History

Monday, May 9, 2005 8:07 PM CDT

It has been quiet some time since we updated the site. We returned a couple of weeks ago from Amy's make-a-wish trip to Disney. We had a wonderful time and it spoils all of us for a trip to Disney ever again. Amy had the privilege of going to the front of the line for rides and even staying on the ride and riding again if she chose to do so. And of course, the best part, she was able to meet approx. 28 characters in just a few days including most of the princesses and many of her other favorites. She was given the red carpet treatment in every aspect from the limo ride to the airport to the snacks and toys they had waiting for her at the villa that we stayed in. We are very grateful for the trip and we were all able to relax and have some down time away from therapy and doctors appointments.

Amy has completed physical therapy for now - She will return in about 3 months to be checked again. She also finished with occupational therapy in Minnetonka and we have started pool therapy back at the hospital in St Paul once a week to help her with shoulder and arm strength as well as hand function. She gets stronger by the day and is just as fiesty as she ever was.

We want to say thank you once again for all of your prayers and support. Amy has come a long way and will continue to do so thanks to wonderful hand of God being upon her.

Love Kathy

Monday, May 9, 2005 8:07 PM CDT

Tuesday, March 29, 2005 8:27 PM CST

Hello,

I apologized last time for not updating the site quicker and now over a month has passed and finally an update. I'll save the excuses. Amy had a MRI a few weeks ago to see if her tumor has grown back (surgery was 6 months ago) and we are very glad to report that there was no sign of anything growing back. Once again, we know that God had kept his hand upon her. They will continue to check her over the next 4-5 years to make sure that the tumor does not come back - She will have another MRI in September and then once a year for the next 4 years. She continues to get better and stronger every day. She will be finishing up with physical therapy sometime in April but will continue occupational therapy to help her improve on her arm and hand most likely through at least June. Once again, we thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers. Amy's trip to Florida will be here soon and she is getting more excited by the day. Talk to you soon.

Love Kathy

Sunday, February 27, 2005 8:03 PM CST

Hi Everyone,

Sorry for the delay on updating the site, but not a ton to update. Amy continues to get better every day. She is still attending therapy sessions once a week and will probably continue occupational therapy until June and physical therapy will be discontinued in March. Over the last 2-3 weeks, Amy's left hand has really started to work. She is using her hand without us instructing her to do so. Her doctor said that the left hand will come around, but it takes time.

Amy went back to the eye doctor a couple of weeks ago and at this time, her vision has not improved since the last exam. We continue to pray for her vision in her right eye to improve from 20/400 and for her to get the peripheral vision back in her left eye.

On a side note, Amy gets to participate in the Make-A-Wish program. For those of you who do not know, Make-A-Wish grants wishes to children (ages 3-18) that have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Anyway, we are in the process of planning Amy's wish. She has wished to go to Disney World to see Cinderella. It appears that we will be going on this trip in April, if all goes according to plan. Amy is very excited about her wish and we are excited that she gets to do something that we know she will have a blast doing.

Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers.

Love Kathy

Tuesday, January 25, 2005 8:51 PM CST

Hi Everyone,

Sorry that we have not updated the site for a couple of weeks. Amy has returned to school and is very excited to be back playing with her friends. She still attends therapy once a week to help her build strength and gain more use of her left hand.

I returned to work a couple of weeks ago because Amy was ready to return to school. For now, I only work Mon, Wed & Friday, but plan to return to my normal schedule in the near future since Amy is adapting to her new schedule.

Amy's vision is still being followed closely by her doctors and we continue to pray that her vision will be restored to normal. The doctors have told us that the next 3 months will be the critical period for her vision to return.

Thanks again for all of your love, support and encouraging words.

