way it works? Just a few days before chemo and he is feeling GREAT! Makes me so sad, knowing that this is how he would be more often, if not for the drugs!!! But we are thankful for those drugs because they have saved his life!
We have chemo on Wednesday along with some therapy. Zachary is starting to show some signs of coming unraveled. He is angry about feeling bad... so we are going to see if we can't help him get some of that out!
Anyway, I'll update Wed. to let you know how his counts are...
Love, Marcia

Sunday, September 26, 2004 8:48 AM CDT

Hello All (Beth) ha ha
o.k. I am experiencing some technical difficulties. I will have some pictures up soon as well as some links for yall to visit. We are having a morning full of fighting this a.m. nothing really new around here. These little warriors need a break from each other!!! Zack is due for chemo on Wed. and his first counseling session with the psychologist at Scottish Rite hope he can get through it without melting down or screaming.... He is having some major anger issues lately! More soon. Love, Marcia

Thursday, September 23, 2004 8:45 AM CDT

Hi Everyone
We have decided to join the Caringbridge Team! Zack is doing great right now his counts have been a little funny but are back up where they should be and he is feeling good.
We are very excited about the Light The Night Walk on October 9th. Zack is this years honored hero and we have collected over 20,000 ! More updates coming soon.

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