Love Kathy

Tuesday, January 4, 2005 10:29 PM CST

Hi everyone--Amy is doing well and is starting school this week. She goes to a school 4 days/week for 2 1/2 hours each day. This school is a special needs school. Amy receives help with her left hand among other things. She loves it so far and is excited to go back each day. Next week she will start back with New Horizons. (her original school) She will spend time with both schools for awhile. She is happy to be back with hers friends and anxious to make new friends. We were in TN for Christmas. While on the trip we went to Church on Sunday. This is Kathys parents church. Their Pastor asked Kathy and I about Amys progress during the service. (This is a church that has had Amys picture in the front of the church and also the kids at the church have prayed over her picture) He then asked if Amy wanted to come with us to the front of the church so the kids in the first 2 rows could pray for her. We gladly accepted and went forward. Amy wanted to sit on the first step in the church. The children came forward and put their hands on Amy and began to pray. Soon the Pastor was praying and the congregation was praying. He spoke with all 3 of us after the prayer session. We believe Amy will be fully healed and we will proclaim it in the name of Jesus. He continues to hold our hands through this event. Once again--God is good! Amys body moves smoothly. We beleive her eyes will be fully healed as well. (she sees the Doctor tomorrow) Please continue to pray for her. Have a Happy New Year--I will update again soon. Love Craig

Friday, December 17, 2004 12:09 AM CST

Hi everyone--Happy Holidays--Amy is doing very well. She continues to be very active at home. Her L hand is improving -- she often eats with it or holds the telephone with it. The cast on her R arm is scheduled to be removed on Dec 23rd. At that point she will be able to do almost any task on her own in the home or at school. She had an eye exam this week. Her L eye is doing very well and her R eye showed a slight improvement in visual acuity. We continue to pray for her full visual field and 20/20 vision in each eye. She is a beautiful girl with a tremendous attitude and we laugh often. She loves the idea of Christmas coming soon. We share with her the true meaning of Christmas and she likes to spend time looking at her new Nativity scene. Thanks for your continued prayer for Amy. She will do very well! I will try to update soon. Love Craig

Friday, December 10, 2004 12:32 AM CST

Hi everyone--Amy is doing very well. Her left hand is starting to move with greater ease. She has physical and occupational therapy at least twice per week. Her cast is scheduled to be removed around Dec 23rd. She is able to not only walk, but to run around the house. She is learning how to "skip" again as well. Her eyesight is still slowly improving. We continue to pray for her night and day. Amy often prays -- she thanks God for helping her walk again. We pray that God will touch her eyes and make them see well once again. She is a very happy girl and is looking forward to Christmas. We thank all of you who are thinking of her and continue to pray with us. Have a blessed holiday season. We will update again soon.

Wednesday, November 24, 2004 1:07 PM CST

Hi everyone--Amy continues to do well. She is becoming quite strong. Yesterday she started wearing a cast on her right arm all the way to her finger tips. She will wear this cast for 1 month. The purpose is to make her use the left hand to do all tasks. She can use it but at times chooses not to. The therapists tell us that in 1 month--her left hand will work as well as the right. We will get to take it off around Christmas time. (She currently takes it off to sleep at night) She is as witty and clever as ever. She entertains us with her questions about things and her sense of humor is tremendous! She also does not complain about her cast--but she will show it to you if you see her. Thanks for your continued prayer and concern. Have a Happy Thanksgiving. Again -- God is answering prayer--Glory to God.

Friday, November 19, 2004 12:06 AM CST

Hi everyone--this is Amys father--She is doing very well this week. She is walking around the house with relative ease and is starting to walk up and down the stairs without help. Her eye exam went well this week. She has greatly diminished vision in her R eye but it is still early and we will wait several months to see how the eye recovers. I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the wonderful response we have gotten on this web page. We are picked up by your letters and comments. I love to hear about the prayers because God is the miracle worker in all of this. He is a merciful God. Keep praying for Amys eyes--she will do great! I hope to get a chance to thank all of you face to face one day. We will update again soon.

Thursday, November 4, 2004 8:28 PM CST

Hello,

We are about to complete this phase of Amy's recovery. We go home tomorrow and we are very excited to be back in our own home and sleep in beds other than hospital beds!!!

Today was a very exciting day - Amy walked completely unassisted many times and some were lengthy distances. She is very proud of this and enjoys showing off. We are so proud of the accomplishments that she has made in such a short time. We expect her to gain more and more strength through her outpatient therapies.

I still anticipate that I will be updating this site approximately once a week or so. Thanks for all of the words of encouragement through the guestbook. I plan to make a scrap book for Amy someday that she will be able to read herself and see how many people love and care about her and our family.

Love Kathy

Monday, November 1, 2004 7:06 PM CST

Hello,

Well, this is our final week in the hospital. Amy will be discharged sometime on Friday (11/5) and we will be home for good. We are very excited for this as it has been seven weeks since Amy first arrived at Children's Hospital in Minneapolis. As the next step, we will begin outpatient occupational and physical therapy three times a week starting next week. Today in therapy, Amy walked by herself with the therapist only holding on to a belt around her waist in case she fell. It was so exciting to see her do this on her own. Her arm is getting stronger each day, but the hand and arm still need strengthing.

The results of the MRI did not show anything new going on with her right eye. Her vision in her right appears to have been damaged at some point before the surgery or during the surgery. Time will tell if she gains any vision back or not, but the doctors are not very optimistic for the vision to return. We have seen God perform miracles on her before, so anything is possible.

Please continue to keep our family in your prayers.

Love

Kathy

Wednesday, October 27, 2004 8:07 PM CDT

Hello,

Amy is gaining more and more strength each day. She is able to walk for a long distance with the assistance of a walker or with minimal support from someone holding onto her torso. She also continues to climb stairs with some assistance. She has made wonderful progress during the past week to ten days. She is also getting stronger in her arm, but it still remains weaker than the leg.

Today, she is able to open her right eye slightly on command. This is very encouraging!!

Tomorrow (Thursday), She will have another MRI. During the past couple of eye exams they are having some concern with the vision in her right eye. So, they will do a MRI to look at the optic nerve area and do some comparison to the previous films taken before and after surgery. Please continue to pray that her vision and strength are restored as we know that this is what has helped her get to this point.

I will keep you posted on the results of the MRI, but we may not know the results until Monday or so due to many doctors reviewing/comparing the films.

Love Kathy

Friday, October 22, 2004 4:07 PM CDT

Hi Everyone,

Sorry that I have not updated this sooner, but not much to update. Amy continues to gain strength every day as they continue to challenge her with more physical activity. She did climb stairs with assistance this week and will continue to work on this task as part of her goals due to the floor plan of our house.

Thanks.

Kathy

Monday, October 18, 2004 3:59 PM CDT

Hello Everybody,

Amy got to spend the weekend at home and had a very nice time with Mom and Dad. She actually doesn't mind when she has to return to her "home away from home" because, according to Kathy, she likes the food!! YIKES Her favorites are the scrambled eggs and hashbrowns, which she has every morning.

Amy made more progress in therapy today. She is taking lots and lots of assisted steps! She also has a contraption called a "stander" which she's required to be in for 30 minutes a day. She continues to get stronger and stronger every day.

Thanks for all of your prayers!

Friday, October 15, 2004 1:06 PM CDT

Happy Friday, everyone!

Not a lot of new news, but what there is is very good.

Amy started moving her left arm (from the shoulder and the elbow)in therapy today!!!

Most likely Kathy, Craig, and Amy will get to go home after therapy on Saturday morning and return Sunday evening. Kathy is waiting to hear from Amy's doctor this afternoon, but sees no reason why he wouldn't give the go ahead. Amy just might get to see this season's first snow fall from home!!

Keep checking back; Amy's steady improvement is enough to brighten these gloomy days we've been having!!

Wednesday, October 13, 2004 12:37 pm CDT

Hi Everyone!
Amy, Kathy and Craig had a very restful weekend at home. They had a few visitors, took naps and Amy got a wagon ride around the neighborhood!

Amy is making remarkable progress. She is moving her left leg "like crazy"! She needs to build up the muscles, but has almost full range of motion. Another wonderful development is her ability to firmly squeeze Mom's fingers with her left hand!! The doctors are hopeful that she'll start moving the left arm soon.

And if all of that wasn't good enough, there is talk of a tentative release date of November 5th, depending on Amy's progress.

Thanks, everyone, for the continued prayers and support!

Friday, October 8, 2004 6:54 PM CDT

Mom, Dad and Amy are very excited for tomorrow...

They have been given an overnight pass to go home after rehab tomorrow. They will be leaving Gillette's around noon on Saturday and will return around 6:00pm on Sunday. They are looking forward to sleeping in their own beds and spending some quiet time together as a family.

Each day brings small encouraging improvements. Amy is enjoying rehad (for the most part). Today she got to ride a bike around the gym. It was fun and exhausting at the same time. She was also given 'homework' today. She is to practice blowing feathers out of a straw. She enjoys watching all the colorful feathers fly up in the air. This task help Amy expand her lung functions.

All-in-all things are going well. There is not a lot to report each day, as progress is slow and steady.

Keep Amy and her famnily in your thoughts and prayers.

Thank you again for all the support!

Thursday, October 7, 2004 9:27 AM CDT

Hello,

Amy is gaining more and more stength each day. It is a slow process, but she has started to wiggle her toes on her left foot on a regular basis and her leg shows signs of movement as well. The doctor is very optimistic about this news and thinks her arm will start to move within the next couple of days. During the days, she is very busy with therapy sessions, usually 6-7 a day between Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapy. She tires very easy after the sessions but has started sleeping better at night.

I will try to keep you updated every couple of days as she progresses. Thank you again for all of the encouragement to us as a family and to everyone that has helped us out. Words cannot explain how grateful Craig and I are to all of you.

Kathy

Monday, October 4, 2004 11:08 AM CDT

Hello,

Amy has been doing well over the past couple of days. She had her sutures removed this morning, so that made her very happy as they were starting to itch.

At 12:30 today, we are transferring to Gillette's in St. Paul. The doctors are estimating 4-6 weeks of inpatient therapy. We hope it will be shorter, but will do what is best for Amy and her recovery.

I will continue to update the site to keep you updated on her progress.

Kathy

Thursday, September 30, 2004 11:54 AM CDT

Hello again...

Not bad news, but... Amy will NOT be going home in the next few days.

After much debate and conservation the doctors and staff at Children's have decided it would be best for Amy to be transfered to Gillette Children's Center for extensive daily rehab.

Gillette Children's Center is a speciality ReHab Center that will work with Amy daily to help her regain strength, mobility and function. Mom and Dad have not been told how long she will 'live' at Gillette. They only know that this is what's best for Amy and her recovery.

Amy will continue her stay at Children's Hospital until Monday when she is transfered to Gillette's. Doctors from Gillette will be visiting Amy over the next few days to help them determine Amy's rehab treatments to start next week.

Although the family is disappointed that they are not going home, they look forward to starting therapy.

Thanks again for your prayers, visits and support.

FYI:
Gillette Children's Speciality Healthcare
200 East University Avenue
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55101
651-291-2848

Wednesday, September 29, 2004 2:59 PM CDT

Well, here is more good news!!! Amy will be going home soon. They anticipate that she will go home tomorrow (Thursday)or Friday. She will still need lots of therapy, but it will be done either in-home or on an outpatient basis. They are still trying to determine which method is most appropriate and the amount of therapy that she will tolerate in the beginning.

Monday evening she decided to start talking and has been a little chatter box ever since. When she gets tired, she is not quiet as vocal, but I am sure that is normal. She is still very tired and gets exhausted very easy, so please continue to pray for her strength and patience.

I will update you on her discharge status as I am informed. Thanks everyone for your love and support!!

Kathy

Monday, September 27, 2004 12:23 AM CDT

Hello,

Amy is resting well this morning. She had another CT scan and chest X-ray yesterday due to an increased fever. Both came back negative and they feel that the fever is still due to her body's reaction to the surgery. The fever is down today and she is more comfortable. We are out of PICU which is a great relief to everyone.

Now, the next steps are to increase physical therapy to two times a day to build her strength in the left side and overall. She will also continue to have speech and occupational therapy each day.

Please continue to pray for her continued road to recovery and her patience level as it will not be easy.

Kathy

Saturday, September 25, 2004 2:22 PM CDT

Sorry you have not heard any updates for the past few days. Mom wanted to take over the WebPage, but has not found the extra time. So, I will jump back in and give you updates until Mom and Dad have some extra time.

Amy is doing better today. The swelling is going down and she is able to open her left eye. Her right eye remains swollen shut, but is getting better.

Yesterday Amy had another CatScan. They wanted to check on the bleeding, vessels, swelling...etc. Everything looked okay. She also had a 'swallow test' done to determine if when she swallows it is going down the proper tube. Amy has been cleared for pudding, jello and apple sauce - no liquids yet.

The doctors will be watching her sodium levels and the 'weakness' on her left side, but decided today that she could be transfered out of the PICU. She will be moved to the Oncology (8th) floor this afternoon. The 8th floor provides play areas, activities and a small gym for the kids to use when they are feeling better. We can't wait to see Amy up and about!

Mom and Dad are doing well. Mom has spent a few nights at home, sleeping in her own bed. She admits it is tough the leave her little girl, but fully trusts the staff to call if there are any concerns.

Thank you all again for your thoughts and prayers. We have truly seen the power of prayer this week. God has been faithful.

Keep signing the GuestBook! Your messages and kind words continue to be an encouragment to the family as we travel done this difficult path.

FYI - call before you visit, please.

Wednesday, September 22, 2004 6:55 PM CDT

Hi Everyone - It's Kathy! Craig and I wanted to let you know how great it is to read your emails filled with love and support. It means tons to us right now during this time.

We received GREAT news today from the pathology report. Until now, they have indicated that this was a malignant tumor - The report came back and stated that the tumor is benign and that Amy would need no further treatment such as chemotherapy. We were amazed for the second time this week. She will need to recover from the surgery, which will still take lots of time. They will do another MRI in three months to make sure that hte tumor has not grown back.

At this time, she is having "stroke-like" symptoms with left-sided weakness. She barely moves her leg and her arm shows no movement at this time. We are hopeful that with time and physical therapy that she can regain some of the function on her left side. Time will only tell on this part!!

She is tired and her face/head is very swollen from the surgery. Her eyes are swollen shut, so she is frustrated with that, but she did say a few words to me today which was very encouraging. She is being such a trooper and we could not be more proud of her and what she has had to endure.

Please keep Amy and us in your prayers as we can see for the second time this week that God does answer prayer.

Wednesday, September 22, 2004 10:35 AM CDT

Good morning.

Many of you are looking for the latest news on Amy's condition. However, there is nothing new to report at this time.

Amy remains swollen and bruised from the surgery. She is sedated and medicated to control pain. She continue to be able to answer Yes/No questions. The drains, that were a concern yesterday, now seems to be functioning fine.

The MRI/MRA taken yesterday confirmed that most of the tumor was removed. There is a small spot that the doctors will watch in the coming months/weeks. It may be remaining tumor or it could simply be shadowing from the swelling. It's too soon to tell.

Bioposy results and pathology reports will not be available for a few days. The doctors have informed Mom and Dad that regardless of the results, they will request a second opinion. They want to be 100% certain of the results as those reports will determine future treatments that Amy will receive.

Our journey has had many ups and downs, but knowing that so many people are behind us keeps us going. Thank you again for all your words of support, encouraging cards, meals, and prayers.

Tuesday, September 21, 2004 12:35 AM CDT

Amy was taken last night for an emergency CatScan to determine why the drains in her head were not draining. The doctors had expected them to begin draining within a few hours of surgery. They determined that the tubes were in the proper location and that they would observe Amy closely during the night. Amy was sore and restless throughout the night, but all-in-all Mom said it was an okay night.

Amy is scheduled for an MRI/MRA today to determine what the final results of the surgery look like within her brain cavity. They are hoping to see what is left and where bleeding might be an issue. Her drain still is not working as it should and there has been talk of another operation today to replace/relocate the drain.

Mom and Dad say the staff in the PICU have been very attentive to their needs the past 24 hours. Amy is being closely watched. She is still unable to move her left side and her right eye is extremely dialated. The surgeon is optimistic that these issues are a result of the surgery, stress on the brain and bleeding - not a sign of stoke or other complication. They will not know for sure until the swelling goes down.

Amy is able to answer YES/NO questions, but is upset and frustrated by her lack of ability to move, her eyes being swollen shut and all the tubes. As we all know, she is a spunky, active 4 year old and she is not used to being kept down. She will be given pain medication and mild sedatives as needed.

Again... for the sake of Amy's recovery, NO VISITORS today. Mom and Dad are also asking that phone calls be limited. Please send well-wished through the GuestBook.

Thanks again for your support - we will keep you posted.

Monday, September 20, 2004 12:35 AM CDT

When the doctor arrived in the waiting room after only three hours, we expected the worst. However, we received the best news possible...

The doctors were able to remove all visible (to the naked eye) portions of the tumor. Small cells attached to the vessels remain but further treatment should kill them. Amy's bleeding during surgery was relatively controlled and only one dose of blood clotting medicine was needed. There were no obvious complications during surgery.

Amy will be in recovery for the next hour or so. If all goes well in recovery she will be taken off the breathing machine and returned to the PICU. The results of the bioposy will be given to the family in about three days. This will help determine the next course of treatment for Amy.

Amy, Mom and Dad will have a difficult next few days recovering from the events of the past week. Therefore, we ask that no visitors or calls for the next 48 hours. Amy will be in the PICU for the next 5-7 days recoving from surgery.

In light of todays events and encouraging news, we are extremely grateful for the grace of God and the power of your prayers! Remember... this is not the end of our journey quite yet, so keep praying.

During the long wait the family read through all the well-wishes in the GuestBook. These were a great encouragment to us all. Thank you. Keep them coming and remember... Name, city, message and connection to the family.

Monday, September 20, 2004 10:05 AM CDT

Good morning.

The surgery began at approx. 8:00 this morning. Amy was allowed a few visitors prior to being taken into PreOp. She was told by Mom and Dad yesterday that she had a tumor that was making her sick and that the doctors were going to make her feel better today. She seems to understand.

A few words about the surgery... there is a great risk of bleeding during the surgery, so a hemotologist was brought in and special blood clotting medication is on hand, just in case. The clotting medication will be used only when necessary as it may cause clots in places that would not be good for Amy.

Mom and Dad were told that the incision would be straight from ear to ear, but that was changed according to what was best for Amy. The incision will now be made in the shape of a triangle on the right side of her little head. This was determined to be best for Amy. As a result, Amy's right eye will be black & blue and sore for a few days.

Mom spent the night with Amy. Daddy arrived at the crack of dawn to spend some quality time with his little girl.

Waiting is always difficult, but we are doing our best to keep Mom and Dad distracted/occupied during this long wait.

Please keep Amy, Mom and Dad in your thoughts and prayers!

We will keep you posted.....

Sunday, September 19, 2004 3:35 PM CDT

Well, the weekend is here and it has been a busy one. Nothing exciting or special, just a lot of visitors and family.

Amy has not been able to keep any food down since being taken off the breating tubes and sedation. The doctor suspected it was related to the mophine and not anything to do with her brain. They took Amy off the morphine late Thursday/early Friday. She was able to eat some eggs and toast yesterday (Saturday) morning and some salad later that day. She kept it down and her tummy felt much better having been fed.

The latest update on the surgery scheduled for tomorrow is... starts at 7:30am and will take at least 4 hours, but expect it to take longer. An hour prior to surgery Amy will be taken to PreOp in preperation for the surgery. They will be checking her vital signs, applying monitors, sedating her once again and shaving her beautiful hair :( . This will be difficult, but necessary. Expect a "hat-campaign" in the next few days...We'll keep you posted!

Thank you all once again for the wonder show of support. The care-packages, balloons, animals, flowers and cards have brightened Amy, Mom and Dad's day. Your entries in the GuestBook continue to be an encouragement to the family as well. And YES, you may sign the GuestBook as often as you like.

In the next 24 hours, please keep Amy and her family in your thoughts and prayers. Your encouragement and support is making this difficult time a little more bearable. Thank you!

Friday, September 17, 2004 5:01 PM CDT

Today was a great day. Amy is coming off some of the medication and is more alert. Today she had a 'bath', washed her hair, sat on Grandma's lap, read books and enjoyed visits from family and friends.

Mom was able to sneak out for a few minutes this morning to view the GuestBook on Amy's webpage. She was overwhelmed by all the warm wishes and kind words. Thank you all. Remember... name, city, message and connection to the family.

Mom and Dad are encouraging people who would like to visit to call first. Drop in visitors, while appreciated, often come at an inconvenient time or when Amy needs to be resting. We welcome your visits, but want to make sure Amy is not overwhelmed.

Have you ever played "Where's Waldo?"... Amy was difficult to find this morning in among the stuffed animals and balloons. Her new friends include Precious, YoYo and Harmony. They all live at the foot of her bed. Occassionally one dances across her tummy triggering a smile or is requested for a little snuggle time while Amy naps. The balloons and animals have added some color and cheer to her white sterile ICU room.

Surgery is still scheduled for Monday 9/20, but no time has been given yet. We have been told the surgical staff will brief the family periodically during the surgery. So, we hope to pass those updates along to you throughout the day. We will keep you posted while you keep Amy in your prayers!!!

Thursday, September 16, 2004 8:02 PM CDT

Today was a quiet day. Amy rested and enjoyed time with Mom and Dad. The next few days will continue to be quiet as no additional tests are scheduled at this time.

The doctors advised the family today that Amy will need blood during the surgery. All, who could, gave blood at the Memorial Blood Center. Remember... blood donation is always a good idea (hint, hint) as donations are always needed by someone.

Mom and Dad were briefed on some details of the surgery. The doctors plan to remove as much of the tumor as they can without damaging any surrounding tissue. The tumor is next to the pituitary gland, optic nerve and major artery. The surgery will be long, but doctors will not give a time frame. Every child's condition is different and they will not know exactly what they are dealing with until they see the mass first hand.

Feel free to sign the GuestBook at any time. Your words of encouragement mean a lot to the family as they work through this difficult time. Please be sure to include your name, message, city and connection to the family. Mom and Dad receive copies of GuestBook entries each day.

Thank you again for your love, support and prayers.

Wednesday, September 15, 2004 1:45 PM CDT

Good morning. As of today 9/15, Amy is awake and talking. Mom and Dad are tired, but encouraged by the events of the last 12 hours.
Many people have been asking what happened and/or what's new with Amy's condition. Here is the (somewhat) brief recap...

Monday morning Amy was not feeling well at "school" and passed out. 911 was called and she was transported to North Memorial Medical Center where she was stabalized and a CatScan was taken which showed a bleed and tumor in her brain. The tumor had grown rapidly and broke blood vessals. Amy's initial signs and sympotoms were a result of the bleeding, which lead to the discovery of the tumor. Amy was medically sedated and transported to Children's. She then went to surgery to relieve the pressure on her brain caused by the bleeding. Monday's MRI confirmed a tumor that is believed to be malignant. Further tests would be needed to determine the best treatment for Amy. Amy remained sedated throughout the night.

Tuesday - A CatScan in the morning confirmed that nothing had changed overnight and the drains/medications were doing their job. A cerebral angiogram was sheduled for 2:00pm to determine the extent of the mass and any intrusion of the blood vessels into other sections of the brain. Tuesdays finding were difficult as we learned the mass is approx the size of a lemon (2"). Surgery is scheduled for Monday(the 20th) to remove what they can, obtain a good biopsy and determine future treatments and needs. Amy was taken off the breathing tubes and allowed to "wake-up" that evening. Mom and Dad were thrilled that she woke up gently, had full function of all extremeties and was able to answer questions. She even joked with Mom and showed her 'spunky' side to the doctors and nurses. Mom and Dad rested well knowing their little girl was okay for now.

Today - Wednesday - Amy had a great night and woke up asking to see Grandpa. For now.. things are going fine, but as we have all learned things change from hour to hour, minute to minute.
Mom and Dad have requested NO VISITORS today. They need some time as a family.

Your prayers and support are appreciated. We will try to update Amy's webpage on a daily basis to keep all informed. As part of Amy webpage a guest book has been created. Please sign it and leave Mom, Dad and Amy words of encouragement. In Amy's best interest, we ask that phone calls and visits to the hospital be limited.

Click here to go back to the main page.

----End of History----